2. It is the devil's design to tire and weary out the people of God, and therefore stirreth up all his malice against us : Luke xxii. 31, 32, ' Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat : but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not.' The devil, if he might have the shaking of us, and liberty to do liis worst, he would drive us from the faith of Christ, and all hopes by him.
3. Men are unreasonable in their oppositions, and will not relent nor abate anything of their rigour : Zech. i. 15, 'I was a little dis- pleased, and they helped forward the affliction.' They are still adding to the church's trouble, and would destroy those whom Godwould only correct and purge, as the slave layeth on unmercifully. Till God re- strain it, their wrath never ceaseth. Well, then —
Use 1. Let it not seem strange to us that godly men, in their afflic- tions, though they fly to God and implore his mercy, are not presently delivered, nor always at the first instance. God hath many discoveries to make, much work to do. Would you have faith rewarded before it be tried ? or the beautiful frame and link of causes disturbed for your sakes ? Faith is not tried to purpose till the thing we believe is not
YeR. 81.] SERMONS LPON PSALM CXIX. 353
seen, nor have any probability that ever we shall see it; yea, till we see nothing but the contrary, and hope against hope ; vre must stay till the mercy be ready for us, and we ready for it ; a hungry stomach ■would have the meat ere it be roasted ; our times are always present ■with us, when God's time is not come.
Use 2. Let us prepare for grievous and tedious sufferings. We 'would turn over our hard lesson before we have sufficiently learned it ; we love the ease of the flesh, would have no cross, or a very sliort one. Things will not be so soon or so suddenly effected as we imagine. We make greater provision for a long voyage. We should be strengthened to long-suffering, Col. i. 11, as for all sort of crosses, so for long and tedious crosses.
Use 3. If your affliction be long, observe your carriage under it. Doth faith and hope keep you alive still ? Heb vi. 12, ' Be not slothful, but followers of them who, through faith and patience, inherit the promises.' Do you keep up your prayerful affections ? Eom. xii. 12, ' Continue instant in prayer.' We pray as men out of heart, for fashion's sake, and with little life, rather satisfying our consciences than expressing our hope and confidence. A damp on the spirit of jDrayer is an ill presage. Can you love God though you be not feasted "with self-comforts and present benefits ? Isa. xsvi. 8, ' Yea, in the way of thy judgments, 0 Lord, have we waited for thee,' &c. Our affections are bribed when desired comforts are presently obtained ; God will see if we purely love him.
Use 4. For a close to this point. Our sufferings are like to be long ; I speak not as determining, but to awaken a spirit of prayer that they may be shortened. When Christ made as if he would go further, they con- strained him to tarry, Luke xxiv. 28, 29. These are sad symptoms of it.
1. When reformation is rejected, and corruptions are settling again upon their own base : Hosea vii. 1, ' When I would have healed Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered,' &c. ; Ezek. xxiv. 13, 'In thy filthiness is lewdness : because I have purged thee, and thou wast not purged, thou shalt not be purged from thy filthiness any more, till I have caused my fury to rest upon thee.' This crime is not only chargeable on them who opposed the Keformation, but on those who, by multiplied scandals, dishonoured the cause of God. Instance in the Papists in Queen Mary's time, who got in by fraud and violence, not by miscarriage of the Protestants. Then it was sharp and short, ours is like to be tedious and long.
2. When om: deliverance is likely to prove a mischief and a misery, when we are not prepared to receive it. God will not give us things for our hurt. And we may fear as much from our brethren, our mutual bickerings, as from enemies : when God promises restoration he pro- miseth unity : Zeph. iii. 9, * For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent ;' Zech. xiv. 9, ' And the Lord shall be king over all the earth : in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one.' The dog is let loose when the sheep scatter.
3. When there is a damp upon the spirit of prayer, and men give over seeking to God for deliverance as a hopeless thing. God is near when the spirit of prayer is revived : Ezek. xxxvi. 37, ' Thus saith the
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