Sect. 1.SINCE you have been pleased to communicate your present condition to me, I have seri­ously laid it to heart, and I have studied what answer to return unto you (as I desire and hope) for your satisfaction. And after seek­ing of God in your behalf, and after mature deliberation, I offer to you my retired and studied Counsel and Comforts, which (my hearts desire is) may be so seasonably administred un­to you, as (through the blessing of God) you may apply them (as Solo­mon saith); A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver. Prov. 25. 11. Which if God vouchsafe to set home upon your heart, and give to you an answer of peace and comfort, you [Page 2] may (through riches of mercy) ob­tain the same blessed success after your prayers, as Hannah did after she had poured out her soul unto the Lord. We read that after Eli had retracted his former censure, and prayed for her, The God of Israel grant thee thy 1 Sam. 1. 17, 18. petition that thou hast asked of him; so the woman went her way and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad. May the like happy issue befall you as to the Settlement of your spirit; the same Omnipotent God is as able to comfort and quiet your spirit, as he did the spirit of Hannah, after her earnest prayers and suppli­cations.

What I am to write for your bet­ter Method propoun­ded. retaining of it in your memory, I shall digest into a plain and easie method; which is,

1 1. To premise something for the information of your judgment.

2 2. I shall premonish you of some obstructions and impediments which you ought to avoid.

3 3. To direct you to the practice of particular Duties.

4 4. To give an Answer to a questi­on or two. And then,

5 5. To conclude with a word of Consolation, and I hope so to con­clude, by the Grace of God, as your spirit may be quieted and comforted in God, so that after storms and tempests the Lord in mercy may send a calm and serenity upon your spirit.

Sect. 2. 1.In pursuance of the Method pro­pounded: 1. I shall premise a few Particulars for the Information of your judgment, and that in four Par­ticulars only.

1. You are to understand, that to 1. Head for Infor­mation of the judg­ment. 1. It's a good sign to be sen­sible of sin. be thoroughly awakened from secu­rity and stupidity, and to be sensible of, and mourn for sin, is a very good sign, and a characteristical note of a hopeful condition. On the contrary to be lull'd asleep in the cradle of secu­rity, and to be stupified and senseless, is a sign of a dangerous estate: For such as sleep in the cradle of security, have the Devil to be their Rocker, who afterwards (if mercy interpose not) will be their destroyer. But to complain of sin, and to be affected with godly sorrow for it, and to cry out for a deliverer; this was Saint Paul's condition, O wretched man that Rom. 7. 24. [Page 4] I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death! By the body of death, comprehensively, he meant Ori­ginal sin as the fountain, and actual sins as the streams flowing from it. The Apostle was (questionless) a tru­ly converted and regenerate person; and his sensibility of the body of sin, and vehement crying out for a deli­verer, discovers him to be a rege­nerate person: And those antipa­thies and conflicts between the flesh and spirit mentioned in the precedent verses, are frequently incident unto Vers. 20, 21, 22, 23. the dearest children of God. For as in nature a crying child declares that there is life, so in grace, where is a spiritual life, and mourning for sin, there holds the same rule of propor­tion. And to have heart compuncti­on, and to be affected with, and afflicted for sin, is an evident sign of a regenerate estate.

Sect. 3. 2. Heart­wounding usually goes be­fore heart healing. Ʋna ea­dem (que) ma­nus vulnus opemque tulit. Act. 2. 37. [...], Dolorem sensere, Grot. The word signifies to wound punctual­ly, even the least part and point of the heart, worse than the point of a sharp and im­poysoned Dagger. Mr. Bolton. Act 9. 3, 4, 5.2. Consider further, That it's the usual method of God first to wound before he heals, and to cast down be­fore he raiseth up. And we must know, that the self-same hand which hurts us, heals us. Of the Jews (after [Page 5] they were convinced of their horrid and execrable murther in imbruing their hands in the innocent blood of Jesus Christ) it's said, Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter, and the rest of the Apostles, Men and bre­thren, what shall we do? The scope of the question was, What they should do to be saved? What should they do to get pardon of their sins? There was a particular word a This, which struck them to the heart, and (as it were) smo [...]e them in the fifth rib, and so toucht them to the quick, as they were constrain'd to enquire af­ter a healing-remedy. Likewise Saul (though a great Persecutor, when he went on the high Priests Errand) he was cast down to the ground, and stopt in his mad career; for we read [...] And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus, and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven. And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? There follows a wonderful alteration in Saul; for when he was in his unconverted estate, his question would have been, What would [Page 6] the high Priests have him do? He was then their vassal, ready to do the worst of their commands; but as soon as the work of Conversion was begun in Saul, we read, And he trembling Vers. 6. and astonished, said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? Further, we read of the converted Jaylor, who after he heard an earthquake, shaking of the foundation of the prison, and when he saw all the doors opened, and every ones bonds loosed, he pro­pounded a Question of the greatest concernment in all the world, and submitted himself to the resolution Act. 16. 30 Agnitâ Dei poten­ [...]ia non modo Pau­lisper ter­ritus suit & mox ad priorem ferociam rediret, sed se D [...]o o­bedientem & sanae Doctrinae cupidum ostendit. Calv. of his Prisoners, * Sirs, what must I do to be saved? It's a probable con­jecture, that the Jaylor thought that the day of Judgment was already come, and that his accompt was dreadful, not only for his former old sins, but for his late sins in exer­cising great cruelty upon the Apostles; wherefore he spake not a syllable con­cerning the Miracle that happened, but only he enquires after the way and means of his everlasting Salva­tion.

None can deny but that the Births of some are easier, and others are [Page 7] sharper; and as in the natural birth, there are sore throws and pangs, so it falls out in the supernatural birth; some meet with such a sharp birth, as Colaphum Satanae ut nec calor, nec san­guis, nec vox super esset. Luth. in Epist. ad Me­lancth. The Life and Death of Mr. Bolton. Luther call'd Satans buffeting, so that neither heat nor sense, nor any voice remained. In the life of that emi­nent and faithful servant of Jesus Christ Mr. Robert Bolton late Pastor of Broughton in Northamptonshire, it's said. And to augment his spiritual misery, he was exercised with sharp temptations, call'd, Horribilia de Deo, terribilia de fide. But after such like sharp workings prove Physick to Gods children; and after sore pains and heart-sickness, through mercy a per­fect cure is wrought; wherefore let Act. 19. 4. [...]. Aperuit Deus illa. sinente a­periri, imo etiam ape­riente suo modo ut apparet. Apoc. 3. 20. Grot. none despair, or be discouraged by reason of the pains and pangs of the new birth, for these are in order to a cure; all have not (for it's very rare) the easie birth of Lydia, of whom it's said, Whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul But it's to be observed, that she was be­fore a Worshipper of God, but by the Preaching of St. Paul she had the Gospel more clearly revealed, [Page 8] and was more fully instructed, and established in the truth.

Sect. 4. What fears and doubts befall some, have be­fallen, or may be­fall o­thers. Psal. 10. 1.Consider further, that whatever fears, doubts and desertions have al­ready, or may befall you, are no o­ther than have been or may be the lot and portion of the dearest chil­dren of God. To produce an In­stance or two; David a man after Gods own heart, thus expostulates with God, Why standest thou afar off, O Lord? Why hidest thou thy self in times of trouble? But it's like­wise to be observed, that as he ex­postulates the case concerning the deserted condition of Gods chil­children, so he prescribes the best and only remedy, Dr. Sibs Souls Conflict. Why art thou Ps. 42. 11. Psal 43. 5. cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God, for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God. In two several Psalms the Psalmist useth those words, thereby intimating that a greater remark ought to be put upon them. To David I'le only add Heman, a man of a rare and excellent spirit, and yet he was under sore and [Page 9] heavy desertions and troubles, (as may appear by his doleful com­plaint), Lord, why castest thou off Psal. 88. 14, 15. my soul? why hidest thou thy face from me? I am afflicted and ready to die, from my youth up; while I suffer thy terrours, I am distracted. Wherefore then, do neither prejudg nor misjudg your self, as if your condition was singular, or as if by your present sufferings, therefore you may conclude that you are a greater sinner. Our Saviour recti­fies that mistake, and neither char­geth the Galileans, whose blood Pilate mingled with their Sacrifices, nor those Eighteen upon whom the Tower in Siloam, fell to be greater sinners than others, but thus he de­termines, I tell you nay; but except Luk. 13. 2, 3, 4, 5. ye repent, ye shall all likewise pe­rish.

Sect. 5. 4. Gods children meet with variety of afflictions. Luk. 9. 23.4. Consider, that the best of Gods children have met with, and may still meet with variety of afflictions and troubles in this present world: For saith our Savour, If any man will come after me, let him deny him­self, and take up his cross daily, and [Page 10] follow me. As we pray for our daily [...]. Qui nonest Christianus, & non est Crucianus, Luth. in Gen. c. 29. Act. 14. 22 bread, so we must prepare for our daily cross. Wherefore Luther used to say, That he is no Christian, who is no cross-bearer. The Apostle speaks upon experimental knowledg, We must through much tribulation enter in­to the kingdom of God. And likewise the Apostle acquaints us, that we are appointed unto afflictions; For (saith he) that no man should be moved by 1 Thes. 3. 3 these afflictions, for your selves know that we are appointed thereunto.

Sect. 6. Object. But you will say, that your wounds are more inward, and your troubles are wounds of Conscience; and you urge that of Solomon, The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a Pro. 18. 14 wounded spirit who can bear?

Ans. For Answer, There is nothing which hath befallen you, but what hath befallen others of Gods Chil­dren. For Job complains— The Job 6. 4. Arrows of the Almighty are with­in me, the poyson whereof drinketh up my spirit: The terrors of God do set themselves in array against me. But David complains of broken bones, [Page 11] but they were caused by breaches, first made upon his Conscience in the matters of Ʋriah. Though Da­vid was a great King, and full of riches and honour, and though he was an excellent Musician, and of a sanguine complexion (and those na­turally are most cheerful); yet he had inward as well as outward trou­ble: For so he complains, I am fee­ble Psal. 38. 8. and sore broken: I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart. But what must be done in this case? You must make hast to God the only Physician, who can cure you, and apply the Blood of Christ, which is the only Medicine. As you ought to be sensible of your wounds, so you must seek speedily for cure. Imitate those who were stung with the fiery Serpents, and presently look'd up to the Brazen­serpent and were cured. The Com­mand was from the Lord unto Mo­ses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and Num. 21. 7 set it upon a pole; and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. And what was commanded, Moses obeyed, accordingly good success [Page 12] followed; And Moses made a Ser­pent Vers. 8. of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a ser­pent had bitten any man, when he be­held the serpent of brass, he lived. The bitings of the Serpent represent the dreadful stings of sin; and the looking up unto the Brazen-Serpent, represents the looking up unto Christ with the eye of faith: Christ the best Expositor thus expounds that Scripture, And as Moses lifted up Joh. 3. 14, 15. the serpent in the wilderness; even so must the soon of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have eternal life.

