3. Therefore let us offer violence to God this tvay ; never give him rest till we obtain. You see when the two disciples were going to Emmaus, Christ made as though he would have gone further, but they ' compelled' him, Luke xxiv. 29. Now there is a semblance as if God threatened war, and would take away the gospel. There are dangers toward. When God makes such a semblance, let us lay hold on him ; let him go no further.
196 THE church's complaint and confidexce.
Lord, night approacliclh and affliction approachcth. Lord, stay ; thou shalt go no further. Let us stop God with importunity. The consideration of danger, and the necessity and excellency of the things we beg, will make us lay hold on God.
There is an hypocrisy among men, among a company of formalists, that are the bane of the times, that God will spue out. They are as ill as a pro- fane person in his nostrils. They think that all devotion is in prostrating themselves, which is good, and more than profane men will do, and yield a dead sacrifice to God. They will come and hear, and yield the outward act in outward humiliation. Is this to rouse thyself? Outward things are never current but when they express outwardly the inward truth. There- fore take another course, man ; God cares not for the dead, empty carcase thou bringest him. Work upon thine own heart by meditation of the danger thou art in, and of the excelleucj* of the things thou art to beg, and meditate of the majesty of God whom thou appearest before, of his good- ness and truth, &c. Affect thy heart deeply with these apprehensions ; let these serious thoughts draw outward expressions of humiliation. And then it is excellent when the outward expression follows the inward impression ; when there is somewhat inward that shews itself outward ; when we stir up ourselves, and not to think that all devotion consists in a comely, outward carriage — which is commendable of itself — but because men usually rest in it, it is prejudicial to their soul's good. We must offer a reasonable sacri- fice to God ; we must love him in Our hearts ; we must work upon our hearts and carry ourselves so in our inward man, as that we may stir up our whole man and awaken our souls: ' Praise the Lord, 0 my soul, and all that is within me, praise his holy name,' Ps. ciii. 1. Wc should stir up ourselves by speaking to our own souls, that we may waken and take hold of God.
4. This again will help it, A man should never come to jiyciy, hut he should have an ansiver before he hath done, either at that time or another. Never give over till thou hast an answer. This will make us stir up ourselves indeed. How do you know a prayer from a formal lip-labour ? A man that prays conscionably'"' marks what he doth, and expects a return, as a man that sowcth his seed. He that doth a thing with hope of issue \i\\\ do it throughly. Therefore never pray to perform an empty duty to God ; but mark what you pray for, if it be forgiveness of sins, or for grace, or protection, &c., and do it with that earnestness that you may hope for an issue answerable ; and this going about it will make us do it to purpose. Do we think to serve God with the deed done ? God hath appointed prayer for our good, and to convey blessings to us. Let us pray so as wc may expect a blessing by it. Now that prayer that expects a blessing to be con- veyed, it will be a prayer to purpose. It will make a man stir up himself.
' There is none that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee.'
The complaint of this holy man of God may be taken up at this time of many of us now. How few are those that rouse and stir up themselves, but put off" God with an empty compliment ! Nay, in these times of danger, have ye not a company of idle persons that will not vouchsafe to hear the word, nor to come and humble themselves, but walk and talk offensively, as if they would dare God ; or if they come here, they come not with a reso- lution to hear the issue of their prayers, to rouse up themselves ' to lay hold on God.' Because, as there is a gi'cat deal of atheism in regard of God, so there is much dead flesh in regard of men. Who is so pitiful of * That is, ' conscientiously.' — G.
THE church's complaint AND CONFIDENCE. 197
our brethren round about ns he ought? We had need to stu* up ourselves. The danger is present. Wc are beset round about, 3'et who is stirred up to earnest prayer? We want bowels of compassion. Those that have hearts compassionate, it is a sign that God intends good to them. But of the most we may take up this complaint, we are dead-hearted in regard of our sius against God, and in regard of the contagion among us. A man may sec it by men's discourses. There is inquiry how the sickness spreads ? how many dies ? Bat men do not labour with God to make their accounts even with him ; nor we are not compassionate to men : for that would be a means to stir and to rouse us up ' to lay hold of God,' to stay his hand out of love and pity and compassion to our brethren which are our flesh, though it should never seize on us. I say, I fear this com- plaint is too justly on many of us. I beseech you, let us labour to amend it as we tender* our own salvation — perhaps that we do not regard so much, we shall ere long, but then — as wo tender the health of our bodies, which we prefer before our souls, let us humble ourselves more than ordinary now.