Scripture Light the Most Sure Light

You shall see the Angels ascending and descending upon the Son of man, but when had he this vision? not all the while he was in his Fathers house, bu • when he was fain to fly from the anger of his brother, lay in the open field in the night, and had no pillow but an hard stone to lie upon, then doth Christ thus appear to him, and make such a discovery and manifestation of himself, as he never had before. And when was it that Mr. Robert Glover was so filled with heavenly joys, that he cried out, he is come, he is come? ye read of him in the book of Martyrs, that for five years together, he was worn out & consumed with fears and troubles; he could neither eat nor sleep, he was so afflicted in his soul upon the apprehension of some backsliding, he thought he must needs be thrown down to hell when he died, yea he thought (saith the story of him) that he could not more despair in hell, yet after this long time of wrestling with this Temptation, it pleased God to come in with comforts: But I say, when was this? why; then especially, when he came within sight of the stake, then he cried out with clapping of his hands, he is come, he is come. Thus doth God (with whom are reserves of mercies) reserve his sweetest consolations, for the time of our sourest afflictions, and doth temper the one with the other in most fit proportion.

Yea, the Lord doth not only give forth encouragement in time of discouragement, and proportion his encouragements unto our discouragements, but he doth make your discouragements, occasional rises and bottoms, unto your encouragements and comforts. The Lord caused a deep sleep to come upon Adam, and then he took a Rib from his side, wherewith he made a help for him; so doth God cause a deep sleep to come upon you in your discouragements, out of which he takes a Rib, and • uilds up a help for you, making the discouragements of the Saints, to contribute to their very encouragements. Hosea. 2.14. Behold, saith the Lord, I will allure her (that is the Church his people) and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably to her, and I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope. But a wildernessed condition is a lost condition, and what comfort can one have in a lost condition? True saith God, ye cannot in, and by yourselves, but there I will speak friendly and comfortably to her, and of all the times that I choose to preach Gospel to a poor soul, I choose to do it in a wildernessed and lost condition. But though the Lord do speak comfortably to us, if we be in a wilderness, a dry & barren place where no food, nor comfort is, how can we be but discouraged? Nay (saith the Lord) but I will give her her vinyards from thence: But if we sin & murmur in the wilderness as the Israelites did, the Lord will cut us off as he did them, & a wilderness is a place of trouble, wherein we are apt to murmur, & be discouraged: Nay (saith the Lord) but I will give her her vinyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope. The valley of Achor, was the valley of Perturbation, trouble, and of great discouragement, when the men of Israel sled, and fell before the men of Ai, for the sin of Achan, Joshua, 7. verse. the last; yet it was an in-let to the Land of Canaan, to the Land of rest. Now saith the Lord, look as it was with them, though the Valley of Achor was a Valley of Trouble and Perturbation, yet it was the door by which the Israelites came into the Land of Rest: So shall it be with you, I will make your Troubles and Discouragements, the very door of your Hope; the Valley of your Discouragements shall be the door, and an in-let unto all your Rest and Comfort. God takes the same way with the Members, as he went with the Head; Christ's Cross an in-let of Glory, his suffering time was the Valley of Achor to his Disciples, and was it not a door of Hope unto them, and unto all the Saints? This is God's way; Discouragements bring Encouragements; and the more Discouragements the Saints have, the more Encouragements they shall have; yea, their Discouragements shall contribute to their Encouragements, and be a door of Hope to them, Now if the Valley of Achor shall by Promise be a door of Hope, why should we be discouraged whatsoever the Valley of Achor be, whatever our condition be?

[Answ. 5] A praying man can never be very miserable whatever his condition be, for he hath the Ear of God; the Spirit within to indite, a friend in Heaven to present, and God himself to receive his desires as a Father; 'tis a mercy to pray, though I never have the mercy prayed for; thereby God doth come down to us, and we go up to God. It is the souls Converse with God on Earth, and a great ease to a burdened, troubled Spirit; for thereby he may go and empty all his heart into the bosom of his best friend. Now every godly, gracious man, is a praying man, more or less he prayeth; It's spoken as an Argument of Paul's • onver • ion, Behold he prayeth; as Speech is common unto all men, so Prayer unto all Christians; God hath none of his Children born dumb; as soon as one of your children is born, it cries, and it sucks, and it • l • eps: So with every man that is born of God, as so • • s • e is both, he cries unto God in Prayer, he sucks the breast of • he Promi e, and he sleeps in the bosom of God by Divine Contentment • , bei • g dead unto all the world; it may be he cannot pray as 〈◊〉 would, but though he cannot pray as he would, not hear as h • •• uld, nor perform any duty as he would, yet he prayeth, it may be said of him, behold he prayeth; turn him where you will, and behold he prayeth; sick, yet behold he prayeth; temp • ed, yet behold he prayeth; at home, or abroad, yet behold he prayet • : and can he be miserable while he prayeth? Surely no: why then should he be discouraged whatever his condition be?

[Answ. 6] If the matter of the Saints discouragements, be but a cloud that will blow over, and melt away, then no reason for their Discouragements, whatsoever their condition be. Now thus it is with the People of God, though they be in a dark, and very dark condition, yet their darkness is but the darkness o • a cloud, and as he said, Nichecula est, cito transibit; it is but a cloud, it will soon over: So may they say concerning every matter of their discouragement; it is dark indeed, but this darkness will over; there is a storm comes down upon us, but we shall see Land again, the Shore again, it is but a cloud, but a cloud: And upon this account, David comforted his own heart here, and checked his soul for his immoderate dejection, Why a • t thou cast down? &c. Hope in God, For I shall yet praise him; I shall be delivered, this cloud will ove • , it will not last, it is but the darkness of a cloud.

[Quest.] But how shall it appear that it is • ut a cloud, and the darkness of a cloud? I think it is night, and dark night with my soul, yea, such a night as shall never know morning▪ indeed if I did know that the matter of my discouragement were but a cloudy darkness, then I would conclude and say, there is no reason for this discouragement: but how shall I know whether this darkness be the darkness of a cloud, or of the night?

[Answ. 1] First, If the darkness be such as comes immediately after the rising and shining forth of the Promise, then it is but the darkness of a cloud, not of the night; the Sun doth not rise to set immediately, and therefore if darkness comes immediately after Sun-rising, it is certainly the darkness of an Eclipse, or of a Cloud, not of the night. There was a fair Promise rose and shined upon Joseph, when the Lord said, That his Sheaf should be higher than all the Sheaves of his B •• thren; yet presently after that there arose a darkness upon him, but i • was the darkness of a cloud, and not of the • igh 〈◊〉 why so? Because he had a Promise first, which did sh •• 〈◊〉 •• m. So David had a fair Promise of the Kingdom, wh •• 〈…〉 • nointed by Samuel, yet a darkness presently rose upon him; bu • it was the darkness of a cloud only, and not of the 〈◊〉 ; Why? Because it was such a darkness as arose immediately a • ter he • hinings forth of a Promise. And I pray you show me any • cripture where you find that ever any darkness arose presently a • ter the breaking, shining forth of a Promise, which was more than the darkness of a cloud, which vanished away? Or whe e do you find in all the Scripture, that ever any poor soul came into the dark, immediately after the giving out of a Promise, but that soul did come to the light again? Now as for the darkness that covers the Saints, it is usually a darkness that comes after the giving, and shining out of a Promise; and therefore that darkness is but the darkness of a cloud, and they may say, a cloud, a cloud, and it will pass away.

[Answ. 2] Secondly: If a man be so in the dark, as yet he can see to work, and dig up pits; it argues, that the darkness, is but the darkness of a cloud; a man cannot see to work artificially in the night, but though there be much darkness by reason of a cloud, yet he may see to work, and to dig up pits because it is day. Now in Psalm, 84. the Psalmist faith, at verse 5. Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee, and in whose hearts are the ways of them, who passing through the Valley of Baca, dig up pits, the rain also filleth the pits, they go from strength to strength, till they appear before God in Zion. It is an allu • ion to the practice of the Jews, when some of them went up to Jerusalem, their way lay through the Valley of Baca, which was a very dry Valley, where no houses were, where no Water was for their relief and refreshment; whereupon they digged up pits, and to the rain fell, and they were refreshed, got strength, and went on to Jerusalem, where they saw the Lord in his Ordinances: So saith the Psalmist, Blessed are they in whose heart the Law of God is. There are a Generation of men in the world, that have the Law of God in their hearts, though they cannot act and work towards God as they would; these sometimes are in a dry, and barren condition, where no Water or Comfort is; yet if in this condition, they dig up pits, go to prayer, wait upon God in Duty, though they find no Comfort springing up in their Duty for the present, yet in due time, the rain of God's Blessing will fill those dry pits, and empty duties, whereby their Life shall be like unto a Pool of Water, and they shall go from strength of Grace, to strength of Grace, till they see the Lord. Know ye therefore, any man that is in this Valley of Baca, where no Water is, yet if he can find in his heart to dig up pits, to pray, read, hear, meditate, confer, and perform Duties, though those duties be empty of Comfort for the present, yet the rain of Grace and Mercy shall fall upon those Pits, and he shall go from strength to strength, till he appears before the Lord in Glory. Now thus it is with the Saints, though darkness, and a great darkness be upon them, yet in that dark condition they are still digging up pits, and therefore this darkness is not the darkness of the night, but the darkness of a cloud, and they may say, this is a cloudy darkness, and it will over ere long.

[Answ. 3] Thirdly: If the darkness which a man is under, be such, as there are some openings of Light withal, then it is the darkness of a cloud, and not of the night; though the cloud may cause much darkness, yet ever and anon it opens, and there are some interims of light withal; but the night opens not, there are no interims of light then, Now interims and intermissions of Light, are sure and certain pledges of a greater light which is yet to come. You know that when David fled from Absalom, he was in a dark condition, for the Text saith, He went, and he wept, and he went bare-foot; his own son persecutes him, drives him from his Throne, a great consederacy was raised against him by wicked men, with the child of his own bowels; here was darkness upon darkness, matter of great discouragement, but it was a cloud, and no more.

You will say, How should David have known that it was but the darkness of a cloud?

David prayed, The Lord turn the Counsels of Ahithophel into folly; and before David had overcome Absalom, and was restored to his Kingdom, Ahithophel did hang himself: David singled out Ahithophel to pray against, and the Lord heard his prayer: that Judgment of Ahithophel was the return of David's Prayer; here the cloud opened, and this Answer of his Prayer in the interim, was a Seal to David of the full deliverance that came afterwards, for God seals divers matters with the same Seal. So when a man is in the dark by reason of some temptation, affliction, or desertion, which he cannot see the end of; if in this interim, before the full deliverance comes, he hath some lesser deliverance, that lesser deliverance in the interim, is a Seal unto him of the future deliverance, and he may say, here is a pledge of my full deliverance, for here is the opening of the cloud. Now thus it is always with the People of God; they never are in any affliction, temptation, or desertion, but before their great deliverance comes, they have some special Providence, some reviving in the midst of their trouble, some interim of light, some openings of the cloud; and therefore in the midst of all they may say, surely this my darkness, is not the darkness of a night, but of a cloud; I say, there is no discouragement doth befall the Saints, but the matter thereof is a cloud, and they may say, it is but a cloud, it will pass over, and therefore why should they be discouraged? Surely there is no reason for their discouragements whatever their condition be.

If these things be so, How heavily doth this Doctrine fall in reproof upon some, I wish I might not say, some of the Servants and People of God: A godly man hath no true reason for his discouragements whatever his condition is, although it be never so sad; and some are always discouraged whatever their condition be, although it be never so good; whatever falls out, the Saints should not be discouraged, no not at anything, and yet many are discouraged at everything, and upon every occasion. O! what unworthy walking is this, how contrary do you walk to God? And do you know what it is to walk contrary to him? Hath he not said, If you walk contrary to me, I will walk contrary to you?

[Object.] But I have reason to be discouraged, for I have no sense and feeling of God's Love.

[Answ. 1] We do not live by feeling but by faith: it is the Duty of a Christian to begin with Faith, and so to ri • e up to feeling: you would begin with feeling, and so come down to faith; but you must begin with faith, and so rise up to feeling. And I pray tell me, Is it not sufficient to be as our Master was? Did not Christ want the sense of God's Love, when he said, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Yea, had not Christ the sense of God's Anger upon him when he did perform the greatest act of Obedience that ever the Sun saw? yet did he then say, I am not the Child of God, because I want the sense of God's Love, because I am under the sense of God's Anger? No, but with the same breath that he said he was forsaken, he said, My God, my God; and at the same time he called God Father, Father forgive them, &c. So may you do; though God hath forsaken you, though you want the sense of his Love, yea, and are under the sense of God's Anger; yet at the same time you may say, the Lord is my Father, and you may go to him as your Father: and if ye can say, God is my Father, have ye any reason for your Discouragements? Yet how often are God's own People discouraged and cast down? O! you that are the Disciples of Christ, labor more and more to follow your Master; and as David here, so do you often say, Why art thou cast down, O my soul?

[Answ. 2] Secondly: What a mighty, vast difference, is there between a Godly man, and a wicked, upon this account: A godly, gracious man, hath no reason for his discouragements whatever his Condition be; a wicked man, hath no reason for his encouragement whatever his Condition be. A gracious man is apt to be much discouraged, but he hath no true reason for it; a wicked man is apt to be much encouraged, but he hath no true reason for it. It's said of the wicked, Psalm 7. God is angry with the wicked every day: whatever the day be, God is angry with them; though it be a day of Fasting and Prayer, yet then is God angry with them; though it be a day of Praises, and of Thanksgiving, then is God angry with them; when he sins most, and when he sins least, God is angry with him, not one day goes over his head, but God is angry with him, and one blow or another that God's Anger reacheth forth to him every day, he doth not always feel those blows, but God is smiting of him, and is angry with h ••• every day, and therefore whatever his condition be, there is no reason for his encouragement. Suppose a man were in Pri • on, committed for some great Offence, and condemned to die under the di • pleasure of his Prince or State; and his Servant should come unto him, saying, Sir, Be of good Comfort, your Wife is well at home, you have very sweet children, an excellent Crop of Corn, your Neighbors love you dearly, your Sheep and Cattle thrive, and all your Houses are in good repair and order: would he not answer that Servant, and say, What's all this, so long as I am condemned to die? Thus it is with every wicked man, he is under the displeasure of the great God, a condemned man, and God is angry with him every day; and if his heart were open to be sensible of it, he would say, you tell me of my Friends, and Goods, and Name, and Trade; but what is all this, so long as I am a condemned person, and God is angry with me every day I rise? but for the present he feeleth not his displeasure, is not sensible of it; yet let him know that there is a day a coming, when he will find the Truth of this matter, no reason for his encouragement whatever his condition be. And as Saul once cried out, saying, God hath forsaken me, and the Philistines are upon me; so shall he cry out and say, God hath forsaken my soul, temptations are now upon me, my sins and guilt are upon me, God hath forsaken me, and the Devils are now upon me. But now, as for a godly, gracious man, though his condition be never so sad, and his soul never so much cast down, yet he hath no reason to be discouraged, I say, whatever his condition be: what a glorious condition are the Saints in, who would not be in love with this condition? who would not be in Christ? who would not leave the ways of the wicked? who would not be Godly? O! you that are ungodly labor to become Godly.

[Answ. 3] Thirdly, The exhortation is specially directed to the Saints, and with you I must leave a word of exhortation, Take heed and beware of discouragements, of being cast down, you have no reason for it, much reason against it. Thereby.

[ 1] You rejoice the heart of Satan, he claps his hands and laughs to see you cast down, now, O now (faith he) this man is like to me, I am a despairing spirit, and so is he, I am discouraged and cast down, and so is he, he stands triumphing over you, to see you under these discouragements: when you are sad, he is glad.

[ 2] And as you rejoice the heart of Satan, so you grieve the heart of God, one friend is grieved at the grief, sorrow, and discouragement of another, and the more real friendship, the greater is the affliction and trouble of the one, if the other be grieved, now God is the friend of the faithful, Abraham the friend of God, actively, passively: God was a friend to him, and he a friend to God; So with all believers; Christ is their friend, Hence-forth cal I you no more Servants, but friends, saith Christ; and the Holy Ghost is their friend, for it is the Spirit that comes and dwells in them, and manifests himself to them: and we are said to grieve the spirit. As God is the worst enemy, so he is the best friend, the truest friend, the most real friend in all the world, therefore when you are cast down and discouraged, ye grieve him, you grieve the Father, you grieve the Son, you grieve the Spirit, and do you know what you do when you grieve the Lord? is it nothing to grieve such a friend?

[ 3] Thereby you do in some measure, yea, in a great measure, make void and frustrate the end of Christ's coming, who came not only to free us from hell, but from our present fears, That being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, we might serve him without fear. Luke, 1. And will you then go drooping, discouraged, bowed down under your fears all your days?

[ 4] Thereby you unfit yourselves for the service of Christ, the Passover of old was not to be eaten with any old leaven, the old leaven was to be purged our, and none that were sad and sorrowful were to eat of the holy things. Now saith the Apostle, Christ our passover is Sacrificed for us, therefore let us keep the feast, that is, the Gospel feast, not with old leaven, and will no bread down with you, but leavened bread? sour bread? the bread of mourning? will you thus keep your passover, your Christian feast? some of you have been doubting, fearing, trembling; cast down, discouraged many years; and is it not yet time to bewail your unbelief? to honor free Grace? what will you always grieve the Spirit, the Father and Christ? always be frustrating of Christ's work? will ye always be eating old leaven? is it not yet time to say, why art thou cast down, O my soul, and why art thou disquieted within me? hope in him, for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.

[Quest.] I know indeed that I have no just and scripture reason for my discouragements, but I see there is much reason against it, yet I am one of a troubled spirit, I would fain have it otherwise, that at last I might glorify free Grace, what should I do that I may bear up against all discouragements, that I may not be discouraged whatever my condition be?

[Answ.] The only way which the Psalmist useth here is, to hope, trust, believe in God; and how we should use our faith in Christ as that we may not be discouraged, follows after, for the present, take these directons.

[ 1] First, If we would not be discouraged in any condition, Then never lay your comforts upon your condition, nor be in love with any condition for itself; let not your condition itself be the cause or bottom of your encouragements. Hang a cloak or garment upon a rotten peg, and that will break, and the garment fall down; now there is no condition but is a rotten peg, every condition is alterable, no condition so firm and fast, but is exposed to many changes, it is a rotten hold; God is Pillars, his name is Adonai, which signifies so much, and in Isa. 26. we are commanded to trust in the Lord, for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength, or the rock of ages. And, saith the Psalmist, my flesh faileth, and my heart faileth, but God is the rock of my heart forever, so the Hebrew. Lay your comforts upon your own condition, and you do but build on the sand, which will be carried away with every wind, and storm, and tempest; but if upon Christ himself, upon God himself, ye build upon the Rock, and though the floods, and storms, and winds do rise and beat upon you, yet you shall not lose your comforts, because they are built upon a rock.

[ 2] Secondly, Be sure that you think of Christ in a right way and manner, as he suiteth with your condition, and as he is held forth in the Gospel, We are very apt to have mis-thoughts of Christ, as Satan doth transform himself into an Angel of light, so he would transform Christ before you into an Angel of darkness: But the scripture holds him forth under such Relations, as do make him very amiable unto poor sinners. Are you accused by Satan, world, or your own conscience? He is called your Advocate: Are you ignorant? He is called the Prophet. Are you guilty of sin? He is called, A Priest, and high Priest: Are you afflicted with many enemies, inward and outward? He is called, a King, and King of Kings: Are you in straits? He is called your way; Are you hungry, or thirsty? he is called, bread, and water of life: Are you afraid you shall fall away, and be condemned at the last? He is our second Adam, a public person, in whose death we died, and in whose satisfaction we satisfied; As there is no Temptation or affliction, but some promise or other doth especially suit there withal; So there is no condition, but some Name, some Title, some Attribute of Christ doth especially suit with it: and as you do not look on Christ, but in reference to your condition, so you are not to look upon your condition alone, but with Christ's Attribute suitable thereunto; if you look upon Christ's Attribute of love without your condition, you may presume; if on your condition without Christ's Attribute of love, you may despair: think on both together & you will not be discouraged.

[ 3] Thirdly, If your discouragements begin to arise and press in upon you, check yourself and say, why should I multiply thoughts without knowledge? why should I tire out my soul with these thoughts? am I able to ad one cubit to my spiritual state? am I by all my thoughtfulness able to alter my condition? yea, doth not my thoughtfulness set me at a farther distance from the mercy desired? The truth is, the only way to lose the comfort desired, is to be solicitous about it: as the only way to have an outward blessing is to be content to go without it; So the only way to have a spiritual or outward affliction removed, is to be contented that it should be continued, if God and Christ will have it so. But you will have your affliction presently removed, and you must presently know that you are in the state of Grace, and the child of God, or else you will be discouraged, and as the bird in the net, the more it strives, the more it is entangled; so with you also. Wherefore do temptations, afflictions, desertions come, and Satan join with them, and say unto thy soul, this will ever be? answer, well, but I therefore believe the contrary, because thou sayest so Satan, who art a Lyar, yet if God will have it so, I am contented, I leave it to him: whether I shall ever be in this condition or not, is not my question, but now O Lord, let me serve thee, that is all my desire, let me see thee as thou pleasest, when thou pleasest. I have done, Lord I have done, I have been questioning, and questioning my condition these many years, I see there is no end of that, yea, the more I do, the more I may, I get nothing by it, why therefore, O my soul, should I tear out myself with this kind of thoughtfulness? thus check yourselves.

[ 4] Fourthly, When ever you think of anything which is in itself terrible, or matter of discouragement, be sure that you mingle the Consideration thereof, with those sweet things which God hath given and prescribed to you. There is nothing terrible, but God hath joined some comfortable thing with it: the Name of God is terrible, he is called the great and dreadful God; but to sweeten this, he is called the God of all Consolations: Death is terrible, it's called the King of Terrors; but to sweeten this, it is called a Sleep: The day of Judgment is terrible; but to sweeten that, our present Advocate shall be our future Judge; yea, our best Friend, and our dear Husband. Now if you abstract the terror of any Object from the sweetness of it, no wonder if you be much discouraged. It is our Duty to behold things as God presents them, and to take things as God doth give them. What God hath joined together, no man may put asunder. If you consider the sweetness of an Object or Condition, without the sowrness of it, then you may grow too wanton: if you consider the terror of an Object or Condition, without the sweetness of it, then you may be too fearful: But if you think on both together, then you will fear, and believe; and believe, and fear, and so be kept from Discouragement.

[ 5] Fifthly, If you would not be discouraged whatever your condition be, Labor more and more to get yourself-love mortified, even Religious self-love: All your Dscouragements are from self-love, not from the venom of your condition, but from the poison of self-love. O but I am discouraged, because I have no assurance. Well, but suppose you had assurance, what then? then I should have Comfort: And is not here Self? O but I am discouraged about my everlasting Condition. And is not that Self? doth not that word Condition sound ones Self? I dare boldly say, there is no tumult or immoderate Discouragement in the soul, but hath Self at the bottom. Could I leave myself, and my Condition with God and Christ, and mind his Service, Glory, and Honor more, God would take care of my Comfort: but when I mind myself, and my condition so much, and his Service, Glory, and Honor so little, no wonder that I am so much discouraged. Therefore labor more and more to mortify self-love, and so shall you never be discouraged whatever your condition be.