When sorrows have almost drunk up your spirits, as you complain of your disease (whereof you ought to be sensible), so you must seek after a Remedy. There is a vast difference between poor doubting Christians, and confident presumptuous sinners: these are over-hasty to apply Com­forts which appertain not to them, and are not in the mean time affected with sense of their sins, nor afflicted for them with godly sorrow: Whereas the other dare not apply promises (though [Page 13] they have a right unto them) but stay too much in beholding their wounds, and mourning for them: both these extremes must be removed As on one hand, we may not be confident on our condition, and be too hasty to apply comfort before we have been cast down with godly sorrow; so on the other hand we must not deny our selves those comforts which God ap­points [...]or godly mourners. For what was prophesied of Christs preaching, he actually accomplished: The spirit Isa. 61. 1, 2, 3. Luk. 4. 18. of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek: he hath sent Hinc colli­gimus Isai­am proprie de Evan­gelio loqu [...] Lex enim data est ut superbos & turgentes inani fi­ducia ani­mos pro­sternat: Evange lium vero afflictis destinatur (i. e.) iis, qui se omni bono vacous esse s [...]iunt ut colligant animos ac sustentent, Calv. me to bind up the broken-hearted, to pro­claim liberty to the capt [...]ves, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God: to comfort all that mourn: to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the Oyl of joy for mourning, the garment of praises for the spirit of heaviness, that [Page 14] they might be called trees of righteous­ness. Make haste unto Jesus Christ, and apply this great promise for the comfort of your soul.

Sect. 7. Object. But you will say farther, I fear that I am not concerned in this promise, be­cause it belongs to such as are broken-hearted only, and godly mourners?

Ans. For answer, I ask you: Do not you hate and abhor sin? Is not sin your greatest sorrow? And is not Christ your greatest joy? If so, then you may apply that excellent promise to your particular condition, and notwithstanding the sense of your own weakness and unworthiness, be not discouraged from coming to Christ; There's help laid upon one that Ps. 89. 19. is mighty: And this is Jesus Christ. Go therefore (laying aside all de­lays, excuses, and demurs) unto Christ quickly; for he is an absolute and All­sufficient Saviour; Wherefore he is able Heb. 7. 25. also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

Sect. 8. Object. But farther you will say, that my afflictions are judgments, and tokens of Gods wrath?

Ans. But why do you so pre-judg and mis-judg your own condition, as ma­king it worse than it is, as being more ready (which is your failing) to catch at any thing which may make against you, than at any thing which may make for you?

I shall distinguish of two sorts of judgments, the one is of chastisement, and the other is of punishment. As for this of punishment, this is only appropriated unto ungodly men, who many times even in this world receive part of payment, and an earnest of those judgments which shall be their full portion, and full payment in ever­lasting burnings, in that Lake that burneth with fire and brimstone: these are firebrands of Hell. But then there is a judgment of chastise­ment, and fatherly correction; and this befalls Gods own dear Children in this present world; For (saith the Apostle) judgment begins at the house 1 Pet. 4. 7. [Page 16] of God: And chastisements are love­tokens unto Gods Children, For whom the Lord loveth he chastneth, and scourg­eth Heb. 2. 6. every son whom he receiveth. Such then are in a happy condition, who make a right improvement of afflicti­ons; For (saith the Psalmist) blessed is the man whom thou chastneth, O Lord, Ps. 94. 12. and teachest him out of thy law. And then a Christian is well improved by any affliction, when it is sanctified to him, and he made more holy by the affliction; for God chastiseth us for our profit, that we might be partakers Heb. 12. 10 of his holiness. And though afflicti­ons for the present are irksome and grievous, yet afterwards they yield the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them, which are exercised there­by. Vers. 11.

Wherefore then, as you must not [...]. Haec signifi­cant patien­tiam & per­severantiam in flagellis, Lyra. Heb. 12. 5. on one hand slight afflictions, and be insensible of them; so on the other hand, you must not sink under the burthen of them: For so the com­mand is, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him. Take then heed, and beware of murmuring, and [Page 17] of repining thoughts, by reason of afflictions, but labour to profit by them; and then you will profit by them, when they purge out dross, and take away tin; so it's promised, And Isa. 1. 25. I will turn my hand upon thee, and purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin: It's likewise prophesied, And some of them of understanding shall Dan [...] 1. 35. fall to try them, and to purge them, and to make them white: God me [...]s and try▪ his people, and refines them in the [...]urn [...]ce▪ of affliction; and by affli­ctions God empties them from vessel to vessel, and pu [...]geth out pride, an­ger, unbelief, earthly-mindedness, &c. Afflictions are like a shepherds Dog, to bring home a stragling sheep to the fold of Christ; or like a Scullion, to scower away rust and filthiness; or like a Fan, to seperate the wheat from the chaff: Though afflictions, as considered simply in themselves, are not bona; yet as they are Relative­ly considered in respect of the good effects which come of them, they are in bonum to the Children of God. Gods own Children are not Filii irae, yet they may be Filii sub ira for a time. So then, when afflictions are [Page 18] instrumental means to purge out our corruptions, and to work in us the saving graces of the Spirit; and when by them we are more wean'd and alie­nated from the love of the world, and made more in love with Christ and heavenly things, then we may say every one in particular with Da­vid, It was good for me that I have Psal. 119. 71. Vers. 75. been afflicted, that I might learn thy statutes. And he farther confesseth, I Know, O Lord, that thy judgments are right: and that tho [...] in faithful­ness hast afflicted me. Amidst all your afflictions, whether inward or outward, be sure that you have re­course to the Word of God for Counsel, and for Comfort; for the Testimonies of God are both Coun­sellors and Comforters. And the Psalmist declares his own experience, This is my comfort in my affliction: for Ps. 119. 24. Vers. 92. thy word hath quickned me: Ʋnless thy law had been my delights, I should then have perished in mine affli­ctions.

Sect. 9. Having premised these four parti­culars before-mentioned for the bet­ter information and establishment of [Page 19] your judgment, I come in the next 2. Head. [...] to be remo­ved. place (according to my method pro­pounded) to premonish you of some Obstructions and Impediments whic [...] you ought to remove.

The first Impediment to your peace Imped. 1. Keep­ing of Sa­tans coun­sel. and tranquillity, is keeping of Satans counsel. You must not take advice from him, nor hearken to his sug­gestions, nor believe him, nor con­ceal from Christian Friends your condition: some the Devil assaults with more violent temptations, and especially offers to them such baits as they are most likely to be caught withal; some he tempts to presump­tion, and others to desperation, and a third sort he tempts to carnal se­curity, and a fourth sort to a licen­tious liberty. If upon any one of those dangerous Rocks we split our selves, we shall quickly make ship­wrack of faith, and of a good con­science.

To confine my self only to your particular case: Notwithstanding your unblameable life (as to the eye of the world), yet the Devil tempts [Page 20] you to despair, suggesting to you, that you are a hypocrite, and that there is no mercy reserv'd for you; but be advised to beware of the De­vils sophistry, and beg wisdom of God, that you may discern and be­ware of the Devils methods, depths, devices, snares and subtilties; for he is an old and cunning Sophister, and deluder. Melancthon, an excellent man, thought with himself, that he could be hard enough for Satan; but af­terwards he consest, That the old Dra­gon was too hard for young Melan­cthon. The Apostle tells us in his own name, and others, Lest Satan should 2 Cor. 2. 11. [...] est astuta co­gitatio, ra­tiocina­tio sophi­stica, hinc latini eti­am noema vocant ir­risoriam in­ventionem & subsan­natio [...]em, Aret. in I. oc. get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices. Where­fore great care and vigilancy are re­quisite against Satans temptations: The Devil will tempt you to neglect Religious Duties, as praying, hear­ing, and reading of the Word of God, and he will tell you, that Du­ties will be useless to you, and no whit available for your good: And if the Devil cannot prevail with you to lay aside Duties altogether, then he will tempt you to do them slight­ly and superficially, and so to offer [Page 21] the refuse to God. But read what Mal. 1. 8. the Prophet Malachy saith, And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? And if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? Offer it now unto thy governour, will he be p [...]eased with thee, or accept thy person, saith the Lord of Hosts? God requires the best of our services. In the spi­ritual sacrifices, the Lamb without blemish was to be offered, and the purest Meal, and the purest Oyl; and in spiritual sacrifices we must offer to God the best: There's a dread­ful curse against the Deceiver, who puts God off with a refuse Commo­dity: Mal. 8. 14. [...] Cyr. Alex. But cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing. Wherefore hearken not to Satans temptations, either one way or other, whether it be to lay aside Duties, or else to do them after a slight and careless manner. Nei­ther may you venture to hold a Par­ley with Satan, for he is both a sub­tile Sophister, and an inveterate ad­versary, and lyes at the catch to take all advantages against you. Be­ware of too much reservedness, but [Page 22] unburthen your soul, and communi­cate your condition to such experi­enced Christians, who will commise­rate your case, and have a fellow­feeling thereof, and will endeavour to comfort you with those comforts wherewith they themselves have been comforted.

Sect. 10 Two or three things I commend especially to you as Preservatives a­gainst Satans Temptations; and al­though he may tempt you, yet he may (through the strength of God) be worsted, and driven away as a conquer'd enemy.

1. Stand upon your watch. If 1. Stand upon your watch. Sentinels neglect their watch, a whole Garrison may be soon betrayed into the hands of Enemies. When one who should have been a Watchman slept upon his watch, a Commander slew him, saying, I found him dead, Mortuum inveni, & mortutum reliqui. Mat. 2 5. 13. Mark 13. 36, 37. and left him dead. There's a neces­sity, that you should stand upon your watch. Our Saviour frequent­ly presseth this duty of Watchfulness, and the Apostle Paul presseth watch­fulness, Watch ye, stand fast in the [Page 23] faith, quit you like men be strong. And the Apostle Peter lays a special charge, Be sober, be vigilant, because 1 Cor. 16. 13. 1 Pet. 5. 8. your adversary the Devil as a roaring Lion walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. More particularly, watch over your thoughts; the thoughts may be compared to Reuben the first­born; yet as he was, so are thoughts, they are unstable as water. We must Gen. 49. 3, 4. not give any lodging to vain thoughts. Though they are apt to croud in up­on us, yet we must not give any enter­tainment to, nor approbation of them; you must likewise watch over your words, and labour to reduce Davids resolution into practice, I said I will Psal. 39. 1. i. e. That I sin not, or miss not. By a Bri­dle, the untamed­ness of the tongue is noted, which must by force and watchfulness be restrain­ed. Ainsw. Phil. 1. 27. 1 Thes. 2. 12. take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue. I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is be­fore me. And you must watch over your whole life and conversation, and labour to walk as becomes the Gospel, and to walk worthy of God.

2. Be furnished with spiritual 2. Be fur­nished. with spiritual Armour. [Page 24] Armour; you had need be well pro­vided and appointed with every piece of that Divine Panoply mentioned by the Apostle. And in an especial man­ner, the shield of faith is a defensive weapon to ward off Satans fiery darts; for (so saith the Apostle), Above all taking the shield of faith, Eph. 6. 16. wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And the same Apostle chargeth us to put Eph. 6. 11. on the whole armour of God, that we may be able to stand against the wiles of the Devil.

Faith is a principal piece of this spiritual Armour; and if we be sted­fast in the faith, we take a ready course to resist him; Whom resist sted­fast 1 Pet. 5. 9. in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. Themistocles when a Battel was lost, askt, Whether his Buckler was safe? Faith is both a Shield and a Buckler for defence. Amidst variety of losses, if we keep Faith for our Shield and Bucklar, there's strong encourage­ment left, notwithstanding other losses.

