THE SACRIFICE OF THE FAITHFULL.
OR, A TREATISE ſhewing the nature, property, and efficacy of Zealous Prayer; together with ſome Motives to Prayer, and Helps againſt diſcouragements in Prayer.
By William Fenner, Miniſter of the Goſpel Fellow of Pembrok Hall in Cambridge, and Lecturer of Rochford in Eſſex.
LONDON, Printed for John Stafford, and are to be ſold at his Houſe over againſt Brides Church in Fleet-Street, 1649.
HAving been informed upon very good grounds, that the former Sermons of Mr William Fenner, have found good acceptance, both in regard of the worthineſſe of the Author, and alſo in regard of the uſefulneſſe of the Sermons; I could not but give my approbation to theſe enſuing Sermons of the ſame Authour, and deſire that they may find the like acceptance with all Godly wiſe Chriſtians, and that they may become profitable to the Church of God.
Imprimatur,
THis Book of the Lamentations doth plainely ſhew what miſeries and diſtreſſes ſinne is the cauſe of. Now this people of the Jewes, becauſe of their Idolatries, their contempt of Gods Ordinances, their ſlighting and miſuſing the Prophets, &c. Their Cities were taken, the Temple burned, their liberties confiſcated, themſelves baniſhed out of their countrey,2 and deprived of the ordinances of their God, and the ſignes of his preſence; before they were rebellious: but now they ſought God a long time; they prayed, but God would not heare, In ſo much that many poore ſoules amongſt them were diſcouraged, and almoſt ready to deſpaire; That had not the Lord put in ſome incklings of hope, they had utterly fainted. Now whilſt theſe poore ſoules were praying and crying, and groaning, and now ready to give over for diſcouragement that God will not hear 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 feare not; the words containe in them three properties of effectuall prayer.
Firſt, the unſatiableneſſe of it till it bee heard.
Secondly, the ſenſibleneſſe of it whether it be heard or noe.
Thirdly, the ſupplies it hath from dangers and diſcouragements that it is in.
Firſt the unſatiableneſſe of it ▪ All the praiers of this people though they had beene of many yeares, yet they counted them as the prayers of one day; in the day that I called upon thee: They account all their3 thouſands of ſupplications and prayers as one ſuite; never had they done their prayers till God did heare them.
Secondly the ſenſibleneſſe of it, where by it is able to know whether God doe heare it or no: Thou dreweſt neere in the day that I called upon thee.
Thirdly, the ſupplyes it hath againſt dangers and diſcouragements; God ſlings in comfort into their hearts, giving them incklings of hope to ſupport them agaynſt their diſcouragements, thou ſaidſt feare not: from the firſt of theſe, obſerve
That an effectuall prayer is an unſatiable prayer, A man that prayes effectually, ſets down this in himſelf as his firſt concluſion never to ceaſe, nor to give over praying till he ſpeed: This is the firſt and prime thing that a godly heart lookes at, as David in his prayers: He begins in this manner, Heare my crie O God, attend unto my prayer. Pſal. 61. 1. So, Give eare unto my prayer O God, and hide not thy ſelfe from my ſupplications, Pſal. 55. 1. Hear 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 over4 my ſuit, never to give thee reſt, but for to continue my prayers and ſupplications, till 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; the end of oratory is not to perſwade, but to ſpeake perſwaſively; for a man may uſe all the perſwaſions that may be, and uſe all the perſwaſive arguments that the wit of man can invent, and ſpeake as cuttingly, as perſwaſively as may be, and yet the 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 prayer 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 counſell that a Phyſician never meddle with a deſperate man.
5But if the ſoule 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 cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah. Jerom tranſlates it for ever. Pſal. 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 praied, namely ſo as his crying and Gods hearing were coupled together. But ſome may object, How can aObject. man be unſatiable in his praiers til he ſpeed? muſt a man be alwaies a praying? God calls men to other duties of his worſhippe, and of his owne particular calling; after morning I muſt have done till noone, after noone I muſt have done till night: whether God heare 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 heare us, and give the grace that we pray for? to this I anſwer.