[ 6] Sixthly: In case that Temptation press in upon you, and urge you to sad Discouragements, speak to this purpose unto your own soul. Why should I buy my Repentance at so dear a rate? There is none of all these doubtings, unbelieving fears, and discouragements, but you will be ashamed and repent of afterwards. You know how it is with the Traveler, he thinks the Sun is not yet up, and so he loyters, and sits down; but the Sun creeping up behind the cloud, at last breaks out upon his face, and is got before him, and then he says, O what a fool was I to think the Sun was not up, because I saw it not, what an unwise man was I thus to loiter and sit down! So it will be with you, you now lie down upon the Earth, and your belly cleaves to the dust by reason of your Discouragements; but the Grace of God, and the Love of Christ, is creeping up behind the dark cloud, and it will break out at the last upon you, and shine into your face with the Golden beams of mercy, it will prevent you, and be before you; and then you will say, O what a fool was I to be thus discouraged, what an unworthy Creature I, to doubt thus of God's Love; I have sinned, I have sinned by all my unbelief: now the Lord pardon me all my doubtings, I am O Lord, ashamed of these my doubtings and questionings of thy Love, pardon them O Lord unto my soul. This is that which you must come to, you must at last be ashamed and repent of these your unbeleefs, doubtings, and fears, and therefore whenever they press in upon thee, say at the first unto thyself, Why should I buy my Repentance at so dear a rate, by yielding unto these Discouragements? And for this very reason, because that Discouragements are to be repented of, Therefore the Saints and People of God have no reason to be discouraged whatever their Condition be.

And thus have I spoken to this Truth under a more General Consideration; through Grace I shall labor to clear it further to you by Particulars.

A LIFTING UP, In case of GREAT SINS.

Serm. IV

THE Doctrine or Observation that now we are pressing from these words, is this:

Now more Particularly, to make it out by divers Instances. Nine things there are, which usually are the Grounds and Occasions of the Discouragements of God's People.

• 1. Somtimes their Discouragements are drawn from their greater and grosser sins.
• 2. Somtimes they do arise from the weakness of Grace.
• 3. Somtimes they are taken from their failing in, and non-acceptance of Duty.
• 4. Somtimes they are drawn from their want of Evidence for Heaven, and non-assurance of the Love of God.
• 5. Somtimes they do come from their Temptations.
• 6. Somtimes from their Desertions.
• 7. Somtimes from their Afflictions.
• 8. Somtimes from their Unserviceableness.
• 9. Somtimes from their Condition itself.

Now if in all these Respects, the Saints and People of God have no reason to be discouraged, then we may safely conclude; That a godly man should not be discouraged whatever his condition be. I shall labor therefore, through the Grace of Christ, to make out this great Truth unto you in all these Respects; and begin with the First at this time.

O says one, I am a man or woman of a rebellious heart, I have so sleight a Spirit, so unholy, and uneven a conversation, that when I reflect upon my heart and life, I cannot but be discouraged I know indeed, it is a great evil, for a man to labor under a • ore temptation, or a sad desertion; but were my heart good my life good, my conversation good, I should not be discouraged; but as for me, I have committed, and do commit such and • uen great sins, have I not reason, and just reason now to be discouraged▪

[Answ.] No: For Discouragement itself is a sin, another sin, a Gospel sin; now my sin against the Law, is no just cause why I should sin against the Gospel. I confess indeed; there is much evil in every sin, the least sin is worse than the greatest affliction; Afflictions, Judgments, and punishments, are but the Claws of this Lyon; it is more contrary to God than the Misery of Hell: Chrysostom had so great a sense of the evil of it, that when the Empress sent him a threatening Message; Go tell her (said he) Nil nisi peccatum metuo, I fear nothing but sin. And in some respects, the sins of the Godly are worse than the sins of others, for they grieve the Spirit more, they dishonor Christ more, they grieve the Saints more, they wound the Name of God more, they are more against the Love, and Grace, and Favor of God, than other men's sins are. And the Lord doth see the sins of his own People, yea, so far he sees sin in them, that he doth chastise and afflict them for it; not only from their sin, but for their sin; and therefore saith the Apostle in 1 Cor. 11.30. (speaking of the unworthy receiving of the Lord's Supper) For this cause many are sick and weak among you. And he doth not speak only of Saints in Appearance, and in Church-Estate, but of such also as were Saints indeed, and therefore he saith, We are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. He puts himself in, We are judged that we may not be condemned with the world. Our Savior Christ saith, Revel. 3. As many a • I love, I rebuke and chasten, be zealous therefore, and repent, it seems then it was for sin committed, else why should he say, Repent? and repent therefore? Repentance is for sin committed already, and these were such as he loved too, whom he threatens thus to rebuke and chastise; and doth any Father rebuke, chastise, or correct his Child only from sin, and not for sin? Was not Moses a gracious and an holy man? and yet for his unbelief and sin, he lost the Land of Canaan: Was not Sampson a good man? and yet by his sin, he lost his Eyes, and his Life too: Was not David a gracious and a holy man? and yet for his sin, the Lord said, The Sword should never depart from his house, and yet Christ had made satisfaction for his sin too, as well then, as for the Saints now. But now, though there be never so much evil in the sins of God's People, yet they have no reason, no just cause, or Scripture reason to be cast down, and to be discouraged in that respect.

[Quest.] But how may this appear; That notwithstanding the sins of God's own People do grieve the Spirit of God, are a dishonor to Jesus Christ, and do wound the Name of God, and the Profession of Christ so much; That yet the Saints have no reason to be discouraged, or cast down?

[Answ. 1] First: They know, or they may know, that they shall never be condemned for their sin, whatever it be. There is no Condemnation to those that are in Christ Jesus (saith the Apostle.) Christ was made sin for them; and if Christ be made sin for me, then my sin shall never hurt me. Luther is bold here, for (saith he) Christ is made sin damning, our sin is sin damned: I confess indeed (said he) that I have sinned, but sin damning is stronger than sin damned, and Christ was made sin damning for me. The thing is true, though the expression be strange; Christ was made sin for Saints, therefore their sin shall not hurt them. It stands not with the Justice of God to exact the payment of one debt twice. Now the Lord Jesus Christ hath not only been arrested, but in Goal for the debt of the Saints and People of God, and he hath paid it to the utmost farthing, he hath paid it better than they could have paid it themselves, if they had gone to Hell: for if a Godly man had gone to Hell, and been damned forever, he would have been always paying, but the debt would never have been paid: Christ paid it all down for the present. And if you look into Scripture, you will find, That the Lord doth not condemn a man, no not a wicked man, barely for the act of his former sin, but because he will not turn from it. Psal. 7.11. The Lord is angry with the wicked every day: verse 12. If he turn not, he will whet his Sword; he hath bent his bow, and made it ready; he hath prepared for him the Instruments of death, he ordaineth his Arrows against the Persecutor: The Lord hath prepared Instruments of Death against every wicked man; but yet notwithstanding, though a man be never so wicked, if he turn unto the Lord, God will not discharge those Instruments of Death upon him, yea, though his sins have been never so great; but, saith the Text, If he turn not (not because he hath sinned before only, but because he turns not from his sin) he will whet his Sword; he hath bent his Bow, and made it ready. Now there is always in the Saints and People of God, a turning disposition, although they do sin against God; there is always (I say) a turning disposition in them, and therefore the Lord will not discharge the Instruments of death upon them, surely then, they have no reason to be quite discouraged in this respect.

[Answ. 2] Secondly: As Godly men shall never be condemned for their sins, so their sins shall never part God and them. What is the s • eming Reason why some are so discouraged about their sins? but because they think they shall not only lose the face and presence of God by their sins, but that they shall lose God himself. But now, I say, the sins of the Godly shall never part God and them; their sins may hide God's Face: But as their sins did not hinder God and their coming together at first, so their sins shall never part God and them: their sins may cause a strangeness between God and them, but shall never cause an Enmity; their sins may hide God's Face from them, but shall never turn God's back upon them; those whom God Loves, he loves unto the end; I am the Lord that changeth not, saith he. And as the Prophet Isaiah speaks, As the Covenant that the Lord made with Noah, such is the Covenant that he makes with his People. Now look into Genesis, Chap. 8. and you shall see what the Covenant is, that the Lord made there with Noah, and with the World by Noah: When Noah came out of the Ark, he built an Altar, and Sacrificed, verse 21. And the Lord smelled a sweet savor, and the Lord said in his heart, I will not again curse the Ground for man's sake; Why? For the Imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth. You would think this were a reason why God should curse the Ground again; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; man is wicked, therefore surely God will curse the Ground again: nay, saith the Lord, but though you that are poor Creatures think so, yet I that am the God of all Grace, I make this Covenant with the World by Noah, That I will not curse the Ground anymore for man's sake; Because the Imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth continually. I confess indeed the Hebrew, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , signifies Quamvis, Although; as well as Quoniam, Because: and it may be so translated; Although the Imagination of man's heart is evil, &c. (Yet the Chaldee Paraphrase, • eptuagint, Jerome, and Montanus, render it, Because ) But though it be so translated, yet that is enough to make good the Truth and Doctrine which I urge from this Scripture. The Covenant that the Lord makes with his People, is such a Covenant as the Lord made with Noah; so saith • he Prophet Isaiah. What then? Therefore if God be in Covenant with a man, he shall never lie under wrath again; for though the World sin, the World shall never be drowned again; and so, though he do sin he shall never lie under wrath again. Now as for the People of God, they are all in Covenant with God, they are under this gracious Covenant, and therefore though the Mountains may be removed, God's Mercy shall never be removed from them; and though the great Hills may be thrown into the Sea, the People of God, once in Covenant with God, shall never be thrown into Hell: and tell me then, Have you that are the People of God, any just cause or reason to be cast down, or to be discouraged?

[Answ. 3] Thirdly, If the very sins of God's People, through the over-ruling hand of Grace, shall be an occasion of more Grace and Comfort to them than ever they had in all their lives before; then surely they have no reason to be discouraged in this respect. Now mark it, and you shall find, That God doth never suffer his People to fall into any sin, but he intends to make that sin an in-let unto further Grace and Comfort to them. This ye see in the first great Sin that ever was committed by the Children of Men, the Fall of Adam, the Lord himself came and preached the Gospel, preached Christ unto fallen Man; and surely when God himself preached the Gospel, we are to think the man was converted: Now the greatest Blessing that ever the World saw, was the Righteousness of Jesus Christ; but how came that about? God suffers man to fall, and man's Unrighteousness, must usher in Christ's Righteousness. The Scripture tells us, that the Lord suffered Hezekiah to fall, that Hezekiah might know all that was in his heart; he did not know his own heart before, and therefore the Lord let him fall that he might know his own heart. But if you look into the Romans, Chap. 11. you shall find in so many words, what I am now speaking, verse 32. For God hath concluded them all in unbelief; Why? That he might have mercy upon all. O! what a blessed design upon Unbelief is here! Therefore God concludes all under Unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all: Sin gets not, but is a loser by every fall of the Godly. And if ye look into the Scripture, ye shall observe, That when the People of God fall, usually they fail in that Grace, wherein they do most excel; and wherein they did most excel, therein they did most miscarry. Abraham did most excel in Faith, and therein he did most miscarry: Moses did most excel in Meekness, and therein he did most miscarry; we read of no other sin concerning Moses, but his Anger: Job did most excel in Patience, and therein he did most miscarry: Peter did most excel in Zeal, and Resolution for Christ (Though all the World for sake thee, yet will not I) and therein he did most miscarry: denying Christ at the voice of a Damzel. I say ye shall observe this, That the Saints fell, and failed in that Grace wherein they did most excel; and they did most excel, wherein they did most miscarry: what's the Reason of this? but because the Lord by the over-ruling hand of his Grace, did make their very miscarriages, in-lets and occasions to their further Grace and Holiness. God hath a great Revenue from the very infirmities of his People. He doth never suffer any of his People to fall into any sin, but he hath a design by that fall, to break the back of that sin they do fall into. Now then, have the Saints and People of God, any reason to be discouraged in this respect? By their sin they may be, and are often times suspended from their Comforts, and use of their Privileges; but by their sin, they do not lose their right thereunto. Ye know how it was with the Leper in the times of the Old Testament, among the Jews; when he was carried out of the City or Town from his own House, by reason of his uncleanness: Or now, if a man that hath the Plague, and be carried from his own House by reason thereof; the Leper then, and the man that hath the Plague, or the Pest now, may say, Though I be removed from mine own House, and have not the use of my House, yet I have a right to my House still; and though I cannot come to the use of my Land, yet I have a Right to my Land still. So a Godly man may say as concerning his sin; This sin of mine indeed, it is a Pest, and the Plague of my Soul, and a Leprosy; but though by this Leprosy of mine, I am now suspended from the use of my Comforts, yea, from the full use of my Interest in Jesus Christ; yet notwithstanding, I have an Interest in Christ still, I have not lost my Interest, still I have Right to Christ; although I cannot come to the use of him as I did before, yet I have right unto Jesus Christ now, as I had before: And if all these things be so, Why should a godly man be cast down, or discouraged in this respect? Surely he ought not to be so.

[Object.] But suppose a man's sins be such as never were pardoned before, and truly that is my case, for I have sinned a great sin, and I do not read in all the Word of God, any example that ever such a sin as mine was pardoned; Have I not reason now to be quite discouraged, and cast down?

[Answ.] No: For I pray, what do you think of Adam? Adam sinned a great sin in our first Fall; the Lord himself came and preached the Gospel to him, The Seed of the Woman shall break the Serpents head. Should Adam have said, O! but there is no hope for me, for I have no example or precedent of pardon? Adam could have no Example of any that was pardoned before him, because he was the first man, and the first that sinned: Should he have sat down, and been discouraged, because he could not find any Example for the pardon of the like sin that he had committed? You know what our Savior Christ said, Every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven; unless it be the sin against the Holy Ghost, every sin, though it be boiled up to blasphemy. You say you have no example for the pardon of such a sin as yours is; but doth not your sin come within the compass of these words, Every Sin, and Blasphemy? Surely it doth: Have ye any reason then to be discouraged under the power of this Objection?

[Object.] But suppose that a man have sinned greatly against his conscience, or against his light, against his knowledge, hath he not just cause or reason then to be cast down, and to be quite discouraged?

[Answ.] No: For if there be a Sacrifice for such a sin as this is, then a man hath no reason to be quite discouraged, cause to be humbled, (as you shall hear afterward) but no reason to be discouraged. Now in the times of the Old Testament, in the times of the Law among the Jews, there was a Sacrifice, not only for sin committed ignorantly, but also for sin co • itted against light and against consc ence: and I appeal to you whoever you are that make this objection, do you not think, that Peter, when he denied his Lord and Master sinned against his conscie • ce, against his light, and against his knowledge? surely then there is no reason that a man should be quite discouraged, no not in this respect.

[Object.] But suppose that a man's sins be exceeding great, gross, and heinous, for I do confess that possibly a Godly man may sin some sin against his light, and against his conscience sometimes, but as for me, my sin is exceeding great, gross, and heinous, and have I not just cause and reason now to be discouraged?

[Answ.] No, not yet, For though your sin be great, is not God's mercy great, exceeding great, is not the Satisfaction of Christ great? are the merits of Christ's blood small? is not God the great God of Heaven and Earth able to do great things? you grant that God is almighty in providing for you; and is he not almighty also in pardoning? will ye spoil God of his almightiness in pardoning. You say your sin is great, but is it infinite • ? is there anymore infinites than one: and that is God? is your sin as big as God? as big as Christ? Is Jesus Christ only a mediator for small sins? will you bring down the satisfaction of Christ, and the • ercy of God to your own model? Hath not the Lord said concerning pardoning mercy, That his thoughts are not as our thoughts, but as the heavens are greater than the earth, so are his thoughts in this respect beyond our thoughts. Hath not the Lord said, in Isa. 43. unto the people of the Jews, at verse. 22. But thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob, but thou hast been weary of me, O Israel Vers. 23. Thou hast not brought me the small cattle of thy burnt offering, neither hast thou honored me with thy Sacrifices. Vers. 24. Thou hast bought me no sweet cane with money, neither hast thou filled me with the fat of thy Sacrifice? but thou hast made me to serve with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thy iniquity, yet, verse. 25. I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgression for my own sake, and will not remember thy sins. Here are sins, and great sins▪ and if the Lord will therefore pardon sin because it is great, unto his people, then surely they have no reason to be quite discouraged in this respect. Now look what David saith in Psal. 25. verse. 11. For thy name sake, O Lord, pardon mine iniquity for it is great, mark his argument, pardon mine iniquity, for it is great, if David use this reason then may you also, and if this be a reason why God should pardon sin, because it is great, then this cannot be a reason, a just reason, why you should be discouraged.

[Object.] But suppose that a man's sin be the sin of revolting, declining: for this is my case, will some say, I have striven, and striven against my sin a long while, and I return unto it again, times were heretofore, that I have been exceeding forward, and ready unto what is good, but now, I am much declined, abated, and even gone backward with revolting, and deep revolting, and I have lain long so, even for many years; have I not reason, and just reason now to be discouraged and cast down within myself?

[Answ.] No not yet For though this be a sufficient cause of great humiliation, (for backsliding in scripture phrase is called rebellion, and rebellion as the sin of witch-craft) yet a good man, hath no reason to be discouraged in this regard: for thus saith the Lord, Jer. 3.1. They say if a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and become another man's, shall he return unto her again? shall not that land be greatly polluted? but thou hast played the Harlot with many lovers, yet return again unto me; saith the Lord. And verse. 12. return thou backsliding Israel, saith the Lord, and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you, for I am merciful, saith the Lord, and I will not keep anger forever, & again verse. 14. Turn O backsliding Children, for I am married unto you. & if ever the Lord Jesus Christ did betroth himself unto any soul, he will never put that soul away again, I hate putting away, saith God. Men put away their wives among the Jews, but saith the Lord, I hate putting away. And Isae. 50. verse. 1. Thus saith the Lord where is the Bil of your mothers divorcement, whom I have pu • away, or which of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you? Among the Jews, the husband did put away his wife upon small occasions. As for adultery, you know that was death, he did not put away his wife upon adultery, she was to dy for it, but the husbands put away their wives upon other occasions, and when they put away their wives, they gave the wife a bill of divorce, that so upon all occasions the woman might show thereby, that she was free from such a man. Now, saith the Lord, you that charge me, and complain that I have put you away, come and show me the bill of divorce: Thus saith the Lord, where is the bill? &c. Poor soul, thou complainest that I have put thee away, come then and show me the bill of divorce: let any one who complains that I have put him away and cast him off, come and bring out his bill of divorce; This ye cannot do, men indeed put away, but if ever the Lord Christ doth match himself unto thee, he will never put thee away again.

[ 2] And whereas you say, That you are declined, and have much revolted, and so have continued, even many years, Consider, whether you be not mistaken; Every abatement in affection is not a declining in grace; possibly we may not grieve for sin afterward so much, as at our first conversion, yet we may hate it more, at first you may pray more against it, yet afterward watch more against it, we never see the face of sin so ugly as in the glass of God's free love, & do you not see the free love of God more? possibly your affections might be higher at the first, but is not conviction more clear and full; as affections dry up, so we grow more settled in our judgment, and if your judgment be more settled, you are not declined, though your affections be somewhat abated.

[ 3] And whereas you say, That you have returned to your sin again and again, and have continued under your revolt for many years, I shall only tell you what Mr. Bilney, a blessed Martyr, once said, hearing a Minister preach very terribly against sin, and saying thus, Behold! thou old sinner, thou hast lain rotting in the grave of thy sin this threescore years, and dost thou now think to go to heaven in one year? dost thou think to go forward to heaven more in one year, than thou hast gone backward to hell these threescore years. Ah! said Mr. Bilney,: here is goodly preaching of repentance in the name of Christ; Had I heard such doctrine preached heretofore, my poor soul had despaired forever, but, saith he, the Lord Christ died for sinners, young sinners, and old sinners, for one as well as the other, such as have lain long in sin, as well as those that have lain but a little while in sin, if they will come home unto Christ. And you know what our Savior saith, if thy Brother transgress against thee, forgive him. But Lord, he hath transgressed against me once, and I have forgiven him, yet, saith our Savior, forgive him again. O! but Lord, I have forgiven him again and again, and yet he returns to his fault again, then forgive him again, saith Christ. But Lord, how often shall I forgive my Brother? Saith our Savior, if he sin against thee Seaventy seven times, and says that he doth repent, do thou forgive so oft; And now shall the Lord Jesus Christ enjoin us to forgive our Brother, if he sin against us seventy seven times? and will not the Lord Christ forgive much more, if a poor soul do turn unto him, and say, Lord I repent me that I have sinned against thee? Will the Lord Christ command me a poor sinner to forgive so many times, how often will the great God forgive, what seventy seven times? nay seven hundred times seven hundred. And have ye any reason then to be discouraged in this respect? surely you have not.

[Object.] But suppose that a man have sinned foully, greatly, and he cannot repent, or be humbled enough; (for that is my case, I have sinned, I have sinned greatly, and now after all, my heart is hard, and I cannot be humbled enough, O! I cannot repent enough,) hath he not just cause and reason for his discouragement now, yea now to be quite discouraged?

[Answ.] No, not yet, For what if the Lord will have your humiliation from you by degrees? should you be so, or so muc • humbled for the present, it may be it would be with you as it h •• h been with others, you would never think of your sins afterward, but may be the Lord will have this work of humiliation to stay long upon thy soul, and he will not give it you all at once. Some there are, that when they come into a house, they pay a great in-come, and little rent, others pay a little in-come, and a great rent, so it is with souls that come to Christ, some at the first lay down a great humiliation, and they have lesser of it afterward, some have less at the first, and have more afterwards by continuance in it, and what now if the Lord will lead thy soul in this latter way? this latter way may be the better way if the Lord think fit.

Again. It may be that if you had so much, or so much humiliation now at the first, you would think, that in, and by, and for your humiliation you should have acceptance with God, and the remi • sion of your sin; if you be kept off from this rock & danger, by your want of that degree of humiliation, which you would have, and so be trained up to prize the Lord's free Grace in giving you humiliation, have you any cause to complain?

Again. If you had so much, or so much humiliation for the present, i • may be then, you would have the less humility, a little humility, is as good as a great deal of humiliation, as good being humble, as being humbled. Now because thou art not humbled, therefore thy soul is kept humble, hadst thou many tears, and abundance of tears, may be then thou wouldest be proud, but the Lord doth deny thee tears, and thou art not humbled to the degrees of thy own desires, and so the Lord keeps thee humble by the want of thy humiliation.