3. Another Preparative against 3. Resist the first onset and assault of Satan. Satans Temptations is, to be careful to resist the first onset and assault of Satan: We say in Proverbs, Nip bad fruit in the very bud, and crush the cockatrice in the egg. And Physi­cians Obsta Principiis▪ say, Resist beginnings. In an especial manner let's resist this old Serpent Satan in his first attempts: As a Serpent, if he can get in his head, he will soon wind in his whole body; so Satan, if he be admitted at the first, and be not repulsed in his first motions, he will proceed more and more to do greater mischiefs: Wherefore, when Satan injects wan­dring, vain, and unbelieving thoughts, resist them presently, and hold no compliance with Satan nor carnal reasonings, but (as the the Apostle 2 Cor. 10. 5. exhorts) Casting down [...]. Intelligit de consilio ratiocina­tionis humanae non sincerae sed corruptae. Musc. imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledg of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.

Sect. 11. 2. Imped. 2. A mis­represen­tation by a false glass.A second Impediment to be remo­ved, is a misrepresentation of your self by a false glass, and so making a judgment upon your self according to your own misrepresentations; your own fancies, conjectures, and imaginations, are all as so many false glasses for you to look in. You may peradventure think that you have no faith at all, because you want feeling; whereas feeling is an after­thing. In whom (saith the Apostle) Eph. 1. 13. ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth the Gospel of your Salvation: In whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy spirit of promise. It's the saying of Reverend Mr. Greenham, That we Green­ham's Works. hold Christ by faith, and not by feel­ing. Likewise you may imagine that you have no faith at all, because you have not so strong a faith as some other Christians have. But you must know, that there are good Christians and good Scholars in Christs School, who all are not of the same form; some may be higher, and some may be lower, and yet Christ may own them for his Disciples. Abraham had a faith hardly to be parallel'd, [Page 27] He staggered not at the promise of Rom. c. 20. God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God. He had full assurance of faith. But the man in the Gospel partly between saith and doubting crys out, Lord, I be­lieve, Mark 9. 24. help thou mine unbelief. Yet this man had a true faith. A little piece of Gold may be precious Gold, though as to the quantity less than many others. But he that hath a little saith (if this be true) labours for a farther augmentation of it, as not satisfied with what he hath at­tain'd unto: Take heed then as on one hand of judging too well, so on the other hand of judging too ill of your self. Your grand duty is to give up your self to the rule and guidance of the Word of God, and to relye and depend on Christ alone, Who is the true light which lighteth Joh. 1. 9. every man that cometh into the world. No light shines clear, and directs a­right, save that only which is inlight­ned by the Lamp of the Sanctuary, which is the Word of God.

Sect. 12. Object. Object. To come nearer to your particular case; your complaints are [Page 28] often repeated, That you cannot pray, and that you hear and read the Word of God, and yet you cannot profit, and that Exhortations are lost upon you, and that your memory cannot retain what you have either heard or read; hence you conclude, that the Promises belong not to you?

Answ. Answ. For answer to these surmi­ses of your misgiving heart, I ask you, Whether you do not love the duty of Prayer? and whether you do not desire the Grace, as well as the gift of Prayer? And whether it be not the desire of your soul to pour out your heart before the Lord? And doth not your soul pant and breathe after God? And do not you sigh and mourn for every sin? And are not you sorry, that you can be no more sorry for your sins? If this be your condition (as my hope it is) you can pray better than you are a­ware of: For (saith the Apostle) the Rom. 8. 26. [...] Onus vi­cissim attollit ex altera parte, ne sub eo fatiscamus. Beza. spirit helpeth our infirmities. The Ori­ginal word is very Emphatical. It follows, For we know not what we [Page 29] should pray for as we ought but the spirit it self maketh intercession for us, with groanings which cannot be uttered. Herein consists the great duty, to be importunate with God for the as­sistance of his holy Spirit, and to ap­ply the promises, That God will give Mat. 7. 11. good things to them that ask him. And what's that good thing? even the best of all things is promised? Your heaven Luk. 11. 13 ly Father shall give the holy Spirit to them that ask him.

Object. Object. And whereas you complain of your barrenness and unprofitableness under the means of Grace, and of your slippery and failing memory.

Answ. Answ. I answer, that it's a good sign to be sensible of your failings, and to bewail them. It's a grand Duty incumbent on you to be heed­ful and vigilant. It's the Apostles caution, Therefore we ought to give Heb. 2. 1. the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip; or (as [...]. the Original implys) let them run out, as leaking vessels do, and let out pre­cious liquor as soon as it is poured in­to [Page 30] them. At for your unprofitable­ness, if we all in particular reflect upon our selves, all our faces will gather blackness, and we have all cause to complain that when we have Luk. 17. 10. done all that we can, we are unprofi­table servants. Wherefore being con­scious to our selves of our great un­fruitfulness under the means of Grace, and notwithstanding fatning Ordinan­ces we have lean souls, let's supplicate Isa. 48. 17. unto the Throne of Grace. Thus saith the Lord thy Redeemer the holy one of Israel, I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way which thou shouldest go.

Object. And whereas your misgiving heart injects many fears unto you, as if none of the Promises appertain'd unto you.

Answ. Answ. I answer, That it's more than you know: For a poor doubting, trembling Christian may have the root of the matter in him, and a right to the promises, though at present he may want the mani­festation of those consolations which the promises afford. But do not you judg your self unworthy of e­ternal [Page 31] life. Cast not away the An­chor of your hope; let not go your hold on the Promises, for they are a stay and a staff for you to support your soul upon, when you appre­hend your self even in a tottering condition. Are you thirsty after Christ? Apply your self to the Pro­mises, for they are as so many Wells of Salvation, Therefore with joy shall Isa. 12. 3. ye draw water out of the wells of sal­vation. Do you desire a word of comfort to be spoken to your Soul? Make hast to the Promises, for they are the breasts of consolation, which Isa. 66. 11. can satisfie you.

Sect. 13.A few Questions I propound unto you, and after your most serious and composed thoughts, I expect your Answer.

Do not you love God? Q.

You cannot say but you do. A. Then the Promise is your portion: And we know that all things work Rom. 8. 28 Qui dicit omnia ex­cipit nihil. together for good to them that love God. Observe, that all things are promised, and nothing is excepted. [Page 32] Your present troubles of mind (though for a time they may be grievous) yet in Gods good time shall all work together for your good.

Do not you hate the ways of sin, Q. and love the ways of holiness?

If so (as I have no reason to think A. otherways) then you are in a hope­ful condition. The Psalmist profes­seth his love to the Law of God, and his utter hatred and abhorrency of every false way, and especially lays down an evidence of his upright­ness, by keeping himself from bosom­sins; for said he, I was also upright Ps [...] 18. 23. before him, and I kept my self from mine iniquity.

Another Question I shall only pro­pound to you, Do not you love the Q. Children of God? You dare not say otherways, for those are the compa­ny with whom you converse and de­light.

Hence you may evidence, that you A. [...]oh. 13. 35 are a Disciple of Jesus Christ: By this shall all men know that ye are my [Page 33] Disciples, if ye love one another. This is an evidence of regeneration, to love the Brethren: We know (saith 1 John 3. 14. the Apostle) that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren: he that loveth not his bro­ther abideth in death. I knew one upon his death-bed who took great comfort in this evidence, of loving the Children of God.

A Third Impediment to be avoid­ed, 3. Imped. Too much retired­ness and respect­iveness. is too much retiredness and re­servedness. Do not feed and nou­rish a melancholly humour, by se­parating your self from the society of such who would gladly administer comfort to you. The society of experienced Christians, and frequent conference with them, may be of great advantage to you for the esta­blishment of your heart by giving seasonable and suitable Answers to those doubts which trouble you. One Coal may inkindle another, and one Iron may sharpen another; and so one Christian may be instrumental both for inkindling and quickning the Graces of Gods Spirit in another.

I advise you to be very seldom alone during your Troubles and Temptations, unless in two special cases: As first, when God is speak­ing to you in his Word, when you read the Word of God, and faith­ful Writers and Expositors thereof: Which read, you must labour to digest by Prayer and Meditation, and make of all particular application unto your own Soul. And secondly, When you are speaking to God in Prayer and Supplication, then is a fit season to be alone, and in your se­cret recesses to pour out your heart unto the Lord.

My further advice unto you, in love is, That you would beware of idleness and sloth. Although I su­spect you not, nor can accuse you, yet in love to your precious soul, I cannot but premonish you both to avoid the sin of idleness, and the mi­serable consequences thereof: For if the Devil can prevail by his tempta­tions to gain you to idleness and slug­gishness, and to the neglect of your [Page 35] duties which concern both your ge­neral and particular calling, then he will get ground of you, and lay his Snares and Gins to intrap you, and so go away Conqueror. That there­fore you may prevent the mischie­vous designs of Satan, I counsel you to be industrious in your particular calling and imployment, with dili­gence and care, provided that you above all regard your general call­ing as a Christian.

I am not ignorant, that every thing is beautiful in its season; some­times retiredness, and sometimes con­versing with others have their pecu­liar season: As for retiredness, there is an allowable separation in some cases (as the wise man informs us) Through desire a man having separa­ted Prov. 18. 1. himself, seeketh and intermedleth with all wisdom. For the gaining of Wisdom, and improvement thereof when so gain'd, we must sequester our selves from Company, and hide our selves for a time in our Closets, that so we may have better conveni­encies for the exercise of Prayer and [Page 36] Meditation. There is a time when God calls for retiredness, for so we read, Come my people, enter thou into sa. 26. 26 thy Chambers, and shut thy dores a­bout thee, hide thy self as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.

Such a retiredness as this, is both necessary and comfortable; For a Christian to pour out his Soul in Prayer to God (when no eye of man seeth him, nor any ear of man heareth him) and so me­ditate on the Word of God, by such a retiredness he gains a sacred communion and acquaintance with God, such a one as Eliphaz exhorts Job 22. 21. Job to get: But as for any retired­ness and reservedness to nourish a melancholly and dumpish humour, and to sequester your self from pro­fitable soul-friends, that kind of re­tiredness I advise you against alto­gether.

Likewise there's a fit season for spiritual conference. This was much practised by the ancient Servants of [Page 37] God; for we read, Propheta non tantum dicitquem­que priva­tim tactum fuis (que) resi­piscentia sed inter se loquutos quò signi­ficat debe­re studium nostrum extendi ad fratres no­stros. Calv. Then they that Mal. 3. 16. feared the Lord, spake often one to another, and the Lord hearkened and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him, for them that feared the Lord, and thought upon his name. God sometimes manifests him­self in one Ordinance, and sometimes he manifests himself in another; though we are tyed and bound to wait on God in every Ordinance, yet he is a most free Agent; and as the Wind blows where it listeth, so he works where he pleaseth. Sometimes we may not get comfort by the Word, or by Prayer, or by recei­ving of the Lords Supper, yet we may receive abundant comfort by godly conference. Therefore be sure that you neglect not the Society of such, who are able and willing to build you up in your holy faith, and to speak a word of comfort in due sea­son unto your Soul.

Sect. 14. 3d. Head.In the third place, in pursuance of my method, I shall make it my bu­siness to exhort you to the practice of some particular Duties, and [Page 38] they are these six especially.

