SERMON III.

1ST THESS. V. 17.-Pray without ceasing.

REAL godliness is so entire and undivided a thing, and the parts of it are so inseparably knit, and linked one with another, and cannot be parted, that it is like Christ's coat that was without seam, that it could not be divided; and except the whole fall to us by divine lot, we can have no part or portion in it. And were this more solidly believed, and imprinted upon our hearts, the inseparable connection and near cognation that is amongst all the graces of the spirit, we should not be so partial and divided in our pursuit after them, separating those things which he hath joined together, which oftentimes. is the occasion that our nakedness and deformity do appear; neither should we, if this were believed, be so soon satisfied with our attainments, but, in a manner, should be entertaining an holy oblivion and forgetfulness of all that we have purchased, to put by our hand, and should be pressing forward to those things that are before, till once we attain to that stature of one in Christ: and till grace have its perfect work, and want nothing, we can never be constant. Amongst all the graces of the spirit, which a Christian ought vigorously to pursue after, this grace of prayer is not among the least it is that which keepeth all the graces of a Christian in life and vigour, and maketh us fat and flourishing, and bringeth forth fruit in our old age: and except the Christian be planted by that wall, his branches will never climb over the wall. Who is the Christian that groweth like a palm-tree, and doth flourish as the cedar in Lebanon? It is he that is planted in the house of the Lord, which is a house of prayer. And we conceive, that the

cause why grace, and the real exercise of godliness, is under such a woeful and remarkable decay in these days, is want of obedience unto this great commandment, Pray without ceasing. Were we dwelling forty days in the mount with God, our faces should shine, and we should be constrained to cast a veil over them. Were we entertaining a holy and divine correspondence with heaven by this messenger of prayer, we might be tasting of the first-fruits of that land afar off. Prayer is one of those faithful messengers and spies which a Christian sends forth to view the promised land, and which always doth bring up a good report upon that excellent and glorious land. O! when went ye to the brook Eshcol by the exercise of prayer, and did cut down a branch with a cluster of grapes, and were admitted to behold that land, which is the glory of all other lands; in the midst of which doth grow that tree of life, which bears twelve manner of fruits every year? O! what a land suppose you it to be, wherein are twelve harvests every year? Alas! we are straitened in our desires, which makes us straitened in our enjoyments. May we not blush and be ashamed, that the men of the world should enlarge their desires as hell, and as death, and should cry, Give, give, after these passing and transient vanities of the world; and that Christians should not be provoked to enlarge their desires as

heaven, and as the sand by the sea-shore, after those things that are most high and divine in their nature, and are most fruitful and advantageous in their enjoyment? We think ignorance is the cause of our slow pursuit after these things; and ignorance in men of the world is the occasion of their swift and vigorous pursuit after these endless and passing vanities of this vain and transient world.

We did, at the last occasion (speaking upon these words), speak somewhat to that which doth obstruct a Christian's liberty in his secret retirements and conversing with God, so that the door of access is oftentimes shut upon him, and he hath not the dignity conferred upon him to enter into the holiest of all.

We spake likewise to that which was the best and most compendious way to maintain fellowship and communion with God, after once it is attained, that when our hearts are enlarged, we may keep our spirit in a tender and spiritual frame. We shall now, in the next place, speak a little to you, how a Christian may be helped to know the reality of his enjoyments, whether they be delusions or not, or tokens and significations of the Lord's special and singular respect; and before we speak of that, we shall premise these two things:

First, That a man who hath but a common work of the spirit, and hath never been endowed with real and saving grace, may attain to many flashes of the spirit, and some tastings of the power of the world to come; as likewise, to the receiving of the word of the gospel with joy, as is clear from Heb. vi. 5, and Matth. xiii. 20. He may have many things that look like the most heavenly and spiritual enjoyments of a Christian; but we conceive that the enjoyments of those that have but a common work of the spirit are not of such a measure and degree as the enjoyments of the sincere Christian: hence they are called, in Heb. vi. 5, but a tasting. The word is sometimes used for such a tasting, as when one goeth to the merchant to buy liquor, he doth receive somewhat to taste, to teach him to buy ; but that is far from the word which is in Psalm xxxvi. 8, They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house, and thou shalt make them drink of the rivers of thy pleasures; and from that word, which is in Cant. v. 1, Eat and drink abundantly, O beloved. We conceive likewise, that their enlargements and enjoyments which they have, the strength and vigour of their corruptions are not much abated thereby; neither is conformity with God attained: hence is that word, Matth. xiii. 20. Though they receive the word with joy, yet the thorns, which we do understand to be corruptions, do grow without any opposition: and they that never knew what it was to have the strength and vigour of their lusts abated by their enjoyments, have but a common work of the spirit. The hypocrites' enlargements are rather in public, and in their conversings one with another than in their secret retirements; and those enjoyments that they have when they converse one with another, they do joy and rejoice because of the applause that they have by such enlargements, and of a reputation of having familiarity and intimateness with God, rather than for the enjoyments themselves; and that dignity and honour hath been conferred