Again, It may be, that if you were humbled so, or so much at the present, or at the first, you would have the less fear of your own heart. The more humbled, it may be, the less after-fear, and the less humbled, the more after-fear, the less humbled, sometimes, the more a man fears his own heart, and his own condition. Gracious fear is as good as humiliation, and if that which you want in humil • ation you have it made up in fear, have you any reason to be discouraged? I know it is usual with Satan, to say unto the people of God at their first coming on to Christ, that they are not humbled enough, and so keeps them off from Mercy and Grace: But I pray tell me, Can ye ever be humbled enough? Can there be any proportion between your sins, and your humiliation? The Truth is, we should labor that our Humiliation be answerable to our sin; but God is not pleased with grief for grief, God is not pleased with sorrow for sorrow; the end of all our sorrow and grief is, to embitter our sin to us, to make us to prize Jesus Christ, to wean us from the delights and pleasures of the Creature, to discover the deceitfulness and naughtiness of our own hearts. In scripture phrase, and language or the New Testament, Repentance is called an after-wisdom, an after-mind, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a bethinking of ones self, it is called a conviction; now though you be not humbled unto the degree which you do desire, yet notwithstanding, do you not bethink yourself, are you not convinced of the evil of your former way? hath not the Lord now given you an after-wisdom? and do not you say concerning your sin, O! if it were to do again, I would not do it for all the world? Thus it is with the Servants and people of God, though they cannot be humbled so much as they would be, yet notwithstanding, they are thus far humbled, thus far grieved, that their sins are imbittered, and themselves thereby weaned from the delights and pleasures of the world, convinced of the evil of their sin, and what they want in humiliation they have it in humility, the less humbled, the more they are kept humble, and what they do want at the first, they have it afterwards by degrees, soaking into their souls. Have they then any reason to be discouraged, in these respects? surely no.

[Quest.] But should not a Godly, Gracious man be fully grieved and humbled for his sin?

[Answ.] Grieved, humbled for his sin? yes surely; though the Lord through the over-ruling hand of his Grace, do work never so much good out of my sin unto me, yet I am to be humbled for it, and the rather to be humbled for it, because he works good out of it. I have read indeed of the Mother of those three Learned men, Lombard, Gratian, and Comaestor, the three great pillars of the Roman Church (for Lombard wrote the sentences; and Gratian the Popish Decretals; and Comaestor, Historiam Scholasticam ) that when she lay on her death bed, and the Priest came unto her, and called upon her for repentance of her whoredoms, (for these three, Lombard, Gratian, and Comaestor, were her bastards, as the very popish writers do record it) & he telling her that she must be greatly afflicted, grieved, and humbled for her uncleanness, or else she could not be saved, why? said she, I confess indeed, that whoredom and uncleanness is a great sin, but considering what a great deal of good hath come to the Church of God by my sin, that three such great lights have been brought forth into the world by my sin, Non valeo paenitentiam agere, I cannot, I will not repent. & thus it is with many poor ignorant souls, when they see, how the Lord by his over-ruling hand doth work good unto them out of their sin, as some outward blessings & mercies, they do not repent of their sin, but rather justify themselves in their sins: but now take a Godly man, a gracious soul, and the more that he sees the Lord working good out of his sin, the more he is humbled for it; and upon that very ground, because God works good of it, therefore he is humbled the more.

Yet further; it is observed, that though the Lord did ordinarily cal David his servant, yet when David had sinned that great sin, he sent the prophet to him saying, Go say to David, he had lost the title of servant, now bare David, now single David, now David without the title my servant. And so though God ordinarily called the people of Israel his people, yet when they had committed that great sin of Idolatry in the matter of the Golden Calf, the Lord doth not cal them his people, but he saith to Moses, The people, not My people, but The people, and Thy people Moses, now they had lost their old title. Thus, I say, the sins of God's own people do deprive them, and divest them of their spiritual privileges, and can a gracious heart look upon this, and consider how he is divested and disrobed of his spiritual privileges, and not mourn under it? Can one friend grieve another friend, and not be grieved himself? The Saints by their sins they grieve God, who is their best friend, and therefore certainly they must needs be grieved, they must needs be humbled, or there is no Grace, not grieved, not humbled, not Gracious. But now because they are grieved, and humbled for sin committed, therefore they are not discouraged, I say, because they are grieved, and because they are humbled for sin committed, therefore they are not discouraged, for discouragement is a hindrance to humiliation, and the more truly a man is humbled for sin committed, the less he is discouraged, and the more a man is discouraged, the less he is truly humbled.

[Quest.] You will say then, but what is the difference between these? a man is to be humbled, and not discouraged, not discouraged and yet to be humbled, what is the difference between these two, being humbled, and being discouraged?

[Answ.] It is a profitable question and worth our time: by way of answer therefore thus.

[ 1] First, When a man is humbled, truly humbled, the object of his grief, sorrow or trouble, is sin itself, as a dishonor done unto God: the object of discouragement is a man's own condition, or sin in order to his own condition, the ultimate object of discouragement being a man's own condition when a man is discouraged, you shall find still, that his trouble runs all out upon his own condition, O! saith a discouraged person, I have sinned, I have thus sinned, and therefore my condition is naught, and if my condition be naught now, it will never be better, Lord, what will become of my soul? Stil his trouble is about his own condition. But when a man is grieved and truly humbled for sin, his trouble is about sin itself, as a dishonor done unto God. To clear this by scripture, you know Cain was discouraged, but Cain was not humbled: how may that appear? Cain was troubled about his condition Ah! saith he, My punishment is greater than I can bear. on the other side, the poor prodigal was humbled, but not discouraged: how may that appear? his trouble was about his sin, and not about his condition: I will return unto my Father, saith he, and I will say unto him, I have sinned against Heaven, and before thee, and I am no more worthy to be called thy Son, make me as one of thy hired servants. David sometimes was both discouraged and humbled, and then you find his repentance and humiliation to be very brackish: but if you look into the Psal. 51. you shall find David humbled, but not discouraged, for it is a penitential Psalm, therefore humbled and not discouraged, for still he did keep his Assurance, verse. 14. Deliver me from blood-guiltiness O God, thou God of my Salvation. But what was his repentance, his trouble about? It was about his sin, and not about his condition, read verse. 23. and so on, Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin, for I acknowledge my transgression, and my sin is ever before me, Against thee, thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: Behold I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me, still ye see his eye is upon his sin, and not upon his condition only; So that I say, when a man is truly humbled and grieved for sin, the object of his grief is sin, as a dishonor done unto God: when a man is discouraged and not humbled, then his trouble is all about his condition, and what will become of him.

[ 2] Secondly, True humiliation, it is no enemy, but a real friend unto spiritual joy, to our rejoicing in God. The more a man is humbled for sin committed, the more he will rejoice in God, and rejoice that he can grieve for Sin: He grieves, and rejoiceth that he can grieve for sin. therefore humiliation (by our Savior Christ) is made an effect of the comforter. I will send the comforter, and he shall convince the world of sin, because there is comfort always goes along with true humiliation, it is not an enemy but a friend to our spiritual rejoicing; but discouragement is an enemy to spiritual joy; A man that is discouraged, is grieved, and he is sad upon his grief, and if ye tell him that he must rejoice in God, and cal upon him to rejoice in God, O! no, saith he, it is not for me to rejoice, I am a man of another disposition, joy doth not belong to me, or to one in my condition: But now when a man is truly humbled, the more he is humbled for Sin, the more he can rejoice in God, but the more a man is discouraged, the less he rejoiceth in God.

[ 3] Thirdly, The more a man is humbled, truly humbled for Sin, the more he is found in Duty; the more a man is discouraged, the more his hands are weakened to Duty: As it is with the Water, if the Water do continue in its true stream, it doth not over-flow the Banks, it doth not break down the Dam: Somtimes you have a great fall of Water, a great and mighty flood, and then the River over-flows the Banks, and the Water bears down the Dam. So here; Duty is the Bank of Sorrow, Grief, and Humiliation for Sin; I say, your Duties are the Banks of all your Godly Sorrow, and when a man's Sorrow, or Grief, doth arise to such an height, that it swells over Duty, and a man saith, I will pray no more, it is to no purpose; and I will hear no more, for there is no hope for my soul; and I will examine my own heart no more: when thus Sorrow swells over Duty, and breaks down the Dam of Duty, then it is Discouragement, it is not Humiliation: be not mistaken, this is not Humiliation, this is a plain Discouragement. There is a great difference then between Discouragement and Humiliation: Many People indeed do call their Discouragements, Humiliation; but the Lord knows, there is not a drop of Humiliation in a flood of Discouragement: Would you therefore be humbled? O then, be not discouraged; for the more you are discouraged, the less you will be humbled; and the more humbled you are, the less discouraged you will be.

[Quest.] But if there be such a great difference between these, and if it be our Duty, to be humbled for sin, but not to be discouraged; What should a man do to bear up his heart to the work of Humiliation, and yet bear up against all Discouragement? How shall I be so humbled as I may not be discouraged? or what shall a man do that he may be humbled, and yet not be discouraged in his Humiliation?

[Answ. 1] First: Let Christians carry this Rule always up and down with them, namely, That a man is to be humbled for his sin, although it be never so small, but he is not to be discouraged for his sin though it be never so great. Both these parts are true: A man is not to be discouraged under his sin, although it be never so great; because Discouragement itself is a sin, and that cannot help against sin, Sin cannot help against sin. A man is to be humbled for his sin, although it be never so small, for it is a dishonor to God, and little sins make way to great sins. So then, if thou wouldest be humbled, and not discouraged, carry this Rule up and down with you, and always remember it upon all occasions: It is my Duty, and I have reason to be humbled for my sin, although it be never so small; but I have no reason to be discouraged under my sin, though it be never so great.

[Answ. 2] Secondly: In all your Humiliation, be sure that you never part or separate those things that God hath joined together: God hath joined Commandment and Promise together, the Promise & the Commandment are born Twins; there is never a Commandment that you read of, but hath a Promise annexed to it, a Promise of Assistance, a Promise of Acceptance, and a Promise of Reward. If you look upon the Commandment itself without the Promise, then you will despair; if you look upon the Promise without the Commandment, then you will presume: But look upon Promise and Commandment, Commandment and Promise together, then ye will be humbled, in case ye have sinned, but ye will not be discouraged. The Lord you know hath given two Eyes to man, and if a man should put out one, and say, I can see well enough with the other, what need I have two? he should sin greatly. So for the soul, the Lord hath given two eyes, as I may so speak; the eye of Conscience, which is to look upon God's Commandment; and the eye of Faith, which is to look upon God's Promise: and if any man will say; I will put out the eye of Faith, I can see well enough with the Eye of Conscience upon God's Commandment, he shall do ill, and very ill: and if a man shall say, I will put out the Eye of Conscience, for I can see well enough with the Eye of Faith, he shall do very ill. But whenever you find you have sinned against any Commandment, presently say, Where is the Promise? I may not look upon the Commandment without the Promise, nor the Promise without the Commandment. Thus join both together, and you shall not be discouraged; yet be humbled.

[Answ. 3] Thirdly: In all your Humiliation, take heed that you do not mourn for your sin only in order to your condition, but rather mourn over your condition in order to your sin. Humiliation (you have heard) is objectated upon Sin itself, as a dishonor to God; the Object of our Humiliation is Sin itself, as a dishonor done unto God: but now the Object of our Discouragement (you have heard) is our Condition, only our Condition. Well then, would you be humbled so as you may not be discouraged? take heed that you do not stand poring only upon your Condition; but rather say thus unto thine own soul; O my soul, thou hast been much mistaken (the Lord pardon it) for all this questioning hath been about thy Condition, and what will become of thee, and if at any time thou hast grieved for Sin, it hath been in order to thy condition, because thy condition is naught, and because thou didst not know what should become of thee: but now if thou wouldest be truly humbled, and not be discouraged, then lay aside a little the thoughts of your own condition, and pitch upon sin as a breach of God's Law, a transgression of the Law of God, a dishonor done to God, and as a breach of the Law of Love between Christ and you. Thus I say, if you would be humbled, and not discouraged, rather mourn over your Condition in order to your Sin, than for your Sin in order to your Condition.

[Answ. 4] Fourthly: In your Humiliation, take heed that you do not meddle too much with God's Prerogative, and with God's Peculiar. In Humiliation, a man is to meddle with that which belongs to man: Some things there are that are peculiar to God, and are his Prerogative. You see how it is with the Birds of the Air; so long as the Birds fly up and down here in the Air, they do live comfortably; but if the Birds do fly up to the Element of Fire, it will burn their Wings, and they will fall down head-long. So here, so long as a man in his Humiliation keeps within his own Compass and Element, he may walk comfortably there; but if a man in Humiliation, will soar up unto God's Prerogative, certainly his Soul will fall down upon the Earth, and be much discouraged. Now I pray, what is more the Prerogative and Peculiar of God than this, To know who is a Reprobate, and who is not? When a man is humbled and grieved about his Sin, and he finds that he hath sinned much against God, and thereupon he concludes himself to be a Reprobate, is not this • o come upon God's Prerogative? The Scripture tells a man indeed, what he is for the present, That a man for the present is a Drunkard, or a Swearer, or a Sabbath-breaker, or an Adulterer; and therefore the Scripture tells him for the present, that he is in the state of Nature, and under the wrath of God; but doth the Scripture tell him that he is a Reprobate, that he can never be converted and turned to God? Surely this is God's great Prerogative to know, his Secret which he reserves to himself, and therefore when a man goes to be humbled before God, and concludes, O! I am a Reprobate, and there is no hope for me, and I shall never be converted; this is to soar too high into God's Prerogative, and he will burn his wings, and he will fall down into great Discouragement. Therefore in all your Humiliation, take heed that you do not fall upon anything that is the Peculiar and Prerogative of God, for then you will not be humbled, but discouraged.

[Answ. 5] Fifthly: The more you are humbled and grieved by the Sight of God's free Love and Grace, the more you will be humbled, and the less discouraged. When you come to Humiliation, you are humbled, because you have sinned against God; but how do you present this God to your own soul? Do you present him as a Judge only? or as a Father also? Do you present the Lord unto your soul only under the Notion or Attribute of his Greatness, or under the Notion and Attribute of his Goodness also? Luther said thus: When my heart is brisk and jolly, I present God unto myself under the notion of his Greatness; but when my heart is low and fearing, then I present God to me under the notion of his Goodness: One while I consider Christ as my Example, another while as my Gift: when my heart is too high, then I consider Christ as my Example; when my spirit is too low, I consider Christ as my Gift. So do you also. I know you will say, I cannot sometimes present the Lord unto my soul under the notion of a Father, because I have no assurance of his Love. Yet you may consider the Lord as gracious in himself, as good in himself, and loving in himself, and say, I have thus and thus Sinned against a gracious God, and although thou hast not assurance of God's Love to thee in Particular, yet if you can present God to your soul, under the Notion of his general Goodness, as good in himself, you will never be discouraged, but be humbled.

[Answ. 6] Sixthly, and lastly: If you would be truly humbled, and not be discouraged; not discouraged, and yet humbled; then beat and drive up all your sins to your unbelief, and lay the stress and weight of all your sorrow upon that Sin. As in matter of thankfulness, if a man do run up every Mercy, unto the Fountain Mercy, the Blood of Jesus Christ, he will be most thankful: So in the matter of Humiliation, If a man do run up every Sin, unto the Fountain▪ the Head Sin, he will be most humbled. Now what is the great Sin, the Fountain Sin, the Head Sin of all your Sins, but Unbelief? and believe it, he is never far from Faith, that is humbled for his Unbelief, and he will never be discouraged that is not far from Faith. Now therefore, if at any time you find your soul in any Sin, then say, This hath my Unbelief done, I did not think that I had had such an unbelieving heart; O! what an unbelieving heart have I! This, even all this Sin hath my Unbelief brought forth. Now the Lord heal my unbelieving heart. A soul grieved for unbelief, will never be discouraged too much, nor be humbled too little, he will be humbled in truth for sin, because he is humbled for his unbelief, which is the mother Sin; yet he will not be discouraged, because he is humbled for that which doth cause all discouragements. Lay therefore the weight of your sorrow upon this Sin, and you shall be truly humbled without unjust discouragement. And thus I have dispatched the first particular, by all which you see, That a Gracious, Godly man, though he hath just cause for humiliation, yet he hath no just and scripture reason to be discouraged for his Sin: though he have Sinned, and Sinned greatly, yet no discouragement is to grow upon this condition.

A LIFTING UP, In case of WEAK GRACE.

Serm. V

[Instance 2] SOmtimes the Discouragements of the Saints, do arise from the weakness of their Graces.

O! says one, I am a poor, feeble, and a weak Creature; some are strong in the Lord, and in the power of his Might; who do a great deal of Service for God in their day: but as for me, I am a poor Babe in Christ (if a Babe) and so am able to do little or nothing for God: Therefore I am thus discouraged and cast down, have I not just cause and reason for it?

[Answ.] No: For God is able to make all Grace to abound towards you, that ye always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good Work, 2 Cor. 9.8. And if God have recompensed your weakness with Wisdom, then surely you have no cause to complain of your weakness: sometimes weakness is recompensed with wisdom, for says Solomon, Pro. 30.24. There be four things that are little upon the Earth: but they are exceeding wise. The Ants, the Conies, the Locusts, and the Spider. Wherein doth the wisdom of the Ants consist? He tells you in verse. 25. The Ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in Summer. In time of plenty they do lay up for the time of want. Wherein doth the wisdom of the Coneys consist? he tells you in verse. 26. The Conies are a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks: though they be weak in themselves, yet they dwell in strong places. Wherein doth the wisdom of the Locusts appear? he tells you in ver. 27. The Locusts have no King, yet go they forth all of them by bands: though they be weak alone, yet they do join together, and so are strong. But wherein doth the wisdom of the Spider consist? he tells you in verse. 28. The Spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in Kings Chambers: though the chamber of a King, is most swept and cleansed, yet by the industry of her hands, she doth take hold on the beams thereof, and dwells on high out of danger. So that, although these creatures are weak and feeble in themselves, yet by their wisdom, their weakness is recompensed, and they save themselves from injury, and wrong, as well as if they were stronger. Now shall the Ant, Cony, Locust, and Spider be wise in their kind, and shall not a Christian be so? true saving Grace is the best wisdom, every Godly man, is a wise man; and though he be but weak in Grace, yet he hath true wisdom: the wisdom of the Ants, to provide in Summer against a rainy day: the wisdom of the Conyes, to build in the rock Christ: the wisdom of the Locusts, to join with others: and the wisdom of the spider, to take hold on those beams of the promises, which are in the chamber of our King Christ▪ and if God have thus recompensed your weakness with this wisdom, why should you then complain?

[Quest.] But is it then no disadvantage, for a man to be weak in Grace?

[Answ.] Yes much, very • uch; there are many disadvantages which a weak Christian lies under, that a strong Christian doth not. Ye see how the weak sire, lies sobbing under the disadvantage of green wood, which the strong sire doth not: so doth Christ's smoking flax, lie under many disadvantages, which the strong Christian doth not. As,

[ 1] Though a man have truth of Grace, yet if he be but weak in Grace, he is more apt and ready to stumble, and fall, and to be turned out of the way, Heb. 12.12. Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees. Saith the Apostle. Least that which is lame be turned out of the way. A weak man is more apt to fall than a strong; and i • he do fall, he is more unable to rise again: A strong man fallen, is quickly up again; but the weak falls, and is ready to fall again when he rises; so it is with a weak C • ristian, he stumbles often, and is apt to fall, and if he have fallen, he is even ready to fall again when he goes about to rise.

[ 2] He is more easily quenched, in regard of his comforts, than the strong Christian is. A strong Christian will improve that for himself which seems to be against him; but the weak Christian, will improve that against himself which is in truth for him. When our Savior Christ said to the woman of Canaan, It it not lawful to cast Children's bread before dogs. She made an advantage of those words, and thereby did gather in upon Christ, saying, True Lord, but the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from the table. Thus she improved that for herself, which seemed to be against her. Why? because she was strong in faith, O woman (saith our Savior) great is thy faith. But when the Angel of the Lord appeared to Manoah. Judge: 13. he said to his wife, We shall surely die, because we have seen the Lord. Thus he improved that against him, which did make for him: (as his wife truly interpreted the thing verse. 23.) why so? but because he was weak in faith. The strong fire burns the more, by the very water that is cast upon it; but the weak fire is quenched, by the very fuel, wood, or coal that is cast on it; so a weak Christian also, apt is to be quenched, even by those very truths, and dispensations, whereby he should burn and blaze out the more.

[ 3] He cannot glorify God as the strong Christian may and doth. One Sun doth Glorify the Creator more, than an hundred other Stars; because there is much light met in one body: and one strong Christian doth Glorify God more, than an hundred lesser weak Saints; because, there is much light, and Grace met in one person. He that offereth praise, Glorifyeth me, saith God.

[ 1] It is an hard thing for the weak Christian to praise God, for he often doubteth of God's love, and therefore cannot praise him as he should: but the strong Christian may, he can say; Blessed be the Lo • d for this or that mercy, for it comes from love to me.

[ 2] The more a man doth believe above hope, and under hope, and the less he doth live by sense, the more he Glorifyes God; now the strong Christian is able to exercise his faith in this kind, for says the Apostle Paul. Abraham considered not his own body, but being strong in faith, was pe • swaded that God was able, and so did give Glory unto God. Rom. 4. A weak faith cannot do so, for saith the Apostle. verse. 13. And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving Glory to God. It seems then, that it is the strong, and not the weak faith which doth give Glory to God: and would ye know wherein this strong faith, differs from the weak faith, in regard of its operation? why, says the Apostle, The weak faith staggers at the promise, which the strong faith doth not; The weak faith doth attend too much unto second Causes, which the strong faith doth not; The weak faith judges by what it sees and feels within, but the strong doth not, but by the word without, and therefore it is strong faith which doth give glory unto God especially.

[ 3] A strong Christian will do great things for God, a weak Christian can do but small things; for his strength is but small, and his soul little. Now the greater things we do for God, the more we Glorify him.

[ 4] A strong Christian can mind and tend the Public, but a weak Christian cannot; I have enough to do at home (saith he) O! that my own everlasting condition were but settled, and then would I mind the Public too.

[ 5] A strong Christian is able to wait long on God; he that waiteth long with quietness, honors God: but as your weaker Children, cannot stay long for what they would have but must be served presently; so the weak Christian also, cannot wait long on God for what he would have; but the strong Christian doth.

[ 6] A Strong Christian is helpful unto others. We that are strong, ought to bear the infirmities of the weak. Rom. 15.1. And again; Him that is weak in the faith receive you. Chap. 14.1. Children and babes are fit to be carried in others arms, but are not able to carry others. The weak Christian is apt to be offended with others; to censure and judge others, and so to make burdens for others to bear. Rom. 14.1.2. but the strong Christian, is a bearing Christian, a carrying Christian, one that can displease himself, that he may help another. Now the more serviceable and helpful a man is to others, the more he Glorifies God; Thus the strong Christian is, but the weak cannot in all these things give Glory to God as the strong Christian may; Surely therefore, there are many disadvantages which a weak Christian lies under, that the strong Christian doth not.

[ 2] Secondly, Yet there is no reason why he should be discourag • d.

[ 1] For Weakness doth not exclude from mercy, but inclines God unto mercy rather. Psal. 6.2. Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am weak. It is spoken of an out-ward weakness: and i • that which is less doth incline God to mercy, then much more that which is greater.