Be frequent and serious in read­ing Duty 1. Be fre­quent and serious in reading of the Scrip­tures. 2 Tim. 3. 5 of the holy Scriptures, for they alone can make you wise unto salva­tion. The Scriptures in some places are so plain (as some observe) that a Lamb may wade, and in other pla­ces so deep that an Elephant may swim. The Scriptures Quae nul­lis non con­venit annis Lacte ri­gans pue­ros, pane cibans va­lidos? Prosper. Psal. 119. 24. Vers. 50. suit all ages, and all sexes, and all conditions (as is observed). Tertullian, an ancient Father, saith, I adore the fulness of the Scriptures. The Psalmist declares, Thy Testimonies also are my delight, and my Counsellors. And when he would raise to himself a ground of comfort, he fastned upon the Word of God, and there stay'd: This (saith he) is my comfort in my af­fliction, for thy word hath quickened me. And unless he had received comfort from the Word, he was sensible that he had been utterly un­done; Ʋnless thy Law had been my Vers. 92. delights, I should then have perished in mine affliction.

Questionless all Scripture is pre­cious, and the Lord would let none of Samuel's words, much less would he let any of his own words fall to the ground; and every part and parcel of the Holy Scripture is of the same piece of pure Gold, and more to be valued than the gold of Ophir, or the gold of Parvaim; yet considering your present condition, I advise you to the serious perusal of these ensuing Scriptures, as most suitable unto your particular case. One Scripture is mentioned by the Prophet Isaiah, Who is among you Isa. 50. 10. that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light: let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God. Another Scripture is, Light is sown for the Psal. 97. 11. righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart. Between Seed-time and Harvest, there is a considerable in­terval of time; yet what hath been sown, will come up in the appointed season. Add hereunto a third Scrip­ture homogeneous to the former, [Page 40] Ʋnto the upright there ariseth light in Psal 112. 4. darkness. To these Scriptures; I shall add some others, which have abundantly supported the afflicted Servants of God: One is, Return Psal. 116. 7. unto thy rest, O my soul, for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee. A second is of the Prophet Isaiah, For Isa. 57. 15. thus saith the high and lofty one that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is ho­ly, I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. A third Scripture is, I came not to call the righteous, Matt. 9. 13 but sinners to repentance. A fourth is, Come unto me all ye that labour Matt. 11. 28. 1 Tim. 1. 25. and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. A fifth is, This is a faith­ful saying, and worthy of all accepta­tion, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. A sixth only which I shall mention is in the Revelations, And Rev. 22. 17 the Spirit, and the Bride say, come. And let him that is a thirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

There are peculiar Psalms, which I commend to your frequent and deliberate perusal and meditation, viz. Psal. 16. 18. 23. 25. 27. 32. 34. 42. 61. 62 and 63. Any one of these Psalms, if you ponder them in your heart, and pray that God would write them in your heart, O! how abundantly may you profit thereby! Read frequently, (and to reading, add prayer and meditation) Christ's incomparable Sermon Preach­ed in the mount, Matt. 5 6, 7. and likewise Christs farewell-Sermon con­tain'd in Joh. 14. 15, 16, 17. Add hereunto a serious reading and me­ditating on Rom. 8. Though I ex­clude not other Scriptures (for all are precious) yet considering that many Christians have gain'd so much good by reading of those Scriptures, I commend them to your reading, meditation, and particular applicati­on, and I hope (and my hearts de­sire is) that through the Grace of God some word or other may leave such deep impressions upon your heart both for instruction and consolation, as that [Page 42] you may be better for them all your days.

Sect. 15. Duty 2. Be much in heart­studying.2. Be much conversant in the stu­dying of your own heart. It's very needful to be well acquainted at home. For this self-acquaintance and know­ledg of a mans own heart, is a very necessary knowledge, and a profitable acquaintance. This is a great business, and an useful imployment for every one to busie himself in searching of his own heart; and he that is thus imployed, and makes it his business to know and understand himself, will know more evil by himself, than all the world can tell him of. I have read of Heraclitus a weeping Philo­sopher, who being askt what he stu­died, he answered, To know himself. [...]. And it was the saying of one of the wise men of Greece, Know thy self: And this knowledg we shall never attain unto, unless we study our own hearts. This was the resolution of the Church (though at that time under hatches) Let us search and try Jer. 3. 40. our ways, and turn again to the Lord. First, there must be searching and [Page 43] trying, and then follows a turning to God. And in this turning there are two terms, one is from what we Terminus à quo, & terminus ad quem. turn, and this is from sin; and the other is to whom we should turn, and this is to God. The heart is ex­ceeding filthy and defiled, and there­fore frequent washings and cleansings are required: So runs the word of command, O Jerusalem wash thy heart Jer. 4. 14 from wickedness, that thou maist be sa­ved! How long shall thy vain thoughts lodg within thee? In the Levitical Law, when a beast was slain for sacrifice, there was a special command for the washing of the inwards, and the legs. Lev. 1. 9. These washings were typical, and put us in remembrance of washing of our hearts and lives. For both in­ward and outward pollution ought to be avoided, and we ought to cleanse our selves from both, For 2 Cor. 7. 1. (saith the Apostle) having therefore these promises (dearly beloved) let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. And both out­ward and inward purity ought to be endeavoured after. It's the Apo­stles [Page 44] command, Let us draw near Heb. 10. 22. with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies wa­shed wi [...]h pure water. Now let the heart be washt first, then the con­versation will be purified. The heart may be compared to a fountain, if that be pure, the conversation as so many streams flowing from that fountain will be pure. The more we search our hearts, the more pol­lution we shall find in them. We shall find them to be a cage of un­clean birds, and a cinque of all man­ner of impurity. Wherefore above all keepings, we ought to keep our hearts; for so saith the Wiseman, Keep thy heart with all diligence, for Prov. 4. 23. out of it are the issues of life. Let it be therefore your greatest care and endeavour to approve your heart unto God, in sincerity and in truth.

Sincerity is that which consti­tutes a Christian, and distinguisheth a child of God from an hypocrite. Look then especially to the inclina­tion, vergency, frame and propensi­on [Page 45] of your heart, whether it tend directly towards God, or obliquely toward the world.

The difference upon Scripture-re­cord is very great between Asa and Amaziah, (although neither one nor other▪ were without their fail­ings); Asa fail'd in several things, yet the root of the matter was in him, for his heart was upright to­ward God, so it's evidenced in the Scripture, Nevertheless the heart of 2 Chron. 15. 17. Asa was perfect all his days. As for Amaziah, though he went a great way, yet he came far short of the main thing requir'd; for this brand of infamy is left upon record, And he did that which was right in 2. Chron. 25. 2. the sight of [...] Lord, but not with a perfect heart. It's the common lot of Gods dearest children to have Infirmities, yet notwithstanding they can take comfort in the integrity of their hearts: So the Spouse con­fest, I sleep, but my heart waketh. Cant. 5. 2. The sleeping of the Spouse imply'd that she had her Infirmities, but her heart waking declar'd her sin­cerity.

Sect. 16. Duty 3. Be fre­quent and fervent in secret prayer. Prov. 18. 1.3. Be frequent and fervent in secret prayer. Though separation from the Assemblies of Saints is un­warrantable, yet there is a warran­table separation, of which the Wise­man makes mention, Through desire a man having separated himself, seek­eth and intermedleth with all wisdom. There is a time for retiredness into our Closets; of this our Saviour speaks, But thou when thou prayest, Mat. 6. 6. enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret, and thy Father which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly. For this retirement God Isa. 26. 20. calls upon his people, Come my peo­ple, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee; hide thy self as it were for a little moment▪ un­til the indignation be over-past.

Wherefore in your short recesses and retirements (which you must take frequently) pour out your heart unto God; and when you are remo­test from company, and from the hearing of men, then be more ear­nest in wrestling with God in prayer [Page 47] and supplication. Sometimes you may find a listlesness and indisposed­ness upon your spirit, and by reason of such dulness and deadness, you may be afraid of venturing upon any holy duty; yet you must take heed of neglecting any duty: For dulness, deadness, and indisposedness of spirit, are no warrants to neglect any duty; but you ought the rather to be more sollicitous unto the throne of Grace for quickning-vertue, that God would raise and dispose your heart for his service. Although at some time, you may be so straitned in your spirit as you may not be able to utter a word; yet you may sigh, and mourn, and groan, and breathe after God; and these sigh­ings, breathings, groanings, and mournings, are all known to God: and as for the compunctions of the heart, God takes notice of them all. We read that the Lord said unto Moses, Why cryest thou unto me? The Exod. 14. 15. time that Moses thus cryed, was when Pharoah and his host pursued the Children of Israel: A potent furious Enemy was behind them, [Page 48] and the Red-sea before them, and whether they went forward or back­ward, their danger was exceeding great, either to be drown'd in the Water, or slain with the Sword of the Enemy. It's worth our obser­vation, that there is no particular word specified that Moses spake, but the crying mention'd there, was the cry of the heart which came up to Heaven, and the Lord gave a gracious answer unto his cry. When none sees you but God, and none hears you but God only, then be in an especial manner an importunate supplicant and beggar, That the Lord in mercy would subdue your cor­ruptions, and strengthen you by his grace to mortify sin, and quicken you unto holy duties. Amidst all the clouds, and darkness, and gloo­miness that are incident unto yon, be earnest with God, that he would smile on you. This is that saving, real good to be desired principally, There be many that say, who will Psal. 4. 6. 7. shew us any good? Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. Thou that hast put gladness in [Page 49] my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased. Likewise you must be informed far­ther, That as you ought to pray, so you ought not to use prayer only as a duty commanded, but likewise you ought to use Prayer as a means to obtain a blessing. Neither should you only desire the gift of Prayer, but especially the grace of Prayer. The gift of Prayer may be acquired by study, memory and strength of parts; and a faculty of expressing of your self in fit and proper words it to be much desired: but principally you must look after, and search your heart, whether you have the grace of Prayer. This is promised, and this should be begg'd of God, And Zech. 12. 10. I will pour upon the house of David, * Longe excellenti­us est ef­fundit in nos spiri­tum gratiae quam gratiam ipsam, quia nisi spiritus gratiae penetret in animos nostros & instillet nobis sensum gratiae erit inuti­lis [...] Calv. and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and supplications. And where this gracious and pray­ing spirit is, there it's accompanied [Page 50] with godly sorrow for sin; for it followeth in the same verse, And they shall look upon me, whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him as one that is in bitterness for his first­born.

Sect. 17.Further, That you may so pour out your heart to God in Prayer, as you may have a sure ground of hope to obtain acceptance with God, I shall prescribe to you (as I have the Scripture-warrant) these six ensuing qualifications.

1. You must pray in humility: 1. Pray in humility We are all poor, blind, miserable and naked, even dust and ashes, and shall dust and ashes be proud? We are all beggars to God, and shall beggars be proud? It's a saying that deserves a remark to be set upon it, That there is nothing worse than Nihil est superba mendicita­te deterius. Qui sibi vilis est Deo charus est. Bern. proud beggary. When we have to deal with God we can never be [Page 51] humble enough. And the more vile a man is in his own eyes, the more he is esteemed of in the eyes of God. When Abraham interceded for So­dom, he acknowledged himself but dust and ashes; and Jacob acknow­ledged Gen. 18. 27. Gen. 32. 10. Psal. 22. 6. Cum sis kumi limus, cur non es humillimus? Bern. himself not worthy of the least of the mercies of God. And David accounted himself a worm and no man. When we lye low, and are vile in our own eyes, and pray in humility, we are the more capable of receiving a blessing.