A man muſt give over the words andAnſw. times of prayer for other duties, but a man muſt not give over the ſuite of prayer. A poore begger comes to a houſekeepers gate6 and begs, but none heares him; now he being a poore man, hath ſomething elſe to doe, and therefore he ſits downe or ſtands and knits or patches, and then he begs or knocks, and then to his work again; though he do not alwaies 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 ſoule lyeth alwaies at the throne of grace begging for grace. A wicked man he prayeth as the cock croweth; the cocke crowes and ceaſeth, and crowes again and ceaſeth again; and thinkes not of crowing til he crowes again: ſo a wicked man praies and ceaſeth, prayes and ceaſeth againe; his minde is never buſied to thinke whether his prayers ſpeede or no; he thinkes it is good Religion for him to pray, and therefore he takes that for granted that his praiers ſpeede, though in very deed God never heares his praiers, nor no7 more reſpects it, then he reſpects the lowing of Oxen, or the gruntling of hoggs: he is found in his prayers as the wilde Aſſe in her months: Jer. 2. The wilde Aſſe in•egard of her ſwiftneſſe cannot be taken but in her months, ſhe hath a ſleepy month, and all that while ſhe is ſo ſleepy and dumpiſh that any man may take her; in her months you ſhall finde her; ſo a wicked man hath his prayer monthes, 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 finde him at it, but otherwiſe his mind is about other matters. But the childe 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 prayers of the Church conſiſting of many yeares, yet are counted but one ſuite; try therefore and examin whether thy praiers be unſatiable praiers yea or no; and for helpe herein take theſe markes; firſt if thy prayers be unſatiable praiers, then it is a begging praier; thou praieſt as if 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 deede. As a h•ngrie8 man eates as if he had never eate before, ſo the unſatiable ſoule praies as if he had never prayed before, till he hath obtained that he hath praied for; but a wicked man he praies not thus. Iob ſpeaking of carnal profeſſors, Iob 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 wil hold out alwaies? he will n•ver do it; for a wicked man he reaſons with himſelf, I have called upon God thus & thus long, I hope I need not pray any more for this thing, & ſo he gives over.
But a godly man he will be alwaies 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 ground; indeede thou mayſt begin towards the action by pulling at it, by reaching at it; but thou never beginneſt the lifting up of the weight til thou ſtir it from its place: thou mayſt give a pull at prayer, and•ugge 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 prayers returned into his owne boſome, Pſal. 35. 13. there to lie to be a continuall ſuite unto God. A wicked9 man praies, and he leaves his praier behind him in his pew, or in his hal, or chamber; but a godly man praies and his prayer is in his heart, his praier is not out til the grace be in.
Secondly an unſatiable prayer, it is evermore a proceeding prayer; you would 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 thinkes that he hath nothing till he ſpeedes; ſo the ſoule that is unſatiable in praier, he proceedes, he gets neere to God, he gaines ſomthing, he windes up his heart higher, or ſomthing or other he gets: As a child that ſeeth the mother have an apple in her hand, and it would faine 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 againe, and then ſhe lets goe another finger and yet ſhe keepes it, and then the child pulls againe, 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 drawes neere to the throne of grace begging for it, & by his earneſt & faithful praiers, he opens the hands of God to him: God dealing as parents to their children, holds them off for a while, not10 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 downe upon him againe; and his heart is as dead as ever it was before, as ſenſuall as ever, as carnall 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 growes every day better then other by his praiers; he obtaines ſtill ſomething, as the Prophet Hoſeah ſpeakes of knowledge Hoſ. 6. 3. Then ſhall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord: ſo I may ſay of praier, & of al other good duties, then we pray if we proceed on-wards in praier.
A man may know and know, and yet never know the Lord, till he goe on in knowledge; ſo a man may pray and pray, yet if he goe not on-wards in his praiers, his praiers are nothing. A godly man praies 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 findes the frame ſtanding that he made the firſt day, and then he adds a ſecond dayes worke, and then he comes a third day and11 findes his two former dayes worke ſtanding; then he proceeds to a third dayes worke, and makes walls to it, and ſo he goes on till his building be finiſhed. So prayer it is the building of the ſoule till it reach up to heaven; therefore a godly heart praies and reacheth higher & higher in praier, till at laſt his prayers reach up to God.
It is a ſigne of a wicked man to pray and to let his prayers fall downe againe 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 praied.
Thirdly, it is more and more a fervent praier; if a little praier will not ſerve the turne, 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 onely winde up once or twiſe and no more, but hold it juſt at the ſame pin, the bucket would never come up; So if a man praies and praies, and windes not up his heart higher, but12 holds it juſt at the ſame pegge it was, praies in the ſame faſhion he did, grace will never come up. Marke then how thou prayeſt, examine thy heart; doſt thou pray to day as yeſterday, with no more zeal, nor feeling affection, nor ſencible deſire? thou praieſt not unſatiably.
No, thou reſtraineſt thy praying from growing, an excellent diſcription of an hypocrite, Iob 14. 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 praiers as a dwarffe is reſtrained from growing, ſo thou reſtraineſt thy praiers from being more and more earneſt and effectuall and fervent, unſatiable praier is growing in zeale and affection.
