"wife the Spirit alfo helpeth our infirmities for we "know not what to pray for as we ought; but the "Spirit itfelf maketh interceffion for us," that is, fuggefts to us fuch requests as are fit for us to put up to GOD. By the fame Spirit is fecretly infufed into our fouls, " peace and joy in believing, great confo"lation and good hope through grace." Hence are thofe expreffions in fcripture of the confolation of "the Spirit," and of "joy in the holy Ghoft," the beft cordial in the world in all cafes of trouble.

And in extraordinary cafes, good men, by virtue of this promife of the Spirit, may expect to be borne up and comforted in a very extraordinary and fupernatural manner, under the greatest tribulations and fufferings "for righteoufnefs fake." This was very fignal and remarkable in the primitive Chriftians, who were expofed to the moft fierce and cruel perfecutions; and may still be expected in like cafes of extraordinary fufferings for the teftimony of GoD's truth. "If ye be reproached," faith St. Peter, 1 Pet. iv. 14, "for the name of CHRIST, happy are ye; for the "Spirit of glory and of GOD refteth upon you." The Spirit of GOD is there promifed, to ftrengthen and fupport all that fuffer for the name of CHRIST, in a very confpicuous and glorious manner; according to that prayer of St. Paul, Col. i. 11. that Chriftians. might be "ftrengthened with all might, according to "God's glorious power, unto all long-fuffering with

SERM.

CCXVI.

joyfulness." For when GoD exercifeth good men with trials more than human, and fufferings which are beyond the ordinary rate of human ftrength and patience to bear, he hath engaged himself to affift and endow them with more than human courage and refolution. So St. Paul tells the Corinthians, who had not yet felt the utmost rage of perfecution, 1 Cor.

SERM.X. 13.
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"no temptation," or trial, "hath yet befallen you, but what is common to men;" nothing but what is frequently incident to human nature, and what, by an ordinary affistance of God's Grace, men may grapple with; but in cafe GoD calls men to extraordinary fufferings," he is faithful that hath promised, "who will not fuffer you to be tempted above what ye "are able; but will with the temptation alfo make a

way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." And why fhould we be daunted at the weight of an affliction, if we be well affured that our strength shall be increased in proportion to our burden.

And wherever this promife is not made good, there is fome defect on our part; either men are not fincere in the profeffion of the truth, and then no wonder if they fall for fear of fuffering; or they have been too confident of themselves, and have not with that earneftness and importunity they ought, prayed to GOD for his grace and assistance, and thereupon God hath justly left them to try their strength against a violent and powerful temptation; as he did Peter, who for all his confidence, did upon no very great temptation deny his SAVIOUR: but even in this cafe, where there is truth and fincerity at the bottom, God gives to fuch perfons, as he did to Peter, the opportunity of recovering themselves by repentance.

There are three particulars more remain but I fhall proceed no farther at this time.

SER

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SERMON CCXVII.

The true remedy against the troubles of life.

JOHN xiv. 1.

Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God; believe alfo in me.

F

ROM thefe words I propofed to fhew, whats ER M. force and virtue there is in the remedy pro- CCXVII. pofed by our SAVIOUR, to mitigate and allay our The third troubles; and I told you that our SAVIOUR here pre-fermon on fcribes a double remedy.

First, faith in GOD, the great creator and governor of the world.

Secondly, faith in himself, the Son of God and SAVIOUR of men. I have spoken to the first, and have likewife entered upon the

Second, and here I propounded to fhew, what farther confiderations of comfort and fupport faith in CHRIST, and the firm belief of the chriftian religion, do afford to good men, for the allaying and mitigating of their greatest fears and troubles. And I mentioned five.

I. Faith in CHRIST gives us full affurance of immortality, and the rewards of another world.

II. It promiseth to every fincere Chriftian the inward affiftance and fupport of GoD's holy Spirit. Thus far I have gone. I now proceed.

III. It affures us of the special efficacy of our prayers with GOD, either for our deliverance from trouble, or for the aids and fupports of his grace under it. Now concerning the great efficacy of our prayers

this text.

CCXVII.

66

SER M. with GOD, there are feveral very particular and remarkable promises and declarations in the new testament. Matt. vii. 7. " afk, and it shall be given you: "feek, and ye fhall find: knock, and it fhall be opened unto you." Matt. xxi. 22. " and all things "whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall "receive." John xv. 7. "if ye abide in me, and my "words abide in you, ye fhall ask what ye will, and "it fhall be done unto you." But then he directs us to put up our petitions to GOD" in his name, as the way to make them prevalent, John xiv. 13, 14. "And whatsoever ye fhall ask in my name, that will "I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. "If ye fhali ask any thing in my name, I will do it.' And chap. xvi. 23, 24. he repeats this promife again, for their fupport and comfort under the tribulations which they should endure," and in that day ye shall "afk me nothing. Verily, verily I fay unto you, "whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he "will give it you. Hitherto have ye afked noand ye fhall receive, that And again, ver. 26, 27.

thing in my name: afk, your joy may be full." at that day ye fhall afk in my name and I fay not "unto you, that I will pray the Father for you, for "the Father himself loveth you." He affures them of God's merciful inclination towards them, and if it would add any thing to their comfortable affurance of having their prayers heard, he could have told them, that he would pray the Father for them. St. James particularly comforts the Chriftians under their trials upon this confideration, that GOD is ready to give wifdom and ftrength to demean ourfelves as we ought under fufferings, if we heartily beg it of him, Jam. i. 2, 3, 4, 5. my brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptati

"ons,

CCXVII.

"ons, knowing this, that the trying of your faithSERM. "worketh patience; but let patience have her per"fect work, that ye may be perfect, and entire,

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wanting nothing." And fince this requires great wisdom to bear great afflictions with patience, therefore he adds, that GOD is always ready to grant this wisdom and grace to those that heartily beg it of him, "if any of you lack wisdom, let him afk of God, "that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not and it fhall be given him." I John iii. 22. "And whatsoever we afk, we receive of him, be"cause we keep his commandments, and do those things which are pleafing in his fight." And chap. V. 14, 15, "And this is the confidence that we have "in him," that is, we Chriftians: for he had faid before," these things have I written unto you that "believe on the name of the Son of God;" and then it follows," and this is the confidence that we have "in him, that if we afk any thing according to his " will, he heareth us. And if we know that he hear"eth us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have "the petitions that we desired of him;" that is, though we have not prefently the thing we prayed for, yet we are as fure of it, as if we had it. The earnest prayer of every fincere Chriftian is very powerful and available with GOD. So St. James affures us, chap. v. 16. "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." Much more the united prayers of the faithful. So our SAVIOUR declares, Matt. xviii. 19. "Again I fay unto you, that if two of you fhall agree on earth as touching any thing that they fhall afk, it fhall be done "for them of my Father which is in heaven."

All these promifes and declarations do certainly Egnify a more fpecial efficacy and prevalency of the

prayers