Twenty-Nine Sermons, Text 3 – Title page 15

Twenty-Nine Sermons · Text 3 – Title page 15

p. 265A DISCOURSE OF The nature of Prevalent Prayer: Together with ſome helps againſt diſcouragements in Prayer.

LAMENT. 3. 57.

Thou dreweſt neare in the day that I called upon thee, thou ſaidſt fear not.

THis Book of the Lamentations doth plainely ſhew what miſeries and diſtreſſes ſin is the cauſe of. As in this people of the Jews, who becauſe of their Idolatries, their contempt of Gods Ordinances, their ſlighting and miſuſing the Prophets, &c.▪ Had their Cities taken, their Temple burned, their liberties confiſcated, themſelves carried captive out of their own countrey, and deprived of the ordinances of their God, and the ſigns of his preſence; before they were rebellious: but now they ſought God a long time; they prayed, but God would not hear. Inſomuch that many poor ſoules amongſt them were diſcouraged, and almoſt ready to deſpaire; That had not the Lord put in ſome inklings of hope, they had p. 266utterly fainted. Now whilſt theſe poore ſoules were praying, and crying, and groaning, and now ready to give over for diſcouragement that God will not heare them, preſently the Lord flings in comfort, and beckens to their hearts not to be diſcouraged, but to pray on, and feare not. Thou dreweſt near in the day that I called upon thee, thou ſaidſt fear not; the words containe in them three properties of effectuall prayer:

Firſt, the unſatiableneſſe of it; All the prayers of this people though 1they had been of many yeares, yet they counted them as the prayers of one day; in the day that I called upon thee. They account all their thouſands of ſupplications and praiers as one ſuite; never had they done their praiers till God did heare them.

Secondly, the ſenſibleneſſe of it, whereby it is able to know whether 2God doe heare it or no: Thou dreweſt neare in the day that I called upon thee.

Thirdly, the ſupplyes it hath againſt dangers and diſcouragements; 3God flings in comfort into their hearts, giving them inklings of hope to ſupport them againſt their diſcouragements, thou ſaidſt fear not. From the firſt of theſe, obſerve

That an effectual prayer is an unſatiable prayer; A man that praies effectually,Doctrine. 1. ſets down this in himſelf as his firſt concluſion never to ceaſe, nor to give over praying till he ſpeed: This the firſt and prime thing that a godly heart looks at, as David in his prayers: He begins in this manner, Heare my cry O God, attend unto my prayer, Pſal. 61. 1. So, Give eare unto my prayer O God, and hide not thy ſelf from my ſupplications, Pſal. 55. 1. Heare my voyce O God in my prayer, Pſal. 64. 1. As if he ſhould ſay, Lord, now I come to call upon thee, now that I come to thee, to begge theſe and theſe graces that my ſoule wants, I beſeech thee to heare me: for I am reſolved never to give over my ſuit, never to give thee reſt, but for to continue my prayers and ſupplications, til thou give a gratious anſwer to my ſoul and heare me.

This is the firſt and prime thing that the ſoule looks after, it being the very end of prayer to be heard; it is not with prayer as with Oratory; for in Oratory; a man may uſe all the perſwaſive arguments that the wit of man …, and ſpeak as cuttingly, and as perſwaſively as may be, and yet th… heart may be ſo intractable as not to be perſwaded; it is not ſo with prayer.

The end of prayer is to prevaile with God. Beloved, there is difference between the end and office of prayer; the office of prayer is to pray, the end of prayer is to prevaile. There is many a man that doth the office of prayer, and yet never gets the end of prayer. A man hath never gotten the end of his prayers, till he hath gotten that he prayed for. It is not with praier as with a Phyſician, that may give the beſt phyſick under heaven, and yet the Patient may die under his hands; and therefore one gives counſel that a Phyſician never meddle with a deſperate man.

But if the ſoul be an effectuall ſuitor with God, it can never faile of its ſuite, becauſe it is an unſatiable Suitor, that never leaves his prayer till it terminates the end of it. I cryed unto the Lord with my voyce, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah. Jerom tranſlates it for ever. p. 267Pſal. 3. 4. never doth a child of God pray, but he prayeth ſo as that his praier and Gods eare may be joyned together; I cried unto the Lord, and the Lord heard me: This alſo ſheweth how the Prophet cried and prayed, namely ſo as his crying and Gods hearing were coupled together.

Object.But ſome may object, How can a man be unſatiable in his prayers till he ſpeed? muſt a man be alwaies a praying? God calls men to other duties of his worſhip, and of his own particular calling; after morning I muſt have done till noon, after noone I muſt have done til night: whether God hear me or no; muſt I be alwaies a praying till I ſpeed? then I ſhould doe nothing elſe but pray? how then are we to continue our praiers till God hear us and give the grace that we pray for? to this I anſwer.

Anſ.A man muſt give over the words and times of prayer for other duties, but a man muſt not give over the ſuit of prayer. A poor begger comes to a houſe-keepers gate, and begs, but none hears him; now he being a poor man, hath ſomthing elſe to do, and therefore he ſits down or ſtands, and knits or patches, and then he begs or knocks, and then to his work again; though he do not alwayes continue knocking or begging, yet he alwaies continues his ſuite: O that my ſuite might be granted me, or that I might have an almes here; ſo when the ſoul is begging of any grace, though it doth not alwaies continue the words of praier, yet it alwaies continues the ſuite of praier. David he would dwell in the houſe of the Lord for ever, Pſal. 23. 6. A wicked man it may be will turne into Gods houſe and ſay a prayer, &c. but the Prophet would (and ſo all godly men muſt) dwell there for ever; his ſoul lyeth alwayes at the throne of grace, begging for grace. A wicked man he prayeth as the cock croweth; the cock crows and ceaſeth, and crowes again and ceaſeth again; and thinks not of crowing till he crowes again: ſo a wicked man praies and ceaſeth, praies and ceaſeth again; his mind is never buſied to think whether his praiers ſpeed, or no; he thinks it is good Religion for him to pray, and therefore he takes that for granted that his praiers ſpeed, though in very deed God never hears his praiers, nor no more reſpects it, than he reſpects the lowing of Oxen, or the gruntling of hoggs. He is found in his praiers as the wilde Aſſe in her moneths: Jer. 2. The wild Aſſe in regard of her ſwiftneſſe cannot be taken but in her months, ſhe hath a ſleepy monethmonth, and all that while ſhe is ſo ſleepy and dumpiſh that any man may take her; in her months you ſhall find her; ſo a wicked man hath his prayer moneths, his praier fits: it may be in the morning, or in the evening, or day of his affliction and miſery you ſhall have him at his prayers, at his prayer fits then you ſhall find him at it, but otherwiſe his mind is about other matters. But the child of God what ever he ailes, he goes with his petition preſently to the throne of grace, and there he never removes till he hath it granted him, as here we ſee the praiers of the Church conſiſting of many years, yet are counted but one ſuit. The application follows.

Uſe 1. Try therefore and examine whether thy praiers be unſatiableUſe 1. praiers yea or no; and for helpe herein take theſe markes; firſt, if thy prayers be unſatiable praiers, then it is a begging prayer; thou praieſt as p. 268if thou hadſt never praied before, as if thou hadſt never begun to pray, and thou never thinkeſt that thou haſt done any thing till thou haſt done the deed. As a hungry man eats as if he had never eat before, ſo the unſatiable ſoul praies as if he had never praied before, till he hath obtained that he hath praied for; but a wicked man he prayes not thu. Job ſpeaking of carnal profeſſors, Job 27. 10. Will he call upon God at all times? ſeeſt thou a wicked man go to a good duty, go to praier, do you think that he will hold out alwayes? he will never do it; for a wicked man he reaſons with himſelfe, I have called upon God thus and thus long, I hope I need not pray any more for this thing, and ſo he gives over.

But a godly man he will be alwayes calling upon God. Beloved, there is a beginning to an action, and a beginning of an action; thou never beginneſt to lift up a weight till thou ſtirreſt it from the ground; indeed thou maiſt begin towards the action by pulling at it, by reaching at it; but thou never beginneſt the lifting up of the weight till thou ſtirre it from its place: thou mayſt give a pull at prayer, and tugge at a grace, but thou haſt not ſo much as begun that duty, till thou ſeeſt God begin to hear thee, till thou ſeeſt the grace a coming; therefore the Prophet David when he prayed and had not that he prayed for, his praiers returned into his own boſome, Pſal. 35. 13. there to lie to be a continuall ſuit unto God. A wicked man praies, and he leaves his praier behind him in his pew, or in his hall, or chamber; but a godly man praies and his prayer is in his heart, his prayer is not out till the grace be in.

Secondly an unſatiable prayer it is evermore a proceeding praier; you 2would think that theſe are two contraries and one oppoſite to the other, but they are not, only they are two ſeverall things as it is ever a beginning praier, becauſe in his own thoughts he reckons or thinks that he hath nothing till he ſpeeds: ſo the ſoule that is unſatiable in prayer, he proceeds, he gets neer to God, he gains ſomething, he windes up his, heart higher: As a child that ſeeth the mother have an apple in her hand, and it would fain have it, it will come and pull at the mothers hand for it: now ſhe lets go one finger, and yet ſhe holds it, and then he pulls again, and then ſhe lets go another finger, and yet ſhe keepes it, and then the child pulls again, and will never leave pulling and crying till it hath got it from his mother: So a child of God ſeeing all graces to be in God, he draws neer to the throne of grace begging for it, and by his earneſt and faithfull praiers, he opens the hands of God to him: God dealing as parents to their children, holds them off for a while, not that he is unwilling to give, but to make them more earneſt with God, to draw them the neerer to himſelfe. A wicked man praies and his praiers tumble down upon him again; and his heart is as dead as ever it was before, as ſenſual as ever, as carnal and earthly as ever, as hard, as impenitent and ſecure as ever.