Fourthly it is a more and more frequent praier, ſo that if twice a day will 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 praies; it may be that thou haſt been a ſuitor for ſtrength and grace againſt corruptions, and haſt put up many praiers to the13 ſame purpoſe: If now thou ſtickeſt at any praiers, thy praiers are not unſatiable; an unſatiable ſoul never reſteth, though it have made ten thouſand praiers, till it have gotten the grace; it is ſo with other things, and therefore we neede not wonder at it; when a man doth his worke one day, he will do it another, and ſo on as long as he lives till his worke be done; ſo muſt we doe for heaven and for grace.
Fifthly it is ever more and more a backt 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 ſoule in its wra•tlings and ſtrivings for grace and power againſt corruptions, that ordinary praiers will not ſatisfie it, but it will be neceſſary to give over even lawfull delights, and give that time to praier; ſo a man will doe 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 doe for his ſoule, 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 dwelling14 houſe, the other ſome backe roome 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 ſoule 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 then the body, rather then that the ſoule miſcarry, we will neglect the body ſometime. And if this will not ſerve, abſtaine from meate and drinke, faſt it out; thus the people of God are faine to doe many times; their luſt and corruptions being even as the devill himſelfe, which cannot be caſt out but by praier and faſting; there is an excellent place: Joel: 2. 12. Therefore now turne unto the Lord with faſting, weeping and mourning, rent your hearts, &c. Therefore now, now your ſinnes are ſo diveliſh, now your ſinnes are ſo deepely rooted in your ſoules, now your corruptions are come to be ſuch plague ſoares within you, doe you not thinke that your ordinary repentance, and ordinary praiers and humiliations will ſerve the turne, but now backe them with faſting and mourning. Here now15 thou mayſt examine thy ſoule 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 praier, that thou doeſt every day draw neerer to God then other? is it more and more a backt praier, a fervent and frequent praier? haſt thou taken from thy recreations, from thy calling to give to it ▪ yea from thy belly and backe, and uſed all meanes for a prevailing with God? then are thy praiers effectuall and unſatiable.
This then condemnes the praiers of moſtUſe. men in the world, they pray and pray for grace, and their praiers come to an end, and ceaſe before they have it; the angrie fretchard praies for patience and meekneſſe and yet ſets downe without it; the covetous worldling praies to be weaned from the world, and his praiers are done before he is ſo; ſo the lukewarmeling deadhearted and vaine-thoughted profeſſor praies for better thoughts, for more zeale, and yet comes to his be it ſo before he have it ▪ and ſo every wicked man praies, and he is come to his Amen before the grace is given; let all ſuch men know that ſuch praiers firſt they are endleſſe, ſecondly they are fruitleſſe.
16Firſt they are endleſſe: The Philoſopher ſaid that that for which a thing is, that is the end of the thing: now praier is for the ſpeeding with God: and therefore he whoſe praiers ſpeed not with God, his praiers are endleſſe: thou haſt praied againſt thy pride, but art as proude ſtill: thou haſt praied againſt thy choler and art as teachy ſtill: thou haſt praied againſt earthlines and worldlines, and art earthly and worldly ſtill: thou haſt praied againſt ſecurity and deadnes of heart, and lukewarmeneſſe in Gods ſervice, and art lukewarm, dead hearted and ſecure ſtill: to what end are all thy praiers, when thou enjoyeſt not the end of thy praiers? to what end is plowing of thy ground if it be not fallow? when thy plowing is done, 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, as good that thou never hadſt begun to pray, as to ceaſe, and to give over thy praiers 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 praiers of a wicked man that continues in his wickedneſſe, when his praiers are done, his17 praiers are an abomination to the Lord: but the praiers of the upright though he were before he praied never ſo wicked, yet if it be the praier of an upright and godly man, when his praiers are done, that his praiers rid him of his ſin, and make him an upright man, his praiers 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 almes? if he be gone before the almes 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 ſome18 ſay, how do you know that God heares not ſinners? why, we know it by ezperience, by examples.
A drunkard prayeth to God to cure him of his drunkennes, & 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 ſin; and ſo for all other ſins: ſeeſt thou a man goe on in his ſinnes? thou mayeſt ſee that God heareth not his praiers. if a man ſhould be ſicke on his death bed, and ſend for the Phyſicians and Apothecaries in the Country, and ſend for his Father, Mother, and for all his friends to come to him to miniſter to 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 praiers, I know God heares not his praiers; he prayes to be cleanſed from his ſinnes, and to be purged from his luſt, and to be redeemed from his vaine converſation: if now God let his ſinnes continue in him, and lets him goe on in them, we ſee plainely God heares not him. O what a pittifull and miſerable caſe are ſuch men in, that pray and pray, and yet all their19 praiers are endleſſe and fruitleſſe! is not that man in a pittifull caſe, that 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 dead man? ſo if a mans praiers 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 the godly ſoule. whether it ſpeed or no, the ſoule that praies aright, that praies unſatiably: it is able to ſay the Lord doth heare me, the Lord doth grant me the thing that I praied 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,
How can this be? how can the ſouleObje••• know that God heares it? we have no Angels, nor voices from Heaven now to tell men, as the Angel told Cornelius that his praiers were accepted, and come up before God; or to ſay as Chriſt to the woman in20 the Goſpell, 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 beliefe in God: but how ſhall I know that God heares my praiers in mercy, ſo as to grant that I pray for?
