Lord will give I doubt not but such a Prayer will be heard and my ground is this as it is the justification or acceptance of our persons so it is in the acceptance of our duties 〈…〉 our person will doubt less justifie our prayers and that weakness or wavering which will not hinder the one will neither hâ—nder the other Now it is universally granted that our persons may be justified even when we are strongly perswaded of the contrary and know no reason why the like must not be granted concerning our prayers I note this the rather for the support and comfort of many of the poor weakling servants of Christ or such as are in a troubled or deserted estate who after they have sign'd out their broken prayers because their own misgiving hearts return them a negative answer conclude that God doth so too my prayers are lost the Lord doth not regard them Why how can you tell God doth not regard them How can I tell why I cannot believe the Lord will hear none but the Pâ—ayers of Faith and I cannot believe I cannot be perswaded that God doth hear But by what hath been said you may perceive your â—â—istake you cannot be perswaded that God hears you therefore you do not believe Why you may even then believe when you want this perswasion Have you offered up your Prayers in the Name of Christ Have you committed them to his hand to present them to his Father and leaving them with him and adventuring them upon his Interest can you now but wait what answer the Lord will give This is that Faith which will secure your Prayers from being lost Having thus in brief shewed you what it is to pray in Faith what remains but that you practice accordingly study the Attributes of God his Power Goodness Mercy and Truth Study Christ his Office Interest Sufficiency and Faithfulness study the Promises and the stability of them let your faith set its seal to all this that God is good merciful mighty and true that Christ will be faithful in his Office that his Name is mighty with the Father that the Promises of God are in him Yea and Amen Strengthen your selves here and so go before the Lord let God be in your heart Christ be in your hand the Promise in your eye when ever there is a Prayer in your mouth Let your Prayer be so presented your dependance be so settled and your confidence as much as may be so raised as before you have been directed or whether you can attain to this confience or no yet do not fail of such dependance and then see what a rich return your prayers will sooner or later bring down upon you But he that will pray without thus believing let not that man think to receive any thing of the Lord and if he doth get nothing let him not lay the blame on Prayer as if this were an empty useless thing but on his unbelief The answer which God gives to Prayer is alwayes this Be it unto thee according to thy Faith And in this is included Be it unto thee according to thy unbelief This is the first means or help to a godly life Prayer THe second special Duty I shall direct you in is holy Meditation And touching this my purpose is not to insist upon the general nature of it but onely to give you some directions for your putting it in practice The directions which I shall give shall be such as concern 1. The matter of it 2. The Method Concerning the former I shall reduce the chief matters to be ordinarily meditated on to seven heads which as I shall afterwards advise may save an Head for a day and so in every week you may go over the whole I. Head concerning God BEgin with him who is the beginning of all things in whom we have our being in whose nature as well as his will is the very foundation of Religion In the spiritual nature of God is the reason of our spiritual worship his wisdom is the reason of our submission to him his power of our dependance on him his holinesse of our conformity to him his justice of our fear his goodnesse of our love his truth of our trust his grace of our prayers his glory of our praiser Now there are two things especially that I may contract all into as narrow a room as possible which you may pitch your thoughts and exercise your meditations upon concerning God Namely his Dreadfulnesse Goodnessâ— Direct 1. In order to the bringing you to a due apprehension and sense of the dreadfulness of God set before your eyes what the Scriptures speak of the Majesty Glory Omnipotenâ—â— Omniscience Holiness Severity and Righteousness of God The Scriptures speak of the Name of God as a fearful Name Deut. 28. 58. That thou mayest fear this glorious and fearful Name the Lord thy God And this dreadfulness of God is set forth 1 By the greatness of his power Jer. 5. 22. Fear ye not me saith the Lord Will ye not tremble at my presence Luk. 12. 5. 2 By the immensity of his Nature Psal 139 7. Whither shall I go from thy Spirit Whither shall I flee from thy presence 3 By the Glory of his Holiness Exod. 15. 