chain of obedience is broke. And as to a good action, there is required a concurrence of all the several ingredients and causes ; so to make a good Chris- tian, there is required a conscientious care to use all appointed means: he must follow the Lord fully, not to make here a balk, and there a furrow. It is not the least of Satan's policy, to get between one duty and another, that the man may not unite his forces, and be uniform in his endeavour. There are few so bad as to use no means, and not many so faithful to God and themselves as conscientiously to use all. One pretends to sincerity, and dares appeal to God that he means well, and his heart is good; but for the breastplate of righteous- ness, it is too heavy and cumbersome for him to wear. Another seems very just and righteous, so that he would not wrong his neighbour, no not of one penny to gain many pounds; but as for faith in Christ, this he never looks after. A third boasts of his faith and hope, as if he did not doubt of his salvation ; but as for the word of God, that should beget and increase it, he cares not how seldom he looks on it at home, or heai's it in public. And a fourth, he hath this to say for himself, that he is a constant hearer, his seat at church is seldom found empty, and at home the Bible is often in his hands; but as for prayer, his closet bears witness against him, that he seldom or never performs it. This half- doing will prove many a soul's undoing. Samuel asked Jesse, Ai-e here all thy children? Though but a stripling wanting, he must be sent for, before he will sit down. So I may say to many that are very busy and forward in some particular duties and means. Is here all that God hath given thee in charge ? If but one be wanting, God's blessing will be wanting also. And as that son was wanting of Jesse's, which God did intend to set the crown upon, so that duty and means which is most neglected, we have cause to think is the means which God would especially crown with his blessing upon our faithful endeavour.
CHAPTER II.
THE INFLUENCE PRAYER HATH ON ALL THE GRACES OF A SAINT SHEWN.
The second is taken from the influence that prayer hath upon all our graces, in a double respect. It will help to evidence the truth of grace, and also ad- vance its growth.
Section I. — This duty, frequently and spiritually performed, will be a means to evidence the truth of our graces. And this is of no small importance to the Christian, when he hath to do with the tempter ; for that which he mainly drives at, is to bring the Christian into a suspicion of himself, as to the work of grace in him, thereby to overturn the very foundation of his hope, and put him to stand in his endeavours. He, indeed, will have little comfort in going on, who fears that he is not in his right way. I have heard that politicians can make use of a state lie, though the credit of it lasts but a little while for great advan- tage to their designs. And he that learns them this art, makes much more use of it himself to farther his designs against the Christian. Because he could not keep Christ in the grave, therefore he raiseth a lie, to hinder the belief of his resurrection in the world. And when he cannot hinder the production of grace, he misreports the work to the Christian, as if all were a cheat put upon him by his own deceitful heart, which the poor creature is prone enough to believe ; and so, though the fear be groundless, yet being believed, it produceth as sad a con- fusion to his thoughts, and distress to his spirit, as if it were true. Jacob could not have mourned more if Joseph had been slain, than he did when there was no such matter ; nor could a wicked wretch easily endure more terror and hor- ror, than some jirecious saints have felt, for the time that Satan's false report (slandering the truth of their grace) hath found credit with them. Now in prayer the Christian stands at great advantage to find ovit the truth of his state, and that upon a double account. First, God commonly takes this season, when his people are pouring out their souls to him, to open his heart to them, and to give his testimony both to their pei'sons and graces. God hath his sealing hours, in which his Spirit comes and bears witness to his children's state and grace ; and this of prayer is a principal one. Where was it that God so marvellously dignified and knighted Jacob with that new title of honour, ' Thou shalt be called Israel,' but in the field of prayer? What was tlie happy hour in which the angel knocked at Dimiel's door to let him know how God loved him? Was it
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