upon them than to taste some of that river that flows from beneath the throne of God. We conceive likewise, that, in all their enjoyments that they have, they do not much study and endeavour to guard against all obstructions and impediments that may stir up Christ, and awake him before he pleases; they can give their hearts a latitude to rove abroad after impertinent vanities; yea, presently after the seeming access and communion with God; as likewise, in their desires to the duty of prayer, Christian duties are not much increased by their enlargements which they receive, being strangers; as in that word which is in Prov. x. 29, The way of the Lord is strength to the upright, &c.

That which, secondly, we shall speak of, before we come to speak how a Christian may be helped to know the reality of his enjoyments, is this, that there is an enjoyment of gifts, which is far from the enlargement of the spirit of grace. There may be much liberty of words and of expressions, where there is not much liberty of affection. We think that it is a frequent delusion amongst his own, that they conceive their liberty of their expressions of themselves in prayer is enlargement: but we are persuaded of this, that there may be much of this, and not much of the spirit of the grace of prayer. As we told you before, the spirit of prayer is sometimes an impediment to words; so that a Christian which hath much of that, may have least of volubility and of expression.

But, first, Those enjoyments that are real (which indeed are significations of his love and respect to you) do exceedingly move and humble the Christian, and cause him to walk low in his own estimation. Hence is that word, 2 Sam. vii. 18, 19, where David being under such a load of love, that (in a manner) he is forced to sit down and cannot stand; he doth subjoin that expression, Who am I, O Lord? and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto ? And also in Job xlii. 5, 6, where to that enjoyment which Job had of God, so as to see him with the seeing of the eye, (a sight not so frequent in those days,) he subjoins a strange inference from so divine promises, therefore I abhor myself in dust and ashes. And in Isa. vi. 5, compared with the preceding verses, where Isaiah, from that clear discovery of God, so as to see him in his temple, is constrained to cry out, Wo is me, for I am undone, because I am a man of unclean lips. It were our advantage, that when we are lifted up to the third heavens, were it to hear words that are unspeakable, yet to cover our upper lip, and cry, Unclean, unclean: we ought alway to sit near the dust, the more that grace exalts us to heaven. And we conceive that it is a most excellent way to keep ourselves in life after our enjoyments, to be walking humbly with God, and to know that the root beareth us, and not we the root. Christian enlargements that are real have this effect upon them, it doth provoke to a more constant exercise in pursuing after God; their diligence is enlarged when they are enlarged : hence is that word, Psalm cxvi. 2, Because God hath inclined his heart unto me, (which presupposeth access,) therefore will I call upon him as long as I live. It is certain that if our enjoyments be real, they will be well improven, for this is a fruit which doth always accompany them.

2. Ye may likewise know the reality of your enjoyments, by your endeavours to remove all impediments and obstructions that may interrupt your fellowship and correspondence with God, according to that word, Cant. iii. 5, when after the church did behold him who had been so long absent, she is put to this, I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes and by the hinds of the field, that ye stir not up, nor awake my beloved till he please. I conceive this is one of the most certain demonstrations of the reality of enjoyments, when ye are put to more carefulness and solicitude to have all things taken out of the way that may provoke him to go away, and quench his holy Spirit. O! but it is a marvellous undervaluing of the grace of Jesus Christ, to take such a latitude to ourselves after we have been enlarged.