There be fixe wayes to know whetherAnſw. the ſoule ſhall ſpeed in prayer, yea or no.
The firſt is, the having of a Spirit of further and further praying. When God gives the ſoule 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 meanes 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 ſoule out of his preſence, ſo that the ſoul hath no heart to pray, nor to continue its ſuite; but praies deadly and21 dully, and is glad when he hath ſaid his prayers, and hath done: it is a fearefull ſigne that God never means to heare that mans prayers: but if thou praieſt and praieſt, and haſt not done in thy praiers, but God by caſting in a ſpirit of prayer and zeale, and fervency in prayer, imboldens thy heart in its petitions, it is a ſigne that God will heare thee, and grant thee thy prayers.
Bleſſed be God ſaith the Prophet, that hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me; 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 ſigne that God means to heare. 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 poore ſoule, it is a ſigne that he means to fill it; when God prepares the22 ſoule with more hunger and thirſt after grace, with more longings and breathings: it is a ſigne that God hath already prepared his eare to heare 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 heare.
Examine thy ſoule then; art thou more and more prepared to pray? hath-God ſpoken with a powerfull voice to thy ſoule 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 ſoule and thy thoughts, and thy affections behinde thee; and comeſt with a ſtraightned heart in thy deadneſſe and lukewarmeneſſe; this is a fearefull ſigne that God will not heare thee.
Thirdly, Gods gracious looke, is a ſigne that he will heare thee: for ſometimes (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, but23 when he cryed unto him he heard. Hereby was the Prophet able to know that God did heare his prayer, becauſe he did not hide his face from him; when his poore 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 aske the men of the world what the meaning of Gods gracious countenance is, or what they ſee of it ▪ alas, they can ſay nothing of it; they know not what it meanes; onely 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 goe together, their prayers enter into 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 poore ſoul may ſee how prayers prevaile by Gods countenance and look upon him.
If 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 minde to hea••thee. A wicked man is like a varlet that24 ſtands without dores and begges an almes, but is not ſuffered to goe 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 looke as if he meant to heare 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.
25Indeed 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 doe not admit thy ſoule into the liſt of his Throne: it is a ſigne that God heares 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 onely, Pſal. 140. 13. The upright ſhall dwell in thy preſence, (marke here) dwelling in Gods preſence is onely 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 finde 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 are like rogues that know nothing within dores. Doe they ſee Gods preſence and countenance? no: it is the upright man onely that dwels in Gods preſence:26 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 anſwere him whether God heare him yea or no. As it was with the high Preiſt, whenſoever the high Preiſt came into Gods preſence to inquire of him, though God did not appeare viſibly unto him, yet he might reade Gods anſwer in his Vrim and Thummim; he might there know Gods minde: ſo a mans conſcience is his Urim and Thummim. When he comes before God, his own conſ•ience gives him an inckling whether he ſpeede or no ▪ 1 Ioh. 3. 20, 21. If our hearts condemne us, God is greater then our hearts & knoweth al things. Belived, if our hearts condemne us not, then have we confidence towards God. If a mans conſcience tell a man that his praiers are rotten, that his humiliation is rotten, that his heart is not upright, that yet he is not purged from his ſinnes, that his ſeeking of27 God is fained and hypocritical; it is the very voice of God in his ſoule: and if our conſciences condemne us, God (ſaith the Apoſtle) is greater then our conſciences.
There no is condemnation to them which are in Chriſt Jeſus. Rom. 8. 1. as if he ſhould ſay, thoſe that are in Chriſt, God doth not condemne them they have not that condemnation: nay their owne conſcience doth not condemn them: ſo that, that man whom any condemnation either from God, or from his owne conſcience, condemnes, that man is not in Chriſt; being not in Chriſt, he can never be heard.
Indeede, a mans conſcience may be miſinformed by Satan under a temptation; as you may ſee in the verſe before my text: Thou haſt heard my voyce: ſtop not thine eare from my cry. Here the Church being examined, their conſciences told them they were heard in their pra•ers: but being under a temptation, their conſciences were afraide that God heard not. So many a poore ſoule: examine it, and it cannot deny but that theſe and theſe tokens of grace and fruites of Gods Spirit are in it; yet their conſciences are afraide that the Lord will not give them theſe and theſe other graces that they want: that the Lord will not heare them for28 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 betweene mortall enemies: but no peace but amongſt freinds. 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 teare the Aſſe; ſo a wicked mans conſcience, it is as the divells band-dogge or roaring Lion: till it hath ſlaine the ſinner, it ſtands ſtone-ſtill, and ſeemes neither to meddle or make with him, but lies as ſeared or dead in him. I meane 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 praier.
