they forget who the Lord is, when their hearts misgive them, because of the church's weakness, and the enemies power. What is that upon the matter? Remember whose is the church, God's, and what his power is, and then see if thou canst find any cause of fear. Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men few, or weak men of Israel, (so the word is) I will help thee, saith the Lord, and thy Redeemer, the holy one of Israel. So Isa. li. 12. I, even I am he, that comforteth you, (there is the strength of it) who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the Son of man, which shall be made as grass? And forgottest, (ver. 13.) the Lord thy Maker that stretched forth the Heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth, &c. Do but think aright on him, and then see if it be possible for thee to fear. All thy little doubts and despondencies of mind will fly and vanish away before one clear thought of thy God. Though the world were turning upside down, it shall go well with them that fear him.

And as this apprehension of God strengthens faith, so it quickens prayer, it stirs thee up to seek to him for help, when thou knowest and rememberest that there it is. There is help in him, power enough, and no want of readiness and good will neither. If we apply ourselves to seek him aright, his hand is as strong to save, and his ear as quick to hear as ever. And in this that his ear is not heavy, is both signified his speedy and certain knowledge of all requests sent up to him, and his gracious inclination to receive them. Now these persuasions do undoubtedly draw up the heart towards him.

Again, as they strengthen faith and quicken prayer, they teach us repentance, direct us inward to self-examination, to the searching, and finding out and purging out of sin, when deliverance is delayed; for we are sure it stops not upon either of these on God's part, either shortness of his hand, or dul

e Isa. xli. 14.

ness of his ear. Whence is it then? Certainly it must be somewhat on our side that works against us, and prejudices our desires. So here, thus you see the clear aim of it, Behold the Lord's hand is not shortened that it cannot save, nor his ear heavy that it cannot hear: What is it then that hinders? Oh! it is this, out of all doubt, Your iniquities separate.

Old sins unrepented of, and new sins still added, as all impenitent sinners do; now this separates between you and God, for he is a holy God, a just God, hates iniquity, and between you and your God, that pleads no connivance at your sins, but rather nearer inspection, and sharper punishment, he will be sanctified in those that are near him, in them especially; their sin is aggravated much by that relation, your God, to sin against him so grossly, so continuedly, with so high a hand, and so impenitent hearts, not reclaimed by all his mercies, by the remembrance of his covenant made with you, and mercies bestowed on you; nor by the fear of his judgments threatened, nor by the feeling of them inflicted, no returning nor relenting, not of his own people to their God. Sure, you must be yet more punished. You only have I known of all the families of the earth, therefore will I punish you for your iniquities. "I let others "I let others escape with many things that I cannot pass in you; you fast and pray it may be, you howl and keep a noise, but you amend nothing, forsake not one sin, for all your sufferings, and for all your moanings and cries; you would be delivered, but do not part with one of your lusts, or wicked customs, even for a deliverance, and so the quarrel remains still. It is that which separates, is as a huge wall betwixt us, betwixt me and your prayers, and betwixt you and my helping hand, and though I do hear and could help, yet I will not, till this wall be down; you shall not see me, nor find by any gracious sign that I This hides his face that he will not

all'

hear you. hear.

This way God hath established in his ordinary methods with his people, though sometimes he uses his own privilege, yet usually he links sin and calamity together, and repentance and deliverance together.

Sin separates and hides his face, not only from a people that professes his name, but even from a soul that really bears his name stamped upon it. Though it cannot fully, and for ever cut off such a soul, yet in part, and for a time it may, yea to be sure, it will separate, and hide the face of God from them. Their daily inevitable frailties do not this, but either a course of careless walking, and many little unlawful liberties taken to themselves, that will rise and gather as a cloud, and hide the face of God. Or some one gross sin, especially if often reiterated, will prove as a firm stone-wall, or rather as a brazen-wall, built up by their own hands betwixt them and Heaven, and will not be so easily dissolved or broke down; and yet till that be, the light of his countenance, who is the life of the soul, will be eclipsed, and withheld from it.

