I shall not speak unto the nature of that faith we exercise, or what assurance we may have of God's hearing our prayers ; but I will tell you plainly what hinders in us the answer of our prayers : —
1. We are not clear that our persons are accepted. God had re- spect unto Abel and his offering, and not unto Cain and his offering. 1 Delivered March 22, 1676.
380 OX FAITH AS TO THE ANSWER OF PRAYER.
We can have no more faith that our prayers are heard than we have faith that our persons are accepted. How many of us are dubious, and know not whether we believe or no ! or are the children of God or no ! According as our faith is as to the acceptance of our persons, so, ordinarily, our faith will be as to the hearing of our prayers. I do acknowledge that sometimes, under extraordinary darkness or temp- tation, whilst a person doth not at all know nor hath any assurance what is his own condition, — whether approved or rejected of God, — yet the Holy Spirit of God many times gives assurance of the hearing of that prayer which is poured out in the anguish of the soul. But let us bring things unto a good issue between God and our souls, and not complain that our prayers are not heard, when we are negligent to come unto the assurance of faith about the acceptance of our per- sons. We have had many days of prayer, and have not seen that return of our prayer that we designed. This evil lies at the bottom, — that we have been dubious as to our state of acceptance with God. Let us labour to amend it.
2. Another thing is this, — pray while you will, you will not believe your prayers are answered if you indulge any private lust, or do not vigorously endeavour the mortification of it, according to what the Scripture and duty require. If any lust ariseth in the soul, and we do not immediately engage to mortify it, as God requires, it will break out, and weaken our faith in all our prayers. Therefore, if you will be helped to believe the answer of your prayers, labour to search your hearts. Do not think that no corruption is indulged but such as break out into open sin. It may be you do not know the corruption you indulge ; labour, therefore, to find it out, and you will find how your faith is weakened thereby.
3. Again ; want of having treasured up former experiences of the hearing of prayer. We have not provided as we ought in this matter. If we had laid up manifold experiences of God's having heard our prayers, it would strengthen our faith that God doth hear them. It may be some have prayed all their days; God hath kept their souls alive, that they have not wickedly departed from God, and they have obtained particular mercies ; — why, such ought to keep a constant re- cord of God's hearing their prayers. Every discovery made of Christ that draws our souls more to love him, and engageth us to cleave unto him, is our experience of God's hearing our prayers.
4. I might add, when we ourselves are not sensible that we arise unto that fervency of prayer that is required of them that believe. If we pray in the congregation, in our closets, or families, and when we have done, are not sensible that we have risen up unto that fer- vency that is required, we cannot believe our prayers are answered.
It is the duty of all men to pray unto the Lord ; but it is incum-
WHEN IS SIN HABITUALLY PREVALENT ? 381
bent on none more than those who have really and sincerely given np themselves unto God, and yet in truth have no comfortable per- suasion concerning their condition. That is a state wherein I am so far from discouraging prayer, that it is your season for prayer in the whole course of your lives. When Paul was first called, before such time as he had evidence of the pardon of his sins, it is said, " Behold, he prays." If they truly attend unto their state and condition, they may be sure to be the persons of whom also it will be said, " Behold, they pray." And even in these prayers they may exercise faith, when they have not faith to believe that their prayers are heard. But while in this condition, it will be hard to believe that their prayers are heard, when they cannot believe that their persons are accepted.
DISCOURSE VIII.
Question. When may any one sin, lust, or corruption, be esteemed habitually prevalent ?
Answer. I shall premise some few things before I come to answer the question: — ■
First. All lusts and corruptions whatsoever have their root and residence in our nature, — the worst of them. For, saith the apostle James, chap. i. 1 4, " Every man is tempted of his own lust." Every man hath his own lust, and every man hath all lust in him; for this lust, or corruption, is the depravation of our nature, and it is in all men. And in the root and principle of it, it is in all men even after their conversion. So saith the apostle concerning believers, Gal. v. 17, " The flesh lusteth against the Spirit ; so that ye" (believers) " can- not do the things that ye would." What doth the flesh lust unto? Why, it lusts unto the works of it. What are they? "Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, mur- ders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like." The flesh lusteth unto all these things in believers, — the worst things that can be mentioned; whence is that [saying] of our Saviour, which yields to me a doctrine which is a sad truth, but so plain that nothing can be more. He foretells marvellous troubles, great desolations and destructions, that shall come upon the world, and befall all sorts of men, and says, " It is a day that ' as a snare shall come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth/" Nothing makes me more believe that day, that terrible day of the Lord, is coming upon