A godly man when he praies, though he have not gotten the thing totall that he deſired, yet he is neerer God then he was before; his heart grows every day better than other by his praiers; he obtains ſtill ſomething p. 269as the Prophet Hoſea ſpeaks of knowledge, Hoſ. 6. 3. Then ſhall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord: ſo I may ſay of prayer, and of all other good duties, then we pray if we proceed on wards in prayer.

A man may know and know, and yet never know the Lord, till he go on in knowledge; ſo a man may pray and pray, yet if he goe not onwards in his prayers, his prayers are nothing. A godly man prayes as a builder builds; now a builder he firſt layeth a foundation, and becauſe he cannot finiſh in one day, he comes the ſecond day, and finds the frame ſtanding that he made the firſt day, and then he adds a ſecond dayes work, and then he comes a third day and finds his two former dayes work ſtanding; then he proceeds to a third dayes work, and makes walls to it, and ſo he goes on till his building be finiſhed. So prayer is the building of the ſoule, till it reach up to heaven; therefore a godly heart prayes and reacheth higher and higher in prayer, til at laſt his prayers reach up to God.

It is a ſigne of a wicked man to pray and to let his prayers fall down again upon him. And here I appeale to the conſciences of wicked men, if it be not ſo with them; they pray and pray, but their hearts are as dead and deceitfull, as proud and vaine, as ignorant, blockiſh and rebellious, as if they had never prayed.

Thirdly, it is more and more a fervent prayer; if a little prayer will 3not ſerve the turn, if he ſpeeds not to day, then he will pray more earneſtly to morrow; and if that will not ſerve the turne, he will adde more.

As a man in winding up of a bucket, if two or three windings will not fetch it up, he will winde it up higher and higher, till it comes up; for if he ſhould onelyonly winde up once or twice and no more, but hold it juſt at the ſame pin, the bucket would never come up; So if a man prayes and prayes, and windes not up his heart higher, but holds it juſt at the ſame pegge it was, prayes in the ſame faſhion he did, grace will never come up. Mark then how thou prayeſt, examine thy heart; doſt thou pray to day as yeſterday, with no more zeal, nor feeling affection, nor ſenſible deſire? thou prayeſt not unſatiably.

No, thou reſtraineſt thy praying from growing; an excellent deſcription of an hypocrite, Job 1…. 4. though falſly applied to Job, Thou reſtraineſt prayer before God; in ſome tranſlations it is, Thou keepeſt thy prayers from growing, thou reſtraineſt thy prayers as a dwarffe is reſtrained from growing, ſo thou reſtraineſt thy prayers from being more and more earneſt and effectuall and fervent, unſatiable prayer is growing in zeale and affection.

Fourthly, it is a more and more frequent prayer, ſo that if twice a day 4will not ſerve the turne, he will pray three times a day, Pſal. 55. 17, and if that will not prevaile, he will pray ſeven times a day, Pſal. 119. 164. and when that is not enough, he will be even ever a praying, hardly broken off day or night, Pſal. 88. 1. he cares not how often he prayes, it may be that thou haſt been a ſuitor for ſtrength and grace againſt corruptions, and haſt put up many prayers to the ſame purpoſe: It now thou p. 270ſtickeſt at any prayers, thy prayers are not unſatiable; an unſatiable ſoul never reſteth, though it have made ten thouſand prayers, till it have gotten the grace; it is ſo with other things, and therefore we need not wonder at it, when a man doth not finiſh his work one day, he will do it another, and ſo on as long as he lives, till his worke be done; ſo muſt we do for heaven and for grace.

Fifthly, it is ever more and more a back'd praier: if ordinary praiers will not ſerve the turne: a godly heart will cut off time from his recreations and pleaſures, though in themſelves lawfull. Beloved, it may be with thy ſoul in its wraſtlings and ſtrivings for grace and power againſt corruptions, that ordinary praiers will not ſatisfie it, but it will be neceſſry to give over even lawfull delights, and give that time to praier; ſo a man will do for the world, if he have a buſineſſe of importance, that will bring him in gaine, he will be content to part with his delights, and recreations, and pleaſures, to follow after it; ſo a man muſt do for his ſoul, and if that be not enough, then lay aſide the duties of thy calling, to take time from that. If a man have two houſes on fire both together, the one his manſion dwelling houſe, the other ſome back room or ſtable, if he can, he will ſave both; but if he ſee that by ſpending his time on quenching the fire on the ſtable, that his great manſion houſe will burne downe, he will then neglect the other and let it burne if it will, and imploy himſelfe about his houſe; So when the ſoul is in miſery under the want of grace, that it cannot live under, but muſt periſh eternally if it have it not, then the ſoule being better than the body, rather than that the ſoul miſcarry, we will neglect the body ſometime. And if this will not ſerve, abſtain from meat and drink, faſt it out; thus the people of God are faine to do many times; their luſt and corruptions being even as the devill himſelfe, which cannot be caſt out but by prayer and faſting; there is an excellent place, Joel 2. 12. Therefore now turn unto the Lord with faſting, weeping and mourning, rent your hearts, &c. Therefore now, now your ſinnes are ſo diveliſh, now your ſins are ſo deepely rooted in your ſoules, now your corruptions are come to be ſuch plague ſores within you, do you not think that your ordinary repentance, and ordinary praiers and humiliations will ſerve the turne, but now backe them with faſting and mourning. Here now thou maiſt examine thy ſoul whether it have praied effectually, unſatiably yea or no; hath it ever a begging praier, that thou praieſt as if thou hadſt never praied before? is it evermore a proceeding prayer, that thou doſt every day draw neerer to God than other? is it more and more a back'd praier, a fervent and frequent praier? haſt thou taken from thy recreations, from thy calling to give to it, yea from thy belly and back, and uſed all meanes for a prevailing with God? then are thy praiers effectuall and unſatiable.

This then condemnes the praiers of moſt men in the world, they pray and pray for grace, and their praiers come to an end, and ceaſe before they have it, the angry fretful man praies for patience and meekneſs, and yet ſits down without it; the covetous worldling praies to be weaned from the world, and his praiers are done before he is ſo; ſo the p. 271luke-warmling, deadhearted and vain thoughted profeſſor praye; for better thoughts, for more zeale, and yet comes to his ſo be it, before he have it; and ſo every wicked man prayes, and he is come to his Amen before the grace is given; let all ſuchmen know that ſuch prayers, firſt they are endleſſe, ſecondly they are fruitleſſe.

Firſt, they are endleſſe: The Philoſopher ſaid that for which a thing is, that is the end of the thing: now prayer is for the ſpeeding with God: and therefore he whoſe prayers ſpeed not with God, his prayers are endleſſe: thou haſt prayed againſt thy pride, but a…t as proud ſtill: thou haſt prayed againſt thy choler and art as teachy ſtill: thou haſt prayed againſt earthlineſſe and worldlineſſe, and art earthly and worldly ſtill: thou haſt prayed againſt ſecurity and deadneſſe of heart, and lukewarmneſſe in Gods ſervice, and art luke warm, deadhearted and ſecure ſtill: to what end are all thy prayers, when thou enjoyeſt not the end of thy prayers? to what end is the worke of thy ſervant, if thy buſineſſe be not done, and diſpatched when all is done? As good never pray, as pray to no end, a good that thou never hadſt begun to pray, as to ceaſe, and to giuegive over thy prayers before thou haſt obtained the grace thou prayeſt for: The prayers of the wicked are an abomination unto the Lord, but the prayer of the upright is his delight: Prov. 15. 8. that is, the prayers of a wicked man that continues in his wickedneſſe, when his prayers are done, hi prayers are an abomination to the Lord: but the prayers of the upright though he were before he prayed never ſo wicked, yet if it be the prayer of an upright and godly man, when his prayers are done, that his prayers rid him of his ſin, and make him an upright man, his prayers are Gods delight.

Beloved, many pray againſt diſtruſt in Gods providence, Infidelity in Gods promiſes, Impatiency under Gods corrections, &c. and yet have never the more truſt and affiance in God, never the more patience under the hand of God, all theſe praiers are endleſse.

Secondly, thy praiers are fruitleſſe: to what purpoſe is a beggers begging of an alms? if he be gone before the alms be beſtowed, his begging is fruitleſſe; ſo all thy praiers are loſt, if thou art gone from the Throne of grace, before grace is given thee; for if ſuch a praier be endleſſe, then is it alſo fruitleſſe: it will never do thee any good; what is a fruitleſſe tree good for, but to be cut down? what is a fruitleſſe Vine good for, but to be burned? So all thy praiers are loſt, all thy beginnings of grace are loſt, we know, ſaith the man that was borne blind, John 9. that God heareth not ſinners, we know it: Why may ſome ſay, how do you know that God heares not ſinners? why, we know it by experience, by examples.

A drunkard prayeth to God to cure him of his drunkenneſſe, and yet he doth not leave his ill company; all the world may ſee that God hears not the drunkards praier, becauſe he cures him not, but lets him go on in his ſinne; and ſo for all other ſinnes: ſeeſt thou a man go on in his ſins? thou mayeſt ſee that God heareth not his praiers. If a man ſhould be ſick on his death bed, and ſend for the Phyſirians; and Apothecaries in the Country, and ſend for his father, Mother, and for all his friends to p. 272come to him to miniſter unto him: yet I know he is not cured by them ſo long as I ſee his deadly diſeaſe remaines upon him; ſo if I ſee a mans pride, hypocriſie, ſecurity, deadneſſe of heart, his luſt, anger, &c. lie upon him: notwithſtanding all his prayers, I know God heares not his prayers; he prayes to be cleanſed from his ſins, and to be purged from his luſts, and to be redeemed from his vaine converſation: if now God let his ſins continue in him, and lets him go on in them, we ſee plainly God hears not him. O what a pittiful and miſerable caſe are ſuch men in, that pray and pray, and yet all their prayers are endleſſe and fruitleſs! is not that man in a pittiful caſe, and all phyſick, all coſt and charges is loſt upon him; when his eating and drinking, his ſleeping, and winding and turning from this ſide to that ſide do him no good? do we not ſay of him that he is a dead man? ſo if a mans prayers and ſupplications to God be endleſſe and fruitleſſe: that man muſt needs be a dead and a damned man, ſo long as he goeth on in that caſe.