2. You must prefer all your sup­plications, 2. All Prayers must be put up in the name of Jesus Christ. Mat. 3. 17. Act. 4. 12. prayers and requests to God the Father in the Name of Je­sus Christ For of Christ, a voice came from heaven, saying, this is my beloved son, in whom I am well plea­sed. There is no other name but the name of Jesus for salvation, Nei­ther is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven, whereby we must be saved. The promise which Christ made un­to his Disciples is, And whatsoever Joh. 14. 13. you shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified [Page 52] in the son. Luther makes mention of Non solum periculosū est, sed hor­ribile, de Deo extra Christum Cogitare. Luth. Loc. Com. 3. Prayer must be made in Faith. Matt. 21. 22. the danger and horror of thinking of God without Christ: For God without Christ is a consuming fire, but with Christ he is a gracious and merciful Father.

3. You must pray in faith. To such who pray in faith, the promise belongs, and only to them. And all things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. There is no coming unto God the Father without Christ; for he is the only Mediator; neither is there any coming unto Christ without Faith. For (saith the Apostle) without faith Heb. 11. 6. it is impossible to please God. It's storied of the Persians, that when they had offended their King, they brought his Son in their arms, and so obtained favour; we have all of­fended God, and we must present Christ unto the Father in the arms of faith, and by him we shall ob­tain acceptance and remission of all our sins.

4. You must add fervency to the 4. Prayer must be made with fer­vency. Gen. 32. 24. Filius Dei luctator fuit. v. 25. v. 26. frequency of your Prayers. This fervency the Scripture represents by wrestling; for of Jacob we read, And there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day: And though the hollow of Jacobs Thigh was out of joynt, yet he continued wrestling with the Angel. The Angel said, Let me go, for the day breaks: And he said unto him, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. Whether Jacobs wrestling was a corporal, or a spiritual wrestling only, I shall not peremptorily determine: For the lat­ter, the Scripture is express; And though this may be eminenter, in a more eminent manner; yet, non ex­clusive, not excluding a corporal wrestling. Read what the Prophet Hoseah saith, Yea, he had power o­ver Hos. 12. 4. the Angel and prevail'd, he wept and made supplication unto him. This servent Prayer, is as it were a be­sieging and storming of Heaven, and taking it by violence, And from the Matt. 11. 12. days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of Heaven suffers vio­lence, [Page 54] and the violent take it by force And this holy violence and importu­nity in Prayer is acceptable unto God. What's that Prayer which avails much? It's an effectual servent Prayer. For (so [...]ith the Apostle) The effectual fervent prayer of a righ­teous Jam. 5. 16. [...] 8. [...]. Quasi di­oas deluo­sam (i. e.) ardentem & assiduam oppo [...]i pu­van [...] per­fu [...]oriae. B [...]z [...]. Esth [...] 16. man availeth much. This is (a [...] the word imports) an inwrought, an inward working prayer, a heart­prayer, indit [...]d by the Spirit of God. Go [...] to God in the name of Christ, and be an importunate beggar at your Fathers dore: Re­solve not to be driven from your F [...]thers dore, nor to take any re­pulse. Though God seems not to hear, you must cry the louder; though he forbears to open, you must knock the harder. It was an h [...]roi [...]al resolution of Queen Hester in a good cause, I also and my maid­ens will fast likewise, and so will go in unto the King, which is not accor­ding to the law; and if I perish, I perish. Resolve through the strength of God to go on in your duty, and if you perish, you will perish in the arms of Christ: And in his arms there's [Page 55] security. Resolve, I will go on in Prayer, though I meet with many repulses. Jacob was a gainer by his wrestlings, for notwithstanding his lameness and halting, he obtain'd a blessing which made amends. It was an excellent resolution of Job, Though Job 13. 15 he slay me, yet will I trust in him. Consider your interest in adoption, and this consideration will set the spirit of prayer a working, And be­cause Gal. 4. 6. ye are sons, God hath sent forth the spirit of his son into your hearts, crying Abba, Father. Go to God, as a Child to a Father, and cry earnestly for grace and mercy. God is a tender and compassionate Father, and he will open his bowels, and re­gard the cryes of his Children.

5. Always remember, that what 5. Prayer must be accord­ing to Gods Will. you pray for, must be according to Gods will. Consider therefore in your most serious and deliberate thoughts, whether you pray for law­ful things, such as God commands you to pray for, and promiseth to grant them: For there's no promise of hearing and accepting of any [Page 56] Prayer, unless it be according to the Will of God, And this (saith the 1 Joh. 5. 14. Apostle) is the confidence, that if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us. Many things we ask for, which would be a judgment if they were granted: As for instance, we ask for satisfyings of our carnal lusts, and sensual appetites; or when we ask for satisfaction of our pride, malice, revenge, and inordinate pas­sions; and for superfluities, and things unnecessary and inconvenient, it's just with God that we should miss and be frustrated of such things which we desire and expect, when we ask amiss; For (saith the Apostle) ye Jam. 4 3. ask and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that you may consume it upon your lusts. Our duty is to study the revealed Will of God in the Holy Scriptures, and accordingly we must frame our petitions, submitting our wills in all things unto the Will of God. The matter of our Prayer must be lawful things; the manner of our praying must be with faith and fervency; and the end must be for the Glory of God, and the eter­nal [Page 57] good of our precious and im­mortal Souls: and the time of an­swering of our prayers, we must wholly refer unto the Will of God, for he knows what is better for us, than we know for our selves, and he will do abundantly for us more than we can ask and think.

6. And Lastly, You must pray 6. Prayer must be with per­severance with perseverance: As it's your duty to pray, so you must hold out, and persevere in Prayer. Concerning the Hypocrite, Job saith, Will he delight Job 27. 10 himself in the Almighty? will he al­ways call upon God? Wherefore be sure that you omit not secret Prayer; though you find your heart disor­dered, dull and indisposed, yet you must pray, that God would set your heart in order, and quicken and dis­pose your heart for his service. Not­withstanding that you are perplexed with tumultuous perturbations, and fluctuating thoughts, and variety of fancies (which are a grief and vex­ation unto your spirit) it's a good sign and character that your heart is right with God, when through the [Page 58] Grace of God you continue praying; and although at present your desires are not answered, yet you have good ground for hope that God intends good to you, because he keeps your heart in a praying-frame. You must not only pray, but continue instant in prayer, (for so saith the Apostle) Continuing instant in prayer: The Rom. 12. 12. [...] 1 Thess. 5. 17. [...]. original word implies strength and valour. Neither must we pray by fits and starts, but we must pray without ceasing (i. e.) We must rea­dily embrace all opportunities of praying, and be in a praying-dispo­sition.

Sect. 18. 4. Duty. Keep close to all Gods Or­dinances.A fourth particular duty, is, To. keep close unto all the Ordinances of God. As I have insisted in the last particular on the Duty of Prayer (which is a choice Ordinance, and is both the priviledg and duty of Gods Children); so I shall mention other Ordinances which you ought consci­entiously to observe. Three only I shall instance in (not excluding a­ny other Ordinance); And they are Hearing of the Word, receiving of [Page 59] the Lords supper, and the strict obser­vation of the Sabbath.

1. You must be swift to hear the 1. Be swift to hear the Word of God. Word of God preached. You must not content your self with reading of Gods Word in your Closet, but you must stir abroad to hear the word faithfully preached; this is the arm of the Lord revealed, and it Isa. 53. 1. Rom. 1. 16 is the power of God unto salvation. Attend therefore at the Posts of Wis­doms gate. Lie in this way where Christ comes by; wait (as the im­potent creeple did) at the Pool of Bethesda; multitudes of impotent folk Joh. 5. 4. lay there waiting for the moving of the water; for an Angel went down at a certain season into the Pool, and troubled the water; whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in, was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. Neglect not therefore the diligent hearing of faithful Mini­sters, whose endeavours are [...] i. e. to divide the word aright; and [...], i. e. to walk rightly. From such as are sound in Doctrine, and holy in life and conversation, absent [Page 60] not your self; the word preached and delivered viva voce with warm affections, and in the demonstration of the spirit and power, mirabiles effectus habet; for it's instrumental to humble the proud heart, to soften the hard heart, and to level moun­tains as low as the valleys; now every instrumental-cause must be re­duced unto its efficient cause. It was not Elijah's Mantle that parted the waters of Jordan, but the Lord God of Elijah: Elisha took up the 2 King. 2. 13, 14. mantle of Elijah that f [...]ll from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan, and smote the waters, and said, where is the Lord God of Elijah? So it's the powerful operation of the Spirit of God which accompanies the Word, and makes it effectual. And the Word quickned by the Spirit, 2 Cor. 10. 5. works wonderful things: For it's mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds, Eis com­parat rati­ocinatio­nibus Philo sophorum­quae Evan­gelio oppo­nebantur. Grot. casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth it self against the kn [...]w­ledg of God; and bringing into capti­vity every thought to the obedience of Christ. The Word of God is one [Page 61] piece of our Spiritual armour, And Eph. 6. 17. take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit which is the word of God. A sword is both an offen­sive and a defensive weapon. And the Word is a two-edged sword: Heb. 4. 12. For the word of God is quick and pow­erful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, Leviti­cus culter pervenit ad minim [...] quales sunt nerve in junctur is, & ad inti­ma quales sunt me­dullae sic & sermo Dei & intima & minima animi pe­netrat, in (que) ea agit, Grot. Isa. 51. 21. De cala­mitatibus loquutus est nempe dubitent, ut fideles non quin parata sit eis a Domino consolatio tametsi extrema quaeque patiantur. Calv. in loc. piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. The Word of God powerfully preacht may (through the blessing of God) meet with your particular condition, and speak comfort to you: For there is a particular and suitable word, which frequently God directs his Ministers to preach, and so to reach the hearts and conditions of the hearers. One only Scripture I shall mention of the Prophet Isaiah, Therefore hear now this thou afflicted, and drunken, but not with wine. The meaning is, that notwithstanding fore pressures and afflictions which they [Page 62] endured, yet they should not doubt nor despair of Gods comforts; there is a This, i. e. a word of God to com­fort the afflicted. Keep close to the Word, and be frequent in medita­ting of what you hear, and in ap­plving of it particularly to your own soul.