[ 2] And if he have as great an Interest in Christ, as many promises to run unto, and as many embraces of love from God the Father, as the strong Christian hath; then there is no just cause why he should be cast down in regard of his weakness.

[ 1] Now so it is, though your Grace be never so weak, yet if ye have truth of Grace, you have as great a share, and interest, in the righteousness of Christ for your justification, as the strong Christian hath. You have as much of Christ imputed to you, as any other. It may be, you have gathered less of this Manna, for your spending Sanctifycation; but if you be an Israelite indeed, you have so much of this Manna, as that you have no lack; for it's said of the Israelites, They gathered some more, some less; yet he that gathered much, had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack: all which figured, that equal proportion, (saith Mr. Ainsworth ) which all believers have in Christ, the spiritual Manna.

[ 2] And if ye look into Scripture, Where doth God's promises fall more thick, than upon those that are weak in Grace? Christ begins his Preaching with the Promises, Math. 5. and I pray, what are those persons whom the promises are especially made unto, but such as are weak in Grace? Blessed are the poor in spirit. Blessed are those that hunger and thirst after righteousness. Blessed are those that mourn. He doth not say, Blessed are those that are strong in Grace; or Blessed are those that rejoice in God: or those that have full assurance of their everlasting estate and condition; No, but as if his great work and business were, to comfort, uphold, and strengthen the weak, these he begins withal, and many Gracious, Rich, and blessed Promises he doth make to them. Yea, the Promises are so made to them, as (attended to) will give a full answer unto all their fears: as for example. The Lord Promises, Math. 12. That he will not break the bruised reed &c. Will the weak Christian say, O! but I am exceeding weak, and very feeble: then our Savior says, He will not break the bruised reed. And what more weak and feeble, than a bruised reed? an whole reed is not v • ry strong at the best, but bruised it is weak indeed. Will the weak Christian say, O! but my weakness is mingled with many sins; so the fire in the smoking flax is mingled with smoke, yet says Christ, I will not quench the smoking flax. Will the weak Christian say, O! but, though God do not quench me, yet I shall be quenched; nay saith Christ, But I will bring forth judgment to victory, it lies on my hand to do it, and I will do it. Will the weak Christian say O! but, I have much opposition in my way, how can judgment come to victory? then Christ says, he will bring forth 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Thurst forth with violence, it's the same word that is used in other Scriptures, noting a force: as if Christ should say, I will force this victory through all opposition, that it shall meet withal. So that the Lord doth not only give several promises to those that are weak in Grace, but he doth so lay them, as he doth help to apply them.

[ 3] And if ye look into your Experience, Who have more kisses, and embraces of Love from God our Father, than the weak Christian hath? The Parent kisseth the Babe, and li • tle Child, when the elder Child is not kissed; for, says he, this is but a little Child. And so, when the Prodigal comes home, then the Father falls upon his neck, and kisses him, why? but because upon his first return, he is a Babe in Christ, This is my little Child (saith the Father) and therefore I will kiss him, with the kisses of my mouth. [ 3] Thirdly, And though it be a great affliction to be weak in Grace, yet if Christ will condescend unto mine infirmities, why should I be discouraged in regard thereof? Condescending Mercy is great and sweet Mercy: Now though God doth show mercy unto all his People, yet he will do it by Christ as an High Priest; and what is the work and Office of the High Priest? but to sympathize and bear with the infirmities of those that are weak. We have not such an High Priest (says the Apostle) as cannot be touched with our infirmities. Three things there are, which do speak out the condescending Love of God to those that are weak in Grace; 1. He accepts their Duties, though mingled with many weaknesses; and their Services, though they grow upon a weak Stock, Revel. 3.8. I know thy Works (saith Christ to the Church of Philadelphia) for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my Name. 2. The Lord doth not over-drive those that are weak, but is contented to go their pace with them, Isaiah. 40.11. He shall gather the Lambs in his Arms, and carry them in his Bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young. 3. He doth sometimes, yea, often times, yield unto their desires, going (as it were) after them: Matth. 9.18. There came a certain Ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My Daughter is now dead, but come and lay thine hand on her; and Jesus arose and followed him. The man had Faith, for he said, Only lay thine hand on her, and she shall live: yet his Faith was weak, for he limited, and stinted Christ, both to time and means; Come down and lay thine hand on her. In the 8. Chapter, a Centurion comes to him, for the cure of his Servant, and he was strong in Faith; for saith Christ, I have not found so great faith, no not in Israel. Christ doth prevent, and goes before him; for when he said, verse 6. My Servant lies sick, Jesus said to him, I will come and heal him: Here Christ offered to go; No Lord, saith the Centurion, Speak the word only. But the Ruler desires Christ to go with him, and he followed him; Christ prevents the strong and he followeth the weak; he commends the strong Centurion, & he condescendeth to the weak Ruler. What then, though the weak Ruler be not commended as the strong Centurion was, should he be discouraged? No: Because Christ's condescending Love, was as fit for him, as his commending Favor was for the Centurion: Strong Grace shall be more commended; but weak Grace shall be much encouraged by the condescending Love of Christ.

[ 4] Fourthly, If Christ have put a Why? and Wherefore? upon the Discouragements of the weak, then they have no true reason to be discouraged, in regard of their weakness. Now if ye look into Matth. 8.26. ye shall find, that our Savior says to his Disciples, Why are ye doubtful, O ye of little faith? Ye read in verse 24. that there arose a great tempest, insomuch that the Ship was covered with Water; was not here cause of fear? yet sai • s Christ, Why are ye fea • full? yea, it is said, that their Help was asleep; Christ was their only help in the storm, & ver. 24. He was asleep: had they not then cause to fear? yet says Christ, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? The like ye have in Matth. 16.8. Jesus said, O ye of little faith, why reason ye amongst yourselves, because ye have brought no Bread? Here is another Why? put upon their Discouragement. So again, Matth. 14.31. when Peter began to sink, he cried out, and Christ said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? Here is another Why? or Wherefore? put upon the discouragement of a weak Faith. Now why doth our Savior speak after this manner to them? Why do ye doubt? and why are ye fearful? Not only to reprove their doubting and discouragement; but to show that there was no reason for it: Though their outward discouragements were great, and their Faith was but small, yet he tells them, that they had no reason for to be discouraged, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little Faith? It seems then, by these Why's, and Wherefore's, that though a man's Faith be small, and his outward discouragements great, yet he hath no just and true reason for to be discouraged.

[ 5] Fifthly, And if a Christian would be discouraged, if he did not sometimes find a weakness and smallness of Grace within him; then he hath no reason to be discouraged, because he doth find this weakness. Now ye know, that the Kingdom of Heaven, both without us, in the Gospel, and within us, in regard of the saving effect of the Gospel, is compared to a grain of Mustard-seed, which, saith our Savior, is the least of all Seeds; but grows up in time, to that stature, height, and bigness, as the Fowls of the Air come and make their nests in it. So is the Gospel, both in the preaching, and the effect of it: it begins low, and is very little at the first; and therefore, if a man should not find his Grace to be small at the first, he would doubt whether ever the Kingdom of Heaven were in him or no, saying, The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a grain of Mustard-seed, the least of all Seeds; but I have not found it so in my soul, I have not found this littleness and smallness of Grace, and therefore I do fear, that the Kingdom of Heaven was never in my soul in truth. Thus men would doubt, and be discouraged, if they should not sometimes find their Grace to be small. And if so, then why should a man be discouraged, because he doth find it thus? Surely he hath no just cause or reason for it.

[Object.] O! But yet, it is an uncomfortable thing to be weak; strong Christians are full of Comfort: they have assurance of God's Love, and are full of joy: but the weak are full of fears and doubts. This is my condition; I am most uncomfortable, therefore I am thus d • scouraged; have I not cause and reason for it?

[Answ. 1] No: For though the weakness of Grace, is usually accompan • ed with doubts, and fears; and the strength of Grace, with assurance, joy, and comfort: yet it is po • sible, that a man may have a great deal of Grace, yet may have no Assurance; and a man may have Assurance, not doubting of God's Love, and yet may have but little Grace.

[Answ. 2] Ye must know, That there is a difference between uncomfortableness, and less comfort. If a man be possessed of a great Estate in the World, he hath more comfort than another, who hath but the pledge and earnest of it; but though I am not possessed of it, yet if I have the Earnest and Pledg of it, I may have much comfort in it. Now the least Grace, is a Pledg, and Earnest of more, yea, of the greatest measure: and is it not a comfortable thing, for a man to have the Pledg and Earnest of Glory? Such have all those that are weak, though they be but weak in Grace.

[Quest.] But how shall I know that my little, is a Pledg and Earnest of more?

[Answ. 1] The Spirit of Adoption, is a Pledg and Earnest of the whole Inheritance: and though you cannot do so much Service for your Heavenly Father, as your Elder, and stronger Brother doth; yet if you do not only obey God, because you see a reason in his Commandments, but because there is a Child-like disposition in you; then have you the Spirit of Adoption, and so your little, is a certain pledge of more.

[Answ. 2] And if you mourn over your little, and wait on God for more, then is your little an earnest of much: Rom. 8.23. And not only they, but ourselves also (saith the Apostle) which have the first fruits of the Spirit; even we ourselves, groan within our selve • , waiting for the Adoption, to wit, the Redemption of our B • dy. He proves, That the Romans had the first-fruits, the Pledg and Earnest of more in the Spirit, by their groaning and waiting: Do I therefore groan under the present burden of my own weakness, waiting upon God for more, then have I the fist-fruits of the spirit; and so that little which I have, is a Pledg and earnest of more: and upon this account, though your Grace be weak, and small in itself, yet considered as an Earnest, it is much: and is it not a comfortable thing to have the Pledg and Earnest of Glory? Such is the Comfort of all those that are weak in Grace, and therefore why should they be discouraged in regard of their weakness?

[Object.] O! but, I am not discouraged at my weakness, in regard of the uncomfortableness of it, but in regard of the unserviceableness of it: for if I were strong in Grace, I should be able to do more Service for God; then I should be able to resist my Temptations, and to overcome the evil One: for the Apostle John saith, I write to you young men, because ye are strong, and have overcome the evil One, But I have great Temptations, and but small strength to resist them: I have a great deal of work to do for God, and have no strength to do it with; therefore I am thus discouraged, have I not cause and reason now?

[Answ. 1] No: For the Spiritual Battle, is not always to the strong: our Victory lies not in ourselves, and our own habitual strength; but in Christ's fresh assistance. How often have the strong fallen, and the weak stood? We read of that young King, Edward the Sixth, That when the Emperor sent to him, desiring that his Sister Mary (afterwards Queen of England ) might have liberty for the Mass in her House; this young Prince did stand out against that Temptation, when all his Counsel was for it, yea, when that good man, Bishop Cranmer, and that other holy man, Bishop Ridley, did yield thereunto, and pressed the King to it, insomuch as the King did break forth into tears, desiring them to be contented; whereupon the Arch-Bishop Cranmer, took his School-master, Mr. Cheek, by the hand, and said, Ah! Mr. Cheek, you have such a Scholar that hath more Divinity in his little finger, than all we have in our whole Bodies. Here the weak stood, and the strong did fall; the weak did resist Temptation, when the strong did yield: for our strength lies in Christ without us, not in ourselves within us. And if ye look into the 2. and 3. Chapters of the Rev • lations, ye shall find, That whereas all the Churches are charged with some sin or other, only the Church of Philadelphia is charged with no sin at all, but commended for keeping the word of Christ's Patience; and yet this Church, and no other, is said to have a little strength. And ye know what Paul saith, When I am weak, then am I strong: most gladly therefore will I rejoice in mine infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest on me.

[Answ. 2] Though your Grace be weak, yet you may do much for God in your day: The Tongue (says James) is a little Member, and boasteth great things; behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth, Chap. 3.5. Behold also the Ships (saith he, verse 4.) which though they be so great, yet are they turned about with a very small helm: And shall not a little Grace do as much as a little Tongue, or as a little fire, or as a little Helm? Surely, though Grace be little, yet it may be an Helm unto all your life, a Rudder unto all your Practices. Ye see how fruitful weak things are in Nature; the strongest persons have not always most children, but the weaker: The Herring is a weak Fish in comparison of the Whale, and what abundance are there? The Dove is a feeble Bird in regard of the Eagle, and yet how fruitful is it? The Vine is a weak Tree in regard of the Oak, and yet it is more fruitful. So in Grace; you may be weak in Grace, yet you may be very fruitful: The Jailor was but weak in Grace as soon as he was converted; nor Zacchaeus, nor the Thief on the Cross; yet what Clusters of Divine Grapes did presently grow upon these Branches? And if you may be very fruitful in good, though weak, why should you be discouraged in regard of your weakness?

[Object.] O! but I am not discouraged at my Weakness, in regard of my unserviceableness, or unfruitfulness only, but in regard of my own guiltiness; for I have made myself weak in Grace by mine own sins; I have fallen into sin, and so have weakened myself and Grace: my Grace is not only weak, but it is weakened, and weakened by sin; therefore I am thus discouraged, have I not cause and reason now?

[Answ. 1] No: For possibly you may be mistaken: Some do abate in their Natural Parts, and they think they decay in their Graces: as some grow in Parts and Gifts, and they think they grow in their Graces. But if you have not fallen into any great and gross sin, then no such Spiritual Disease or Feaver hath seized on you, whereby your Grace should be weakened.

[Answ. 2] But suppose the thing be true, which you do object, That you have sinned, and by your own sin, your Grace is now weakened; then have you cause indeed to be much humbled before the Lord, yet not to be discouraged. For,

[ 1] If nothing have befallen you, but what may possibly befall a true Believer, then you have no reason to be cast down as without hope. Now ye know how it was with Sampson; he was strong, and of great strength inward and outward; yet his strength was taken away, and he became as one of us: How so? why, he had laid his head in Delilah 's Lap, and so he lost his strength, and was weakened by it; but it cost him dear, both his Eyes, and his Life too: And if you have so laid your head in Delilah 's Lap, that your strength is abated, it may, and it is likely it will cost you dear; yet this case is no other than what may befall one recorded for a true Believer.

[ 2] And though your strength be abated, and your Grace weakened, through your own sin; yet being true saving Grace, it shall never be annihilated, for it is the new Creation; and nothing created by God, can be annihilated by us. Man is created by God; he may be killed by man, but he cannot be annihilated, and brought to nothing: The Tree and Wood, may be burnt to Ashes, but it cannot be annjhilated and brought to nothing, for it is part of the Creation. Now your Grace was created by God also, if true, though small; and therefore though it may be weakened by your sin, yet it cannot be annihilated, and brought to nothing.

[ 3] And if yet the Promise do belong to you, and to your Condition; then you have no reason to be discouraged or cast down, in respect of this.. Now if ye look into Revel. 3. ye shall find, That as there are many Promises made to the several Churches; so there are Promises also made to the Church of Sardis; yet this Church had fallen, and weakened herself; for says Christ to her, Verse 13. Strengthen the things that remain, and are ready to die; I have not found thy Works perfect: So that, though your Grace be weakened, and that by your own sin, insomuch as all seems to be ready to die, yet there is a Promise belonging to such a condition, and therefore no just cause or reason for Discouragement, though much cause of Humiliation.

[Object.] But I am not discouraged at the weakness of my Grace, because of mine own guiltiness only, but because of its likeness, and similitude, unto common Grace; I know that it is a contradiction, to say, That a little Grace is no Grace at all; but my little, is so little, that I even fear that it is none in truth: If the piece of Coyn that I have, be little, yet if it be Gold, it is well; but if it be little, and a Counter too, then what am I the better? Now so it is, that I fear my little is but a Counter, and not true Grace indeed; therefore I am thus discouraged, have I not cause and reason now?

[Answ.] No: For though your Grace be never so small, yet if it be good Coyn, and not a Counter, then you have no reason to be discouraged in this regard. Now to satisfy you in this scruple, I will tell you what small, weak, little Grace will do, and not do, in opposition to common Grace.

[ 1] It will not oppose much Grace; the least Spark of fire will not oppose the flame, or resist the flame; Water will, because Fire and Water are contrary: and so, false Grace, will oppose the highest degree of Grace, saying, What need you be so strict, and precise? You may go to Heaven with less ado: but the least degree of true Grace, will not oppose the highest.

[ 2] It loves Examination, it loves to examine; and to be examined; for it is sincere, and sincerity is much in examination: it is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , for it holds up all its actions to the Sun and light; it doth love the work of examination: false, counterfeit, common Grace, doth not so.

[ 3] It is very inquisitive after the ways of God, and after further Truths: As the man that climbs up into the Tree, first gets hold on the lower Boughs, then on the higher, and so winds himself into the body of the Tree, till he comes to the top; So doth a Christian do; he begins with the lower, then unto higher, and so to higher discoveries: at the first therefore, he is most inquisitive, What shall I do to be saved? says he; and again, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? False and common Grace is not so.

[ 4] It is much in the work of Humiliation; it grows in a waterish place. Now suppose that two Herbs be much alike, the one sovereign, and the other naught; and it be told you, that the sovereign, good Herb, grows in a waterish place, and the other on a Rock; will you not easily discern those, by the places where they grow? Thus it is here; the weak Grace of the Saints, grows in a waterish place, it is much in Humiliation; but the common, false Grace of Hypocrites, grows on a Rock. As a weak Christian, is very apt to rest upon his own doings, so he is much in doing, and in the work of Humiliation most.

[ 5] It works according to the proportion of its own weakness; it staggers at the Promise, yet it goes to the Promise; it doubts of Christ's Love, yet it doth run to Christ; it stumbles, yet it doth keep its way; it is ignorant of Christ, and not so forward in the knowledge of Christ, as it should be, yet it is laying of the foundation, Heb. 6.1. It is the fault of a weak Christian, that he is always laying the foundation, yet he is laying of the foundation; though it works weakly, yet it works according to the proportion of its weakness; but the common, false Grace, doth not so.

[ 6] It is willing to learn of others: For says a weak Christian, I am but a Babe in Christ, and therefore why should not I be willing to be carried in others Arms? The less I can do, the more I will receive: as the strong Christian is much in doing, so must I be much in receiving: It is not thus with that false, and common, counterfeit Grace. But as the Naturalists do report, and write of the Lyon, That he will not eat of any Prey, but what he hath hunted down himself; other Beasts will, they will prey upon what is killed by others; but the Lyon, King of the Beasts, is so proud, that he will not eat of that which is killed by another. So, men that are strong in Parts, and Gifts, and have no Grace withal, will not eat of that which they do not hunt down themselves; if they hunt it down, then they will close therewith, else not. A strong-graced Christian will, and a weak-faithed Christian will; but he that hath Parts, and Gifts alone, cannot relish that so well, which is brought to hand by another..

[ 7] It is very sensible of it's own weakness: A weak Christian is weak, and he doth feel his weakness, and is very sensible of it; not a man in all the world, saith he, that is more weak than I. Now ye know, that if a Lady, or Queen, come to an House, she hath a great Train attending upon her, and though ye see her not, yet if you see her Train, you say, she is there still. Such a great Queen is Grace; though a man have never so little of it, yet it brings a great Train with it; and though you see it not, yet if you see the Train, will ye not say, surely the Grace of God is here? Thus now it is with you that are weak in Grace; these Seven things, and a far greater Train than these, you may see in your lives, and therefore certainly, you have no just cause and reason for your Discouragements in this respect.

[Object.] O! but yet, this is not the thing that doth pinch with me: I hope, through mercy, the Root of the matter is in my soul, that this great Queen of Grace hath taken up her lodging in my heart; but yet I am exceeding weak in Grace, and very feeble still: some are weak in Grace, because they are but new Plants, new Converts, lately brought home to Christ, and are yet Babes in Christ, and so they have excuse for their weakness: but I profess, that I have been converted a great while, yet I am weak; I am an old man or woman, yet I am weak in Grace; I am an old Professor, and yet am weak in Grace: therefore I am thus disquieted, have I not just cause and reason now?

[Answ.] No: For though it is a shame for an old man to go in Coats, or to be carried in the Arms like a Babe, as every weak Christian is; and though Christ will upbraid men of their slowness and dullness, that have long sat under the means; yet you have no just cause and reason for Discouragement: for though you may be weak in regard of others, ye you may be strong in regard of your former self, and be more strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might, than you have been heretofore. And to clear that, Consider,

[ 1] The more extensive a man's Obedience is unto God's Commandments, the more he is grown in Grace. Weak Christians are much in some Duties, and therein they are most intense; but little or nothing in others: and as they grow in Grace, so their hearts are dilated, and extended unto other Duties.

[ 2] The more exact, and accurate a man is in Duty, the more he doth grow in Grace; and the more he grows in Grace, the more exact and accurate he doth grow in his Duty. He that writes better than he did before, doth not write more Paper, or make more Letters, only he doth write more exactly, and accurately: So, the g • own Christian doth not perform more duties than he did before, but the same more exactly.

[ 3] The more a man sees, and understands his Christian Liberty, and yet doth walk more strictly, the more he doth grow in Grace:

Some think they grow in Grace, because they have more understanding in their Christian liberty, though they do walk more loosely; these are deceived in their spiritual growth; but if I know my Christian liberty more fully, and now do walk more strictly in my life, then do I grow in Grace indeed. Now is it not thus with you? yes! through Grace, I am able to say, That I see my Christian liberty, more than I did heretofore; and yet I am mor • strict in my life: though I cannot yet pray as I would, and hear as I would, and perform duty as I would; yet I do perform my duties with more exactness than formerly: and though I have not so much affection, as I had in this or that work of God, yet now I find, that I am more dilated, and my obedience is more extended, and extensive unto God's ways and Commandments than before; Then though you are still weak in regard of others, yet you are grown stronger in regard of your former self, and therefore certainly, you have no just cause or reason to be discouraged in this regard.

[Quest.] But suppose, that I am yet but weak in Grace, and Temptations, or discouragements press in upon me, in regard of the weakness of my Grace; what shall I do, that I may be able to bear up my heart, against those discouragements?

[Answ. 1] Then consider, what a great charge, God the Father hath given to Christ of those that are weak. Isa. 42.1. Behold my servant whom I uphold, mine Elect in whom my soul delighteth: I have put my spirit upon him &c. but why? verse. 3. A bruised Reed shall he not break, and the smoking Flax, shall not he quench. This is my Charge, saith the Father, which I give to my Son: And upon this account he came into the world, That those who have life, might have it in abundance; and for this cause he did die for us. Rom. 5.6. For when we were yet without strength, in due time, or according to the time, that is, the time appointed by the Father; Christ died for the ungodly.

[Answ. 2] Consider also, what charge our Savior Christ did give unto his Apostles, and in them, to all the Ministers of the Gospel, concerning those that are weak in Grace. Peter, Peter, said our Savior, Lovest thou me? then feed my sheep. And again, Lovest thou me? then feed my lambs. And again, thirdly, Lovest thou me? feed my lambs. Have a care of those that are weak in Grace. Al the time that Christ lived upon Earth, he went about doing good, healing all sicknesses, and diseases, and condescending to the weaknesses of men. One comes to him, and thought to have stolen her cure; yet Christ did bear with her. Another comes, and puts an If upon his will, Lord, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean: And he did bear with him. Another comes, and puts an If upon his power, Lord If thou canst do anything, &c. Yet Christ did yield to him. And when he left the world, then he charges his Apostles with the weak Saints, Feed my Lambs, and again, Feed my Lambs.