Now we come to the ſecond part of the text, the ſenſibleneſſe of the2 Gen. godly ſoul, whether it ſpeed or no, the ſoule that prayes aright, that prays unſatiably, it is able to ſay, the Lord doth hear me, the Lord doth grant me the thing that I prayed to him for; Thus ſaith Jonah, I cried unto the Lord and he heard me; out of the belly of Hell cryed I, and thou heardſt my voice, Jonah 2. 2. How could Jonah ſay, God heard his voice, if he had not known it? therefore he knew it. But againſt this ſome may object,

Object.How can this be? how can the ſoule know that God hears it? we have no Angels, nor voices from Heaven now to tell men, as the Angel told Cornelius, that his prayers were accepted, and come up before God; or to ſay as Chriſt to the woman in the Goſpel, Be of good comfort thy ſins are forgiven thee; I know God heares me with his All-hearing eare, and therefore I have a good belief in God: but how ſhall I know that God heares my prayers in mercy, ſo as to grant that I pray for?

Anſw.There be ſix wayes to know whether the ſoule ſhall ſpeed in prayer, yea or no.

The firſt is, the having of a Spirit of further and further praying. When 1God gives the ſoul a further and further ability to pray, when God opens a way for the ſoule to the Throne of grace, and gives him a free acceſſe to the gate of mercy, and a ſpirit to hold out in prayer: It is a ſigne that God meanes to hear it. When a Petitioner hath acceſſe to the King, and preſents his Petition, If the King imbolden him in his ſpeech, and let him ſpeak all that he would ſpeak, it is a ſigne that the King means to grant that man his petition, becauſe otherwiſe the King would never have endured to have heard him ſo long, but would have commanded him to be gone. So it is with the ſoule at the Throne of grace; if it come with a petition and prayer to God; if God diſpatch the ſoul out of his preſence, ſo that the ſoul hath no heart to pray, nor to continue its ſuit; but prayes deadly and dully, and is glad when he hath ſaid his prayers, and hath done: it is a fearful ſign that God never means to heare that mans prayers: but if thou prayeſt and prayeſt, and ha…t not done in p. 273thy prayers, but God by caſting in a ſpirit of praier and zeal, and fervency in prayer, imboldens thy heart in its petition, it is a ſign that God will hear thee, and grant thee thy prayers.

Bleſsed be God ſaith the Prophet, that hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me, Pſal. 66. 20. How could the Prophet ſay that the Lord did not turne away his mercy from him? How! becauſe he turned not away his prayer from him. Many Expoſitors expound it of not turning away his prayer from his heart; as if he ſhould ſay, Lord, thou continueſt my heart to pray, thou haſt not taken away my prayer from my heart; therefore I know that thou continueſt thy mercy unto me.

Secondly, the preparedneſſe of the heart to pray, is a ſign that God means 2to hear. When the Merchant ſtretcheth his bagge wider and wider, it is a ſigne that he means to put ſomething in it: ſo when God opens the heart of a poor ſoul, it is a ſigne that he means to fill it; when God prepares the ſoule with more hunger and thirſt after grace, with more longings and breathings; it is a ſign that God hath already prepared his eare to hear that prayer: it is a ſigne that heart ſhall ſpeed with God in prayer: Pſal. 10. 17. Lord thou haſt heard the deſire of the humble, thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cauſe thine eare to heare Firſt, God prepares the heart to pray, and then he bows his eare to hear.

Examine thy ſoul then; art thou more and more prepared to pray? hath God ſpoken with a powerfull voice to thy ſoul to open it ſelfe wide? it is a ſigne that God meanes to fill thy ſoul with his graces. But if thou canſt ruſh into Gods preſence, and leave thy preparedneſſe behind thee; leaveſt thy ſoul and thy thoughts, and thy affections behind thee; and comeſt with a ſtraightned heart in thy deadneſſe and luke warmneſſe; this is a fearefull ſigne that God will not heare thee.

Thirdly, Gods gracious looke is a ſigne that he will hear thee: for ſometimes 3(beloved) God anſwers his people by a caſt of his countenance, with a gratious ſmile of his face. Pſal. 22. 24. He hath not deſpiſed nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, neither hath he hid his face from him, but when he cryed unto him he heard. Hereby was the Prophet able to know that God did hear his prayer, becauſe he did not hide his face from him; when his poor ſoule ſaw God ſmile on him, and ſet a favourable eye upon him, this made him ſay that God heard his cry.

This is a riddle to the world.

If you ſhould ask the men of the world what the meaning of Gods gratious countenance is, or what they ſee of it? alas, they can ſay nothing of it; they know not what it means; onelyonly the godly man underſtandeth, Pſal. 34. 15. The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his eares are open unto their cry. Theſe two go together, their prayers enter in Gods eares, and they know it; why? becauſe they ſee it in his countenance upon them, as a Petitioner may read his ſpeeding with the King by his countenance towards him; ſo a poor ſoul may ſee how prayers prevaile by Gods countenance and look upon him.

p. 274If thou then art a ſtranger to Gods countenance, if God never admitted thee into his preſence to ſee his face and countenance; it is a ſigne that God little regards thy prayers, and hath no mind to hear thee. A wicked man is like a varlet that ſtands without dores and begges an almes, but is not ſuffered to go into the Gentlemans preſence, and therefore knowes not how he ſpeeds, whether the Gentleman will give him an almes, or whether he be providing a cudgell to beat him away: ſo a wicked man prayes and puts up his petitions to God, but he is not able to come before God: he cannot ſee whether God look as if he meant to hear his prayers, yea or no; he knows not but that God may be providing a curſe and plague for him in ſtead of a bleſſing. But a child of God comes within the liſt of Gods countenance; he can tell when God ſmiles on him, and when he takes another looke: he is able to come into Gods preſence, Job 13. 16. He alſo (ſaith Job) ſhall be my ſalvation: for an hypocrite ſhall not come before him. A ſtrange verſe. Job ſaith, God is his ſalvation: and he gives this reaſon why he was able to ſay ſo, for an hypocrite ſhall not come before him. One would think that this were no reaſon: but yet it is an undeniable reaſon, as if Job had ſaid, I come into his preſence, and he lookes like a Saviour, a Redeemer upon me, but an hypocrite ſhall not come before him: he ſtands like a rogue and begs without the gate.

Indeed a wicked man comes into Gods preſence, in regard of Gods Omnipreſence: but this is not enough, thy Oxe, and thine Aſſe ſtands in Gods preſence: yea ſo, the very Devils themſelves are in Gods preſence. But if thou come not into Gods preſence of grace, if God do not admit thy ſoule into the liſt of his Throne, it is a ſign that God hears thee not. Men ſhould therefore examine their conſciences, what face or preſence of God they come into or ſee: when they pray in their prayers, whether they come before God, yea or no.

Beloved, no wicked man under heaven can come before God: this is made the marke of a godly man onelyonly▪ Pſal. 140. 13. The upright ſhall dwell in thy preſence, (mark here) dwelling in Gods preſence is onelyonly determined to the righteous: the upright ſhall dwell in thy preſence. And here I appeale againe to the hearts and conſciences of wicked men, what preſence of God doe they find in their prayers? they ſee their Pews, and the walls or hangings, &c. before them: they ſee the heavens and the clouds above them: they know nothing within dores. Do they ſee Gods preſence and countenance? no: it is the upright man onelyonly that dwells in Gods preſence: He ſees how God lookes on him, how his face ſmiles on him: and therefore, it is not a wicked mans coming to Church, and falling on his knees, and uttering the words of prayer that is a coming into Gods preſence: then, this would be a falſe ſaying of the Prophet. For a wicked man may go to Church and fall upon his knees, &c. but never come before God.

This preſence, is, to ſee the face of God.

Fourthly, the conſcience of a man doth anſwer him whether God hear him yea or no. As it was with the high Prieſt, whenſoever the high Prieſt came into Gods preſence to inquire of him, though God did not appear p. 275viſibly unto him, yet he might read Gods anſwer in his Urim and Thummim; he might there know Gods mind: ſo a mans conſcience is his Urim and Thummim. When he comes before God his own conſcience gives him an inckling whether he ſpeed or no: 1 John 3. 20, 21. If our hearts condemne us, God is greater than our hearts, and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our hearts condemne us not, then have we confidence towards God. If a mans conſcience tell a man his prayers are rotten, that his humiliation is rotten, that his heart is …o upright, that yet he is not purged from his ſins, that his ſeeking of God is fained and hypocriticall; it is the very voice of God in his ſoule: and if our conſciences condem us, God (ſaith the Apoſtle) is greater than our conſciences.

There is no condemnation to them which are in Chriſt Jeſus. Rom. 8. 1. as if he ſhould ſay, thoſe that are in Chriſt, God doth not condeme them; they have not▪ that condemnation: nay their own conſcience doth not condemn them: ſo that, that man whom any condemnation either from God, or from his own conſcience condemns, that man is not in Chriſt; being not in Chriſt, he can never be heard.