Sect. 19. 2. Receive the Lords Supper.2. To the diligent hearing of the Word of God, you must join the re­ceiving of the Sacrament of the Lords­Supper; this is a great strengthning, supporting, and comforting Ordi­n [...]nce, and you ought not to deny your self so great a priviledg which belongs to you. As it's a fault and a great one in many, presumptuously and unpreparedly to come to the Lords Supper, so it may be a fault in you who have knowledg to dis­cern the Lords Body, (and your life is holy) to debar your self of that choice Ordinance. As you may not come unpreparedly without serious self examination, so you may not stay away after due preparation: For af­ter a thorough ex [...]mination follows 1 Cor. 11. 28. participation. But let a man examine [Page 63] himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. Neither should such who have right to this sealing Ordinance content themselves with seldom receiving; but they should embrace fr [...]quent opportunities for Communicating at the Lords-Table; they will find many things wanting in their faith, and love, and repen­tance, and therefore they should come frequently to strengthen their faith and love, and to renew their repen­tance, and to renew their covenants with God, and to walk more hum­bly and holily in all manner of con­versation. The Text saith, For as Vers. 26. often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lords death till he come. The Adverb there used is [...], and that implys, [...], Mr. Pem­ble on the Sacra­ment. often; that shews that we ought to do it often. At other times we ought to have an habitual preparati­on; but for receiving of the Lords­Supper, we ought to have an actual preparation; we ought to act faith, love, repentance, and other graces. Now because you find sin to be bur­densome, and loathsome, and you [Page 64] account your self unworthy, there­fore you should not deny your self the Lords-Supper; you ought the rather to come, and to make haste unto Christ, beseeching him to pre­pare you for the receiving of the Ordinance, and to make it effectual unto you.

I shall give a distinction which (I hope) may give you satisfaction: There is a Legal and an Evangelical Righteousness. As for Legal righte­ousness, to be exact, and to perform the whole Law to a tittle, none could do it but Christ alone; and in a legal sense none of us can come worthily to the Lords-Supper; for we all come short of our duty, and when we have done all we can, we must confess, that we are unprofitable Luk. 17. 10. Isa. 64. 6. servants, and that we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteous­nesses are as filthy rags. But there is an Evangelical righteousness; and through Christs righteousness impu­ted to us, we are accounted righte­ous, and accepted of God; and not­withstanding infirmities (which we [Page 65] are sensible of, and mourn for them) if our hearts be sincere towards God, we may expect a blessing of God up­on the Ordinance. For though we are not (as of our selves) any ways worthy of receiving so great an Or­dinance, yet the God of the Ordi­nance will be pleased to accept of the uprightness of our hearts. Let us then make our addresses to God as Hezekiah did for the people concern­ing their failings about receiving of the Passover, The good Lord pardon 2 Chron. 30. 18, 19, 20. every one that prepareth his heart to seek the God of his Fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the puri­fication of the Sanctuary. And the Lord hearkned to Hezekiah, and heal­ed the people.

3. Labour to the utmost to be 3. Labour to be strict in the observa­tion of the Sab­bath. Exod. 20. 8, 9, 10, 11. conscientious and strict in the obser­vation of the Sabbath day. The fourth Commandment pre [...]ixeth a pe­culiar Memento for the observation of the Sabbath day: Remember the Sabbath▪ day to keep it holy: six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work, but the seven [...]h▪ day is the sabbath of [Page 66] the Lord thy God: In it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates. The Sabbath was to be observed the seventh day of the week from the Creation to the Resurrection of Christ; since, we are to observe the first day of the week in memory of Christs Resurrection, and this is the Christian Sabbath, commonly called the Lords-day. On this day Christ rose from the dead; on this day collection was to be made 1 Cor. 16. 1. Act. 20. 7. Rev. 1. 10. for the Saints; on this day the Disci­ples came together to break bread; and St. John was in an especial manner ravisht in the Spirit: Diem Do­minicam vocat pri­mam [...]eb­domadis feriam, qua Domi­nus a mor­tuis resur­rexerit, &c. Pareus in loc. I was in the spirit on the Lords day. This day is the souls market-day, the souls har­vest-day, the souls rejoi [...]ing-day. Pre­pare for this day, before it comes; meditate of the duties of the day, and sanctifie your souls for the sanctifica­tion of the Lords own day. The word Remember necessarily implys prepartion and a previous considera­tion of performing the works of the day in its own day. This day ought [Page 67] seriously to be remembred before it comes, and the heart ought to be prepar'd, and sequestred from all worldly intanglements. On this day we should rise earlier in a morning than other days. Mary rose early that day, and had a joyful sight of the Lord Jesus. Shake off sloth and drowsiness, and beware of idleness (for spiritual idleness on this day is as bad as bodily labour: give unto God his own day, a whole day, and im­ploy your soul in the works of the day, and the works are works of piety, mercy, and necessity; and beg of God a Sabbath-frame and temper of spi­rit. As for such works as concern our secular calling (though they are lawful and necessary on other days of the week, yet) on this day they are neither necessary nor lawful; much less are corporal-recreations, as games or sports, &c. to be allowed on this day. On this day double diligence ought to be used for the performing of double duties; to hearing of the Word in publick, add reading in private; and to reading, add secret prayer; and to prayer, add [Page 68] meditation; and to meditation, add conference (as next is to be menti­oned.)

Sect. 20. Duty 5. Commu­nicate your Doubts to experi­enced Christi­ans. Mal. 2. 7. Isa. 50. 4.A fifth Duty is to communicate your Doubts and perplexities to such experienced Ministers or people who are able and willing to administer spiritual comfort unto you. The Pro­phet tells us, For the Priests lips should keep knowledg, and they should seek the Law at his mouth: for he is the mes­senger of the Lord of Hosts. Impart your case to faithful Ministers, to whom God hath given the tongue of the Learned, and to other experien­ced Christians, who (through the Grace of God) may speak both by way of counsel and comfort some­thing for the settlement and establish­ment of your spirit. Frequent the society of such who fear God; and be a companion to such here on earth, whose company you hope to enjoy to all eternity.

It was the saying of an eminent servant of Jesus Christ upon his Death­bed, Mr. Robert Bolton. I shall change my place, but not [Page 69] my company. Be therefore ready and willing to lay hold upon those op­portunities which are offered for spi­ritual conference; and be glad of the prayers and counsels of such as are Mnasons and old Disciples, and experienced Christians, and Practiti­oners of Religion. Spiritual confe­rence is no new practice, for it is of great antiquity; and I heartily wish that it were more revived and put in practice than it is now-a­days. The Prophet Malachy makes mention of such Religious meetings, Then they that feared the Lord spake Mal. 3. 16. often to one another, and the Lord hearkned and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name. Up­on perusal of those words, it's evi­dent that the people of God met together and confer'd about each others spiritual estate. And there ought to be a great deal of care and conscience in the managing of such meetings, for God takes notice of all that's done or spoken, and puts them upon record. O! how [Page 70] much and abundant soul-satisfaction may be gain'd by the society of such as are godly! to such you ought to unbosom and unburthen your soul; they may be instrumen­tal for the good of your soul. And as I advise unto conference, and cor­respondence with godly Christians, so I advise you to the making choice of godly Writers, and to per­use them with diligence and seri­ousness of spirit. Let the holy Scriptures always have the prehemi­nence both in your judgment and affections. Next to them, I com­mend unto your frequent reading, sound and orthodox Writers, such as are Calvins Institutions, Greenham, Perkins, Dod, Dyke on the Deceit­fulness of the heart, Scudder, Bur­roughs gracious spirit; and in an espe­cial manner (because it's very suitable to your condition) I commend to your reading, Dr. Sibs of the souls conflict. The precious Author is dead, but his memory is blessed, and both the Author and his Works are like preci­ous ointment poured forth.

The sixth and last particular Duty Duty 6. Wait up­on God. (which I advise you unto) is to wait silently, patiently, and submissively upon God. Labour therefore to bring your will to Gods will; God is in­finite in Wisdom, and knows what's better for you, than you know for your self, and better than you can either ask or think. And believe that Gods time is always the best time; and therefore wait on God, till he be pleased to speak a word of peace to you. Let faith and pa­tience hold out, and joyn them both together, and imitate those who Heb. 6. 12. through faith and patience have in­herited the promises. The Church of God (though under hatches and in a very low condition) yet did exercise faith and patience, And I Isa. 8. 17. will wait upon the Lord that hideth his face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him. The Church of God was much afflicted and vexed with briers and thorns, and was neither quiet at home, nor abroad, yet notwithstanding we read of an Heroical resolution of the Church, [Page 72] Therefore I will look unto the Lord: Mic. 7. 7. I will wait for the God of my salva­tion: my God will hear me. In this verse, Faith, Patience, and Assurance, are all joyn'd together: for looking implys that there was an eye of faith; and waiting implys the exercise of pa­tience; and that God would hear, was a strong ground of assurance that the faith and patience there mention'd were successful. In Habbakkuks time the Vision was very dark, For (said Hab. 2. 3. the Prophet) the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak and not lye; though it tarry, wait for it, because it will surely come, it will not tarry. Waiting-Christians are exceeding much gainers by all their waiting; so saith the Prophet, The Lord is good to them that wait Lam. 3. 25, 26. for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope, and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. Wherefore if God speak not comfort so soon as you desire and expect, yet know that it is your duty to hold out, and continue wait­ing, and not in the least to presume to limit the holy one of Israel to any [Page 73] time or means, Let God (as an anci­ent Eligat op­portunita­tem qui li­bere dat misericor­diam. Aug. Father saith) chuse the opportunity, who freely gives thee mercy. There is no mercy but it's worth waiting for; and the more quietly and sub­missively we wait on God, the mercy will be more acceptable when it comes. The Prophet Isaiah prophesies abun­dance of comfort to a waiting-peo­ple, And it shall be said in that day: Isa. 25. 9. What day was that? I answer that it was a reviving and comforting­day, after all those great and many Canticum sanctum post ex­actas hujus vitae ae­rumnas. Pool's Synops: sufferings which befell the people of God. It follows, Lo this is our God, we have waited for him, and he will save us: This is the Lord, we have wai­ted for him, we will be glad, and re­joice in his salvation.

What strength and courage do waiting-people obtain, the same Pro­phet expresseth in several particulars, He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might, he increaseth Isa. 40. 29, 30, 31. strength. Even the youths shall faint, and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they [Page 74] shall mount up with wings as Eagles, they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not be faint. Let faith, prayer, patience, and experi­ences be exercised, and in Gods good time comfort will flow abundantly into your soul with good measure, full prest, and running over.

Sect. 21. 4. Head, Questions propounded, and answered.I now come in the fourth place, to give an answer to a question or two, in which I shall endeavour to answer such scruples as you may be ready to raise: Two only questions I shall make mention of, and give in particular answers unto them.

The first Question is, Whether God Q. 1. sometimes hides his face from his own Children?

I Answer, he doth. The affirma­tive A. is evident by Davids complaint, Why hidest thou thy self in times of Psal. 10. 1. Psal. 108. 29. Psal. 88. 14. trouble? Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled. Heman, a rare man, thus expostulates the case, Why casteth thou off my soul? why hidest thou thy face from me? But though God thus hides his face, yet it is but for a [Page 75] moment: For a small moment have I Isa. 54. 7. 8. forsaken thee, but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face for a moment, but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer. For a time, God hides his face from his own people for wise ends and purposes, as to make tryal of their love, and whether their faith and patience will hold out, and whether (as Job resolved) they will trust Job 13. 15 God, though he should slay them. Fur­ther, All Gods withdrawings, and suspensions of his gracious counte­nance, should excite Gods Children to pray the harder, and search and try their ways more exactly, and turn unto the Lord.

The second Question is: What Q. 2. special Duties are incumbent upon us to be reduced unto practice, when we are grieved by reason of desertions, and the want of the manifestation of Gods gracious countenance?

I shall give an Answer to the Que­stion, A. in these ensuing particulars.