[Answ. 3] Consider also, what a great mercy it is to have a little Grace, though it be but a little; For though you have never so little Grace, yet if you have Grace in truth; you have union with Christ, you have communion with the Father, you have your own nature taken away, and are partakers of the divine nature; you have a right and title unto all the promises; yea, unto all the Ordinances; yea, unto all the Creatures: Your afflictions, are not curses, the curse is taken out of every cross, you have an interest in all that Christ hath done and suffered, you are made partakers, of the inheritance of the Saints in light, an inheritance uncorruptible, undefiled, that fadeth not away: you have God for your Portion, Christ for your Savior, the Spirit for your Comforter, Heaven for your Inheritance, the Angels for your Guard, and all the Creatures in the Earth under your feet; this, and all this you have, though you have never so little Grace; and can you read over all this Inventory of mercies, and sit discouraged in the midst of them?

[Answ. 4] Yet if all this will not prevail in the time of your Temptation, think with yourself, and consider seriously, How much you shall weaken yourself, yet more and more, by your discouragements in this kind. Al discouragements weaken, humiliation weakens not, the greatest humiliation doth not weaken, but the least discouragement doth, upon what account soever. Now if all discouragements do weaken, then, what an unreasonable thing is it, for me to be discouraged at the sight of my weakness? but so it is, that discouragements, even from the sight of our own weakness, do yet more and more weaken; surely therefore, it is an unreasonable thing, for a man to be discouraged at the sight of his own weakness: wherefore, lift up your hands, O! ye Saints, and be ye lift up, O! ye drooping souls. We a • e commanded, ye may read our Commission, Isa. 35.3. To strengthen the weak hands, and to confirm the feeble knees, and to say to them that are of a fearful spirit, be strong, fear not. And if it be our duty, to say, and speak thus, then it is your duty, to encourage yourself in the Lord, and to say to yourself, be strong, O my soul, and fear not. Be thankful for your little, and in due time you shall have much: labor also for much, yet be content with little, even with little Grace, if God will have it so.

A LIFTING UP In case of MISCARRIAGE OF DUTIES.

Serm. VI

[Instance 3] SOmtimes the discouragements of the Saints and people of God, are drawn, From their Duties, the failings, and successlessness of their Duties.

For, they reason thus: Through the Lord's Grace and Mercy, I have been kept from great and gross sins, yet if the Lord loved me indeed, he would draw my heart near unto himself; but when I come to prayer, or duty, I find so much deadness, dullness, and awkness of heart and spirit, that I fear the Lord will never accept such a one as I am, nor such duties as mine are: when I go to prayer, either prayer is altogether absent from me or I have no life therein; if I go to hear the word, I am not attentive, but filled with distractions; and whatever duty I perform, I want life, and love in it. O! my heart is like a rock, or stone; and therefore I fear the Lord will not accept my duty, and the rather, because I find, that I have been long at prayer, and I am never the better, the Lord hears me not, the Lord regards me not: and have I not just Reason, and Cause, to be discouraged now?

[Answ.] No: Here is reason indeed, why you should be afflicted, but no reason yet, why you should be discouraged. I confess indeed, here is cause and reason of grief, and of affliction; for take Prayer, (to instance only in that) and, it is, That act and work of the soul, whereby a man doth converse with God; God conversing with man, and man with God. And is it not a sore affliction, for a poor creature to be shut out of God's door, such a friend as God is? O! saith Chrysostom, it is more bitter than death, to be spoiled of Prayer: and hereupon, (as he observes) Daniel chose rather, to run the hazard of his life, than to lose his Prayer. Prayer is the souls Weapon; and is it not a grief, to want a Weapon in our spiritual warfare? Prayer is the souls Ornament, the excellent Garment of a Christian; and is it not an affliction, to be without this Garment, and to be found naked? Prayer is the Christians Element; And as the fish lives in the water, as in its Element, and dies when it is out, so a Christian lives in prayer as in his Element, and his heart dies when he is out of it. Prayer is the souls Provisioner; fetcheth in Provision for the soul, and for all its Graces: The old bird, the Dam, goes abroad and fetcheth in meat for the young ones, and they lie in the nest gaping, to receive the meat upon its return; and if the old one be killed abroad, the young ones will die presently at home. So here, Prayer goes abroad, and fetcheth in provision for all our Graces, and they all lie gaping, to receive this provision from the mouth of Prayer; if this be killed, how can those other Graces live? The truth is, The more sweetness a Christian finds in any work, the greater is his affliction, if he want that work; now what abundance of sweetness, doth a Gracious soul find in Prayer? therefore when a man is narrowed, or shut up in Prayer, it cannot but be a great affliction to him. But though it be a matter of great affliction, yet a good man, hath no reason to be quite discouraged, yea, though he meet with many failings therein, and cannot pray as he would, nor perform duty as he should.

[Quest.] How may that appear?

Thus.

[Answ.] First, Every Godly Gracious man, is in Covenant with God by Jesus Christ; and that Covenant, is a Covenant of Grace, which is the great Charter, the Magna-Charta, of all his spiritual Privilidges, and Immunities. Now, in this great Charter, the Lord doth proclaim this, That sincerity shall go for perfection; That a little done for God, in the time of temptation, shall be counted much. In this great Charter, the Lord doth proclaim unto all his people, That he doth rather regard the bent of the heart, than the inlargment of the heart: That he dorh rather regard the will to do, than the doing. In this great Charter, the Covenant of free Grace, the Lord proclaims unto all his people, That if they do fail in prayer, and other duties, (for I speak not of prayer only, though I instance in that) He will not cast them off, but he will rather be moved to pity them; for the Covenant that the Lord makes with his people, is as the Covenant that a man makes with his wife, I will betroth thee unto me, forever, saith the Lord. Now, a man will not put away his wife for every failing, neither will the Lord put a way his people, nor cast them off (because he is betrothed to them) though they do fail in duties. Again; in this great Charter, and Covenant of Grace, the Lord doth proclaim unto all his Children, That what they want in performance, he will make up in indulgence. He proclaims this unto them, That he will require no more, than he gives; he will give what he requires, and he will accept what he gives. Now therefore, am I in that Covenant of Grace? and are there many failings in all my duties? yet if this be true, That the Lord is more moved by my failings to pity me, than to cast me off, then I have no reason for to be discouraged: And thus it is with every child of God, he is in this Covenant of Grace, and so the Privileges, and Immunities of all this great Charter, belongs unto him.

[ 2] Secondly, Though there be many failings in a Godly man's duty, yet so long, as it is a duty; there is some-what of Christ therein, there is some-what of God therein. Now God will not cast away his own, becau • e it is mixed with ours, but he will rather pardon ours, and accept ours, because it is mixed with his. The Husbandman, doth not cast away his wheat, because it is mixed with chaff; he brings it into his barn, and there is a time, when he will separate the chaff from the wheat; but he doth not cast away the corn, because it is mixed with chaff, yet this grain of wheat, hath nothing of the Image of the Husbandman upon it: but there is never a duty of a Godly man, but hath somewhat of the Image of Christ upon it, and therefore, I say, he will not cast away His, because it is mixed with Ours, but he will rather pardon, and accept of ours, because it is mixed with his.

Thirdly, If our acceptance of duty, do not come in by the door of performance, but by another door, and that door is Christ; then a Godly man, hath no reason to be discouraged, though there be many failings in his performance. Now, all our acceptance of duty, comes in by Christ, because our Sacrifices, are mingled with Christ's perfumes, Revel. 8. verse. 4. And the smoke of the incense which came with the prayers of the Saints, ascended up before God, out of the Angels hand. Our prayers go unto God the Father, through the hand of Christ; did our prayers go immediately out of our own hands into the Fathers hand, we might have caus • to fear, but it goes by the hand of Christ; Christ takes it, and hath it into the pre • ence of God the Father. As it is with your soul, or your body when you die; through your body be crooked, or deformed, and your soul defiled, yet when you die, Christ meets your soul, and invests it with Glory, and so brings it into the presence of God the Father; so it is with your duty, your duty, it may be, deform • d, defiled, or a crooked duty, but Christ meets your duty, and he clothes it with his Glory, and so hath it into the presence of God the Father; and thus it is with all the Saints, and people of God; surely then, though they have cause to be afflicted, by reason of their failing in duty, yet they have no reason at all, why they should be discouraged.

[Object.] But, I have no Parts or Gifts in duties, there • fore I am thus discouraged: some there are, that have great abilities in duty; they pray, and can pray, with great abilities, they go to a sermon, and can bring away every word, and have a great Gift in conference: but as for me, I am a poor creature, who want all these Gifts; I have no utterance in conference, I have no abilities in prayer, I have no memory for a Sermon, my memory is even as a sieve; good things run out presently, I have no Gifts at all, a poor Seaman, or Trades-man I am, that have no Parts, no Gifts in duty; and have not I just cause and reason now to be discouraged?

[Answ. 1] No, For whosoever you are that make this objection, Do ye not know, That the Glory of the second Temple, was greater than the first? Solomon, you know, built a great House, and it was a Glorious building, much Gold and Silver in it▪ the second Temple was not so full of Gold, and Silver, and yet it is said of the second Temple, That the Glory of it, was beyond the Glory of the first; why? this reason is given, because, The desire of all Nations should come into it. That is Christ; who is indeed, The desire of all Nations; De facto, Gold and Silver is the desire of all Nations; but, De jure, and by right, the Lord Jesus Christ, is the desire of all Nations; and because that Christ, the desire of all Nations, should come into the Second Temple, therefore the Glory of it, was beyond the Glory of the first. Now thy soul is the Temple of the Holy-Ghost; it may be, thou hast not so much Gold, and Silver, not such Golden Parts, and Golden Gifts, as another hath, but if the desir • of all Nations, the Lord Jesus Christ, be come into thy soul, hast thou any reason to complain? Thus it is with every child of God, though he hath not those Parts, and Gifts, that another hath▪ yet the Lord Jesus, the desire of all Nations, is come into his Temple, into his soul; and therefore, he hath no reason to be discouraged.

[Answ. 2] If the want of Parts, and Gifts, be better for you, then you have no reason to be discouraged for the want of them. Now, you know, that it is better for a man that hath but a little stock, to have a little farm; than to have a great farm, and a little stock: a man that hath but a little stock, and a great farm, may for the present brave it out, and converse with company that are in estate beyond him, but at last he will decay and break: better that a man, who hath but a little stock, should have a little farm suitable to his stock. Now God our Father sees, that thou hast a little good, there are some good things found in thee; but these good things, this little stock, is not big enough for a great farm of Parts, and Gifts, and because the Lord sees, that thy stock of Grace, is not great enough for such a great farm of Parts; therefore, in design of mercy, he hath thus ordered it, that thou shouldest have a less farm of Gifts.

[Answ. 3] If our Parts and Gifts do not commend our services and duties, unto God, then have you no reason to be discouraged for the want of them. Now, so it is, that they do not commend us, nor our services unto God. When you have good meat in a dish, possibly you will lay flowers upon it, cut Oranges and Lemons, and lay upon the side of the dish; but a wise man knows, that the meat is never the better for though e flowers, or for the sugar that lies on the side of the platter; a wise man knows, that if those were wanting, the meat were never the worse. Beloved! God our Father is of infinite wi • dom, these Parts and Gifts are flowers indeed, and they help to cook ou • a duty, and to make it more acceptable to men, but the Lord who is wisdom knows, that the duty is never the be • ter; and he knows, that when these flowers are wanting, the duty is never the worse. All flesh is grass, and the flower th • reof, and it fades away. Parts and Gifts are but flesh; and our wise God knows, the • eat is never the worser, when these flowers are wanting. Yea, if I had all Parts and all Gifts, that I were able to preach and speak like an Angel; and that I were able to cast out Devils; yet notwithstanding, if I have not Christ and Grace within, my Parts and Gifts, will but sink me deeper into Hell. Two men (suppose) do fall into the River, one man hath bag • of Gold about him, and the other none; he that hath none, makes a shift to swim, and get away; but he that hath the bags of Gold about him, sinks by his Gold, and he cries out as he sinks, O! take away these bags of Gold, this Gold undoeth me, this Gold sinks me. So, these Golden Parts, and Golden Gifts, if a man hath not Grace withal, hath not Christ within, shall but sink him the deeper into Hell: These commend us not, I say, nor our Service unto God, nor doth the want thereof discommend us unto him.

[Answ. 4] You say and complain, That you have no Parts or Gifts; but I pray, hath not the Lord recompensed the want of them some other way unto you? Philosophy saith of Nature, Ubi deficit in uno, abundat in altero; Where Nature is deficient in one thing, it is abundant in another thing. If a man wants his Eyes, he hears the better; and the less he sees, the more he remembers: where Nature is wanting in one thing, it is exceeding in another. And as Nature, so the God of Nature, and the God of Grace too: It may be you do want a Head-memory, but hath not the Lord given you a Heart-memory, to remember th • Sermon as you have occasion to use it? Some have Parts and Gifts, and they want plainness and openness of heart for God; some again have a plain heart, and they want Gifts and Parts. It is said Jacob, That he prevailed with God in Prayer, and he was a plain man. Mark how the Holy Ghost doth put these two together, That, that man should be the prevailing man with God in Prayer, who was the plain man; and that man that was the plain man, should be the prevailing man in Prayer: a plain man, but pr • vailing with God. Well then, though thou beest but a plain person, and hast no Parts or Gifts, as others have, yet thou mayest prevail with God, and thy Name may be called, Israel, prevailing with the Lord: When God denies one, he gives another Mercy. Thus it is with all the Saints and People of God, and a godly, gracious man, may say thus; Well, though I have not great Parts and Gifts, yet blessed be the Lord, I have a plain and an open heart for God; and if the Lord hath done thus much for you, and recompensed you in another way, have you any reason then to be discouraged for want of Parts and Gifts in Duties? Certainly you have not.

[Object.] O! but yet, this is not the matter of my Discouragement, I am not discouraged for want of Parts or Gifts in Duty; but I want the Grace and the Holiness of Duty, I want the Grace and the Holiness of Prayer; I go to Prayer and Duty, but the Lord knows, wi • h a dull, dead, and a straightened heart: I think verily, that there is not a more rocky, stony, flinty heart in the world than mine; I offer myself to God sometimes in Prayer, but when I come at it, I am not able to speak a word, my heart is so shut up and straightened: and have I not cause and reason now to be discouraged? is not this matter of just discouragement?

[Answ.] No. For Pearls some • imes grow upon Rocks; and possibly there may be some Pearl of Grace growing upon that rocky heart of thine. Yet further.

[ 1] First: You say, That you are straightened in Duty; but are you satisfied and contented with that condition? or if you had enlarge • ent in Duty, would you be satisfied therein? No, I am not satisfied with my straightened condition; and the truth is, though I had never so much enlargement, enlargement alone would never satisfy my soul; but if I had more affection, I would give it up to God, yea, if I had a Sea of Affection, I would pour it out before the Lord, and if I had Prayers, and Tears, and Enlargements, like the Sands upon the Se • shore, I would offer them all up to God. Well, and is not this to be enlarged towards God? A poor man that hath never a penny in his Purse, sees another, or many others in want, but he hath nothing to relieve them with; yet saith he, if I had wherewithal, I would relieve all these men, I would clothe them all, or I would feed them all: is not this man's heart enlarged now towards the poor, though he hath not a penny to help them with? So in your case; for the present, thy Affection is poor, and thou a •• straightened, but thou sayest, if I had a Sea of Affection, I would give it all to God; and if I had Prayers like the Sand upon the Sea-shore, I would give them all to God; is not this to be enlarged towards God? God doth give by denying sometimes, and thus he hath dealt by you.

[ 2] Seco • dly: If your Condition herein be no other, than the condition of the Saints and People of God, then you have no just cause and reason to be discouraged in this respect. Now Psalm, 77.3, 4. saith the Plalmist there, I remembered God, and was troubled; I complained, and my spirit was over-whelmed: Lord, (saith he, at verse 4.) Thou holdest mine Eyes watching, I am so troubled that I cannot speak: I cannot pray, I am so troubled I cannot speak. A Mother hears her child cry, and saith she, now doth this Child cry for the Breast, yet the Child speaks not a word, but the Mother knows the meaning of the child's crying, and the language of it: And doth a Mother know the language of her Childs crying? and doth not God our Father know the Language of his Childs cry, that cannot speak unto him? The Beggar that follows you for an Alms, is a Beggar, though he be dumb and cannot speak; and you say, send him away with some gift, for he follows us. So here, though your heart be shut up in Duty, yet if you can follow God, he looks upon you as a Beggar at the Throne of Grace, and in due time he will serve you, and send you away with Comfort.

[ 3] Thirdly: You would fain have enlargements, and workings of the heart in Prayer: but what would you do with those enlargements? Would you show your Enlargements, your Excellencies, your Graces to God, when you come to Duty? A Beggar you know, if he have any excellent thing, as Gold, or Silver, he hides that, and he shows his wounds, he shows his sores; if you mean to give him a penny, and ask him if he have any money, I have twopence, or threepence Sir, saith he, or a penny; but he hides his excellency, and he lays open his wounds; and if he can but open his sores before you, he thinks he doth beg effectually. Beloved! we all go to God in Prayer, in forma Pauperis, every man sues in this Court in the form of a Beggar. If thy heart then be straightened, if thy heart be hard, and if thy Spirit be dull in duty, you may go to God, and open your sores, and wounds before him; you may go and say, Lord, what an hard heart have I! and what a dull and straigh • ened Spirit have I! This father becomes a Beggar, and you must come as a Beggar, when you come before him; yet you must know, That neither your Poverty, nor your Riches; neither your straightenings in Duty, nor your enlargements, do make any alteration in the Mind and Will of God. Indeed, God seems to deal by us sometimes, as a Father doth by his little Child; he holds a piece of Gold or Silver in his hand, and saith the Father, if you can get this out of my hand, you shall have it; so the Child strives, and pulls, and works, and then the Father opens his hand by degrees, first one finger, then another, and then another, and at last his whole hand; and the child thinks he hath got the money by his own strength and labor, whereas the Father intended to give it him, but in that way. So here, God intends to give us a mercy in the way of Prayer, and he sets us a praying for it, and we think we obtain it by the strength of our own prayer, as if we did move, and change the will of God by our Duty: but all the enlargements in the world, make no alteration in the will of God; he is immovable, unchangeable, and the same forever: But he will give out his blessings in a way of prayer, therefore it is our Duty to pray, yet we must not be discouraged though we cannot pray as we would.

[ 4] Fourthly: It is usual with the Lord to restrain Prayer, before he doth give enlargement, and to make a man speechless before he openeth his Mou • h: Luke, 1. we read so of Zacharias, a gracious and holy man, at the 67. verse, it is said of him, that, He was filled with the Holy Ghost, and he prophesied. Yet if you look into the former part of the Chapter, you shall find, that before he was thus filled with the Holy Ghost, and Prophesied, he was dumb, and stricken with dumbness; verse 20. saith the Angel to him, And behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak: So he continued dumb, before he was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied. It may be here is a further Mystery in this, for Zacharias was a Levitical, and a Legal Priest; and our Lord and Savior Christ being to come into the world immediately, who knows but that Zacharias was thus stricken with dumbness, to show, that the Lord will silence all our Legal Performances, before he will enlarge us with the enlargements of Christ, and of the Gospel. This is God's usual way with his People. it may be thou hast gone on in Duty in a Legal manner, and now thou art stricken with dumbness; yet if God have a design to discover more of Christ to thy soul, and to enlarge thee with the Enlargements of the Holy Ghost, have you any cause to complain?

[ 5] Fifthly: As for the dullness of your Heart in Duty and Prayer, though dullness be an ill-sin, yet the sense thereof is a good sign: As the T •• stle is a good sign of a fat ground, though it be an ill Weed: so the sense of your dullness is a good sign, though it be an ill sin; for it argues that you are used to private Duties: for dullness in private, and pride in public Duties, is the Temptation. Only here remember Three things. 1. That you do not measure, or judge of your everlasting Condition, by your present Affection. 2. That you do not forbear Duty, because of your dullness in it; because Duty is a great remedy against it, and whither should a dead soul go, but to the living God? 3. That one great cause of your dullness, is your doubting, and discouragement; and therefore, no reason that you should be discouraged because of it, lest you augment the same.

[ 6] Sixthly: What is Prayer, and the Nature of it? Prayer is the pouring out of the soul to God; not the pouring out of words, not the pouring out of expressions; but the pouring out of the soul to God. Words many times, and expressions, are a great way off from the soul; but sighs and groans are next the soul, and have more of the soul in them, than words and expressions many times have: now thou complainest, that thy heart is straightened, and dead, and dull; but when you are so straightened in Prayer, do ye not at that time pour out sighs and groans after Prayer? saying, O! what freedom once I had, O! Lord, that I might have the like freedom again. And whereas you say now, that your heart is hardened in Duty; consider, whether there be not a great mistake about hardness, and softness of heart: Durum est quod tactui non cedit molle cedit; A hard thing doth not yield to the touch, but a soft thing doth. Wax yields when it is touched, because it is soft; and Wool yields when it is touched, because it is soft, but an hard thing yields not. And upon this account, it is said of Pharaoh, That his heart was hard, why? Because he did not yield to God, he had not a yielding disposition. Now there is many a poor soul complains, that his heart is hard, and yet notwithstanding, he hath a yielding disposition to every Truth, a yielding disposition to every Affliction, and Dispensation of God. Wherefore, doest thou complain, and say, O! my hear is very hard? yet if at this time thou hast a yielding disposition, to yield to every Truth of God, and to yield to every touch of the Lord's hand, know from the Lord, that here is a soft heart, be not mistaken: but many are mistaken, and because they are mistaken herein, and it is b • t a mistake, therefore they have no reason for to be discouraged.

[Object.] But I do not only want enlargement, and softenings of heart in Duty, but I am oppressed, and filled with distractions, my heart is not only dull, and dead, and straightened, but I feel many positive evils: As the Leaves of a Tree, are eaten up with Catterpillars; so I may say, my Duties are eaten up •• th distractions, I never go to Duty, but the Lord knows, a world of distractions come in upon me, and have I not just cause and reason to be discouraged now?

[Answ.] Surely this is a great evil, for as one saith well, Tantum temporis oras, quantum attends; so much time you pray, as you do attend in prayer: and upon this account, if the Lord should abstract all the out-goings of our souls in Duty, and all our distractions from our prayers, O! how little of prayer would be left many times. It were an incivility, you will say, when a Petitioner hath gotten the Kings Ear, for the poor Petitioner, then to turn his back upon the King: and what an evil must it needs be, when a poor soul hath gotten the Ear of God, then to turn the back by way of distractions upon the Lord, who comes down to hear his Prayer. We use to say, When the Candle burns, the Mouse bites not, or the Mouse nibbles not; when the Candle doth not burn, then the Mouse eats the Candle; but when the Candle burns, the M • use doth not bite the same. And so long as a man's heart is warm, and inflamed in prayer, he is freed from distractions; but when a man's heart is cold in prayer, then comes these ill distractions. So that certainly, there is a great deal of evil indeed in these distractions, Yet, there is no reason for Discouragement. For,

[ 1] First: What Rock is there so firm, or fast, but hath some seams of dirt upon it? and what foul is there so firm, and fast, and immovable in Duty, but hath some seams, or dirt, or distractions growing upon it? Abraham, the Father of the Faithful, had Birds coming down upon his Sacrifice; and what Child of Abraham is there • , but hath these foul Birds, unclean Birds of distraction, one time or other coming down upon his Sacrifice?