Indeed, a mans conſcience may be miſ-informed by Satan under a temptation; as you may ſee in the verſe before my text: Thou haſt heard my voyce: ſ…op not thine eare from my cry. Here the Church being examined, their conſciences told them they were heard in their prayers: but being under a temptation, their conſciences were afraid that God heard not. So many a poor ſoule, examine it, and it cannot deny but that theſe and theſe tokens of grace and fruits of Gods Spirit are in it; yet their conſciences are afraid that the Lord will not give them theſe and theſe other graces that they want: that the Lord will not hear them for ſuch and ſuch bleſſings.

I meane not neither a truce of conſcience: for there may be a truce of conſcience in wicked men. A truce may be between mortall enemies: but no peace but amongſt friends. Wicked mens conſciences are like the Lion, 1 Kings 13. who when he had killed the Prophet▪ ſtood by the Corps, and by the Aſſe, and did not eate the body, nor tear the Aſſe; ſo a wicked mans conſcience, it is as the devils ban-dogge or roaring Lion, till it hath ſlaine the ſinner, it ſtands ſtone ſtill, and ſeemes neither to meddle nor make with him, but lies as ſeared or dead in him I mean not this conſcience. But when God hath ſprinkled the conſcience with the bloud of Chriſt, and made the conſcience pure: this is a ſigne that God heares his prayer.

I mean not the ſtammering of conſcience, when it is dazelled, or overwhelmed: but when it ſpeaks down right as it means. A go…y mans conſcience ſometimes may judge otherwiſe then the thing▪is▪ But, examine what thy conſcience tells thee in ſober ſadneſſe, deliberately, convincingly, and then, know that the Lord tells thee. If thy conſcienceVox conſcienti… eſt vox Dei. ſayes peremptorily that thy heart and wayes are rotten, and unſound; then know that the Lord tells thee ſo, and that the Lord ſayeth ſo to thy ſoule.

Fifthly, the getting of that grace that a man prayes for, is a ſigne that God heares his prayers. But this is not a true ſigne alwayes but with diſtinction.

p. 276When the grace given, and the good will of God the giver, cannot be ſevered, then it is a true ſigne. But when the gift and the good will of the giver may be ſevered, then it is not a true ſigne.

Thou mayeſt pray unto God, and God may give thee many temporall bleſſings, and many common graces of his Spirit; God may give thee good parts, a good memory: he may give thee a good meaſure of knowledge and underſtanding, even in divers things; he may give thee ſome kinde of humility, chaſtity; civility. thou mayeſt be of a loving and flexible diſpoſition ſo he may give thee a good eſtate in the world, houſes, lands, wife and children, &c. God may give thee all theſe, and yet hate thee, and never heare one prayer thou makeſt; thou maiſt pray for a thouſand bleſſings, and have them: and yet never be heard, ſo long as the good will of the giver is ſevered from them; all outward bleſſings and common graces may be ſevered from Gods good pleaſure to a man.

Therefore in temporall bleſſings, or in common graces, if thou wouldſt know whether God hear thee or no: know whether God hath given thee a ſanctified uſe …f them or no. If God hath given thee many common graces, or temporal bleſſings, and a heart to uſe them to his glory; then every bleſſing thou haſt (there is not a drop of drink, nor a bit of bre…d that thou haſt,) but it is a ſigne of Gods everlaſting love to thee. Why? becauſe this, and the good will of the giver can never be ſevered. But on the contrary, if a man have not a ſanctified uſe of that he hath, then it is the greateſt ſeverity of God, and the moſt eminent plague and curſe of God upon the ſoule to give it; for a mans parts may be his bane, his civility may be his curſe, and means of the finall hardneſſe and impenitencie of his heart.

Sixthly faith▪ if a man have faith given him to believe, it is a ſigne that God heares him; be it to thee (ſaith Chriſt to the man in the Goſpel) according to thy faith; ſo goe thou to God, and be it to thee as thou beleeveſt. Doſt thou pray for grace? according as thou beleeveſt, ſo ſhalt thou receive.

Object.I have no ſigne that God will heare me; I have ſo many corruptions of my heart againſt me, and ſo many threatnings of Gods frowns againſt me; I have no ſigne that God will heare me.

Anſ.Wouldſt thou have a ſigne? An evil and adulterous generation ſeeketh a ſigne this is a tempting faith, to ſeek for ſignes to believe. Thomas▪ ſaid Chriſt, John 20. 29. Becauſe thou haſt ſeen me, thou haſt believed: bleſſed are they that have not ſeen and yet believe. That man that believes becauſe he feels grief in his heart, teares in his eyes, groans in his ſpirit, becauſe he prayes long and earneſtly, and ſweats in his prayer, or mourns in his humiliation, I ſuſpect his humiliation, his teares, his griefe, his prayers, and all that he hath. Why? theſe are good ſignes of faith: but rotten grounds of faith: the word and promiſe of God muſt be thy ground. But againſt this the ſoul may object,

Object.That every Promiſe runs with a Condition: and therefore if I have not the condition, how can I beleeve the promiſe? God hath promiſed, Bleſſed are they that hunger and thirſt after righteouſneſſe, for they ſhall be ſatiſfied. p. 277There is a Promiſe of filling, but it is with a condition of hungering. Bleſſed are the meek, for they ſhall inherit the earth. Bleſsed are the pure in heart, for they ſhall ſee God, &c. If I have not the condition annexed to the Promiſe, how dare or how can I beleeve the Promiſe?

Anſw.The Condition is not the way to get the Promiſe; the Promiſe is the ground of faith, and the way to get the condition; becauſe the promiſe is 1the Motive cauſe that moves the ſoul to get the condition. Now, the Mover muſt be before the Moved, then if beliefe of the Promiſe move thy ſoul to get the condition of the promiſe, then beliefe of the promiſe muſt be before that the ſoule can keep the condition of the promiſe.

Saul made a promiſe to David, 1 Sam. 18. that he ſhould be his ſon in law in one of his two daughters, upon condition that he ſhould give him an hundred fore-skins of the Philiſtins. Now, David did firſt believe the promiſe; and therby he was allured to fight valiantly, to keep the condition, to get a hundred fore-skins of the Philiſtins. So Pſal. 116. I believed, and therefore did I ſpeak. He beleeved Gods promiſe, and then he ſpake with condition. So we believe ſaith the Apoſtle, and therefore do we ſpeak. Firſt, the ſoule believes; and then every action of a Chriſtian wherein it moves to the keeping of the condition, ſprings from this root▪ nay beloved, a man cannot keep any condition in the Bible without faith; he muſt believe.

Secondly, faith is the inabling cauſe to keep the condition. Doſt thou 2think to get weeping, mourning, and humiliation for thy ſins, and then thereby to get the promiſe to thy ſelf? then thou goeſt in thy own ſtrength; and then, in Gods account, thou doſt juſt nothing, John▪ 15. 5. Without me ye can do nothing, ſaith Chriſt; therefore firſt lay hold on me, beleeve in me, abide in me.

What, doe you firſt think to pray, to mourne, to lament and bewaile your ſinnes, to do this and that in turning your ſelves, and ſanctifying of your ſelves? Indeed you may fumble about theſe things: but you can never do any of them in deed and to the purpoſe: without me ye can doe nothing. I had fainted ſaith the Propher, unleſſe I had beleeved to ſee the goodneſſe of the Lord in the land of the living, Pſal. 27. 13. where we may ſee three things,

Firſt, the Promiſe that he ſhould ſee the goodneſſe of the Lord: otherwiſe he could not have beleeved.

Secondly, the Condition: if he do not faint.

Thirdly, The method the Prophet went by, he beleeved to ſee the goodneſſe of the Lord. As if he had ſaid, if he had not firſt laid hold on the Promiſe, if I had not beleeved to have ſeen the goodneſſe of the Lord in the Land of the living, I had fainted.

Beloved, it is true that the keeping of the Condition, is before the fruition of the Promiſe: but not before beleeving the Promiſe: becauſe the doing of the Condition is effected by beleeving the Promiſe.

This is the cauſe that many fumble about grace, but never get it: they are ever repenting, but never repent: ever learning, but never learne the knowledge of the truth everlaſting: ever ſtriving, but never get power over their corruptions, &c. becauſe they fumble about it in their own p. 278ſtrength, and take it not in the right method.

Let the ſoul come with faith in Chriſt, and believe it ſhall ſpeed and have grace, and power from Chriſt his grace, and from Chriſts power: and then it ſhall ſpeed. Chriſt hath promiſed (John 14.) that whatſoever we aske the Father in his name, he will give it us. Chriſt (beloved) is an excellent Surety. Indeed, our credit is crackt in Heaven: we may think to go and fetch this and that grace in our own names, and miſſe of it: as the ſervant may go to the Merchant for wares in his own name, but the Merchant will not deliver them to him in his own name, unleſſe he come in his Maſters name and bring a ticket from him: and then when the ſervant ſheweth his Maſters ticket, the Merchant will deliver him what wares he asketh for in his Maſters name. So when a ſoul goeth to the Throne of grace with a ticket from Chriſt; if he can ſay, Lord, it is for the honour of Chriſt: I come for grace and holineſſe, and ſtrength againſt my corruptions; Lord, here is a ticket from Chriſt: moſt certainly he ſhall ſpeed.

But, men muſt take heed that they foyſt not the name of Chriſt: that they foyſt not a ticket to ſay that Chriſt ſent them, when it is their own ſelfe-love, and their own luſt that ſends them; it is not enough to pray and at the end to ſay through Chriſt our Lord, Amen. No: for this may be a …eer foyſting of the Name of Chriſt. But, canſt thou pray and ſhew that Chriſt ſent thee, and ſay as the ſervant, I come from my Maſter, and he ſent me? Lord, it is for Chriſt that I come; it is not to ſatisfie my owne luſt, nor to eaſe and deliver me from the galls of my conſcience, nor to free me from hell; but for Chriſt; Lord, I begge grace an… holineſſe, that I may have power to glorifie Chriſt. It is for the honour of my Lord Chriſt that I come. When the ſoul comes thus in Chriſts name, beleeving it ſhall ſpeed, then his prayer ſhal prevail. Whatſoever (ſaith Chriſt) ye ſhall aske the Father in my name, he will give it you.