1. Your duty is to search into the 1. Search in­to the cause▪ Gen. 25. 22. Cause: As Rebeccah when she felt struglings in her womb, She said, if it be so, why am I thus? and she went to enquire of the Lord. And if you meet with variety of troubles, whether inward or outward, beg of God to teach you to understand the cause, and what's his meaning and good pleasure for you to obey, and wherein you have offended, and what you ought to amend. I shall be your remembrancer of the words of Elihu in the Book of Job. Surely Job 34. 31 it is meet to be said unto God, I have born chastisement, I will not offend any more. That which I see not, teach thou me: If I have done ini­quity, I will do no more. You should consider, that afflictions, desertions, and all manner of withdrawings of Gods countenance, are as so many Rods of chastisement, and fatherly correction, and for instruction to the Children of God; and these Rods come not from the dust: They have a cause, and what's our duty the Prophet informs us, Hear ye the Rod, Micah 6. 9. [Page 77] and who hath appointed it. When Is­rael was repell'd and put to the worse by the men of Ai, the cause was inquired after, and Achan the grand Delinquent was found out and stoned; and afterwards, The Valley Hos. 2. 14. of Achor was a dore of hope. When there was a tempestuous storm, and the Ship like to be broken, we read that the Mariners took up Jonah and Jonah 1. 15. cast him forth into the Sea, and the Sea ceased from her raging. Hug not therefore a Delilah in your bo­some, nor foster an Herodias; give no quarter to Benhadad or Agag, nor to any greater and more com­manding sins; make no league with a Gibeonite, a pretending sin: Be­ware of giving the least allowance to any beloved sin, though it pleads an­tiquity, and is pleasing to flesh and blood; and though it be a sin more suitable than some others to thy Ge­nus, complexion, and constitution. As soon as Goliah was brain'd, the whole Army of the Philistines were routed and ran away. So then, when a Champion or ruling sin is destroyed, other sins of more ordi­nary [Page 78] incursion will easilier be subdu­ed. It was a character of Davids sincerity, I was upright before him, Psal. 18. 23. and I kept my self from mine iniqui­ty. Rachel sat upon the Stuff, and made but a very slender Apology; there must no Apology be made for any sin: however a sin may be plea­sing to corrupt nature, yet there must not the least allowance be given to any secret sin. It was the Prayer of the Psalmist, and we ought ac­cordingly to pray, Who can under­stand Psal. 19. 12. his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.

Sect. 22. 2. Pray with fervency.2 You must pray with all impor­tunity and fervency, for the restau­ration of the light of Gods gracious countenance. As you ought to be assiduous and serious in Prayer for other things, so in an especial man­ner that God would restore unto you the light of his countenance. It was the Psalmists prayer, Make Psal. 51. 8. me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may re­joyce. And he further prays, Restore v. 12. unto me the joy of thy salvation, and [Page 79] uphold me with thy free spirit. Now is a peculiar time to add more fer­vency to our prayers, when God ab­sents himself from us. Now especi­ally we should double and redouble our prayers, and cry aloud with more faith and fervency: So did Da­vid, Give ear, O shepherd of Israel, Psal. 80. 1. thou that leadest Joseph like a flock▪ that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth. It's took for granted of the Church in affliction, to be much in Prayer, Lord in trouble have Isa. 26. 16. they visited thee, they poured out a prayer when thy chast [...]ing was upon them. Go on then, O Christian! and persevere in thy duty, in frequent and fervent prayer; though at pre­sent God (who knows all and hears all) seems not to hear, yet be thou more earnest in Prayer, and cry the louder; and though God forbears to open, yet thou must knock the hard­er. If when God knocks, thou rea­dily opens the door of thy heart, Christ himself will be thy guest (and he is the best of all), and thou shalt be his guest both active and passive. For so saith the Angel of the Church [Page 80] of Laodicea, Behold I stand at the door Rev. 3. 20. and knock; if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. David makes mention of the Genera­tion Psal. 24. 6, 7. of them that seek the face of God. And what's their great Duty and Pri­viledg, is specified, Lift up your heads O ye gates, and he ye lift up ye ever­lasting doors, and the King of glory shall come in.

This (as a learned Author observes) Ainsworth in loc. may be refer'd to Christian men which are the true Temple of God, 1 Cor. 3. 17. at the door of whose heart Christ knocketh to have entrance; and by the King of glory, or glorious King, is meant Christ who is call'd the Lord of glory, 1 Cor. 2. 8.

3. Notwithstanding Desertions, be 3. Keep fast your hold. sure that you keep your hold fast, and the anchor of your hope firm and stedfast. Though God hides his face from you, yet you must cleave fast to him, and depend wholly up­on him as your God and comforter, for so the Church confesseth, Verily Isa. 45. 15. [Page 81] thou art a God, that hidest thy self, O God, of Israel the saviour. I was inform'd by a worthy Son of Mr. Dod who wrote on the Com­mand­ments. an eminently worthy father, that one in great distress came to him, and told him of his great perplexities and de­sertion, saying, that there was none like unto him, and that he thought never was any one in such a forlorn and miserable condition as himself; for by reason of his desertions, he concluded, that he had no evidence at all for his salvation: To whom Mr. Dod, that good old Disciple, and Servant of Jesus Christ, answered thus, What think you of Jesus Christ? For of him these dying words are re­corded, My God, my God, why hast Matt. 27. 47. thou forsaken me? And yet notwith­standing that desertion, there was a plain evidence by his appropriating God unto himself, when he said, My God, my God. Sometimes there may be a faith of recumbence, though faith of evidence may be wanting. Both sorts of faith are worth the labouring for, though in the absence of the one, the presence of the o­ther may be a strong ground of sup­portation [Page 82] and consolation. It's story­ed of Synagirus by an ancient Histo­rian, Instar ra­bidae ferae mortu navem de­tinuit. Just. Hist. that when he was cast over Ship-board, he held one part of the Ship with both his hands; the ene­my cut off one hand, yet he held by the other: presently that hand was cut off, and then he held the Ship by his Teeth. Let this Story be thus applied, That we should never let go our hold and dependance up­on God, but whatever our troubles be (though never so numerous, yet) let us resolve with that holy man Job, Though he slay me, yet will I trust Job 13. 15. in him; but I will maintain mine own ways before him.

4. Act Faith on Promises: For the 4. Act Faith on Promises. Promises are the stay and support of your soul▪ God's Promises are his Bond; and though men on earth will not take it well to be sued upon their Bonds, yet God will take it well, and he likes us the better for suing him upon his Bond. God speaks comfort to his people in his promises, and not one tittle of the word of God shall fail. God hath [Page 83] said it, and therefore we must be­lieve it, Say to the righteous it shall be Isa. 3. 10. well with him, for they shall eat the fruit of their doings. Solomon like­wise assures us, That though a sinner Eccles. 8. 12. do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him. Hereunto we add, that great and weighty promise full of comfort up to the brim, But un­to Mal. 4. 2. you that fear my name, shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in his wings. Great things the Lord promiseth to his people, Then will I Ezek. 36. 25, 26, 27. sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your Idols will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put with­in you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judg­ments and do them.

These are precious Promises, and they both have been fulfill'd (as ma­ny can experimentally acknowledg), and they shall be further fulfill'd to the people of God in his appointed [Page 84] time. However God expects and re­quires that his people should make their addresses to the Throne of Grace; for though God questionless will perform them, and will not in the least be worse than his word, yet his children are obliged to make their applications and supplications to God for the performance of them: Thus saith the Lord God, I will yet Ezek. 36. 37. for this be enquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them.

Sect. 23. 5. Ground of Com­fort.Now in the last place, to conclude, (lest that I should exceed the bounds of an Epistle) To what hath been said, I'le add some grounds of com­fort, which (through the Grace of God) may serve instead of Restora­tives and Cordials to strengthen you. And especially have before your eyes, and upon your heart, the counsel gi­ven by Christ unto the Angel of the Church of Sardis, Be watchful, and Rev. 3. 2. strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die.

Amongst others which might be mention'd, I shall insist only on four [Page 85] principal grounds of comfort, which all true Believers should apply unto themselves, and stay and relye upon them.

The first ground of Comfort is 1. Ground of Com­fort from the Di­vine At­tributes. drawn from the Divine Attributes. Consider that you are a poor, weak, frail, and feeble creature, yet the Lord God whom you serve is the only omnipotent Lord God, and his strength will be perfected in your weakness. Your extremity will be Gods opportunity, which he will in mercy improve for your succour and consolation. It's the comfort of all Gods children, That there is help laid Psal. 89. 19. upon one that is mighty. You com­plain that you are subject to variety of changes; your case is not alone: An ancient and learned Author [...]aith, That every created thing is subject to [...] Damasc. change. Consider, that all the chan­ges here below are ordered and dis­posed of by the wisdom of God, and yet they make no change in God, for he is unchangeable: For I am the Mal. 3. 6. Lord, I change not, therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. And the [Page 86] Lord Jesus, as he is an all-sufficient Saviour, so he is unchangeable, Jesus Heb. 13. 8. Christ is the same, yesterday, to day, and the same for ever. And the Co­venant which God makes with his people, doth not change with our changes, but is ordered and sure, and unchangeable. What was a strong ground of consolation to David, you should apply in particular to your own soul. Deus ob­ligavit se aeterno fae­dere, ideo non clau­detur te­nebris. Pet. Mart. in loc. Although my house be not 2 Sam. 23. 5. so with God: yet he hath made with me an everlasting Covenant, ordered in all things, and sure, for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, al­though he make it not to grow.

You complain that you want Wis­dom, you must consider that God is a God of Wisdom, and blessed are all they that wait on him. You are so bewildred and involv'd in many perplexities of spirit, as you know not how to extricate your self out of them. O! make haste to God, and beg Wisdom of him: For (saith Jam. 1. 5. the Apostle) If any of you lack wis­dom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not, [Page 87] and it shall be given him.

But you complain that you want the sense of the pardon of your sins?

For answer, you may have a par­don, though at present you may not apprehend it. For there may be a pardon in the Court of the Judg, although that pardon for a time (when a Christian is in a dark con­dition) be not manifested in the Court of the Conscience. Therefore apply these Attributes for your stay, support and comfort. The Lord, the Exod. 34. 6, 7. Lord God, merciful and gracious, long­suffering and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, for­giving iniquity, transgression, and sin. Plead these Attributes as your strong­hold; and likewise beg of God, that not only your sins may be pardoned, but that they may be subdued also, Who is a God like unto thee, that pardon­eth Micah. 7. 18. iniquity, and passeth by the trans­gression of the remnant of his heritage▪ he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy? As [Page 88] then you beg mercy to pardon you, so you must beg mercy to purge and sanctifie you; and as you pray that the guilt and punishment of your sins may be took away; so you must pray, that the filthiness of them may be took away; and what God pro­miseth, you must with a sincere heart pray that it may be perform'd to you in particular. Then will I Ezek. 36. 25. sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean from all your filthiness, and from all your Idols will I cleanse you. Now to be earnest in prayer with God, that you may be sanctifi­ed as well as pardoned, and that your sins may be subdued, and con­quer'd, this is an evident sign of a sincere heart.