11. Who is like unto thee O Lord who art glorious in Holiness fearful in Praises doing Wonders 4 By his Justice and Severity Hebrews 10. 31. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God Heb. 12. 29. For our God is a consuming Fire Direct 2. That you may understand and be duly affected with the goodness of God confider what the Scripture speaks concerning his All-sufficiency loving Kindness Mercie Faithfulness Patience c. Gen. 15. 1. Fear not Abraham I am thy Shield and thy exceeding great Reward Psal 36. 7 8 9. Thy mercie O Lord is in the Heavens and thy Faithfulness reacheth unto the Clouds How excellent is thy loving Kindness O God therefore the Children of Men put their â—ust in â—hee They shall be abundantly satisfied with thy fatness for with thee is the Fountain of Life in thy Light we shall see Light Psal 10. 5. For his anger endureth but a moment in his favour is Life Psal 73. 26. My flesh and my heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever Psal 91. 4. He shall cover thee with his feathers and under his wings shalt thou trust his Truth shall be thy Shield and Buckler Psal 84. 11. The Lord God is a Sun and a Shield These Scriptures set forth the Lord as a sufficient portion wherein his people may be happy and a sure refuge wherein they may be safe He is a Fountain of Light Life Joy Rest Peace Everlasting blessedness and Everlasting safety He is the inheritance of the Saints wherein they shall be satisfied and their defence wherein they shall be safe for ever Direct 3. Ask thy heart these Questions Quest 1. Is not this God worthy
to be feared believed in and chosen for my portion and trust Some chuse riches for their portion some pleasures some put their trust in worldly friends but will it not be well with me if I can bring my heart to chuse and can obtain the Lord to be my friend my refuge and my portion Quest 2. Is it not good for me to draw nigh unto God To get acquaintance and intimacie with God to dwell in his Presence and to live in the light of his Countenance is there any life so full of true pleasure and satisfying delight as to enjoy and behold the Face of God in Righteousness Quest 3. Is the Lord mine Is he reconciled to me is his love and mercie made sure to me Some are confident the Lord is theirs but they are mistaken Am not I mistaken Is the Lord mine indeed My God and my Portion and my Friend indeed If he be not then Quest 4. How may I obtain the Lord to be mine What pains should I refuse What course should I count too hard what price too great to lay out for such an inheritance Oh how happily were I provided for what a sufficiency had I laid up for me for my body for my soul for this life for everlasting were the Lord once sure to me What shall I do to obtain him if he be mine then Quest 5. What shall I render to the Lord Oh the height and depth and length and breadth of the Love and Goodness of God to my Soul that he should bestow himself on such a worm 'T is much that he should give me a being in his sight that he should give me bread or cloaths that he should feed me with the crumbs that fall from his Table 'T is a wonder he should not feed me with Ashes with Gall and Wormwood with Fire and Brimstone that he hath not cloathed me with flames with fury and vengeance 'T is a wonder he should give any of his good Creatures to comfort me his Earth to be mine inheritance and my portion but that he should give himself to me that ever a poor Creature should be so provided for as to feed upon his God to live upon his God to possess his God for a portion Oh come unto me all ye that fear the Lord come unto me and I will tell you what he hath done for my Soul He that is mighty hath done for me great things and holy is his Name Oh that I could love thee more Oh that I could please thee and praise thee and honour thee and rejoyce and triumph and make my boast of my God and speak good of thy Name while I have any being The Lord is my portion the lines are fallen to me in a pleasant place and I have a goodly heritage II. Head concerning Sin Direct 1. EXercise your thoughts on the evil nature of sin and consider what the Scriptures speak concerning 1. The Malignity that is in Sin 2. The Guilt of Sin 1. Concerning the malignity which is in sin calling it by the name of plague leprosie gangrene poison death hell enmity treachery rebellion filthiness rottenness vomit c. All which are Scripture expressions which also tell us that it hath made us in Gods account fouls beasts dogs swine serpents vipers devils c. What a Monster is sin that must have so many and such names to express the malignitie that is in it 2. Concerning the guilt of sin Rom. 3. 19. All the World is become guilty before God Mat. 5. 