We come now to the third and laſt part of our Text: to wit, the ſupplies they had againſt danger and diſcouragements. The Lord upheld their hearts from being diſmayed in prayer; thou ſaidſt, feare not.

There be two things that do much hurt in prayer.

Firſt, groundleſſe incouragements.

Secondly needleſſe diſcouragements.

Firſt, I ſay, groundleſſe incouragements; and theſe the wicked are moſt ſubject to eſpecially, who becauſe they pray, hear the Word, and perform many duties of religion; therefore they incourage themſelves in the goodneſſe of their eſtates, judging themſelves happy, though notwithſtanding they go on and continue in the hardneſſe of their hearts and rebellions againſt God.

We have abundance of ſayings amongſt us, that if they were examined would prove falſe and unſound; As, that the vipers dye when they bring forth their young; for (ſay they) the young eat out the old ones bowels; that beares ſhape all their young by licking of them; that the Swanne ſingeth ſweeteſt at her death; that the Adamant ſtone is ſoftned by Goats blood, &c. Theſe things are not ſo, as may be ſhewn out of ancient Writers.

p. 279So beloved, there are abundance of ſayings, that goe up and down amongſt men concerning Divinity, which if they were examined, will prove to be rotten ſayings; as, He that made them, will ſave them. It is not ſo, ſaith the Prophet, Iſaiah 27. 11. He that made them, will not have mercy on them, and he that formed them, will not pitty them. It is commonly beleeved, if men come to Church, heare the Word, and call upon God, that then preſently they are good Chriſtians. Beloved, it is not ſo, Mat. 7. 21. Not every one that ſaith, Lord, Lord, ſhall enter into the Kingdome of Heaven.

Men are ready when they can but call, Lord have mercy on me; O ſweet Saviour pitty me, moſt mercifull Lord Jeſus, have compaſſion on me: if they can pray in their families, and pray at Church, &c. to think, now, all is well with them, and Chriſt cannot but ſave them, and give them the Kingdome of Heaven: but our Saviour puts a not upon it, and ſaith, not every one that ſaith, Lord, Lord: it is no… a Lord, a Lording of Chriſt with the tongue onelyonly: it is not a taking up of an outward profeſſion of Chriſt only, that is ſufficient for a man that ſhall inherit the Kingdome of Heaven: no ſaith Chriſt: but he that doth the will of my Father which is in Heaven. But, of this by the by.

Secondly, there are needleſſe diſcouragements which doe much hurt 2in prayer. Nee leſſe diſcouragements do much hurt to many a poor ſoule, that hath forcible wouldings, and wracked deſires after grace and holineſſe, and yet is held by diſcouragements: yea, many a Chriſtian heart lieth a long time under it, wreſtling and ſtriving under its wants, and yet, kept out from grace, and from growing in grace becauſe of diſcouragements: yea, the beſt and ſtrongeſt of God▪ Saints, have been kept off, and have hung much on diſcouragements.

Fear not, ſaith God to Abraham, Gen. 15. 1. So, fear not Joſhua, ſaith God, to Joſhua, Joſh. 1. 9. Intimating that both Abraham and Joſhua were afraid of diſcouragements: they were afraid that many evils would befall them, that they ſhould meet with many rubs and difficulties, that would be too hard for them: therefore the Lord calls to them, fear not, be not djſmayed nor diſcouraged. I …ou ſaidſt, fear not. Hence obſerve.

That God would not have any Chriſtian ſoul to be diſcouraged inDoctr. prayer. Thou ſaidſt, fear not.

For our clearer prooceeding herein, firſt, let me ſhew you what diſcouragement is: and ſecondly, how it comes to be dangerous and hurtfull in prayer.

What is diſcouragement?Quest.

It is a baſe diſmayment of ſpirit below or beneath the ſtrength that isAnſw. in a man, under the apprehenſion of ſome evill, as if it were too hard for him to grapple with it.

There be foure things in this diffinition.

Firſt, I ſay, it is a baſe diſmayment of ſpirit; and ſo I call it to diſtinguiſh it: for there is an humble diſmayment which a Chriſtian is commanded. A man is bound to be diſmayed for his ſinnes. I ſay. 32. 11. p. 280Tremble ye careleſſe women that are at eaſe, be troubled ye careleſſe ones: theſe careleſſe ones went on in their ſinnes, and feared not. God calls to them and bids them to be diſmayed. But the diſmayment and the diſcouragement I ſpeak of, it is a baſe diſmayment of ſpirit; which is either when he is diſmayed that ought not: or he is diſmayed at that whereat he ought not to fear: where no cauſe of fear is.

As he that riding along upon the high way, ſpying a mans ſhape, thought it was ſome Spirit: and thereupon he ſickened and died. So many a poor ſoul looking in the perfect Law of God, and ſeeing his own uglineſſe and filthineſſe, he is diſcouraged, and thinks himſelf undone; his heart waxeth cold within him, and he begins to fear that he is but a dead and damned man.

Secondly, it is down beneath the ſtrength that is in a man: that man is 2properly ſaid to be diſcouraged, not that he hath no ſtrength at all in him nor no courage at all (for ſuch a one is an infeebled man, not a man diſcouraged) but a diſcouraged man is a man put beſides the courage that is in him; when a man hath ſtrength enough to grapple with the evill before him, but through diſmayment, of ſpirit he cannot put it forth.

Have not I commanded thee? ſaith God to Joſhua. Be ſtrong and of a good courage, be not afraid, neither be thou diſmaied, Ioſh. 1: 9. God had given Joſhua ſtrength enough, whereby he was inabled to obſerve and do according to all that Law which Moſes the ſervant of the Lord commanded him; God had now doubled his Spirit upon him: yet he commands him, be not afraid▪ neither diſmayed: as if he had ſaid, Joſhua, if thou beeſt diſmayed and diſcouraged, though thou haſt ſtrength and power to go through the buſineſſe that I have called thee unto, yet thou wilt not be able to uſe it, nor to put it forth, if thou beeſt diſcouraged.

Thirdly▪ it is at the apprehenſion of ſome evill. I ſay not at the ſight of 3ſome evill: for a man may be diſmayed at the apparition of good, as Mary when ſhe ſaw nothing but a good Angell, Luke 1. 29. ſhe ſaw nothing but a glorious Angel: nevertheleſſe ſhe was afraid, and diſcouraged. Why? becauſe ſhe had a ſecret apprehenſion of ſome evill, either of ſome evill proceeded in the ſalutation, or ſome unworthineſſe in her ſelfe to receive ſuch a gracious ſalutation: it cannot be the apprehenſion of any good that diſcourageth a man, but the apprehenſion of ſome evill.

Fourthly, not of every evill neither; for if the evill be but ſmall, courage 4will ſtand it out; but it is of ſuch an evill as he fears he is not able to grapple withall. If the evill before him be inferiour to him, he ſcornes it as the barking of a toothleſſe Dog. If it be but an evill equall to his ſtrength, then he makes a tuſh at it, becauſe he knowes, or thinkes himſelfe able to encounter with it.

But if it be an evill above his ſtrength, then his ſpirit melts and droops before him. See this in Saul 1 Sam. 17. 11. and his people. When they ſaw the Champion of the Philiſtims coming againſt them, when they ſaw him ſo hugely and marvelouſly armed, and heard him ſpeake ſuch bigge words, they thought they were not able to ſtand and p. 281to encounter with him; and therefore ſaith the Text, when Saul and all Iſrael heard theſe words of the Philiſtim, they were diſmayed and greatly afraid.

Thus you ſee what diſcouragement is;

Now we come to the ſecond queſtion, to ſhew how diſcouragements come to be hurtfull in prayer: ſuch diſcouragements the Lord would not have our hearts to be in, when we pray unto him.

For firſt, God cannot give ear to that man that is out of heart in his prayers. Thou canſt never pray if thou beeſt diſmaied in prayer. When the ſoul begins to feare and reaſon, O I am ſo unworthy that God will not looke at me; I am ſo ſinfull, ſo blockiſh, ſo dead, and dull to all good, that God will never regard me. Thou canſt never pray, Rom. 10. 14. How ſhall they call on him in whom they have not beleeved? If thou doſt not beleeve that God will hear thee, if thou doſt not believe that thou ſhalt prevaile, that God will deliver thee out of theſe corruptions and that luſt that thou praieſt againſt; that God will give thee this grace o… that grace: if thou doſt not beleeve that God will own thee: if thou haſt theſe doubtfull diſcouragements, O, he will not grant me, I ſhall never get this or that: how canſt thou call on him? thou mayeſt call ſo and ſo: but never canſt thou call to any purpoſe, if thou doſt not beleeve in him.

A begger though he be never ſo well able to begge, yet if when he comes to the Houſe-keepers dore, he be perſwaded that he ſhall not ſpeed, that let him beg as long as he will, he ſhall get nothing: this blunts his begging, and makes him give over his ſuit without any great importunity: So, it is impoſſible that ever a ſoul ſhould hold out and pray that is diſcouraged in prayer.

Secondly, thou canſt not pray unleſſe thou uſe all thy ſtrength in prayer; If thou bee diſcouraged, thou canſt not uſe thy ſtrength.