A second ground of comfort is to 2. Ground of Com­fort from the divine [...]omises. 2 Pet. 1. 4. [...]. be had in the Divine Promises. Of the Promises I shall add somewhat (though little) by way of supple­ment to what I mention'd before. The Promises are great and precious Promises. And all the Promises are in Christ, Yea and Amen; Gods Promises are not off and on, sometimes faster, [Page 89] sometimes looser, (as mens Promises are) but they are sure, and certain, and infallible. That I may write what I conceive most proper and suitable for your condition, I'le lay down this Distinction: There are two sorts of Promises, viz. promises to Grace, and promises of Grace.

1. For Promises to Grace: one is, 1. Promi­ses to Grace. Joh. 3. 16. Joh. 6. 35. Whosoever believeth on him, shall not perish, but shall have everlasting life. Another is, He that cometh to me shall never hunger, he that believeth in me shall never thirst. A third promise is, All that the Father giveth me, Vers. 37. shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. A fourth Promise is, He that hath my Joh. 14. 2 [...] commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me, shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest my self to him.

Q. But it's probable that you Q. will say, That you question whether you have faith in God, and love to God?

I answer, Is it not the sincere de­sire A. and endeavour of your soul to love Christ, and to believe in his name? And are not you grieved for want of faith and love? If so, then,

Secondly, I will add for your com­fort, 2. Promi­ses of Grace. that (as I shewed before) as there are Promises to Grace, so there are Promises of Grace; i. e. what God requireth of you, (however you come short of your duty) he will in mercy give it to you. As for instance, there is a word of Command, Circumcise your selves, and take away the fore­skins Jer. 4. 3. of your hearts. You may be apt to plead the impossibility of your performing of that great thing com­manded: Therefore apply to your comfort that special good word of promise, And the Lord thy God will Deut. 30. 6. circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou maist live. Likewise God commands, Make you a new heart, and a new spirit. You will be ready Ezek. 18. 31. [Page 91] to object, that it is not in your own power to make your heart new. I answer, though it be not in your own power, neither can you by your own strength change your heart, yet you are obliged to confer your utmost en­deavours to wash and cleanse your heart, for so the command runs, O Jer. 4. 14. Jerusalem wash thine heart from wicked­ness, that thou maist be saved. How long shall thy vain thoughts long within thee? And your duty is to apply the Promise, A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put Ezek. 36. 26, 27. within you, and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. What God commands of us, he promiseth to give unto us.

Sect. 24. 3. Ground of Com­fort from many In­vitations. Isa. 55. 1.A third ground of comfort where­with you may support your self, is founded on those many and special Invitations. Ingens in nobis requiritur desiderium [...]t tantorū beneficiorum participes esse possimus. Cal. in loc. One is, Ho every one [Page 92] that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money, come ye, buy, and eat without money, and with­out price. By waters are understood the Divine Ordinances; by buying without price, the riches of free grace and mercy in Christ are represented; by coming is meant the using of those means which God hath prescribed, as believing, repenting, hearing of the Word, receiving the Lords Sup­per, &c. Another Invitation suitable hereunto is, If any man thirst, let him Joh. 7. 37. come unto me and drink. A thirsty soul who is sensible of his want of Christ, and that he is lost and un­done without him, hath a special in­vitation to come unto him.

The third Invitation (which is su­table to the former) runs thus, And the Spirit and the Bride say come, and let him that heareth say come, and let Rev. 2. 17. him that is a thirst come; and whosoever will, let him take the water of life free­ly. For Explication of that choice Scripture, there is a special remark to be set on these particulars.

1. Consider who are invited, and 1. Thirsty persons are invi­ted. they are thirsty, necessitous, indi­gent persons, who are apprehensive of their absolute necessity of having Christ, and that no other waters but such living-waters as flow from Christ, can satisfie them; these only have a special Invitation.

2. It's said, Whosoever will; though 2. Who­soever will. a willing mind is commended and ac­cepted of by the Almighty God; yet this willing mind is first given to us by God, before we can imploy it for God. We read that God stir'd up Ezra 1. 1. the spirit of Cyrus King of Persia to build the house of the Lord God of Vers. 3. Israel (he is the God) which is in Je­rusalem. After the command of Cy­rus, the issue thereof followeth, Then rose up the chief of the Fathers of Ju­dah, Vers. 5. and Benjamin, and the Priests, and the Levites, with all them whose spirit God had raised to go up to build the house of the Lord which is in Jeru­salem. As those who were builders of the Temple in Jerusalem had their spirits rais'd by God for that great [Page 94] work, so all those who will do any spiritual and acceptable service unto God, must first have their spirits rais'd, and have a willing mind vouchsafed by God unto them. Unless we have as­sistance from Christ, and be acted, guided and governed by his Spirit, we can do nothing pleasing unto God. All our fresh-springs are in Christ. Phil. 2. 13. [...]. Chrysost. All our sufficiency is from God. And it is God that worketh in you to will, and to do according to his good pleasure.

A fourth Invitation (to name no more) is that which Christ himself makes to such as are sensible of the heavy weight and burthen of their sins, Come unto me all ye that are wea­ry and heavy-laden, and I will give Mat. 11. 28. you rest. Some understand the words, of crosses and afflictions; and others of the rigor of the Law, and others of sin; of all these burdens Christ can ease us. [...] laboribus frangere & lassare te significat. Bilson de perpet. Guber. Hales. [...], Sarcina pro­prie quae humeris fertur, item quae navi imponitur. V. Leigh. Crit. Sac. The Original words are [Page 95] Emphatical, and intimate, that such as are even ready to sink under their burthens, are invited to come to Christ for help and succour. Put then the Question home to your own soul, Are you sensible of the heavy burthen of sin, and weary of it? Is sin more grievous and burthensome to you, than an aking Tooth or a bro­ken Arm? If this be your conditi­on, be not dismay'd, but with all expedition go to Jesus Christ, who alone can remove all your burthens, and give you rest.

Sect. 25. 4. Ground of com­fort, the particu­lar appli­cation of Christs merits.I conclude all with the fourth and last Ground of comfort, and with some suitable Scriptures appertaining thereunto. As for this Ground of comfort (though I name it last, yet it is the chiefest of all) it is the particular application of the merits of Christ, as offered in the Gospel to your own soul. We usually say, that Medicines cure not in their preparation (though to prepare them is necessary) but in their applicati­on. The Soveraign Medicine of the blood of Christ is of infinite dignity, [Page 96] price and value. One drop of his Blood▪ and one dram of his Grace is sufficient for you. The Apostle was once a great persecutor, and af­terwards was a zealous professor, and Preacher of that Gospel which he formerly persecuted. He ascribes the great change wrought in him to the grace of God: Quod dignitati suae tribu­ere non po­test tribuit gratiae Dei, & agnoscit se alium esse personae de meriti sui indignitate, & alium per gratiam Dei, Musc. in loc. By the grace 1 Cor. 15. 10. of God, I am what I am, and his grace which was bestowed on me, was not in vain, 1 Tim. 1. 17.

However you may be troubled with variety of strong Tentations (as the Apostle was) and you may 2 Cor. 12. 17. have a Thorn in the flesh, even [...], (i. e.) immissus mihi a sa­tan [...] ▪ Grot. the messenger Satan buffeting of you; yet if you wholly cast your self, and rely upon the free grace of Christ tendred in the Gospel, you will find all sorts of help in his merits, for ju­stification, sanctification, and conso­lation in this world, and for glori­fication in the world to come. It's [Page 97] to be supposed that [...], Hunc com­parat sud [...] ac paxillo: quemad­modum su­des praea­cuti car­nem pun­gendo af­ficit, sic sit illius infe­stationibus veluti punctioni­bus affli­ctatus. Musc. in Loc. 2 Cor. 12. 7, 8, 9. 1 Joh. 17. the thorn in the flesh, was some strong Tentation wherewith the Apostle was assaulted, and he made haste to God in earnest prayers and supplications. This was the right and only means to obtain cure: For the same wise God, who exercised the Apostle with such try­als, could only give a blessed issue out of them all. You must after this example go and do likewise. For this thing (saith the Apostle) I be­sought the Lord thrice, that it might depart: And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee. For my strength is made perfect in weakness. You complain that you are defiled with sins, you must apply the Blood of Christ (for it's cleansing blood) to your soul: The blood of Jesus Christ his son cleanseth us from all sin. You frequently complain that you are a great sinner; for an an­swer to your complaints, I thus di­stinguish: There are two sorts of sinners, viz. impenitent, and penitent sinners. You dare not say after de­liberate and composed thoughts upon heart-examination, that you would [Page 98] not repent; neither, that you would not endeavour to repent; neither, that you do not beg of God grace to repent. Your sensibleness of your sins, and mourning for them, and complaining against your self, and your praying with the Apostle to be delivered Rom. 7. 24. from the body of sin, plain­ly evidenceth that you are not an impenitent sinner: And only impeni­tent sinners who live and dye in their sins, shall perish: for (so saith our Saviour) Except ye repent, ye Luke 13. 3. shall all likewise perish. But as for penitent broken-hearted sinners, such as are affected with compunction of heart, and godly sorrow for sin, and are poor in spirit, and sensible of their lost and undone condition as in themselves, these have a peculiar invitation to come unto Jesus Christ: Matt. 9. 13. For (saith he) [...]. (i. e.) Eos qui sibi justi videntur: quibus opponuntur peccatores (i. e.) qui suorum peccatorū sensu vulnerati ad unam Dei misericordiam con­fugiunt. Bulling. in loc I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Comfort your self with the serious . [Page 99] meditation of those grounds of com­fort before mentioned, and make particular application of them to your own soul.

And now for a close of all, I shall be your remembrancer of some select Scriptures suitable to your conditi­on, (and O! that God would write them in the Tables of your heart) which (through riches of mercy) have been my comfort and support; and I hope that (through the bles­sing of God) they may be a sup­port and comfort unto you.

One Scripture is Rom. 8. 5, But Rom. 8. 5. God commendeth his love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us.

A Second Scripture is Matt. 12. 20, Matt. 12. 20. A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoaking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victo­ry.

A Third Scripture is Rom. 3. Rom. 3. 24, 25. 24, 25, Being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ, whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins, that are past, through the forbearance of God.

A Fourth Scripture is Heb. 7. 25, Heb. 7. 25. Wherefore he is able to save them to the uttermost, that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make in­tercession for them.

A Fifth Scripture (with which I 1 Joh. 2. 1, 2. shall conclude) is 1 Joh. 2. 1, 2, If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

These precious Truths of God ought to be digested by Prayer, Meditation, and particular Applica­tion, and they will be (through the grace of God) as a stay and a staff to your afflicted spirit. Remember (though you use the means) to look above means, and beg help of God. As the Ancients used to hold the Plough and pray; so you must ap­ply your self to the means prescri­bed in the Word of God, and keep close to Gods Ordinances; but above all, you must beg help from the God of the Ordinances. Be conscientious and diligent in the use of the means, but look through the means and a­bove the means unto God. Perse­vere in your duty, leave the success unto God, who in his own time (and that's best) can speak comfort to you.

Thus you see what design I drive at, even in prescribing to you such Directions as may be for the setling and quieting of your spirit. My hearts desire and prayer to God for [Page 102] you is, That God, in mercy and love to your Soul (and to any other in the like case), would imprint these things upon your heart by the ef­fectual operation of his holy Spirit.