I meane not the ſtammering of conſcience, when it is dazelled, or overwhelmed: but when it ſpeaks down right as it meanes. A godly 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 tels thee. If thy conſcience ſaies peremptorily that thy heart and waies are rotten, and unſound;29 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 praiers. But this is not a true ſigne alwaies but with diſtinction.
When 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 maieſt 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 maieſt 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 praier 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 Gods30 good pleaſure to a man.
Therefore in temporall bleſſings, or in common graces, if thou wouldſt know whether God heare thee or no: know whether God hath given thee a ſanctified uſe of them or no. If God hath given thee many common graces, or temporall bleſſings, and a heart to uſe them to his Glory; then every bleſſing thou haſt (there is not a droppe of drinke, nor a bit of bread 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 b•ne, his civility may be his curſe, and meanes of the finall hardneſſe and impenitencie of his heart.
Sixthly faith; if a man have faith given him to beleive, it is a ſigne that God heares him; be it to thee (ſaith Chriſt to the man in the Goſpell) 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.
I have no ſigne that God will heare me;Object. 31I have ſo many corruptions of my heart againſt me, and ſo many threatnings of Gods frownes againſt me; I have no ſigne that God will heare me.
Wouldſt thou have a ſigne? An evill andAnſw. an adulterous generation ſeeketh a ſigne: this is a tempting faith, to ſeeke for ſignes to believe. Thomas, ſaid Chriſt, Joh. 20. 29. becauſe thou haſt ſeen me, thou haſt believed: bleſſed are they that have not ſeene and yet believe. That man that believes bacauſe he feels griefe in his heart, teares in his eyes, groans in his ſpirit, becauſe he prayes long and earneſtly, and ſweats in his praier, or mourns in his humiliation, I ſuſpect his humiliation, his teares, his griefe, his praiers, 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,
That every Promiſe runnes with a Condition:Object. 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. There 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 they32 ſhall ſee God, &c. If I have not the Condition annexed to the Promiſe, how dare or how can I believe the Promiſe?
The Condition is not the way to get theAnſw. Promiſe; the Promiſe is the ground of faith, and the way to get the condition; becauſe the promiſe is the Motive cauſe that moves the ſoule to get the condition. Now, the Mover muſt be before the Moved; then if beliefe of the Promiſe move thy ſoule to get the condition of the promiſe, then beliefe of the promiſe muſt be before that the ſoule can keepe the condition of the promiſe.
Saul made a promiſe to David, 1 Sam. 18. that he ſhould be his ſonne in law in one of his two daughters, upon condition that he ſhould give him an hundred foreskins of the Philiſtims. Now, David did firſt believe the promiſe; and thereby he was allured to fight valiantly, to keepe the condition, to get a hundred fore-skins of the Philiſtims. So Pſal. 116. I believed and therefore did I ſpeake. He beleeved Gods promiſe, and then he ſpake with condition. So, we believe ſaith the Apoſtle, and therefore doe we ſpeake. Firſt, the ſoule beleeves; and then every action of a Chriſtian wherin it moves to the keeping of the condition,33 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 thinke to get weeping, mourning, and humiliation for thy ſinnes, and then thereby to get the promiſe to thy ſelfe? then thou goeſt in thy owne ſtrength; and then, in Gods account, thou doſt juſt nothing, John 15. 5. Without me ye can doe 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 Prophet, 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 doe not f•i••. 34Thirdly, the method the Prophet went by.
Firſt, 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 ſtrength; and take it not in the right method.
Let the ſoule 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 16.) 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 thinke to goe and fetch35 this and that grace in our owne names, and miſſe of it: as the ſervant may goe to the Merchant for wares in his owne 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 ſoule 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 owne 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 meere 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 from36 the galls of my conſcience, nor to free me from hell; but for Chriſt; Lord, I begge grace and 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 ſhall prevaile. 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, heare the Word, and performe many duties of religion; therefore they incourage themſelves in the goodneſſe of their eſtates, judgeing themſelves happy, though notwithſtanding they go on and continue in the hardneſſe of their hearts and rebellions againſt God.
37We have abundance of ſayings amongſt us, that if they were examined would prove falſe and unſound; As, that the vipers die when they bring forth their young; for (ſay they) the young eate 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.