A diſcouraged man, his ſtrength melts into feare; and whatſoever ſtrength he hath, he cannot put it forth. How came Jacob to prevaile and to have power with God? Why, he uſed all his ſtrength with God, and ſo prevailed, Hoſea 12. 3. Thou canſt never prevaile with God by thy prayers, unleſſe thou putreſt forth all thy ſtrength in prayer.

If Jacob had reaſoned I am but duſt and aſhes; how can I ſtrive with God? I am ſinfull and evill, how, can I contend with my Maker? and ſo have been diſcouraged in his wraſtling, he could not have uſed all his ſtrength with God, and ſo had never prevailed with God. No, Jacob he gathers all the arguments that he could make; he gathers together all the promiſes he could finde in Gods Book, or that he could heare of; he diſplaies all the wants that he could ſhew; he petitions all the graces that he could name; he uſed all his ſtrength, and by his ſtrength he had power with God.

If thy confeſſion of thy ſins be ſtrengthleſſe; if thy petitions, and thankeſgiving for grace be ſtrengthleſſe; if thou uſe not all thy p. 282ſtrength in prayer, thou canſt never prevaile, nor have any power with God. For how can that man prevail and have power with God that hath no power with himſelfe?

Thirdly, thou canſt never pray, and have a fearfull apprehenſion of evill in prayer; thou canſt not. It is good to have a deep apprehenſion of thy ſinnes: apprehend them to be as many hells as thou eanſt, thou canſt never apprehend them deeply enough: but if thou haſt a fearfull apprehenſion of them, thou canſt never pray.

When the Apoſtle would exhort the Philippians to continue in one Spirit, and in one minde, fighting together through the faith of the Goſpell, he exhorts them that in nothing they fear, Phil. 1. 27, 28. For if a man be terrified with his adverſary, with the power of his adverſay, and fears he ſhall never be able to withſtand him, but muſt fall before him through his ſubtilty, that he can never be wary enough for him: Alas, he can never ſtrive with hope and courage againſt him. So, beloved, if we have a fearfull and diſcouraged kind of apprehenſion of evill, we can never pray ſo as to prevail.

Apprehend thy ſinnes to be as helliſh, and as damnable as thou canſt: Feele even the fire of hell in every one of them: but take heed of a fearfull apprehenſion of them, ſo to apprehend the evill of them, as to thinke with thy ſelfe that becauſe thou art guilty of theſe and theſe ſinnes, that thou ſhalt never get in with God again, God will never be reconciled to thee: theſe will eate out thine heart in prayer.

Fourthly, we can never pray if we have any ſecret deſpair, that there is any difficulty too hard for us to grapple withall, or to get through in our prayers. Howſoever a man praies, yet if he have any ſpice of theſe fears in him, to think now I have taken a great deale of paines, but am never the better; I have prayed and prayed, but have got no good: I may goe on and doe thus and thus, but ſhall never prevail or ſpeed; all my labours, all my prayers and indeavours will be loſt, this takes away the very ſpirit and life of a mans prayers.

Judas after he had betrayed the Lord Jeſus, he was diſcouraged from ever praying for mercy. Why? becauſe he thought it was impoſſible for him to get it; I have betrayed innocent blood, ſaith he. Matth. 27 3. as if he ſhould ſay, I ſhal never outwraſtle this ſin; this ſin is my death: I have brought the blood of the Son of God on me, I ſhall never claw off this ſin: now Judas thus deſpayring, we never read one letter of any prayer that he made to God to get out of it; no, he thought it too hard for him to get mercy. Deſpaire drives a man from that he did hope for; becauſe now he thinks there is an impoſſibility in getting of it.

Beloved, miſtake me not; there is a double deſperation:

Firſt, there is a deſperation of infidelity; and that deads and drawes the ſoule from God.

Secondly, there is a deſperation of extremity; And if ever you mean to come to God and to get any grace from God, you muſt come with deſperation of extremity, this deſperation puts life into a mans prayers and indeavours,

As a Souldier, when he ſeeth nothing but to kill or be killed, that he p. 283ſees his ſtate deſperate; why, this will compell a very coward to fight; this will make a coward fight (as if he would kill the Devil, ſaith the Proverb) it will make him fight like a ſpirit; he will be afraid of nothing. Take a Souldier that fights deſperately for his life, with a kill or be killed; he feares nothing; neither Pike nor Sword, nor Gun; why? he fights for his life. Therefore one notes that ſometimes it is the neareſt way to victory to be deſperate in attempts and in fight. Therefore when William the Conquerour came firſt into England, at Haſtings, he ſent back his Ships again, that ſo the Souldiers might have no hope of ſaving themſelves by flying back. And ſo at Battle, at one encounter, a little Army of the Engliſh ſlew a great Army of the French. Why? they grew deſperate.

So, could men pray deſperately, could they pray with a pray or be damned: begge with a begge or be damned; ſeek to God for grace that you want with a ſpeed or be damned; then would their prayers be more earneſt and powerfull to get grace. O, did men pray thus, they would pray otherwiſe then they doe.

Men pray, but they pray deadly, coldly, and lazily, as if they had no need of prayer, or as if they had no need of the grace they pray for; they pray for grace but get it not; they pray for zeale, but have it not; for repentance and holineſſe, but obtaine it not.

Beloved, either get zeale and holineſſe, or elſe there is no mercy: either get grace and repentance, or elſe there is no mercy for thee. Pray then when thou prayeſt for grace, with a ſpeed or be damned; ſay unto thy ſoul, either we muſt ſpeed and get grace Soule, or elſe we muſt goe to hell. If men would pray thus, with a ſpeed or be damned we ſhould never ſee, nor God ſhould never heare ſo many cold and dead prayers as now we pray.

Deſpaire makes a man a Munke ſaith the Papiſt: but this deſpaire makes a man a good Chriſtian I ſay: never doth a man pray indeed till he feels himſelf in extremity, hopeleſſe and deſperate in regard of himſelfe; ſo that he ſeeth no remedie at all but get Chriſt, get grace or be damned for ever. Get power and ſtrength over theſe corruptions: otherwiſe they will destroy and damne thee; this would make a man pray for life. Men pray coldly and faintly: why? becauſe though they ſee they have no grace, no zeale, no holineſſe, no repentance, no evidence of Chriſt: yet they hope to be ſaved notwithſtanding. O beloved, the divell hath blinded theſe men to the intent they may be damned.

But if men would pray deſperate prayers with a pray or be damned; ſeek with a find or be damned: men would then pray other prayers than they doe. Such prayers did David pray, Pſal. 130. 1. Out of the deep places have I called unto thee O Lord, Lord heare my prayer: as if he ſhould ſay, Lord, I am even in the depth of miſery, plunged over head and eares, ſo that now I ſinke and periſh if thou help net: Lord, hear my prayer. This deſperation a Chriſtian muſt have, this quickens up his Spirits, and puts life into him: but take heed of the deſperation of Infidelity: Saint Austin ſaith it is the murtherer of the ſoule: the ſpice of it will eate out p. 284the heart of a man, and kill the ſtrength of all his endeavours.

I ſhould now come to apply this Doctrine; but I feare me there be many amongſt us, that never come ſo farre towards Heaven as to know what theſe diſcouragements meane. This is lamentable.

It is true, diſcouragements are hideous caſes in prayer, and a man may periſh and goe to hell that hath them: but yet they are ſomewhat profitable ſignes that a man doth at the leaſt look a little towards God, or elſe he could not know what they are. But there are abundance that never have attained ſo farre in religion, as to underſtand what they meane: but goe on in drinking, whoring, carding and dicing, hating and malicing, fretting and chafing, mocking and coveting, ſwearing and blaſpheming, in ſecurity, in heardneſſe of heart and impenitency: they are more carefull for their doggs, for their potts, and for their tables, and for their ſhops, than they are of their ſouls: And which is enough to aſtoniſh any that is godly, theſe men ſcarce find any diſcouragements in prayer: O, they have a good courage to pray at all tims: O, ſay they, God forbid that any man ſhould be diſcouraged in praier: I thank God I have a good hope in God; God hath given me a good heart of grace to call upon him, and I make no queſtion but that God heares me: God would never bid us to pray if he did not mean to hear us.

Beloved, theſe men that are ſo bold in the goodneſs of their hearts to call upon God, they never as yet prayed in all their lives: all the prayers of the wicked are indeed no prayers.

Daniel confeſſing the ſinnes of wicked Judah, ſaith, Though all this evill be come upon us, yet made we not our prayer to turne from our wicked ways, Dan. 9. 13. all the time of thoſe ſeventy yeares, Daniel ſaith they never made prayer to God; yet they faſted every year, and prayed every day, twiſe every day at the leaſt, which would amount in that time to 50000 and 100 prayers: how then could Daniel ſay they never made one prayer? I anſwer, (and pray mark it) becauſe they never did quite turn from their evill wayes. Though thou makeſt never ſo many prayers, though thou boaſteſt of the goodneſſe of thy condition, and ſnatcheſt at the Promiſes of God: yet if thou turneſt not from thine iniquities, thou never as yet mad'ſt any prayer by the Judgement of God himſelf. Paul made many thouſand prayers before his converſion, he could not have been a Phariſee elſe; but they were never accounted prayers to him: therefore as ſoon as ever he was converted, behold ſaith God, he prayeth, Acts 9.

A wicked man, a carnall Chriſtian, though he have the righteouſneſs of Saint Paul before his converſion, of living blameleſſe, unreproveable in reſpect of the outward righteouſneſſe of the Law: yet he can never make an acceptable prayer, till he be truely converted; his prayers are no better than howling of dogs, or lowing of Oxen, yea the Lord abhorrs them. O what poor incouragements canſt thou have, ſeeing the Lord never tallies down any of thy prayers? wicked men are like Ulyſſes, who wept more for the death. of his dogge, than of his wife; ſo wicked men weep and mourne for the loſſe of their corn and their p. 285cattle, hawkes and hounds, cardes and dice: but never for the loſſe of their praiers. So long as thou continueſt in thy prophaneneſſe and impenitency, thou loſeſt all thy praiers: there is not one of them that God tallies down, or reckons for a praier. Here we minht have a great deale of matter, if time would ſuffer me. But it will not, onelyonly let me tell you, I ſpeak onelyonly to thoſe whoſe hearts God hath awakened out of their ſins, but who are oft diſcouraged: take heed of theſe diſcouragements.