[ 2] Secondly: If that these distractions shall not hurt the Servants of God, nor their Sacrifices, neither them nor their Duties; then they have no reason be discouraged under them, though to be humbled for them. Now it is a true Rule, non nocet, quod non placet: that which doth not please, doth not hurt. These distractions in Duty do not please the Saints, they lie under them as a heavy burden, they do not please them, therefore they shall not hurt them. You know what the Psalmist saith, If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear my Prayer. Distraction in Prayer, is a great iniquity, if I regard this iniquity in my prayer, the Lord will not hear my Prayer. But when may a man be said to regard iniquity? You know, that if you regard a man thae comes to your house, you run and meet him at the door, you bid him welcome, have him in, and set a stool for him, and you give him entertainment: but if you bid the man be gone, saying, I will have nothing to do with you, you are my burden, I pray be gone, then you do not regard this man. Thus it is with the Saints and People of the Lord, distractions press in upon their prayer and Duty; but doest thou fetch a stool, doest thou give entertainment, and doest thou bid welcome to these distractions? No, the Lord knows, I bid them be gone, the Lord knows they are my burden; then certainly, as that is true, If I regard Iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear my Prayer; so on the contrary, if I do not regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will hear my prayer. A man doth sometimes open a door for one of worth, and others press and crowd in with him; and if the Master say to his Servant, why did you let all these men in? he answers, Sir, I did not open the door for these, but for another, and these did press and troud in upon me, and I could not hinder; then is the Master satisfied, and the Servant excused. So in this case it is, and that often, with the People of God; Christ stands at their door and knocks, they run to meet with him in Prayer, and by Prayer they open the door of their heart to him, but then distractions press and crowd in upon them; yet they can say in truth, Lord, I never opened my door for these, but do desire that these, and all these may be put out again; What then, do you not think that God will be satisfied with this answer of uprightness? Surely he will, and therefore, though these distractions do crowd in upon you, here is matter of affliction, but not of Discouragement.

[ 3] Thirdly: If these destractions in Duties, do move the Lord to pity; then thou hast no reason to be quite discouraged, though humbled under these distractions. Ye know how it is with a loving Father; a Father hath a Son whom he loves dearly, this Child of his is crazy-brained,; but be hath his Lucida intervalla, and he will speak very good reason sometimes, his Father loves to hear this Child speak, when he speaks reason; but all on a sudden the Child is out; What then? doth his Father hate him for that? No, but the bowels of the man yerns, O! now my Child is out; then the Fathers heart doth ache over this Child whom he takes pleasure in. Thus it is between God and a poor soul, God loves his Children dearly, he loves to hear them pray, Let me hear thy voice, and see thy face, saith Christ, for thy voice is sweet, and thy countenance is comely. God loves to hear his Children pray, but every foot they are out; in, and then out again; out, and then in again: But what then? is the Lord moved hereby to destroy his Children? No, but now the heart of your Father aches, and now his bowels yern: Shall there be bowels in the heart of an Earthly Father this way? and shall there not be bowels in the heart of God our Heavenly Father this way? Surely there is. Well therefore, though in regard of thy distractions, thou hast cause forever to be humbled, ye certainly thou hast no cause to be quite discouraged.

[Object.] O! but, This is not my case, For though I am troubled with many distractions, for which I have cause to be humbled; and though my heart be dead and dull, and hard in duty; and though I have no Parts and Gifts in Duty; yet this is not the matter of my discouragement especially; but that which discourageth me concerning Duty is this, I pray, and pray, and am never the nearer; I have been praying thus long, thus many years, and am never the nearer: I have an undutiful, disobedient child, and I have been praying thus long, and he is never the better; I have been praying for the sense of God's Love thus long, and am never the nearer; I have been praying for such and such a spiri • ual mercy, thus and thus l • ng, and am never the holier: God regards me not, for he answe • s me not, and have I not just cause and reason for my discouragements now?

[Answ.] No: For,

[ 1] First, Though God doth not answer you presently, yet he doth hear you presently: He heard Moses when he prayed, though he did not g • ant his prayer; and it is a great mercy that God will receive my prayer, though I never do receive the thing that I pray for; and I may yet say, Father, I thank thee that thou hearest me always.

[ 2] But Secondly: It is usual with God's own People, and dearest Children, to say, and think sometimes, that the Lord doth not answer their prayer, when the Lord doth. There is a Two-fold return, or Answer of Prayer: There is a Visible Return of Prayer; and there is an Invisible Return of Prayer. As it is with the Vapors that are drawn upward by the heat of the Sun; some there are, that do fall again in great Rain, and Hail, and ye hear and s • e the returns of those vapors in the day; but sometimes the Vapors fall in a dew in the night, and you do not see the return thereof, but you go abroad in the morning, and you find the dew upon the ground, although you did not see when the dew fell. So here, your Prayers are drawn up by the heat of God's Love in Christ; some return upon you again in the day, visibly; some return in the night, invisibly, when you see them not: there is a visible, and there is an invisible return of Prayer. What more usual with God's People, than to say, and think, tha • the Lord doth not hear their Prayer, nor make return to them, when indeed he doth, and that visibly unto others also? Luke, 1. you read of Zacharias and Elizabeth, that they were very righteous; verse 6. They were both righteous before God. And Zacharias and Elizabeth, had no Children; but Zacharias prayed for Children, for at verse 13. the Angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias, for thy prayer is heard, and thy Wife Elizabeth shall bear a Son, and thou shalt call his name, John. The Lord heard his Prayer, and sent an Angel to tell him his prayer was he • d, but Zacha • ias doubted thereof, verse 18. Zacharias said unto the Angel; Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my Wife well stricken in years. Here he doubts, and it was his sin thus to doubt, as you may see by verse 20. Behold thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words. Here plainly now, was a return of prayer, yea, here was a visible return of Prayer; and yet Zacharias (though a Godly, and a Holy man) doub • ed whether the Lord had heard his Prayer or no. So that I say, this is no new thing with God's own People, and dearest Children, to say, and think, sometimes, That the Lord doth not answer their P • air, when the Lord indeed doth an • wer, and tha • visibly too. But,

[ 3] Thirdly: If the Lord's not hearing, granting, and answering your Prayers presently, be • omtimes matter of great encouragement; then it is not always a matter of discouragement. Now the Lord's not hearing, and granting your prayer pre • e • tly, is sometimes matter of great encouragement. You have divers • hildren at your Table, some younger, and some elder; some Babes, and little ones, some grown: wh • n you come to carve out your meat unto them, you carve first to the little ones, and you do no • carve first to the greater, for say you, these little ones will cry, and they have not Patience to stay, and there • ore they sh •• l be first • erved; but those greater have more wi • , and more patience, and they will stay. Beloved! thus now it is between God and us; The Lord hath two sorts of Children that come to him in Prayer, and h • intends to serve them both; but he looks upon those that are weak, and serves them first; as for th ••• that are strong •• , and have more faith and patience, saith the Lord, you are able to stay, I see your faith and patience, and therefore I will serve the little ones first; but as for you, I will serve you last. Thus it was with Abraham, after the Lord had made Abraham a Promise of a Seed, he made him stay a great while, Why? Because he saw he had faith to stay: So now, thou hast not presently a return or answer to thy prayer, Why? Because the Lord it may be sees thou hast strength, faith, and patience to stay. And is not this rather matter of encouragement, than discouragement?

[ 4] But Fourthly: Who ever stayed, and waited long upon God, but he had more than he prayed for? Either God answers your prayers presently; or if he do not, he will not only pay you the principal, but he will pay you forbearance money, and you shall have good Security, and a pledge for the principal too. The desire, is a pledge of the thing desired; Prayer is a pledge of the thing prayed for; a waiting heart, is a pledge of the thing waited for: and the longer you stay, the more your hearts shall be weaned from the thing prayed for, and the more you shall be taught to wait upon God; and sometimes a waiting frame of heart, is a greater mercy than the thing waited for. By this means also, you shall be weaned from your prayer, so as not to rest on it. A Child may so love the Nu • se, as to forget the Mother; and one may possibly so love Duty, as to forget Christ; but by God's delaying to answer, you are weaned from this Nurse, and kept from resting on it. Or it may be, you came to Duty with too high esteem of your own performance, and too low esteem of the Duty itself: Hereby God teachech you to come to the Duty with high esteem of it, and with low esteem of your own doing it. Yea, the longer you stay, the more you shall be humbled; and yourself-despising thoughts, because you cannot pray, may please God more than your best prayer: You see that when a man angles, he throws his line into the Water, and there is the hook, and the bait, those are heavy; then there is the Cork, and that is light; and when the Fisher, or the Angler, sees that the light cork is drawn under water, now the Fish bites, saith he, now there is hope, now there is something coming: So, you go to prayer, and there is somewhat heavy, and weighty in your spirit; but there is something that is of a corky, and light Nature in your spirit; the longer you stay, the more your Cork shall be drawn under water, that lightness of Spirit shall be drawn under water, and so the more you shall be humble, and humbled. Thereby you are caught to fan your prayers: There is much Chaff amongst the good Wheat of our Duties, and God's delaying time, is our fanning time: when the Fish doth not bite, the Fisher mends his bait; it may be, saith he, my hook is not well baited: So should you do, when you take nothing by prayer, God's delay calls for your amending.

Yea, by this means you may remember how you delayed the Lord, he spake often to you, and it was long ere you heard him, shall we think it long ere he hear us, when it was so long ere we heard him? it may be you have forgotten your delays of God, but by this forbearance he doth Graciously mind you thereof.

Yea by God's forbearance to answer you, the Lord teacheth you to forbear, God's forbearance doth teach us forbearance: and is that nothing? let all this be considered, and you will say indeed, here is more matter of encouragement, than discouragement.

[ 5] Fifthly, If you would be discouraged, in case God should always answer your prayer presently, then you have no reason to be discouraged, because he doth not answer you presently. But now, if the Lord should always answer thy duty and prayer presently, you would be discouraged, why? because you would say thus, I look into the scripture, and there I find, that God doth not always answer his children presently, his children have prayed, and then they have waited, and this hath been the way that God hath taken with his children: now God doth not take this way with me, and therefore, I fear I am none of God's children, and so you would be discouraged. Now I say, if you would be discouraged, in case the Lord should always answer your prayer presently, then you have no reason to be discouraged, because he doth not hear you presently: but you would be discouraged in case the Lord should always hear you presently, you would say then, God doth go the same way with me, that he goes, and hath gone with his children. Surely therefore, you that are the Saints and people of God, have no reason for your discouragement in this respect.

[Object. 1] O! but, I fear that God doth not only delay his answer, but that he denies my prayer.

[Answ. 1] It may be so, for God doth sometimes deny his own people the thing they pray for: Ye ask and have not (saith James) because ye ask amiss: Yet they were the people of God. Abulensis observes, that God doth sometimes grant a wicked man his petition, and deny a Godly man his petition; that he may encourage wicked men to pray, and teach good men, not to rest on their prayers.

[Answ. 2] Yet Secondly, If the thing you ask of God be pleasing to him, & he doth still bear up your heart in praying, and depending on him it argues rather, that he delays than denies. For, Psal. 10.17. The preparing of your heart, and the inclining of his ear, go together. and 1. John, 3. verse. 22. The Apostle saith. And whatever we ask we receive of him, because (as a sign thereof) we keep his Commandments, and do the things that are pleasing in his sight.

[Object. 2] O! but, there lies my grief, for I have not kept his Commandments, and God (I fear) is displeased and angry with me.

[Answ.] Be it so, & did Jonah keep his Commandments, when he ran to Tarshish? and was not God angry with him, when he threw him into the Sea? yet even then he prayed, & the Lord heard his prayer. And did not Christ seem to be displeased, and angry, with the poor Canaanitish woman, when he said unto her, It is not meet, to take the children's bread, and call it before dogs?

[Object. 3] O! but she did believe, but I fear God will never hear my prayer at all, because there is so much unbelief in my prayer, as there was not in hers.

[Answ.] But was it not so with D • vid? I said in my hast, I am cast out of thy sight, nevertheless the Lord heard my prayer. What unbelief was here! I said in m • hast, I am cast out of thy sight. Nevertheless the Lord heard his prayer.

[Object. 4] O! but, I am affra •• yet, that the Lord will never hear my prayer, or regard my duty, because I am so Selfish in it; I come unto God in mine affliction, and my affliction makes me go to prayer, my affliction doth make me pray, I cry by reason of my affliction, and this is selfish.

[Answ.] And did not those seek themselves at first, who came unto Christ for cure? all true love begins in self-love: the sweetest flower, grows on a dirty stalk. And I pray, what think you yet of Jonah? The Lord heard me, saith he, out of hell, and yet I cried, saith he, by reason of mine affliction.

[Object. 5] O! but I fear the Lord will never hear my prayer, because I was no better prepared, yea, not at all prepared thereunto.

[Answ.] Do you not know how the Lord dealt by Hezekiah? Hezekiah prayed, The Lord show mercy to everyone that is not prepared, according to the preparation of the Sanctuary, and saith the text, the Lord hearkened and he ed the people. Yea, God can rain without clouds, without preparations.

[Object. 6] O! but yet, I am afraid the Lord will not hear my prayer, or regard my duty, for I am a man or a w • man of great distempers, many passions, and frowardnesses in my life and conversation.

[Answ.] But, what thi • k ye of Elijah? Elijah prayed that there might be no rain, and there was no rain • or three years and a half; and he prayed for rain, and there was rain: and ye saith the Apostle, He was a m • n • f like passions as we are.

[Object. 7] O! but, I fear, I am afraid the Lord will not regard my prayer, or du y, for I am such a one, or such a one, or such a one.

[Answ.] What an one? what an one art thou? Art thou such a one as beginnest to look towards Christ but yet not fully come off? you know what was said concerning Cornelius, Cornelius, thy prayer is come up before me. Yet he did but begin to look towards Christ. Are thou such a one as the Publican was? the Publican stood and smote himself upon the breast, and he said, O Lord, be merciful unto me a sinner. And our Savior saith, He went away justified, rather than his fellow. Or art thou such an one as the poor Prodigal? he said to his Father, I am not worthy to be called • hy Son, make me as one of thine hired servants: and the Father heard him and over-granted his petition. And if all these things be true, what is there, that can justly discourage any poor drooping, doubting soul, in regard of duty; shall his want of Parts & Gifts, or his abundance of distractions? &c. No: for though a Godly man have but weak Parts or Gifts; Though his spirit and his heart be dull, dead, and streightened; Though he labor under many distractions in duty; Though the Lord hide his face, and deser an answer to his prayer; Though the Lord seem to be angry; Though there be much unbelief in his duty; Though there be a great deal of selfishness; Though his heart be not prepared, according to the preparation of the Sanctuary; Though he be a man of many passions, and great distempers: yet notwithstanding all this, he hath no just cause or warrant to be discouraged, cause there is to be humbled under all these things, but no just cause to be discouraged, and cast down.

[Applic. 1] And if so, then by way of Application. 〈…〉 encouragement is here, to every poor, droopi • g 〈…〉 u •• o God in duty! though dead, though dull, 〈…〉 , yet to come unto God in duty.

[Applic. 2] And what a mighty difference is he •• , b • tween a 〈…〉 wicked man! a wicked man goes to p • air, and 〈…〉 abomin • tion to the Lord. And if you look 〈…〉 8, you shall find, at Vers. 13. That the 〈…〉 men thus, That when they do come to prayer, and to offer a sacrifice to him, that then he will remember their iniquity. At verse. 12. I have written to you the great things of my law, but they are accounted as a strange thing, they Sa ••• fice fl • sh f • r the Sacrifices of my offering, but the Lord accep • eth them not; now will I remember their iniquity. M •• k the word, Now, Now, when? Now when they do come to prayer; now will I remember your iniquity, saith the Lord. I know, saith the Lord, all your carriage in such and such a p •• ce, I know your uncleanness, and your adulteries when you w •• e in the dark, when the curtains were drawn about you, and the candle out; I know your carriage at such a Tavern, and upon such an Ale bench, how you sat there, and sc • rned and revi •• d my children; I know your opposing, scoffing▪ and jeering at though e that are Godly; I know all this, and now thou comest to prayer, now Swearer, now Adulterer, now Drunkard, now thou comest to duty, now will I remember thine iniquity. Is it not a sad thing, that the Lord should remember a man's sin at the time when he comes to prayer? yet thus the Lord deals with the wicked. But as for the Godly and Gracious man, it is not so with him; when he comes to prayer, though he have many failings in duty, yet the Lord remembers his mercy, then the Lord remembers his loving kindness, then the Lord remembers his Covenant (for he is ever mindful of his Covenant.) O! what encouragement is here then, for every man to become Godly, to get into Christ! and what encouragement is here, for the Saints and people of God to come to duty! O! you, that have but a little faith, have you any reason to be discouraged? will you not at last say to your soul, why art thou cast down? O my soul, and why are thou thus discouraged?

[Quest.] But, suppose that I have done foolishly, and have sinned in being discouraged upon all occasions; suppose I have many failings in duty, and the Lord doth not answer my prayer presently: what shall I do, that I may bear up my heart against this discouragement, either in regard of my own failing in duty, or in regard of God's not answering?

[Answ. 1] First, Take heed, that you do not lay the stress, and weight, of all your comfort, upon duty: cither the gift of duty, or the Grace of duty, or the present answer of it. So much as ye lay the stress, and weight of your comfort, upon duty, so much will you be discouraged, in case you do either want duty, or an answer to it. When Paul was tempted and buffeted, he prayed thrice, For this, saith he, I besought the Lord thrice (th • t is often) and the Lord gave him no other answer than this, Paul, My Grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength shall be made perfect in thy weakness. Whereupon Paul saith, Now therefore will I Glory in mine infirmities, that the p • wer of the Lord may rest upon me. Hast thou therefore been at prayer? and hast thou prayed thrice, or often? and hast thou no answer but this, My Grace is sufficient for thee? know that thou hast a Paul's answer, and therefore rather Glory in this, that the Lord should find thee faithful for to wait upon him, than be discouraged; knowing, that the Lord's strength shall be perfected in thy weakness.

[Answ. 2] Secondly. Consider seriously and frequently of this rule, That difficulty doth commend duty: the more difficulties your duties do press through to God, the more acceptable they are to him. The less there is to sweeten your duty to you, the more sweet is your duty to God. It is in our performing of duty, as in the offering of the Jewish Sacrifice, in the offering of their Sacrifice, there was two things, The Sacrifice, and the Obedience in offering the Sacrifice; and the more difficult it was for any poor Jew, by reason of poverty, or the like, to offer this Sacrifice, the more and greater was his Obedience in offering it, the more difficulty in offering, the greater the Obedience offered. So also it is in our Gospel Sacrifices, and in all our duties, there are two things in them, There is the Sacrifice, the duty, and there is the Obedience in bringing the duty: and the more difficulty in performing the duty, the greater is the Obedience to God in the performing of it. Now is is not an hard thing, and very difficult, for a man to pray, and continue praying, when his heart is hardened, and his spirit straightened? especially, if he be sensible thereof? then he is ready to despond, and say, I can pray no more: and is it not a very hard thing, for a man to pray, and persevere in prayer, when he thinks that God doth not regard his prayer? then he is apt to say, why should I pray any longer, for God regards me not? yet now if you do pray, and perform your duty, your obedience is the more obediential, & the more acceptable: and if you would but think of this rule; Difficulty doth commend duty, and the less you have to sweeten your action, the more sweet it is to God, I say, if you would but remember this, it would both encourage you to duty, and keep you from discouragement in it.

[ 3] And lastly, We must all learn to leave the event and success of our spiritual things unto God himself; so shall we never be discouraged in any duty. For the word of the Lord is sure, and God hath spoken it Psal. 55. Cast thy Gift upon the Lord, and he will sustain thee, he will not suffer the righteous to be moved forever: You read it thus, Cast thy Burden upon the Lord: but in the Hebrew, it is thy Gift, Cast thy Gift upon the Lord. That is, saith Shindler, quicquid tibi dari donarive expetis, Whatsoever thou dost desire that God should give thee, cast that upon the. Lord: thou comest to prayer, and thou prayest for such a mercy, or such a Gift, cast that on God, and leave it wholly to him. O! but, the mercy I pray for is a necessary mercy. Be it so, yet it is to be cast on God. But it is a spiritual Gift: I pray for pardon of sin, the sense of God's love, growth in Grace, consolation to my poor drooping soul. Be it so, yet thou must cast this on God. Many there are, that can leave the event, and and success of these outward things unto God, but to leave the event and success of prayer, and their spiritual things unto God, this they cannot understand, and this they are utterly unacquainted with: but whatever thy Gift be, cast it upon the Lord, leave the success, and the event, of all your spiritual things upon God, what then? And he will sustain thee, and thou shalt not be moved forever. Thou are moved for the present and thy heart is moved, and thou art much discouraged, yet do but try this way, leave the event to God, Go to prayer, go and perform thy duty leaving the event of that unto God, and the Lord that hath promised, will certainly fulfil it, thou shalt be sustained, and though thou art moved for the present, thou shalt not be moved forever.

A LIFTING UP IN THE Want of Assurance.

Sermon VII

[Instance 4] SOmetimes the discouragements of God's people are drawn, From the want of their Evidence for Heaven.

And thus they reason, or argue; I am a poor creature, who do want Assurance o • the love of God, and of mine own Salvation; therefore I am thus discouraged: indeed, if I had any evidence of an interest in Christ, I should never be discouraged whatever my condition were; but alas! I want the Assurance of God's love, and of eternal life; should I now die, I do not know, whether I should go to Heaven or Hell, and what would become of my soul to all eternity, O! I want Assurance of my Salvation, and therefore I am thus discouraged, have I not just cause and reason for my discouragements now?

[Answ.] No, no reason yet. It is indeed, a great evil, and a sore affliction, to want the Assurance of God's love, and of ones own Salvation: yet notwithstanding, the want of this Assurance, is no sufficient ground or bottom for your discouragement. I confess, it is a great evil and a sore affliction, for a man to want Assurance: for sin and affliction are twisted together in the want of Assurance. As of all blessings, those are the greatest, where Grace and comfort are joined together, so where sin and affliction are twisted together, of all afflictions they are the most afflictive, and thus it is in the want of Assurance: for as in Assurance, there is something of Grace, and something of comfort or reward, so in the want of Assurance, there is somewhat of sin or unbelief, and somewhat of affliction too, sin and affliction, affliction and sin are both twisted together in the want of Assurance.