And this considered, (besides that law of love that will forbid so foul ingratitude, yet I say, this considered, even our own interest) will make us wary to sin: Though we were sure not to be yet altogether separated from the love of God by it; yet thou that hast any persuasion of that love, darest thou venture upon any known sin? Thou art not hazardless and free from all damage by it, if thou hast need of that argument to restrain thee. Then before thou run upon it, sit down and reckon the expence, see what it will cost thee if thou do commit it. Thou knowest that once it cost the heartblood of thy Redeemer to expiate it, and is it a light matter to thee? And though that paid all that score, nothing thou canst suffer being able to do any thing that way, yet as an unavoidable present fruit of it, it will draw on this damage, "thou shalt be sure for a time, it may be for a long time, possibly

most of thy time, near all thy days it may darken much that love of God to thee," which if thou doest but esteem, think on it, it changes not in him; but a sad change will sin bring on thee, as to thy sight and apprehension of it; many a sweet hour of blest communion with thy God shalt thou miss, and either be dead, and stupid in that want, and mourn after him, and yet find thyself, and sighs, and tears continue, the door shut, yea, a dead wall raised betwixt thee and him, and at best much straitening and pains to take it down again; contrary to other walls and buildings, that are far more easily pulled down than built up, but this a great deal easier built up than pulled down. True, thy God could cast it down with a word, and it is his free grace that must do it, otherwise thou couldest never remove it, yet will he have thee feel thy own handywork, and know thy folly. Thou must be at pains to dig at it, and may be cost thee broken bones in taking it down, pieces of it falling heavy and sad upon thy conscience, and crushing thee, as David cried out at that work', for a healing word from God, Make me to hear joy and gladness, that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. It will force thee to say, "O fool that I was, what meant I? Oh! it is good keeping near God, and raising no divisions. What are sins? False delights, but make ado, and have ado, a man to provide his own vexation." Now this distance from God, and all this turmoiling, and breaking, and crying before he appear again, consider, if any pleasure of sin can countervail this damage, sure, when thou art not out of thy wits, thou wilt never make such a bargain for all the pleasure thou must make out of any sin, to breed thyself all this pains, and all this grief, at once, to displease thy God, and displease thyself, and make a partition between him and thee. Oh! sweet and safe ways of holiness, walking with God in his company and favour; he that f Psal. li. A Y

VOL. III.

orders his conversation aright, he sees the loving kindness of the Lord, it is shewn to him, he lives in the sight of it.

But if any such separation is made, yet, is it thy great desire to have it removed? Why then there is hope. See to it, labour to break down, and pray to him to help thee, and he will put forth his hand, and then it must fall, and in all thy sense of separation, look to him that brake down the middle walls. There it is spoken of, as betwixt men, Jews and Gentiles, but so as it was also between the Gentiles and God, separated from his people, and from himself, ver. 16. to reconcile both to God in one body, and ver. 18. Through him we have access by one spirit to the Father, and then he adds, that they were no more strangers and foreigners, dwelling on the other side of the wall, apoio, as the word is, but fellow citizens, &c.

Oh! that we knew more what it were to live in this sweet society, in undivided fellowship with God. Alas! how little is understood this living in him, separated from sin and this world, which otherwise do separate from him; solacing our hearts in his love, and despising the base muddy delights that the world admires; hoping for that new Jerusalem, where none of these walls of sin, nor any one stone of them are, and for that bright day wherein there is no cloud nor mist to hide our sun from us.

Now for the condition of the church, know sin to be the great obstructer of its peace, making him to withdraw his hand, and hide his face, and to turn away his ear from our prayers, and loath our fasts. The quarrel stands, sin not repented and removed, the wall is still standing; oaths, and sabbath-breaking, and pride, and oppression, and heart-burnings still remaining. Oh what a noise of religion and reformation, all sides are for the name of it, and how little of the thing? The gos& Eph. ii. h Isa. i. 15. Jer. xiv. 12.