For, firſt, they will drive thee to melancholy. Beloved, there are a great 1many melancholy men in the world, and this is the cauſe of it; men are contented to be converted by halves: becauſe they are diſcouraged in the worke. If thou ſuffer thy ſelfe to be diſcouraged, it will ea…e up thy ſpirit and thou wilt be like a ſilly dove without▪ a heart, Hoſea 7. 11. A dove is a melancholy creature, that hath no heart to any thing; ſo Epharaim hath no heart to call upon God, no heart to returne unto God: and this is the cauſe that men and women goe whineing and mourning under the burden of ſin, and are not able to come out, becauſe of diſcouragements: all the policy of hell is leſſe than this policy of the divell, in driving men to deſpair or diſcouragements: this doth more hurt than all the reſt of hell beſides.

Secondly, if you do not take heed of them, they will bring you to 2ſpeake againſt God, I have prayed, but the Lord will not heare me: I have called, and the Lord will not anſwer, but hath turned away his eares from me. Now, thou ſpeakeſt againſt God. Num. 21. 4. 5. The ſoule of the people was much diſcouraged, and the people ſpake againſt God and againſt Moſes, ſaying, Wherefore have you brought us out of Egypt, to die in the wilderneſse? for here is neither bread nor water, and our ſoule loatheth this light bread. So, beloved, if we ſuffer our ſoules to be diſcouraged, we ſhall ſoone come to murmure againſt God: wherefore hath he brought me up to this ſtrictneſſe, and preciſeneſſe? when I was a drunkard, a worldling, when I followed the luſt of my fleſh and liberty, then I enjoyed onions, garlick, and the fleſh-pots of Egypt: pleaſures and delights for my ſoule: then I had a good hope in God, and a good perſwaſion that my ſoul ſhould goe to heaven: and then Preachers told me that if I would give over ſuch and ſuch ſinnes, and look after Heaven a little more and doe ſuch and ſuch things; O then I ſhould come to a Land flowing with milke and honey; then I ſhould not miſſe of glory and ſalvation. But alas, I ſee nothing but Gyants and Anakims; I am in a wilderneſſe; now, now I ſee a man may have a great deal of repentance, and yet be a caſt away; A man may have a great deal of faith and yet be but a reprobate; A man may give over a great many ſins, and yet periſh in hell; now I ſee a man may live civilly and well, and have and do a great many good things, and yet be damned when he hath done all: A man may even go to Heaven Gates, and yet the gates be ſhut againſt him, and he turned into hell. Alas, my poor ſoul is in a wilderneſſe; now I know not which way to goe; I am ready to loſe my ſelfe, I ſee nothing here now but huge Gyants, the ſons of Anack, ſtrong corruptions, inclining and forcing me to evill; p. 286moſt fearefull and violent ſuggeſtions and temptations of the Devill, ready to thruſt me into the gulfe of wickedneſſe and deſpaire.

And now, the ſoule begins to thinke that it is good for it to returne again into Egypt, to fall to its old courſes again: for certainly God looks for no ſuch matter, he requires no ſuch ſtrictneſſe and preciſeneſſe: And ſo it falls a whining and repining at the Word and Miniſters of God that have call'd men to it, and laid it upon them: and hath no heart now to do thus and thus any longer. And thus it falls into diſcouragements becauſe of the way, and into a thouſand quandaries whether it may not go back again or no. And all theſe murmurings and repinings are becauſe men ſuffer themſelves to be diſcouraged.

Thirdly, diſcouragements will cauſe thee to think that God hates thee. When the ſoul like Baals Prieſts, 1. Kings 18. 26. hath been crying from morning to noon; ten, twenty, thirty yeeres, it may be, and yet hath no anſwer; now it will begin to think, if God did love me, then he would grant me my petitions. Then hereupon comes into a mans ſecret thoughts and feare: that God hardly loves his ſoule. So was it with Iſrael; when they were diſcouraged, they ſaid, becauſe the Lord hated us, therefore he brought us out of the Land of Egypt, Deut. 1. 27. Becauſe that they were diſcouraged, and becauſe that their Brethren that went for ſpies, had diſheartned them; therefore they were apt to ſay the Lord hated them.

Beloved, it is a miſerable thing when the ſoule calls the love of God into queſtion. Conſider that as thou canſt not have a friend if thou beeſt ſuſpitious and jealous of his love to thee: So, thou canſt never have the love of God ſettled on thy heart ſo long as thou art jealous of his love to thee.

Fourthly, If thou root them not out, it is to be feared that they will bring thee to deſpair. Melancholy thoughts and feares, and diſcouragements, drive the ſoul to deſpaire. For when the ſoul ſees it ſelfe ſtill diſappointed of its hopes, at the laſt it growes hopeleſſe: If it have waited one day and the next day too: if it have prayed this weeke, this monethmonth, this year, and yet ſtill it ſeeth it ſelfe held off and diſappointed: it will at laſt grow hopeleſſe. Take heed therefore, I beſeech you, of all needleſſe diſcouragements; to fear becauſe that thou findeſt not that that thou wiſhedſt or prayedſt for, to day or to morrow, in thine own time, that therefore thou ſhalt never get it, that now thou ſhouldeſt for ever deſpaire of the grace and love of God, and think that now God will never hear thee, that thou ſhalt never get grace and power over thy corruptions.

Men think that the preaching of the Word of God brings men to deſpaire, the preaching of ſuch ſtrict points and the urging ſuch preciſe doctrines makes men deſpaire: men are loth to be at the paines to root out their diſcouragements: It is rather a cold or dead preaching of the Word that is the cauſe of this: for when the ſoule is inſtructed by holineſse, humbled by holineſſe, converted by holineſſe, at the laſt when it comes to be thorowly awakened, when it ſees that this and this is required in a true converſion of the ſoule to God, that herein true repentance p. 287muſt declare and demonſtrate it ſelfe by theſe and theſe fruits, or elſe it is but falſe and rotten: Why now, the ſoul muſt needs be brought to deſpaire, becauſe it ſeeth that though it have been thus and thus humbled, though it have praied, faſted and mourned in this and this manner: yet it ſees it hath not a ſoundeſſe of grace.

There is ſuch a grace in it, ſuch a worke and ſuch a fruit of Gods Spirit in it, that yet he could never finde in himſelfe: this makes the ſoule to deſpaire. Indeed Preachers may be to blame, if they ſpeake and preach onelyonly the terrours and condemnations of the Law without the promiſes of the Goſpel: for theſe ſhould be ſo tempered that every poore broken ſoule may ſee mercy and redemption for him upon his ſound and unfeigned repentance and humiliation. But if men doe deſpaire, they may thanke themſelves for it, their owne ſinnes for it, their owne diſcouragements for it, becauſe they ſuffer theſe to continue in them.

Cain his heart grew ſad, his conntenance fell, he was wroth and diſquiered in his minde, and heavily diſcouraged; why? Gen. 4. Sin lay at the dore, (what dore?) the dore of his conſcience, rapping and beating upon his heart.

Beloved, when the ſoule lets ſin lie at the dore: drunkenneſſe, pride and worldlineſſe, ſecurity, hardneſſe and deadneſſe of heart lie at the dore: when a man lets his negligent and fruitleſſe hearing of the word lie at the dore, when a man lets his vaine and dead praying, his temporizing and faſhionary ſerving of God lie at the dore of conſcience, to tell him that all his hearing of the word of God profits him nothing, that his praiers are dead and vain, that his mourning, faſting, and all his humiliation is counterfeit and rotten, and that he hath no ſoundneſſe of grace in him, but that for all this he may fall into hell: when ſin l…eth thus at the dore, thus rapping at the conſcience, it is no wonder if the ſoule fall into deſperation, as it was here.

Cain let his ſinne lie at the dore, there it lay rapping and beating, and told him that his careleſſeneſſe and negligent ſacrificing to God was not accepted: and therefore no marvell if Cain be ſo caſt down in his countenance, and that he fall to deſpaire.

O beloved, when ſinne lieth bouncing and beating at the doore of thy heart, when thy ſinne (whatſoever it is, ſearch thy heart and finde it out) lies knocking and rapping at the dore of thy conſcience day by day, and monethmonth by monethmonth, and thou art content to let it lie, and art unwilling to uſe meanes to remove it, and art loth to take the paines to get the bloud of Chriſt to waſh thy ſoule from it, or the Spirit of Chriſt to cleanſe thee from it; then thy ſoule wil deſpaire, either in this world, or in the world to come. But let us take heede then, that our conſcience condemne us not in any thing or courſe that we allow in our ſelves: for if that doe, then much more will God, who is greater than our conſciences, and knows all things.

The Apoſtle hath an excellent Phraſe: Rom. 8. 1. There is no condemnation to them that are in Chriſt Jeſus &c. As if he ſhould ſay, there is p. 288not one condemnation; there is none in Heaven, God doth not condemne them; there is none in earth, their own heart and conſcience doth not condemne them; to him that is in Chriſt Jeſus, that walks not after the fleſh, but after the Spirit, there is none, no not one condemnation to him; none, neither in Heaven nor in earth: no word, no commandement, no threatning condemns him. But if thy conſcience condemn thee, and tell thee thou letteſt ſinne lie at the doore, rapping at thy conſcience day after day, and monethmonth after monethmonth, telling thee that yet thou art without Chriſt, that yet thou never hadſt any true faith in the Lord Jeſus, that yet thou haſt not truly repented, and turned from thy ſins: this will at laſt drive thy ſoul into heavy diſcouragements, if not into final deſpaire.