The truth is, a man that wants the Assurance of God's love, and of his interest in Christ, is neither fit to receive mercy from God, nor to make return of love, and praise to God as he should: Not fit to receive mercy as he should, for though he would have Christ come in, yet by unbelief he shuts the door against him; and he makes an evil interpretation of mercies offered unto him; if a mercy or blessing be tendered unto him, he saith, this comes in judgment to me, it is a blessing, indeed, in itself, but I fear it is a judgment to me: Thus he makes an il interpretation of blessings and so unfit to receive. And he is not fit to make returns of love to God again. Assurance returns praise. And therefore saith the text here, O! my soul, wait on God, hope in God, for I shall yet praise him, why? for he is my God, praise grows upon assurance: and upon this account, I say, he is neither fit to receive mercy, nor to make return of praise as he should.

Yea further, He that wants Assurance of God's love, converseth too much with Satan; as he that hath the Assurance of God's love, doth converse with Christ, the spirit bearing witness to him, that he is the Child of God: So he that doth want Assurance, converseth with Satan, and Sacan, (though falsely) is still bearing witness to his spirit, that he is not the child of God. and is it not a misery to be in these converses with Satan? to be under his hellish droppings? David, felt one pang of unbelief, and he cried out and said, It is too painful for me, O! what a pain is it then, to lie bed-rid of an unbelieving heart? you know, a chaste and a loving wife, counts it an affliction to her, to be followed with the solicitations of an unworthy person, to suspect, and be jealous of her husbands love; for saith she, he doth therefore follow me with these solicitations, making me to suspect my husbands love, that so he may attain his own filthy desires. So saith a gracious soul, the Devil is always following and tempting me, to suspect the Love of Christ; and he doth therefore do it, that he may attain his mind upon me; for the Devil knows well enough, that the more I suspect Christ's Love, the more I shall embrace Satan's love. The truth is (Beloved) this want of Assurance of God's Love, or Interest in Christ, is an in-let to many sins and miseries; for first a man doubts of his own Salvation, and after he hath continued doubting, then he riseth up unto a full conclusion, saying, now know I that Christ doth not love me, I did but doubt before, but now I know he doth not love me. And after he is risen to this conclusion, then shortly he riseth higher, and he goes further thus: If Christ doth not love me now, he will never love me, and if I have not interest in Christ now, after all the Preaching I have heard, and Ordinances enjoyed, if I have not an Interest in Christ now, I shall never have it; and so the longer I live, the more I aggravate my condemnation, therefore as good in Hel at first, as at the last; and therefore now, I will even make a way myself. O! what a black Chain is here? and the first link, is the want of Assurance. If you should see a Child, • pretty Child, lie in the open streets, and none own it, would it not make your Bowels yern within you? Come to the little one, and say, Child, where's thy Father? I know not saith the Child: Where's thy Mother, Child? I know not. Who is thy Father? what's thy Fathers name, Child? I know not: Would it not make your heart ache to see such a little one in the streets? But for a poor soul to lie in the street, as it were, and not know his Father, whether God be his Father, or the Devil be his Father; for a soul to say, I do not know my Father, whether God in Christ, be my Father, yea or no; this is pitiful indeed. The word, Father, is a sweet word, for it sweetens all our Duties; take the word Father, out of Prayer, and how sour is it? Surely therefore it is a sad, and sore affliction, to want the Assurance of God's Love in Christ. But now, although it be a great evil, and a sore Affliction for to want this Assurance, yet I say, the Saints and People of God, have no reason to be cast down, or discouraged, although they do want the same.

[Quest.] How may that appear?

[Answ. 1] First, thus: If the want of Assurance be not the damning unbelief, then a man hath no reason to be quite discouraged, although he do want Assurance. Now, though there may be much unbelief bound up in the want of Assurance, yet I say, the bare want of Assurance, is not that unbelief that shall damn ones soul to all Eternity, not that unbelief which Christ threatens with damnation. For if you look into John, 3.18. you shall find our Savior speaking thus: He that believeth on him, is not condemned: but he that believeth not, is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the Name of the only begotten Son of God. But now, lest any poor soul, that would fain believe, and cannot, should be afflicted, and troubled at these words; therefore saith our Savior Christ, in the following words, I will tell you wherein lies the damnableness of Unbelief; verse 19. This is the Condemnation (he speaks in relation to the words before) And this is the Condemnation, That Light is come into the World, and men love Darkness rather than Light, because their deeds are evil. For everyone that doth evil, hateth the light; neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved, or discovered: This Light is Christ. Now therefore, Doest thou hate the Light, Christ? and therefore keepest from it, lest thy deeds should be discovered? Or rather on the contrary, Doest thou not know there are evil deeds in thy life, and much evil in thy heart? and doest thou not therefore desire to come to Christ, who is the true Light, that thy deeds may be discovered, and thy sin amended? Then, though thou canst not believe as thou wouldest, and though thou doest want Assurance, and though thou hast much Unbelief in thee, the Lord Jesus Christ hath spoken it, Thou shalt never be •• ndemned to all Eternity for this want, but the Lord Christ will pardon this unto thee: and therefore certainly, upon this account, God's People have no reason for their discouragement.

[ 2] Secondly: If there be such an over-ruling hand of Grace, and mercy, upon the want of the Saints Assurance, as that it shall work to their, and to others good; then they have no reason to be quite discouraged, although they do want Assurance.

As for their own good: Thereby they do gain experience; thereby they come to see the emptiness, and nothingness, of all their own righteousness. David saith, (ye know the Scripture) Psal. 116. I said in my hast, all men are Liars. The words in the Hebrew, may be read, I said in my shaking; I said in my shaking, all men are Liars. David was shaken by men, and then he saw that men were Liars. So, when a man is shaken in his own righteousness, then he sees the emptiness, and the lying disposition of it; and, I pray, when is a man's own righteousness more shaken, than when he doth want assurance of God's Love? Thereby also, a man comes to get more, and stronger assurance of God's Love; Certissimum est, quod certum est post incertitudinem; That is most certain, that is certain after uncertainty: The shaken Tree grows the strongest. It is observed of Thomas, that of all the Apostles, he cried out, and said, My Lord, and My God. Two My's, not one My; My Lord, or My God: but two My's, My Lord, and My God. Two My's, Why? Because he had had two No's before, Unless I may put my finger into his side, I will not believe. So you read it; but in the Original, there are two No's, I will not, not believe; a double Not. And as there was two No's of Unbelief, so there is two My's of Faith. So far as a good man is sunk in Unbelief, so far he will rise in Faith; so much as a man is shaken by Unbelief, and in the want of Assurance, so much he will rise unto Assurance, and be confirmed, and settled in it.

And as for Others: A man is never more fit to comfort, to relieve, to satisfy others in their fears, than when he hath been in fears, and doubting himself. It is a good Speech that Maldonet hath out of Bernard; Citius quidem ego qui infirmus sum; I would rather believe doubting Thomas, than confident Peter: I would rather believe poor doubting Thomas, than Peter that never doubted. Thomas having once doubted, knew how to deal with a poor doubting soul. Thus, I say, God doth order the want of the Assurance of his Servants, unto their Own, and Others good: and therefore no reason, that they should be cast down, and quite discouraged, although they do want Assurance for the present.

Thirdly: If a man, a gracious man, may have comfort; yea, and live comfortably, although he do want Assurance, then he hath no reason to be quite discouraged, in case he want it. Now, though it may seem a Paradox to you, yet you shall find a Truth in it; I say, a man thae hath no Assurance for the present, may have Comfort; yea, he may live comfortably, if things be rightly ordered. For, He that hath no Assurance, may have Hope, and Hope is comfortable; He that hath no Assurance, may yet rely upon Jesus Christ, and stay his soul upon Christ; and in all reliance, there is some comfort. He that hath no Assurance, may be justified, and being justified by faith, we have peace with God. He that hath no Assurance, may submit unto God's Commandments; and saith the Psalmist, The entrance into thy Commandments, giveth Light: and so Comfort. In keeping thy Commandments, there is great reward: and so Comfort. It is a comfortable thing (saith Solomon) to behold the Light: and in all light, there is some Comfort. Now God is light, and the free Grace and Love of God is light, which a man may behold, that hath no Assurance, You do sometimes take a great deal of Contentment in the reading of a Story; I do not mean a Scripture Story, but in other Books, I say, a man sometimes takes a great deal of contentment in reading of a Story, although it doth not concern him; for, saith he, although this Story doth not concern me, yet I take a complacency, and contentment in the reading of it, because here I read of the Valor of such a man; and of the Faithfulness of such a man to his friend; and of the excellent Carriages and Virtues of men. Now (my Beloved) is there no excellency in God himself to content the soul? Is there no Faithfulness in God? Is there no Love and Mercy in God himself? Is not the Lord, the God of all Consolation, and God of Mercy, without relation to my Condition? Is there not an Ocean of Excellent Love and Grace in God himself? How many sweet Stories of Love and Grace, may you read in this little Book of the Bible? Besides, a man that hath no Assurance, now and then may have some Promise thrown into his Soul, to uphold him with. When Elijah was by the Brook, and could not enjoy the ordinary meat of the Land, a Raven brought him meat: And when ever was any godly man in such a condition, but he had one Raven or other to bring him Comfort? Somtimes a Temptation is a Raven, God makes it so; sometimes a Desertion is a Raven; sometimes Affliction; sometimes a Particular Word and Promise is thrown into his soul; and is there no comfort there? I say, though a man do want Assurance for the present, he may live comfortably. Surely therefore, a Godly man hath no reason for his discouragement, although for the present he doth want Assurance.

[Object.] But I do not only want this settled Assurance of God's Love, and so the ordinary food of the Land; but I have no Raven to bring me any Comfort: I mean, I have no Promise, no particular Word, to bring in Comfort unto my soul, and to uphold me in my dark condition: th •• gh I do want a settled Assurance, yet if I had a particular Word, and Promise, to uphold my soul, until I had this Assurance, I should not be discouraged; but I want this settled Assurance, and I have no particular Word or Promise to uphold my soul with, until it come; and therefore I am thus discouraged, have I not reason now?

[Answ. 1] I Answer, No. For (Christian) what particular Word or Promise wouldest thou have? Have ye not the whole Gospel before you, a bag of Golden Promises? A Father hath two Children; and he comes unto one, and gives unto that Child a piece of Gold, there Child, saith he, supply thy want with that; but unto the other Child, he saith, here Child, I know thou are in want, and there are Bags of Silver and Gold in my Study; take the Key of my Study, and go in, and take what thou wilt: Is not this latter in as good a condition as the former, or rather better? Thus it is with the Saints, the Lord is pleased to give now and then, a particular Word to some of his Children; but unto others, he saith rather, Here, take the Key of Faith (for Faith is the Key, and hath a power to unlock all the Promises) I give thee Faith, and by this Faith, I give thee a power to go into all my Promises: Is not this latter, in as good a Condition as the other? Thus it is, I say, with all the Servants of God, Having therefore these Promises, saith the Apostle, &c. 2. Cor. 7.1.

[Answ. 2] Secondly: If the Promise of Grace do belong to you, then you cannot say, I have no Word, no Promise to uphold me with: Now, that the Promise of Grace doth belong to you, is cleared thus: 1. Your very resting on the Promise, makes it to belong to you; and it becomes yours, by your resting on it: but you do or have rested on the Promise. 2. If the Command doth belong to you, then why not the Promise? Doth not the Word of Commandment belong to you, viz. Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not commit adultery? Doth this word of Command belong to you? Yea surely, for the Command saith, Thou, and Thou, and Thou shalt not, &c. and that word Thou, doth include Me; the word of Promise hath its Thou, and Thee, and Thy also. Psal. 37. Trust in the Lord, and do good, so shalt Thou dwell in the Land, and verily Thou shalt be fed, ver. 3. Delight Thy self in the Lord, and he shall give Thee the desire of Thy heart, ver. 5. And if you put yourself within the compass of the Commandments, Thou, God will put you within the compass of the Promises, Thou. 3. If you may, and it be your Duty, to rest on the Promise, then it belongs to you: now, you may rest on the Promise of Grace, and Holiness, for Sanctification, and it is your Duty so to do; else it were no sin not to rest on the Promise: but unbelief, and not resting on the Promise, is a sin: only ye must know, that there is a great difference, between the Promise of Consolation, and the Promise of Sanctification; to apply the Promise of Comfort, without endeavor after Holiness, is presumption: but to apply the Promise of Sanctification, that I may be more holy, is no presumption, but my Duty; and if it be your Duty to apply, and rest on this Promise, then it belongs to you.

[Object. 2] O! but yet, When I go unto the Word, or the Scripture, I find, that God's Promise still runs upon some Condition; and I cannot perform that Condition, I do not find that condition in myself: and therefore I fear, that I may not go unto these Promises, and that I have no right to them.

[Answ. 1] But what if a good, and gracious man, may apply a Conditional Promise, although he hath not performed the Condition? Pray look into Nehemiah, chap. 1, and there you will find, That the Jews being in Captivity, Nehemiah goes unto God in prayer, and doth press the Promise which God had made unto the Jews by his Servant Moses; verse 8. Remember, I beseech thee, thy Word that thou commandedst thy Servant Moses, saying, If ye transgress, I will scatter ye abroad among the Nations: but if ye turn unto me, and keep my Commandments, and do them; though there were of you cast unto the utmost part of the Earth, yet will I gather them from thence, and I will bring them unto the place that I have chosen to set my Name there. Now these are thy Servants, and thy People, whom thou hast redeemed by thy great Power. The Jews in Babylon were scattered according to the Word; but alas! they did not return unto the Lord, and leave their sins, according to the Condition of the Promise; yet notwithstanding, Nehemiah goes unto the Lord, and presseth this Ptomise, and the Lord heard him, and he had acceptance, as ye find in the following Chapter.

[Answ. 2] Secondly: What if the Condition of one Promise, be the thing promised in another Promise; will ye then fear, that the Promise doth not belong to you, because you have not performed the Condition of the Promise? Now so it is, that the condition of one, is the thing promised in another Promise. For Example: In one Promise, Repentance is the Condition of the Promise, 2 Chron. 6.37, 38. Joel, 2.15, 16, 17, 18, 19. But in another Promise, Repentance is the thing promised, Ezek. 36.26. I will take away the heart of stone, and give you an heart of flesh. In one Promise, Faith, and coming to Christ is the Condition; Come unto me all ye that are weary, &. and I will give you rest, Matth. 11.28. But in another Promise, it is the thing promised; John 6.37. All that the Father giveth me, shall come unto me. In one Promise, Obedience is the Condition of it; Isaiah. 1.19. If ye consent and obey, ye shall eat the good of the Land: In another Promise, it is the thing promised; Ezek. 36. I will put my Spirit into you, and cause ye to walk in my ways. In one Promise, Perseverance is the Condition; Matth. 24. He that continueth to the end, shall be saved: But in another Promise, it is the thing promised; Psal. 1. His Leaf shall not wither: Ezek. 36. I will put my fear into your hearts, and ye shall not depart from me. In one Scripture of the Old Testament, the coming of the deliverer is promised to the Jews, upon condition that they turn from ungodliness, Isaiah. 59.20. The Redeemer shall come out of Zion, and unto them that turn from ungodliness in Jacob. But in another Scripture in the New Testament, turning Jacob from ungodliness is the thing promised; Rom. 11.26. There shall come out of Zion, the Deliverer, and turn ungodliness from Jacob. Now if the Condition in one Promise, be the thing promised, in another Promise, will ye fear that the Promise doth not belong to you, because ye have not performed the Condition?

[Answ. 3] Thirdly: And again; What if the Condition of the Promise be performed for you, better than you could perform it? In the beginning, the Lord made a Covenant with man, a Covenant of Works; Do this, and live: and Adam, the first man, stood as a common person for us all, to perform the Condition of Doing: and if Adam had performed the Condition, we all had performed the condition. Now, the Lord makes a new Covenant of Grace with man, and the Lord Jesus Christ is a Second Adam, and he stands as a Common Person, and if he perform the Condition, then all his Seed do perform the Condition. Now the Lord Jesus Christ hath performed the Condition for all his Seed: although the first Adam did not perform the Condition for his Seed, yet the Second Adam hath performed the Condition of the Promise, and of the Covenant, for his Seed to the full. Now if all these Three things be true, namely, That a man may go to the Promise, the Conditional Promise with acceptance, although he hath not performed the Condition; That the Condition of one Promise, is the thing promised, in another Promise; That the Lord Jesus Christ, hath performed the Condition of the Promise for you, better than you can perform it: Have ye then, any reason to be discouraged, and to keep off from the Promise, because you have not performed the Condition? But so it is, That a Child of God may go to a Conditional Promise with acceptance, although he hath not performed the Condition; And the Condition of one Promise, is the thing promised in another; And the Lord Jesus, our Second Adam, hath performed the Condition of all the Promises, for all his Seed: Surely therefore, you have no reason to be discouraged in this respect.

[Object.] But this is not my case; For, I do not only want Assurance of God's Love, and have no particular Promise; but instead of the Promise, I have a Threatening set upon my soul: O! the bitter words of the Threatening, have soaked into my heart. Time was heretofore ind • ed, that I had a Promise, I could say, I had a Promise, and I rejoiced in it; but now, I have lost my Promise, and instead of the Promise, a Threatening is come: O! I see! the smart, and the anger of the Threatening; and have I not just cause and reason to be discouraged now?

No: For,

[Answ. 1] First: If you be drawn to Christ, is it material, whether it be done with a Cord of Flax, or with a Cord of Silk? God hath two Arms, whereby he draws us unto himself; The Arm of his Love, and the Arm of his Anger, and Justice: The Arm of his Love, is put forth in the Promise; the Arm of his Anger and Justice, is put forth in his Threatening: And with both these, he doth lift up the fallen sinner. What if God lift you up with his left Arm, so you be lifted up? Somtimes he lifts up with the Arm of his Threatening, that he may carry us in the Arm of his Promise; for as the Law was a School-Master to bring to Christ, so the Threatening, is a School-Master to bring us unto the Promise: Is the Threatening therefore come? then is the Promise a coming; for the Threatening is given forth in order to that.

[Answ. 2] Secondly: And if this which you complain of, may be the condition of the Saints, then you have no reason to be discouraged. Now, for the loss of the Promise, you know how it was with Joshua: The Lord gave Joshua a gracious Promise; I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee: Be strong, be not dismayed, be not afraid, be of good courage, for, I will not leave thee, nor forsake thee. Josh. 1. But the Children of Israel were a little discomfited by the men of Ai, and see how Joshua lost the sight of the Promise; in Josh. chap. 7. verse. 6, 7. Joshua rent his Clothes, and fell to the Earth upon his face, before the Ark of the Lord, he and the Elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads, and said, Alas, O Lord God, wherefore hast thou at all brought this People over Jordan, to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites, to destroy us? Would to God we had been content to dwell on the other side Jordan. O! what Unbelief is here! what discouragement is here! how had he lost the Promise! O! Lord, saith he, what shall I say, when Israel turns their backs before their Enemies! and O! what shall we say, when Joshua turned his back upon the Promise! But so it was with Joshua here, he had lost the sight of the Promise which once he had. And as for the Threatening; you know how it was with David: having sinned greatly in the matter of Uriah, the Lord threatens him, That the Sword should never depart from his House: And the Threatening did take hold upon him, and David was under the stroke of the Threatening: But was not Joshua Godly? and was not David Godly? So then, a Godly man may possibly lose the sight of the Promise, and have a Threatening set on his soul too.

[Answ. 3] But Thirdly: If a Promise given out by the Lord, shall never be reversed, and a Threatening may be repealed; then you have no cause to fear in this respect. Now, a Threatening is therefore given, that it may not be fulfilled. Joshua knew this so well, that he professeth to the Lord, That therefore he fled to Tarshish, because, saith he, O Lord, I knew that thou art a merciful God. As if he should say, I knew, O Lord, thou art so merciful a God, that though thou hast threatened Nineveh, yet thou wilt reverse thy Threatening. But a Promise once given unto a soul, shall never be reversed or repealed. It may rise up to an Oath (as sometimes it doth) for, when God gives a Promise to a soul, and opposition ariseth, if then God gives out the same Promise again, it amounts to an Oath; As I live▪ saith the Lord, I will never reverse this Promise that I have made to thee. But a Promise once given, shall never be reversed, or re • ealed: Gal. 3. you have the case that is now before you: Saith Paul, at verse 15. I speak after the manner of men; though it be but a man's Covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disanulleth, or addeth thereunto. Now to Abraham, and his Seed, were the Promises made. And therefore (saith the Apostle) the Promise shall not be disanulled, although the Law came after the Promise. But if the Promise that the Lord gave to Abraham, was not disanulled by the Law, that came four hundred and thirty years after; verse 17. Wherefore then serves the Law? Verse 19, he tells you, It was added because of transgression. So now say you, If that the Promise that God hath given heretofore, be not disanulled, and made void, by the Threatening that follows after, wherefore then was the Law, or the Threatening given unto my soul? It was added because of transgression: God had some transgression of yours to discover unto you, that you did not think of, and therefore the Threatening, and the Law came after. But the Promise is quite out of sight, and I have lost it. And did not the Jews also lose the sight of the Promise which was given to Abraham? When the Lord gave the Law, and they stood quaking and trembling before Mount Sinai, did not they then lose the sight of the Promise that was given to Abraham? So say I, although thou hast lost the sight of the Promise that once thou hadst, and a threatening be come in the room of it, the Promise that was once given thee (it may be four hundred and thirty days ago, or many years ago) shall never be disanulled, or reversed: And the reason is this; Because God doth not repent in the matter of the Gospel. Ye read in Scripture, that God is said sometimes to repent, It repented the Lord that he made man; sometimes it is said, that the Lord doth not repent, I am not a man that I should repent: How are these two reconciled, God doth repent, and God doth not repent? Thus to our present Purpose: God repents as to the matter of the Threatening, but God never repents as to the matter of the Promise: God repents as to the matter of the Threatening, and therefore saith the Lord to Jeremiah, I am weary of my repenting; I have threatened, and threatened, and I am weary of threatening. Here God repented as to the matter of the threatening; but God never repents as to the matter of the Promise. And therefore, saith the Apostle, in Rom. 11. The Gifts and Calling of God, are without Repentance. And the Promise is a great Gift. So then, as to the matter of the Promise, God doth never repent. Wherefore, poor soul, hast thou a Promise given thee, may be five years ago, may be ten years ago, may be twenty years ago, and hast thou lost the sight of this Promise? and instead of the Promise, is there a Threatening come upon thy soul, that makes thy heart quake and tremble? I here tell thee from the Lord, the Promise that was once given unto thee, though now thou hast lost the sight of it, shall never be repealed, or recalled. O! what matter of encouragement is here! is here matter of discouragements? nay rather, here is matter of great encouragement.

[Object.] O! but yet this is not my case; I do not only want Assurance of God's love; but I have Assurance of God's displeasure: I do not only want Assurance of my Salvation, but I have Assurance of my damnation: I do not only want the testimony of the spirit, bearing witness with my spirit, that I am the child of God, but I have another testimony within my soul, bea • ing witness to me, that I am a reprobate: and have I not cause to be discouraged?