So, 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, Eſal. 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, Matth. 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 their38 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 not a Lord, a Lording of Chriſt with the tongne onely: 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 in prayer. Needleſſe diſcouragements doe much hurt to many a poore 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 wraſtling 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 Gods Saints, have been kept off, and have hung much on diſcouragements.
Feare not, ſaith God to Abraham, Geneſ. 15. 1. So, feare not Joſhua, ſaith God to39 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, feare not, be not diſmayed nor diſcouraged. Thou ſaidſt feare not. Hence obſerve,
That God would not have any ChriſtianDoct. • ſoule to be diſcouraged in praier. Thou ſaidſt, feare not.
For our clearer proceeding herein, firſt, let me ſhew you what diſcouragement is: and ſecondly, how it comes to be dangerous and hurtfull in praier.
What is diſcouragement? Queſt. Anſw.
It is a baſe diſmayment of ſpirit below or beneath the ſtrength that is in a man, vnder 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. Iſay. 32. 11. Tremble ye careleſſe women that are at eaſe, be troubled ye careleſſe ones: theſe careleſſe ones40 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 ſpeake 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 feare: where no cauſe of feare is.
As Vitello his man thought his Maſter had got skill in Optickes: he 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 owne uglineſſe and filthyneſſe, he is diſcouraged, and thinkes himſelfe undone; his heart waxeth cold within him, and he begins to feare that he is but a dead and damned man.
Secondly, it is downe beneath the ſtrength that is in a man: that man is properly 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.
41Have not I commanded thee? ſaith God to Joſhua; Be ſtrong and of a good courage, be not afraid, neither be thou diſmaied, Joſh. 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 ſome 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.
42Fourthly, not of every evill neither; for if the evill be but ſmall, courage will ſtand it out; but it is of ſuch an evill as he feares 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 comming againſt them, when they ſaw him ſo hugely and mervelouſly armed, and heard him ſpeake ſuch bigge words, they thought they were not able to ſtand and to encounter with him; and therfore 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; ſuch diſcouragements the Lord would not have our hearts to be in when we pray unto him.
For firſt, God cannot give care 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,43 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 believe that God will heare thee, if thou doſt not beleeve 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 or that grace: if thou doſt not beleeve that God will owne 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 ſuite without any great importunity: So, it is impoſſible that ever a ſoule ſhould hold out and pray that is diſcouraged in prayer.
Secondly, thou canſt not pray unleſſe thou44 uſe all thy ſtrength in prayer; If thou be 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 putteſt forth all thy ſtrength in praier.
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 beene 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 off; 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 not45 all thy ſtrength in prayer, thou canſt never prevaile, nor have any power with God. For how can that man prevaile and have power with God that hath no power with himſelfe?
Thirdly, thou canſt never pray, and have a fearefull apprehenſion of evill in prayer; thou canſt not. It is good to have a deepe apprehenſion of thy ſinnes: apprehend them to be as many hells as thou canſt, thou canſt never apprehend them deeply enough: but if thou haſt a fearefull apprehenſion of them, thou canſt never pray.
When the Apoſtle would exhort the Philipians to continue in one Spirit, and in one minde, fighting together through the faith of the Goſpell, he exhorts them that in nothing they feare, Phil. 1. 27, 28. For if a man be terrified with his adverſary, with the power of his adverſary, and feares 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 fearefull and diſcouraged kinde of apprehenſion of evill, we can never pray ſo as to prevaile.
Apprehend thy ſinnes to be as helliſh,46 and as damnable as thou canſt: Feele even the fire of hell in every one of them: but take heed of a fearefull 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 diſpaire that there is any difficulty too hard for us to grapple withall, or to get through in our prayers. Howſoever a man prayes, yet if he have any ſpice of theſe feares in him, to thinke 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 prevaile 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. as if he ſhould ſay, I ſhall never out-wraſtle this ſinne; this ſinne is my death: I have brought47 the blood of the Sonne of God on me, I ſhall never claw off this ſinne: 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 thinkes 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 meane to come to God, and to get any grace from God, you muſt come with deſperation of extremity. deſperation puts life into a mans prayers and indeavours.
As, a Souldier when he ſeeth nothing but to kill or be killed, that he ſees his ſtate deſperate; why, this will compell a very coward to fight; this will make a coward fight (as if he would kill the Devill, 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?48 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 Haſting, he ſent back his Ships againe, 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: beg with a begge or be damned; ſeeke 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 mercy49 for thee. Pray then when thou prayeſt for grace, with a ſpeede or be damned; ſay unto thy ſoule, either we muſt ſpeede and get grace Soule, or elſe we muſt goe to hell. If men would pray thus, with a ſpeede or be damned, we ſhould never ſee, nor God ſhould never heare ſo many cold and dead praiers as now we pray.