3. Ye may likewise know the reality of your enjoyments by this, when ye do attain conformity with God by your enjoyments: hence is that word, 2 Cor. iii. 18, Beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, we are changed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. Our corruption must be abated, if we would prove the reality of our enjoyments: for if we give them that complete latitude which they have had before, we have reason to be suspicious and jealous over ourselves: and we shall say this, do not rest upon all your enjoyments that you have here within time as satisfactory, but let them rather provoke your appetite, than suffice for your desires and longings. That holy man David knew of no beginning of satisfaction, but when eternity shall come, according to that word, Psal. xvii. 15, When I awake, (that is in the blessed morning of the resurrection,) then shall I be satisfied with thy likeness. Did David never find satisfaction here below? All that he did receive was but the streams that did flow from the immense and profound fountain and sea of love. He did drink out of the brook while he was here below; but when he was above, he was drowned in that immense sea of love, and there was abundantly satisfied. O let the streams lead you to the fountain and river! when you win there, ye may sit down and pen your songs of everlasting praise: these are but of the valley of Achor, which must be a door of hope; none have here entire and full enjoyment of him.

That which thirdly we shall speak to, shall be those advantages which a Christian may have by the exercise of prayer; we may say this unto you, Come and see can best resolve the question: for those spiritual advantages which a Christian may have in the real and spiritual discharge of his duty, are better felt than told. It is impossible sometimes for a Christian to make language of these precious and excellent things that he meets with in sincere and serious prayer.

The first advantage-it doth keep all the graces of the spirit eminently in exercise; it maketh them vigorous and green; it keeps the grace of love most lively; for one that is much in the exercise of prayer doth receive so many notable discoveries and manifestations of the sweetness and goodness of God, and most rich participations of that unspeakable delight which is to be found in him, that he is constrained to cry forth, Who could not love him who is

the King of saints? O! when met ye with such an enjoyment of God in prayer as this? Did ye conceive that ye were clothed with an impossibility to love him too much? or to love him as he ought to be loved? And when did you conceive that it was an absurd opinion, that he could be loved too much? Hence these two are conjoined together, Rejoice evermore, and Pray without ceasing. And what is joy but a fruit of love, or rather an immense measure of love? We confess it is a question that is difficult to determine, whether prayer or faith doth keep up love most in the exercise? We think love (whose foundation is upon sense) is most kept in exercise by prayer. Hence it is, when we are straitened in the exercise of that duty; and when he turns about the face of his throne, then love begins to languish and decay, and then that excellent grace of faith doth step in, and speak this to love, Wait on God, for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God. Faith can read love in his heart, when sense cannot read love in his hands nor in his face; but when he seemeth to frown or to strike, faith can make such a noble exposition on such a dispensation-I know the thoughts of his heart, they are thoughts of peace, and not of war, to give me an expected end.

Prayer doth likewise keep the grace of mortification eminently in exercise: would ye know what is the reason that our corruptions do sing so many songs of triumph over us, and we are so much led captive by them, according to their will? Is it not the want of the exercise of secret prayer, and that we are not much taken up in the employing of the angel, that must bind the old serpent the devil, as is mentioned, Rev. xx. i, that hath the great chain in his hand? Hence Paul, when his corruptions were awakened and stirring within him, knew no weapon so suitable for him as prayer, as is clear from 2 Cor. xii. 7, 8, where the messenger of Satan was sent to buffet him, it is said, That he besought the Lord thrice that this might depart from him. And our blessed Lord Jesus, (speaking of the casting out of a devil,) saith, Matt. xvii. 21, This kind goes not out, but by fasting and prayer. It is no wonder that oftentimes we are led captive by our own iniquities and lusts, and that corruptions, mocking at our profession, and scorning such weak and feeble builders as we are, say to us, can such feeble Jews as these are, build such a stately and glorious building in one day? But even you who are in the exercise of this duty, and who to your own apprehensions do not receive much victory over your lusts, are oftentimes made to cry forth, It is in vain for me to seek the Almighty, and what profit is there that I pray unto him? We confess the small success that a Christian hath, when he doth discharge the duty of prayer, doth sometimes constrain him to draw that conclusion, I will pray no more. We think the small victory that

ye obtain over your lusts, and the little increase in the work of mortification, may proceed from the want of that divine fervency, and holy fervour that ye ought to have in your proposing your desires unto God. The effectual fervent prayer of the righteous availeth much, as James saith, chap. v. 16. If we want fervency in proposing our desires unto God, it is no wonder that we want success. Or like