[Answ. 1] No, not yet; for it may be you look upon the back-side of God's dispensation: if we look upon the face of God's dispensation we see his love; and good pleasure; but if we look on the backside thereof, we conclude nothing but anger, & displeasure. It may be, it is so with you in this case. But,

[Answ. 2] Secondly, If you find no such testimony of reprobation, as you speak of in all the scripture; then you have no reason to fear, or to be discouraged in this respect; now search the scripture, and you shall not find in all the word, any ground for such a testimony of reprobation. We read, indeed, of Francis Spira, notorious for his despair; when his friends came to comfort him, having spake comfortable words unto him, That he said why go ye about to comfort me? comfort belongs not to me, for I am a reprobate. O! said one of his friends, do not say so, for none are able to say so, yes, said he, as the elect of God, have a spirit within them, bearing witness, that they are the children of God; so reprobates have another spirit, bearing witness with their spirits, that they are not the children of God, but the children of Satan; and such a spirit of reprobation have I. But my beloved, if there be such a spirit, or a testimony of reprobation as this is, either it must be, from the spirit of God, or from the spirit of Satan: if from the spirit of Satan, then he is a liar, not to be believed; if it be from the spirit of God, how doth it suit with the word? for the spirit of God, is called the Comforter; can such a spirit of reprobation come from the comforter? and if you have such a testimony as this is, either you must have it from the word, or from the spirit of God alone, without the word; if from the word, then from the threatening: for it is not from the promise, nor from the command: if from the threatening, a threatening may be repealed, a threatening, may be reversed, as you have heard, and if you have it from the spirit of the Lord, how can it be, that the spirit should be called a Comforter? surely therefore, if you have such a spirit of reprobation in your bosom, it is from Satan, and he is a Liar. But (my beloved) I will in this appeal to you, whether do you not think, that there is many a soul now in heaven, that whilst he lived, said, I am sure to go to hell; you know that ordinary Story of the woman, that took a glass in her hand, and throwing it on the ground, said, As sure as this Glass breaks, I shall be damned: and the Glass broke not. Well then, thy condition is not alone, others of God's people may be, and have been led in this way of temptation, and therefore no reason why thou shouldest be cast down, or discouraged.

[Object.] But yet, this doth not reach my case or condition, For, I do not only want the Assurance of God's love, and of mine own Salvation; but I have wanted Assurance, this two, this four, this six, this eight, this ten years; and I have continued so long, doubting in unbelief, and my heart is so hardened with it, that I am afraid; I shall never be healed or saved: O! I have sat under such and such precious Gospel-means, and if ever I should have Assurance of God's love, I should have had it before this: I have sat under many a comfortable Sermon, and under the Gospel preached many years, and yet have no Assurance of my Salvation, surely, if the Lord would ever have bestowed Assurance upon me, I should have had it ere this, but still unbelieving, and still I do want Assurance, and my heart hardened under unbelief, and therefore I am thus discouraged, have I not cause and reason now?

[Answ. 1] No, not yet, For our evidence for heaven, is in God's keeping, our comforts as well as our Graces, and our evidence for heaven, as well as our heaven and Salvation, and he will bring it forth when we have most need, in a due time, though not in our time. And if, you look into Isa. 46. you shall see, what a Gracious promise the Lord makes unto hard-hearted sinners, An invitation and promise together, verse. 12. and 13. hearken unto me, ye stout-hearted, that are far from righteousness I bring near my rightousness, it shall not be far off▪ and my Salvation, it shall not tarry, O! but, I have no r • ghteousness, to lay my assurance upon, well, yet saith the Lord, never speak of thy righteousness, man, I will bring near my righteousness. O! but, my heart is dead, and hard & stout. Then hearken unto me ye stout-hearted, • aith God, O! but, I am far off from righteou • ness. Be it so, yet hearken to me ye stout-hearted that are far from righteousness, I will b • ing near my righteousness, it shall not be far off, and my Salvation shall not tarry.

[Answ. 2] But that you may have more full satisfaction in this, I shall desire you to consider Three or Four Propositions.

[Prop. 1] First, Though it be possible for a man to attain to full Assurance of God's love, ye • he may have saving Faith, that hath no Assurance. Faith and Assurance differ: and therefore s • ith the Apostle, draw near with full Assurance of Faith, Assur • nce of Faith comforts, but the • eliance of faith saves. It is po ••• ble, that a man or woman may have such an Assurance, as that they never doubted of God's love; but ordinarily, a man never had assurance of his Salvation, that never doubted of his Salvation. The first step to Salvation, is to see that there is no Salvation, we must go to heaven, by hell gates, and he that is not troubled sometimes with Satan, is possessed by him. I say, ordinarily, a man never had Assurance of his Salvation, that never doubted of his Salvation; a man may have true saving faith, that yet hath no Assurance of his Salvation. This is the first.

[Prop. 2] Secondly, As a man may have true saving faith, and yet no Assurance; so a man may have strong Faith and Assurance, yet many doubts, fears, and mistrustings may be left in his soul. It is observed to my hand, that of all the Churches, the Church of the Thessalonians, are most commended for their faith, and their Graces, So that they were examples to all that believed. 1 Thes. 1.7. yet in Chap. 3. verse. 10. The Apostle saith, There was something lacking in their faith. Night and day praying exceedingly, that we might see your face, and might perfect that which is • acking in your faith. Something was lacking in their faith, yet they were examples of faith unto all the Churches.

[Prop. 3] Thirdly, As a man may have strong faith with Assurance, and yet some doubts, and fears may be left in the soul still; so a man may have strong faith, and Assurance, yet for a long time, may be deprived of the feeling of it. And therefore whereas the spouse in the Canticles in one place, saith, I am my beloveds, and my beloved is mine: in another place, she saith, I sought him whom my soul loveth, and I found him not: I opened to my beloved, and he was gone, and my heart failed; I called and he answered not.

[Prop. 4] Fourthly, As a man may have strong faith, and yet for a great time, may be deprived of the feeling of it; so it is possible, a man may be a Godly, Gracious man, yet may continue, and go on doubting for a long time, yea possibly, he may die doubting also. The Godly and the wicked, are contrary: now for the wicked, you, shall find, that a wicked man, may think his condition good, yet it may be very naught: he may have hope, and persuasion, that he shall go to heaven, and he may die in these persuasions, yet he may go to hell. Rev. 3. ye read thus of the Churches of Laodicea, at verse. 16. So then, because thou art luke-warm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth, I would thou wert cold or hot verse. 15. These were very wicked; had these people any thoughts of mercy? or did they think their spiritual condition was good? R •• d verse. 17. Because thou sayest I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing: and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, & blind and naked. So that, I say, a wicked man, may think his condition good, and yet it may be very naught. Yea daily experience tells us, besides the Parable of the foolish Virgins, That he may die in these persuasions. So, on the contrary, a man may think his condition naught, and go fearing and trembling a long while, yea, even die under these fears, yet his condition may be very good. (Consider it rightly) I know indeed, ordinarily, God doth come in with some comfort or other unto a child of God before he dies; but I would be loath to say, and you will be loath to think, that certainly, that man goes to hell, that doubteth of his Salvation, or that dies doubting of his Salvation. No, possibly a man may doubt, and fear, and doubt long, even die doubting, without a settled assurance of God's love; yet he may go to Heaven, and be saved forever. What then, though thou hast stayed long, and hast long wanted Assurance, yet God hath not led thee so far, as he hath led some, and thy condition is no other, than that which may befall the dear servants and children of God.

[Answ. 3] But Thirdly, Though for the present, you do want Assurance of God's love, and of your own Salvation: yet if you may conclude by Scripture Arguments, that you shall have it before you die, then have you no reason to be discouraged: Now, though this or that particular Christian, in a case not ordinary, do die under a cloud, and with much fear, and doubting about his everlasting condition; yet there are Arguments in scripture, whereby a man may ordinarily know, and conclude, that he shall have peace and Assurance before he dies. For example,

[Arg. 1] First, He that is content to stay, and go without a mercy, if God will have it so, shall not want it forever: For the Patient abiding of the meek, shall no • be forgotten forever: As the way to have affliction continued, is to be discontented under it, so the way to have it removed, is to be contented with it. There is a Faith of Expectance, a Faith of Relyance, and the Faith of Assurance. The Faith of Expectance, will rise up into a Faith of Reliance, and the Faith of Reliance, to the Faith of Assurance, there is seldom a may-be Faith, but hath a shall-be, and it is at the bottom, if God would make it float.

[Arg. 2] Secondly. If the Lord hath wrought wonders for thy soul, when thou wert in the wilderness, and in a desert; then certainly, he will bring thee into the land of rest. So he dealt by David, so he dealt by Israel, so he will deal by thee.

[Arg. 3] Thirdly: If thy heart be upright in the matter of thine Assurance, God will certainly give Assurance unto thee: for ye know what the Psalmist saith, The Losd will give Grace and Glory: and no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. If therefore (I say) thy heart hath been upright in the matter of thine assurance, the Lord will give thee assurance, though for the present thou want'st it. Now I pray, when is a man's heart upright in the matter of his Assurance, but when he doth desire Assurance of God's love, and of his own Salvation, rather that he may praise, and serve God the more, than for his own comfort. For this look in Psal. 9. and see how David reasons to this purpose. verse. 13. 14. Have mercy upon me, O Lord, consider my trouble which I suffer of them that hate me, thou that liftest me up from the gates of death: That I may show forth all thy praise in the gates of the daughter of Zion: I will rejoice in thy Salvation. Here are three things observable, First, he was in a very low condition, at the gates of death: From the gates of death, saith he. Gates of death, that is, the power of death: The gates of Hel shall not prevail, that is, the powers of Hel shall not prevail; so here, the gates of death, that is, the powers of death. David was under the power of death, at the gates of death, and now in this condition, he prays unto the Lord for mercy, that the Lord would lift him up, but why doth he pray so? mark his end. At verse. 14. Have mercy upon me, O Lord, consider my trouble, why? That I may show forth thy praise in the gates of the daughter of Zion: O Lo • d, bring me from the gates of death, that I may praise thee in the gates of the daughter of Zion, not for my own comfort, Lord, but that I may praise • thee. Well, but what inference doth he make of this? see what follows in the latter end of verse. 14. I will, or shall rejoice in thy Salvation, O Lord, my heart hath been upright in this petition, and now I know thou wilt grant my prayer, I will, I shall, rejoice in thy Salvation.

[Arg. 4] Fourthly, When a man can praise God for what he hath, although his condition be very sad; God will give him more, and give him a better condition. If God show mercy (saith one) or give a blessing, and I praise God, I pay my debt; but if my case be low, and sad, and I praise God then, then God is pleased to be called my debtor, and he will certainly pay his debt.

[Arg. 5] Fifthly, If the Lord be the health of your countenance, you shall have the assurance of your Salvation in due time, though now you want it. Thus the Psalmist reasons in the text, Wait on God, or hope in God, for I shall yet praise him, why? for he is the health of my countenance. but when is God said to be the health of our countenance? when his smiles make us look cheerly, and his frowns make us look sadly; if I look well when God smiles, though all relations frown; and do look il, when God frowns, though all my relations smile; then is God the health of my countenance. Now I appeal to you, (beloved) you that do want Assurance, hath it not been thus with you? Do ye not earnestly desire Assurance, yet are content to stay, wait, and go without it, if God will have it so? Hath not the Lord shewn wonders for thy soul, (when thou hast been in a wildered condition) in preserving, and keeping thee from doing evil to thyself? and have not you been upright in the matter of your Assurance, saying thus; O Lord, give me Assurance of thy love, not that I may have comfort only, but that I may be more fit to serve thee? And have ye not praised the Lord in your sad condition for what you have? And hath not the Lord been the health of your countenance, so that when the Lord hath smiled upon you, then you have looked well; and when the Lord hath frowned upon you, then you have looked il? surely, you cannot but say, I must not deny these things, I cannot be faithful to mine own soul, if I should deny them, yea Lord, thou knowest, and my soul knows it, That thou hast done wonders for me, when I have been in a low, desert, and wildered condition. And O Lord, thou knowest, I desire Assurance of thy love, not for my own comfort only, but that I may be more sit to praise, and serve thee. And Lord, thou knowest, I have praised thee in some measure for what I have Yea, Lord, thou art the health of my countenance; when thou smilest upon me, then I look well, and when thou frownest upon me, then I look ill: I may say in truth, the Lord is the health of my countenance: well then, I say unto thee from the Lord, go in peace, and be of good comfort, though thou doest for the present want comfort, and Assurance of thy Salvation, thou shalt have it in due time. And if all these things be true, O! you that are the people of the Lord, have you any reason to be discouraged? certainly you have not, therefore why should you not check yourselves, as David here, and say, Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me?

Only by the way, Let no man mis-apply this Doctrine, saying, If we should not be discouraged, although we do want Assurance, then I will neglect the getting of my Assurance. Beloved! ye see into what times we are now fallen, times of War, and Rumors of War, times of Blood, these are dying times; and is this a time for any of you to want Assurance of God's Love? When your Hay lies abroad in the Summer, and you see a shower coming, you say, Cock up, Cock up: And I would to God you might not see showers a coming, and yet your Evidences for Heaven lie at random; Wherefore, in the Name of the Lord, Cock up, Cock up; and you that have false Assurance (for you have heard that a man may think his condition is good, when it is naught, yea, that he may die so too) look you well into your condition, and consider your condition duly, this is no time to have false Assurance: labor then, to get true Assurance; and you that have Assurance, labor to grow up more and more into it, and the riches thereof.

[Quest.] But suppose for the present I do want Assurance; I confess indeed, I ought not to be discouraged, although I do want Assurance, as I have heard; but it is an hard thing to bear up ones heart against all discouragem • nts, in the want of the Assurance of God's Love: but suppose I do want it for the present, what shall I now do, that I may bear up against Discouragements in this Condition?

Answ. Some few things by way of Direction here, and so I conclude this Argument.

First therefore, Doest thou want Assurance of God's Love, and of thine own Salvation? Labor more and more, for to put to Sea, I mean, to the Sea and Ocean of God's Love, and the deeps of Christ's Merit and Satisfaction. When you are at Sea in a Storm, or stress of Weather, you desire Sea-room, and if ye have Sea-room enough, ye think all is well: It may be, there are some Passengers in the Vessel, or Ship, and they say, For the Love of God set us ashore, we are not able to ride out this storm; O! set us upon some Land or other: But the skillful Mariner saith, Nay, but still keep to Sea, if ye come to the Shoar we are undone, we are all lost Creatures. So in this case; the time of the want of your Assurance, is a storm-time, it is a time of great stress upon your soul; and if ye skil not the Methods of Christ, you will say, O! now set me upon some Duty, upon the Coast of mine own Righteousness, or mine own Holiness: but if you have a skil in the way of the Gospel, you will rather cry out, and say, O! Lord, keep my soul in the Ocean of thy free Love, Sea-room, Sea-room, and all is well enough. Now there is Sea-room enough in the Ocean of God's free Love, and of Christ's Merits, and Satisfaction; but if you touch upon your own Righteousness, you do but endanger your soul, and sink your own heart into more despairing doubts and fears; stand off therefore now from your own Shoar, and keep to Sea, even that great Sea of God's Love, and Christ's Merits.

Secondly: If you do want Assurance, Take heed that you do not hearken unto anything out of an Ordinance, contrary unto the comfort which the Lord speaks to you in the time of an Ordinance. Ye come to an Ordinance, and there the Lord begins to comfort you, so you go away, and ye are satisfied, and your souls are refreshed; but then afterwards, you sit down, and parly with Satan, and with your own souls; and ye lose all again, and doubt again, turning God's Wine into your own Vinegar, and are unsatisfied again. But suppose that a Father should give an Estate of Land unto his Child, and make it over to him with the best Conveyance that the Law can provide; and then this Son having laid down his Conveyance some where negligently, a cunning Lawyer (that he may get Money from him) should come and write on the backside of this Conveyance, For such and such Reasons, this Conveyance is naught: Should the Son do well thereupon to say, my Father hath done nothing for me, I have been deceived all this while, my Father hath given me nothing? Were this fair dealing with his Father? and if he should run this course, should he ever have any Assurance of his Land firm in his own thoughts? Now, so it is with you that are the People of God; the Lord hath given you a fair Inheritance; Heaven is your Inheritance, the fairest and best Inheritance; the Lord hath given it you under Hand and Seal, and sometimes you think your Evidence is clear, and you lay it by, and Satan comes, and scribbles on the back of it, and he saith, it is naught; and you believe it, and then you doubt again, and you are unsatisfied again: Is this fair dealing with God? Surely no. Wherefore then, doest thou want Assurance? The way to get it, and the way not to be discouraged in the want of it, is this: Take heed that ye never hearken to anything, out of an Ordinance, contrary to the Comfort which you have received in an Ordinance.

[Answ. 3] Thirdly: Take heed that you be not discontented with your Condition; Discontentment, breeds Discouragement: But doest thou want the Assurance of God's Love? Say thus with thine own soul; However it be, yet will I wait on God, when the Lord pleaseth he will give me Assurance; I will only labor to be contented with my condition. But if ye be discontented, ye will certainly be discouraged.

[Answ. 4] Fourthly: If you do want Assurance of God's Love, and of your own Salvation, Take heed that you do not say, I shall never be Assured; take heed you do not say, I shall never have a Promise; take heed you do not say, I shall never be Comforted; take heed you do not say, I shall never have the Testimony of the Spirit, bearing witness with my Spirit, that I am the Child of God; do not say thus, I shall never be helped, I am in a sad condition, and I shall never be better; I am in an uncomfortable condition, and I shall never be comforted; I want Assurance, and I shall never have Assurance. Beloved! this ye cannot say, for who knows what God will do, whose ways are in the deep, and whose foot-steps are not known? You know how it is with a sick person; If the Physician come, and tells him, there is hope of life, then his heart dies not; but if the Physician saith to him, Sir, you are in a great and dangerous Feaver, and I would wish you to settle your Estate, and look out for comfort for your soul, for the truth is, you will never be recovered; then his heart dies. So here, take a poor soul that wants Assurance, If he saith, there is hope that I may be assured, he is not discouraged: but if he saith, I have no Assurance, and I shall never have it, then he is quite discouraged; it is this word, Never, that doth discourage: O! I shall never be encouraged, and I shall never have Assurance, and I shall never have the Testimony of God's Spirit. Take heed that you do not say, I shall never be Assured, that is a Temptation; take heed of the word Never, in this case.

[Answ. 5] Fifthly, and lastly: Carry this for a Rule with you, and remember it much; That the less Assurance you have, the more precious your obedience may be, and the more kindly God may take it at your hands. It is no great matter for a man to write, and to work by the Day light, or Candle light; but for a man to write, or to work in the dark, is hard. So here, it is no great matter, comparatively, for a man to pray, and to work spiritually, while he is in the light; but for a poor soul to pray, and to work towards God, and to be obedient, when he is in the dark, and hath no Assurance of the Love of God, is something: I confess indeed, that the more Assurance you have, the more full your Obedience will be; but the less Assurance you have, the more ingenuous may be your Obedience; I say, The more full your Assurance is, the more full and large your Obedience will be; but the less Assurance you have, the more ingenuous your Obedience may be. Every Child will serve his Father for his Portion, and for his Inheritance; but when a Child shall doubt of his Fathers Love, yea, when a Child, shall conclude and say, I know that my Father will dis-inherit me, I know that my Father will bestow nothing upon me, yet I will serve him, because he is my Father; will not all men say, Here is ingenuity indeed in this Child? So between God and you; It is good for a Christian to be obedient at all times, and the more Assurance you have, the more you are bound to obey; but doth thy soul fear, that God will dis-inherit thee? and yet doest thou say, However it be, I will obey God, for he is my Father? though I cannot see him, yet will I serve him; and though I have no Comfort from God, yet will I be obedient to him, for it is my Duty, he is my Father? The Lord will take this kindly at thine hands, and what thou wantest in the largeness, shall be made up in the ingenuity of thine Obedience. Wherefore then, doest thou want Assurance of the Love of God? Comfort thyself with this, and say within thine own soul, well, though I do want Assurance, I hope, through Grace, I am in some measure Obedient, and the less Assurance I ha • e, the more kindly God takes my Obedience at my hand: and therefore, why should I be discouraged, or cast down? Think, and think often of this Rule; and it will help you to be obedient, and bear up your hearts also in the want of Assurance.

A LIFTING UP In case of TEMPTATION.

Sermon VIII.

SOmetimes the Discouragements of the Saints, are drawn, From their Temptations.

And thus they Argue with themselves: I am a poor Creature, that hath labored under many Temptations, never any so tempted as I have been: These two, three, four, five, six, or many years, that I have lain under these Temptations, and no relief comes, no help comes; have I not reason then to be discouraged, and cast down?

[Answ.] No; No reason yet: I grant, That the least Temptations are great Afflictions; for the more a man is unfitted by Affliction for God's Service, either in doing good, or receiving good, the worser, and more heavy is that Affliction to a gracious Spirit. Now, though God doth so over-rule the Temptations of his People, that they receive good thereby, (as appeareth afterward) yet the Temptation in itself, doth indispose a man unto what is good. The more a man is tempted unto what is evil, the more a man is hindered from what is good: It is an Affliction to a gracious heart, to be conflicting, fighting, and combating with a man; but in Temptations, we do combat and conflict immediately with Satan, who is the Prince of the Air; with Principalities, and Powers; with that evil One, who for his devouring Nature, is called, a Lyon; for his Cruelty, is called, a Dragon; and for his subtlety, an old Serpent: and in every Temptation, a poor soul goes into the field with Satan, and fights a Duel with him. Satan hath (saith Christ to Peter ) desired you; in which Duel, and Combat, a man doth not miscarry for this present Life barely; but if he miscarry, he miscarries to all Eternity, he dies, is killed, and slain to all Eternity: O! what a mighty hazard doth a poor soul • un in every Temptation! The Chast, and good Woman, counts it an Affliction to her, so long as she lives, if she be but once violenced; if a filthy person meet her in the field, and violence her, though she do not consent unto him; she wrings her hands, and saith, I am undone forever. Now, these Temptations, are the Solicitations of an unclean Spirit, and what though a man do not consent unto them, yet thereby his soul suffers violence; O! saith a gracious soul, what though I do not consent, yet what an infinite misery is it to be thus abused, defiled, and violenced by these Temptations! The more any affliction doth seize on soul and body, the greater it is: it is Comfort in a Family, that the Wife is well, when the Husband is sick; or that the Husband is well, when the Wife is down: where both are down at once, it is a sad Family indeed. So, though the Soul be afflicted, yet if the Body be well, although the Body be afflicted, yet if the Spirit be well, it is some comfort; but where both are down, the Condition is sad: and seldom doth any great Temptation befall a man, but Soul and Body are both down at once; though at first it falls upon the Spirit, yet it descends into, and fires the Body. And therefore saith Paul, I received a Messenger of Satan, a thorn in my flesh, buffeting of me: As in the Comforts of the Holy Ghost, though the Comforts be poured out upon the Soul and Spirit, yet they run down upon the Body: So, in the troubles of Temptation, though they seize first upon the inward man, yet they • un upon the skirts of the outward man also. And thus you find it with