Deſpaire makes a man a Munke ſaith the Papiſt: but this deſpayre makes a man a good Chriſtian I ſay: never doth a man pray indeede till he feels himſelfe in extremity, hopeles 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 holines, 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 praiers with a pray or be damned, ſeeke with a finde or be damned: men would then pray other praiers then they doe. Such praiers did David50 pray Pſal. 130. 1. Out of the deepe 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 miſerie, plunged over head and eares, ſo that now I ſinke and periſh if thou helpe not: Lord, hear my praier. This deſperation a Chriſtian muſt have, this quickens up his Spirits, and puts life into him: but, take heede of the deſperation of Infidelity: Saint Auſten ſaith it is the murtherer of the ſoule: the ſpice of it will eate out the 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 praier, and a man may periſh and goe to hell that hath them: but yet, they are ſome-what profitable ſignes that a man doth at the leaſt looke 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 chaſing, mocking & coveting;51 ſwearing and blaſpheming, in ſecurity, in hardnes of heart and impenitencie: they are more carefull for their doggs, for their potts, and for their tables, and for their ſhops, then they are of their ſoules: And which is enough to aſtoniſh any that is godly, theſe men ſcarce finde any diſcouragements in praier: O, they have a good courage to pray at all times: O, ſay they, God forbid that any man ſhould be diſcouraged in praier. I thanke 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 meane to heare us.
Beloved, theſe men that are ſo bold in the goodnes of their hearts to call upon God, they never as yet praied in all their lives: all the praiers of the wicked are indeede no praiers.
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 wayes. Dan. 9. 13. all the time of thoſe ſeventy yeares, Daniel ſaith they never made praier to God; yet they faſted every yeare, and praied every day, twiſe every day at the leaſt, which would amount52 in that time to 50000 and 100 prayers: how then could Daniel ſay they never made one praier? I anſwer, (and pray marke it) becauſe they never did quite turne from their evill waies. Though thou makeſt never ſo many praiers, 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 praier by the Judgement of God himſelfe. Paul made many thouſand praiers before his converſion, he could not have beene a Phariſe elſe; but they were never accounted praiers 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 righteouſneſſe of Saint Paul before his converſion, of living blamleſſe, unreproveable in reſpect of the outward righteouſneſſe of the Law: yet he can never make an acceptable prayer till he be truely converted; his praiers are no better then howling of dogs, or lowing of Oxen, yea the Lord abhorrs them. O what poore incouragements canſt thou have, ſeeing the Lord never tallies downe any of thy prayers? wicked men are like ulyſſes, who wept more for the death of his dogge, then of53 his wife; ſo wicked men weepe and mourne for the loſſe of their corne and their cattle, hawkes and houndes, cardes and dice: but never for the loſſe of their praiers. So long as thou continueſt in thy prophaneſſe and impenitency, thou loſeſt all thy praiers: there is not one of them that God tallies downe, or reckons for a praier. Here we might have a great deale of matter, if time would ſuffer me. But it will not, onely let me tell you, I ſpeake onely to thoſe whoſe hearts God hath awakened out of their ſinnes, but who are oft diſcouraged: take heede of theſe diſcouragements.
For, firſt, they will drive thee to melancholy. Beloved, there are a great many 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 eate up thy ſpirit and thou wilt be like a ſilly dove without a heart, Prov. 7. 11. A dove is a melancholy creature, that hath no heart to any thing; ſo Ephraim 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 of54 diſcouragements: all the policie of hell is leſſe then this policy of the divell, in driving men to deſpair or diſcouragements: this doth more hurt then al the reſt of hel beſides
Secondly, if you doe not take heede of them, they will bring you to ſpeake 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 ſtrictnes, and preciſeneſſe? when I was a drunkard, a worldling, when I followed the luſt of my fleſh and liberty, then I enjoyed onnions, garlicke, 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 looke after55 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 & 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 & do a great many good things, and yet be damned when he hath done all: A man may even goe to Heaven Gates, and yet the gates be ſhut againſt him, and he turned into hell. Alas! my poore ſoule 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 ſonnes of Anack, ſtrong corruptions, inclining and forcing me to evill: moſt 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 againe: for certainly God lookes for no ſuch matter, he requires56 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 goe back againe or no. And all theſe murmurings and repinings, are becauſe men ſuffer themſelves to be diſcouraged.
Thirdly, diſcouragements will cauſe thee to thinke that God hates thee. When the ſoule like Baals Prieſts, hath been crying from morning to noone; ten, twenty, thirty yeeres, it may be, and yet hath no anſwer: now, it will begin to thinke if God did love me, then he would grant me my petitions. Then hereupon comes into a mans ſecret thoughts and feares 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 when57 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 deſpaire. M•lancholy thoughts and feares, and diſcouragements, drive the ſoule to deſpaire. For when the ſoule ſees it ſelfe ſtill diſappointed of its hopes, at the laſt it grows hopeleſſe: If it have waited one day and the next day too: if it have praied this weeke, this month, this yeare, 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 be auſe 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 thinke that now God will never heare thee, that thou ſhalt never get grace and power over thy corruptions.