22. Guilt hath two things in it First A merit of everlasting wrath Every sinner is worthy to die worthy to be damned Secondly An Obligation or binding over to wrath Act. 8. 23. For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitternesse and the bond of iniquity Sinners are bound under a curse bound over to eternal vengeance Direct 2 Consider your own particular sinnes both the special prevailing sins of your Hearts as ignorance unbelief stubbornness obstinacy pride passion covetousness malice c. And the evils of your practice lying swearing drunkennesse oppression Reckon up as near as you can and write down in a Roll or Catalogue all the several wickednesses you have been guilty of and can remember together with your sins of Omission neglects of Prayer Hearing c. your neglect of Christ and the Gospel c. Direct 3. Ask thy heart these Questions Quest 1. Am I not a sinner Quest 2. Is all this which the Scriptures speak of sin and sinners in general true of me Am I by my very nature such a serpent such a viper such a dog such a beast in the sight of God Is there all this enmity and treachery and rebellion rooted in my nature Am I this guilty creature worthy to die Am I in this gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity If this be my case oh how can I lift up my face in the presence of God without shame and blushing and self-loathing and self abhorrence Quest 3. Is my filth and guilt done away This was once my condition is it not still Is the Enmity slain is my corruption subdued is my conscience purged my soul washed are my sins pardoned is my guilt removed If not then Quest 4. What if this corruption should never be purged this guilt never be removed What if I should die in this case If all this sin and this guilt should stand and stare me in the face when I come to look death in the face What if I should appear in this woful plight before the Judgment Seat May I not fear it may be so My sin hath been so long growing and rooting in my heart I have stood it out so long against the Gospel I have had so many warnings so many convictions and yet mine iniquitie remains unpurged that I have reason to fear that it may never be purged And Oh what if it should not Quest 5. What must I do to be saved from my sins I see I am in an evil and woful case buâ— is there no Balm in Gilead is there no Physitian there that can heal such a desperate disease Is there no ransome to be fonnd that may redeem such a captive Is there no blood shed that may cleanse me even me from all my unrighteousnesse Is not Christ exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour to this very purpose that he might give Repentance and Forgivenesse of Sinnes Wherefore is the Gospel preached to me Doth not Christ therein call to me and bid me come to him and be saved Is such an opportunitie to be slighted Is Redemption from such a state worth the making after May I obtain Redemption by Christ whether I seek it or not whether I repent or not Must I not believe or be damned repent or perish Is it a time for me to delay or linger in a matter of such importance Awaken O my Soul put away thy sloth lay aside thy excuses and be think thy self what thou wilt do
that befals I might be happy but this stands in my way If you would give God leave to be wiser than you you would say where-ever you are its good for me to be here this is my way to my â—est 3. The Providence of God hath faithfulness with it Psal 25. 10. All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth to them that keep his Covenant and his Testimonies Psal 111. 8. His Works are done in truth Gods works may be said to be done in truth in a double sence In Reality In Fidelity 1. In Reality not in specie or in shew only but indeed Gods Comforts are Comforts indeed Gods Salvation is Salvation indeed The Devil will come with his gifts with his comforts and deliverances but they are for the most part but spectra like himself shews and apparitions quite another thing than what they seem to be sinners comforts deliverances enjoyments wherewith the Devil feeds them do leave them in as poor a case and worse than they found them you will never thank the Devil for his kindnesses when you have prov'd them what they are If you do not find your selves as fast bound in the midst of all your liberties if you be not wrapp'd up in as many sorrows after all the joys he hath procured to you if the glittering glories the glorying pleasures he entices you by and entertains you with prove not trash and dirt and meer lies in the end then say the Devil hath forgotten his trade of lying the Devils works will be even like himself false and deceitful But God is true and all his works are done in truth 2. In Fidelity his Works are according to his word 1 King 8. 