O beloved, religion and piety, and the power of Godlineſſe, goe down the wind every where. What is the reaſon of it, but becauſe of theſe diſcouragements that men live and go on in? Men pray and pray, and their prayers profit them not: men run up and down and come to the Church and heare the Word, and receive the Sacraments, and uſe the meanes of grace, but to no end: they are unprofitable to them: they remaine in their ſinnes ſtill: the ordinances of God bring them not out of their luſts and corruptions: hereby they diſgrace and diſcredit the ordinances of God in the eyes and account of the men of the world, making them think as if there were no more power nor force in the Ordinances of God than theſe men manifeſt.

There is no life in many Chriſtians, mens ſpirits are diſcouraged; theſe ſecret diſcouragements in their hearts take away their ſpirits in the uſe of the meanes, that though they uſe the meanes, yet it drives them to deſpaire of reaping good; or profit by them.

Beloved, I could here tell you enough to make your hearts ake to hear it.

Firſt, All your complaints, they are but winde, Job. 6. 26. Doe 1you imagine to reprove words, and the ſpeeches of one that is deſperate, which are as winde? Jobs friends taking Job to be a man of deſpaire, they accounted all his words but as wind.

Doe thou neſtle any diſcouragement in thy heart? thou maiſt complaine of ſinne as much as thou canſt: yet all thy complainings are but as winde: thou mayeſt cry out againſt thy corruptions, with weeping and teares, and pray and fight againſt them: and yet all thy weeping, mourning and praying is but as the winde: thou maieſt beg grace, thou maieſt ſeek after God, thou maiſt heare the Word, receive the Sacraments, and yet all will be to thee as wind: all will vaniſh, be unprofitable, not regarded.

Secondly, diſcouragements drive us from the uſe of the meanes. If ever 2we meane to come out of our ſinnes, if ever we meane to get grace and faith, and aſſurance, and zeale: we muſt conſtantly uſe the meanes, 1 Sam. 27. 1. David ſaith, There is nothing better for me than that I ſhould ſpeedily eſcape into the Land of the Philiſtins, and Saul ſhall deſpaire of me to ſeek me any more. David thought in himſelf, if I can make him out of p. 289hope of finding me, certainly he will give over ſeeking of me. So when the ſoule hath any ſecret deſpaire of finding the Lord, that ſoul will quickly be drawn from ſeeking of the Lord in the uſe of the meanes.

What ever you doe then; O be not diſcouraged, leſt you be driven from the uſe of the meanes: if you be driven from the uſe of the meanes, woe is to you, you will never finde God then. Be not driven from prayer, nor driven from holy conference, nor driven for the Word, nor driven from the Sacrament, nor from meditation, nor from the diligent and ſtrict examination of thy ſelfe, of thy heart and of all thy wayes: for theſe are the wayes of finding the Lord. If you nouriſh any thoughts and fears of deſpaire in you, if you be diſcouraged, you will be driven from the uſe of the meanes, which is a lamentable thing; therefore be not diſcouraged.

Thirdly, diſcouragements will make you ſtand poaring on your former courſes, This I ſhould have done, and that I ſhould have done, woe is me that I did it not: it will make a man ſtand poaring on his ſinnes, but never able to get out of them. So it was like to be with them in the Ship with Paul, Acts 27. 20. In the tempeſt at Sea, they were utterly diſcouraged from any hope of ſafety: now indeed Paul told them what they ſhould have done if they had been wiſe: Sirs, you ſhould have hearkned to me, and not have looſed, verſe 21. as if he had ſaid, you ſhould have done thus and thus: but now doe not ſtand poaring too much on that, you ſhould have hearkned to me, and not have launched forth, &c but that cannot be holpen, now: therefore I exhort you to be of good chear, &c.

So beloved, when the ſoul is diſcouraged upon theſe thoughts, I ſhould have prayed better, I ſhould have heard the Word of God better, and with more profit; I ſhould have repented better, I ſhould have performed this and that religious and good dutie better; but ah wretch that I am, I have ſinned thus and thus; it is alwayes looking on this ſinne and that ſinne, this imperfection and that failing, when now I ſay the ſoule is diſcouraged, it will be alwayes poaring upon ſinne, but it will never come out of its ſinne; alwayes poaring upon its deadneſſe, and unprofitableneſſe, but never able to come out of it. O beloved, be of good cheare, and be not diſcouraged; it is true you ſhould have prayed better; you ſhould have heard the word of God better heretofore, you ſhould have been more carefull and circumſpect of your wayes than you were; but now you cannot help it; theſe things and times are gone, and cannot be recalled: ſuch a one hath been a drunkard, a ſwearer, a worldling, &c. but he cannot help it now. True, he might have helped it, and becauſe he did not, his heart ſhall bleed for it, if he belong to God: but doe not ſtand poaring too much upon it, but conſider now what you have to doe, now you are to humble your ſelves, now you are to ſtrive with God in all manner of prayer for more grace, and more power of obedience and aſſurance, and be not diſcouraged.

Fourthly, If the ſoule be diſcouraged, it will breed nothing but ſorrow. p. 2904What is the reaſon that many Chriſtians are alwayes weeping, and mourning, and ſighing, and ſobbing, from day to day, all their life time, and will not be comforted? becauſe of theſe diſcouragements, 1 Theſ. 4. 13. Sorrow not (ſaith the Apoſtle) as thoſe that have no hope, as if he had ſaid, ſorrow if you will; but do not ſorrow as they that have …o hope.

How is that? it is a ſorrow with nothing but ſorrow, from which they have no hope of inlargement or freedome.

O then my brethren, ſuppoſe you have dead hearts, ſuppoſe you want zeale, you want aſſurance; ſuppoſe it be ſo, yet labour to attain theſe grace; ſorrow and ſpare not; weepe and mourne▪ and powre out whole buckets of teares for your ſinnes, if you can: but, ſorrow not with nothing but ſorrow: be not diſcouraged: ſuppoſe that thou haſt a dead heart, that thou art an hypocrite, that thou haſt a rotten heart; it is a heavy thing, and a fearful caſe indeed, for which thou haſt great cauſe of humiliation and ſorrow; but yet ſorrow not deſperately as men without hope: be not wholly diſcouraged, but as you ſorrow for your ſinnes, ſo alſo labour with incouragement to get cut and be rid of your ſinnes.

Fifthly, Diſcouragements breed and procure a totall perplexity. They 5leave the ſoul in a maze, that it knows not whither to turne it ſelf When men come to be diſcouraged, O what ſhall I do ſaith one? I am utterly undone ſaith another: I know not what will become of me, ſaith a third: Oh I am utterly loſt, I ſhall periſh one day, one day God will diſcover me, and be avenged on me for this and that ſin: I were as good go to he lat the firſt as at the laſt▪ for that will be the end of me. I have gone to prayer, but that doth not helpe me: I have gone to Sacraments, but I find no help: ſtill my ſoule lies under the power of ſinne ſtill my ſinnes are as ſtrong in me as ever: Thus the ſoule is diſcouraged and cries out, Oh, what ſhall I doe? I know not what to doe. What ſhall I doe, ſayeſt thou?

Alas, thou haſt things enough to doe, if thou wert not diſcouraged. Utterly undone! No, man, thou mighteſt ſee that thou art not utterly undone but that thou art diſcouraged. Doſt thou not know what will be come of thee? yea, poore ſoule, there is mercy, grace and peace for thee, if thou wilt not be diſcouraged.

Sixthly, Diſcouragements whiſper within a man a ſentence of death, and an 6impoſſibility of eſcaping. As far as the diſcouragement of life goeth, ſo far goeth the ſentence of death. We deſpaired of life▪ and had the ſentence of death in our ſelves, ſaith the Apoſtle, 2 Cor. 1. 8. 9. he deſpaired of life in himſelfe, and therfore had the ſentence of death in himſelf▪ this was good, but he did not deſpaire of life in God; for then he ſhould have had likewiſe the ſentence of death from God in his conſcience.

If you deſpaire in the Lord▪ you have the ſentence of death and damnation from God in your conſcience▪ take heed of this my beloved▪ be not diſcouraged in God: do not deſpaire in the Lord: that will work a p. 291miſerable effect in your ſouls: it will ſecretly whiſper a ſentence of damnation in your ſoules.

It is ſtrange to conſider how many poore ſoules rub on with theſe whiſpering ſentences in their boſomes, ſuffering their conſciences day by day, to tell them that they are rotten, to tell them that they were never yet converted, to tell them that they are yet in the ſtate of damnation, and yet they will not root out theſe diſcouragements.

O goe to the Throne of grace, begge for grace and for merciemercy and for power againſt ſinne, and bee not diſcouraged. What? wilt thou carry thine owne ſentence of death in thy breaſt? if thou wilt not rouze up thy ſoule, and pray with more affection and confidence, and ſhake off diſcouragements, take heed leaſt thou carry the ſentence of thine owne death and damnation in thy bowels. Oh therefore once more let mee beſeech you to take heede of theſe diſcouragements, and now hearken unto the voice of God, which calleth upon you, Feare not. Thou drewest nigh in the day that I called upon thee; Thou ſaidest, Feare not.

THE MISERY OF THE CREATURES BY The Sinne of Man. In a SERMON By WILLIAM FENNER, Miniſter of the Goſpel, ſometimes Fellow of Pembroke Hall in Cambridge, and late Lecturer of Rochford in Eſsex.

London, Printed by E. T. for John Stafford.