Men thinke that the preaching of the58 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 muſt 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 ſoundneſſe 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 too blame if they ſpeake and preach onely the terrours and condemnations of the Law without the promiſes of the Goſpel: for theſe ſhould be ſo tempered59 that every poore broken ſoule may ſee mercy and redemption for him upon his ſound and unfeined 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 countenance fell, he was wroth and diſqui•ted 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 ſinne lie at the dore: drunkeneſſe, pride and worldlineſſe, ſecurity, hardnes and deadnes of heart lie at the dore: when a man lets his ne gligent 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 vaine, that his mourning, faſting, and all his humiliation is counterfe•t and rotten, and that he hath no ſoundneſſe of grace in him, but that for all this he may fall into hell: when ſinne lyeth thus at the dore, thus rapping at the conſcience60 it is no wonder if the ſoule fall into deſperation.
Cain let his ſinne lie at the dore, there it lay rapping and beating, and told him that his careleſeneſſe 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 dore 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 month by month, 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 will 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 then our conſciences, and knowes 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 ſhould61 ſay, there is not one condemnation; there is none in Heaven, God doth not condemne them; there is none in earth, their owne heart and conſcience doth not condemne them; he 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 condemnes him. But if thy conſcience condemne thee, and tell thee thou letteſt ſin lie at the dore, rapping at thy conſcience day after day, and month after month, 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 truely repented, and turned from thy ſinnes: this will at laſt drive thy ſoule into heavie diſcouragements, if not into finall deſpaire.
O beloved, religion and piety, and the power of godlineſſe, goe downe the winde every where. What is the reaſon of it, but becauſe of theſe diſcouragements that men live and go in? Men pray and pray, and their prayers profit them not: men run up and downe 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: they62 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 thinke as if there were no more power nor force in the Ordinances of God then 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 heare it.
Firſt, all your complaints they are hut winde, Job 6. 26. doe you 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 winde.
Doeſt 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 maiſt cry out againſt thy corruptions, with weeping and teares, and pray and fight againſt them:63 and yet all thy weeping, mourning and praying is but as the winde: thou maieſt beg grace, thou maiſt ſeeke 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 we 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 then that I ſhould ſpeedily eſcape into the Land of the Philiſtims, and Saul ſhall deſpaire of me to ſeeke me any more. David thought in himſelfe, if I can make him out of hope of finding me, certainely he will give over ſeeking of me. So when the ſoule hath any ſecret deſpaire of finding the Lord, that ſoule will quickly be drawne 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 praier, nor driven from holy conference,64 nor driven from 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 waies: for theſe are the waies of finding the Lord. If you nouriſh any thoughts and feares 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, thus 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, ver. 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 cheare, &c.
65So beloved, when the ſoule 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 alwaies looking on this ſinne and that ſinne, this imperfection and that failing: when now I ſay the ſoule is diſcouraged, it will be alwaies poaring upon ſinne, but it will never come out of its ſinne; alwaies 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 then you were; but now you cannot helpe 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 helpe 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 your66 ſelfe, 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. What is the reaſon that many Chriſtians are alwaies 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 no 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 attaine theſe graces; 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 heavie thing, and a fearefull caſe indeed,67 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 ſins, ſo alſo labour with incouragement to get out and be rid of your ſins.
Fifthly, diſcouragements breed and procure a totall perplexity. They leave the ſoule in a maze, that it knowes not whether to turne it ſelfe. When men come to be diſcouraged, Oh what ſhall I doe 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 hell at the firſt as at the laſt, for that will be the end of me: I have gon to Prayer, but that doth not helpe me: I have gone to Sacraments, but I finde no helpe: 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 cryes 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 become68 of th•e? 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 impoſsibility of eſcaping. As far as the diſcouragement of life goeth, ſo farre 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 himſelf, and therefore had the ſentence of death in himſelfe; 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 worke a miſerable effect in your ſoules: 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 in69 the ſtate of damnation, and yet they will not root out theſe diſcouragements.
O goe to the Throne of grace, beg for grace and for mercy, and for power againſt ſinne, and be not diſcouraged. What? wilt thou carry thy owne ſentence of death in thy breſt? if thou wilt not rouze up thy ſoule, and pray with more affection and confidence, and ſhake off diſcouragements, take heed leſt thou carry the ſentence of thy own death and damnation in thy bowels. O therefore