24. Thou hast spoken with thy mouth hast fulfilled with thine hand In thy faithfulness thou hast afflicted me Psal 119. Not only in thy faithfulness thou hast saved me in thy faithfulness thou hast comforted me in thy faithfulness thou hast succoured me but in thy faithfulness thou hast afflicted me in thy faithfulness thou hast humbled and broken me and cast me down The promise of God is that we shall want nothing we shall neither want his Staffe nor his Rod neither comforts nor crosses neither joys nor sorrows we cannot well want either and we shall want neither because God is faithful You may not only write down with the Apostle God is faithful and will not suffer you to be tempted above that which you are able to bear but you may write also God is faithful and will not suffer you to want a temptation When 't is seasonable your hearts shall be glad and if need be for a season you shall be in heaviness God is faithfull he will ever be true to himself and therefore to you 2 Tim. 2. 9. He abideth faithful he cannot deny himself Should he be false to his people he cannot be true to himself to his purpose and promise his Word is not yea and nay God is not as man that he should lye or the Son of man that he should repent that he should say and unsay that he should say and not do you may write Gods name upon every word he hath spoken you may write his Name I Am upon all that he hath said It shall be Now Christians put these three Particulars together and if you cannot spel out the conclusion out of them the Providence of God will certainly accomplish his good Purpose and Promise concerning you You are of little understanding as well as of little Faith If God governs the World and nothing comes to pass but by his Providence if Providence governs according to Gods Purpose and promise if Providence cannot fail of accomplishing both If God be Almighty and can if God be Wise and knowes how if God be Faithfull and true let the Devil if he can with all his Sophistry evade the Conclusion That he will certainly do all that good for you which he hath purposed and promised If God be not able to perform he is not good if he mistake his way if he use impertinent improper means he is not the All-wise God If he do not actually perform what he is able and knows how to do when he hath said it he ceases to be the true God So that the matter is brought plainly to this Issue If God be God if God be the All-wise God if God be the true and faithful God this word which he hath spoken All things shall work together for good to those that love God shall not fail of its accomplishment in its season Having thus proved the Doctrine I shall after I have added a few words by way of Caution and answered an Objection or two against the Sence I have given of this Promise and subjoyned a few particular Inferences descend to the general Application 1. By way of Caution 1. Limit not the Lord to your time and way God will make good his word but you must give him leave to take his own season He that believesh shall not make hast believe God but do nor prejudge nor precipitate least you fall into temptation Put no more into the promise neither for matter nor circumstance then God hath put in it put not that into the Promise which God hath not put in it lest you miss and come short of that which God hath put in it Let others mistakes and miscarriages be warnings to you till God hath manifestly said do not you say This is the time build not your confidence on conjectures your Faith on the strongest Presumptions lest your Faith prove but a fancy and your confidence your confusion make not the promise of God of none effect by looking for its effect out of season Believe not your selves into Infidelity Consider Acts 1. 7. It is not for you to know the times and the seasons which God hath put in his own Power Study the Word and its commentary the Works of God but be sober in your Conclusions This you may safely depend upon and this will be enough if you have no more God will make good his good Word to you sooner or later in one time or other in one way other in the best time in the best way in the appointed time the Vision shall speak and shall not lye Habak 2. 3. Though it may tarry wait for it because it will surely come and will not tarry At least at the end of the days When you shall stand in your lott when you shall be gotten on the banks of Canaan and shall thence look back on the Promises and Providences of God ye shall see and say God is faithful there hath not failed one word of all that he hath promised Now I understand though once I could not how every Wheel was turning every Instrument was moving every event was working toward my good and everlasting welfare 2. Let not your expectation cause an abortion Let not your looking for mercy hinder the working of your affliction It is not seldom and