The Fourth Sermon

1 Thessalonians 5:17. Pray continually.

Another case of conscience (in the business of prayer) is what a man is to do when he is in a strait of time, by reason of some weighty business that requires a [reconstructed: swift] and sudden dispatch, and gives him not the leisure and liberty that otherwise he might have had.

To this I answer: you shall find that in the Scriptures the prayers of saints have been sometimes larger, sometimes shorter. Our Savior Christ, you know, sometimes spent a whole night in prayer. Surely he did not take so much time always. And no doubt we have liberty sometimes to be larger, sometimes shorter, according as our occasions will permit. But yet this you must remember: that though the business be great, yet that business which concerns the salvation of our souls and the worship of God is greater. And therefore, except it be a true strait, this is still to be preferred; for it is a business of greater moment. And therefore you must give a just weight to your business, and not suffer every small business that comes in to thrust out this duty: for here you keep not the due proportion, but neglect the greater and take the less.

Besides, do you not say, when you have great business in hand, that a man must have a dining time and a sleeping time, etc.? Why may we not say as well, a man must have a praying time — is it not as necessary? You know what Job says — you know the course that he kept in reading the word (for that is clearly meant in that place): it was more precious to him than his appointed food — that is, he had rather omit his usual meal (for that he means by his appointed food) than to omit a constant course in performing those holy duties. Therefore, I say, it ought carefully to be taken heed of, that we omit it not, except it be a very great strait. If it be, we may be short in it — God ties us not so exactly. You see there are no rules set down in the Scriptures wherein we are tied precisely to such an hour, to such a time. But God in mercy and in wisdom has left it to our liberty. Only, you see, this is the command: 'Pray continually' — do it exceeding much; at the least keep a constant course in it, as we heard before. But you may be shorter in it.

Now let these four cautions be observed.

First, take heed that this straitening come not from your ill husbandry — that is, from your ill husbanding of time. For if a man were careful to redeem time before, it may be he need not be put to such a strait as he is at that time when he is to perform this duty. Suppose you have a journey to go that requires so much time, and you must be gone early — you may so husband the time before that you may get time for your journey. And for the performance of this duty, and so for other business: as I said in the morning, when you should sequester yourselves to perform this duty of prayer, take heed that you be a good steward of your time, that you husband it well.

And likewise, this is another part of husbanding your time: that you let not that which is very precious go for things of small moment, for that is ill husbandry. You should redeem the time and buy it with the loss of something. You have time to bestow in the weighty business of your calling, in things that belong to the good of man — much more should you in this that belongs to the worship of God. And therefore, if it may be, redeem it with some loss; so you ought to husband it, otherwise you redeem not time as you ought. This is the first caution that ought to be observed: to husband and redeem the time well.

The second is: if we be straitened at any time, recompense it at another time. For if it be not a feigned excuse and pretense — if you be straitened, when you have liberty you will be careful to spend more time in it. By that you shall know your sincerity in it, that it is true and that it is not an excuse and a putting off.

Moreover, another caution to be observed is that you take not too much business upon you. If you be straitened with business, and therefore cannot be so large in the performance of this duty as otherwise you would — if you take not too much upon yourselves, you are the cause of it. And therefore he that takes less, he that spends more time in the things that belong to salvation, has made the better choice. As Mary made a better choice than Martha, though her employment were good.

Likewise, as you must not pester yourselves with too much business, so likewise you must take care that your minds be not too much intent upon them. For too much intention of mind upon business causes distraction in prayer and causes us to post over the duty as well as too much business. When a man's mind shoots itself too far into business, when it is too much occupied about it, when it is too much intent, when the soul cleaves too fast upon the business and cannot loosen itself to the performance of spiritual duties which require freedom.

The last caution is that the strait rise not from diffidence in God and confidence in the use of the means. For it falls out often times when we have business of moment in hand, there is a turning and posting from one creature to another, from the use of one means to another, that we cannot get time in prayer — not so much for lack of time simply, but because we mind the means too much, we intend them too much, we do not trust God enough with the business. If we did, we might spend less time in them and more in seeking to him. So much for that case.

Another case of conscience in this business of calling upon God is: what a man is to do for the use of the means? For when we are bid to pray and seek to God, that is the ordinary question. But may we not use the means too?

To this I answer, that prayer is so far from excluding the means that it includes them. For if the desire be fervent, when we desire any things at God's hands, it will make us diligent in the use of the means, to use a convenient diligence. As it will make you earnest in seeking to God and in putting up your requests to him. For if a man shall pray and be negligent in the use of the means, I will be bold to say it: it is but like the desire of the sluggard, that is a languishing, listless desire. 'He desires, but his soul has nothing' — he desires, but he puts his hand into his bosom. The desires which you express when you pray are not fervent, they are not earnest, if you be remiss in the use of the means. He that desires grace, desires strength against sinful lusts and temptations, and yet is remiss in the use of the means by which grace should be increased and strength gained to resist those corruptions and temptations — certainly those desires are but vain desires.

Besides, it is an argument that we do not trust in God, that we make no account of our prayers, except we be diligent in the use of the means. Therefore we are far from excluding them. For if you seek to God and trust to your prayers and think that they will prevail with him, it will work this effect: that you will be careful to use such means as God has ordained to bring the thing to pass. Even as, if a man seeks to a physician, to such a physician that he trusts, into whose hands he would put his life — when this physician prescribes such a course, such a diet, and such a thing to be taken at such a time — the more he rests upon the physician, the more careful he will be to observe his prescription and rules. And so in this case: the more you rest on God, the more careful you will be to use such means as he has appointed, when he has said these and these means are to be used. In this case, I say, it is a sign your prayers are more to purpose when you are diligent in the use of them, when you dare not slight nor neglect them.

Again, you must consider this: that when we pray at any time, we do not pray to have anything done without means, but we pray to have a blessing upon the means. And if we pray for a blessing upon the means, our mind is not that they should be omitted. For you see, God does all things by secondary causes — he saves us not without ourselves; that is, he uses us as instruments, he does everything by men and by creatures and by means. And the end of our prayers is not to have them done without means, but to have a blessing upon them. But that which is chiefly to be observed to clear this point to you is this: that prayer is not the only means — it is but part of the means to bring anything to pass.

There are two things to effect a business: that is, prayer and means both. We do not say prayer is the only means — indeed then the other were excluded. But since it is but a part, and the other makes up the total means of bringing anything to pass, it does not exclude them, but they may be both joined together — prayer and the use of the means. This is enough to show that we may use means. We may pray and lay our hand to the plow, we may seek to God and be diligent, and as diligent [reconstructed: as any] body else. But now these three cautions are to be observed.

The first is: that if we do use means, we use those that are right. For if you trust God and depend upon him, you will not step out to any inordinate means, nor use lawful means in an inordinate manner. If you do so, it is an argument your prayers are of no value in your own esteem — you do not rest on God. For if you did, you would not use other means than he has appointed.

Secondly, though you use the means and pray both, yet you must so use the means that your confidence is in your prayers. For it is one thing to use the means, and it is another thing to have confidence in them. And therefore we say to you in this case, that you must do as he that uses the light of the sun: he so uses the light that he has an eye upon the sun from whom that light comes. For he knows that if the sun were set, the light would be gone. Or as he that takes water in a cistern or river — he so takes it as that he has an eye to the fountain, knowing if the fountain were stopped the river would be quickly dried up. So you should think with yourselves: if I use any means, any creature, any instrument to bring things to pass, my eye must be upon God. For all the help that we have from the creature is but as a beam to the help that comes from God himself. And therefore you must do in this case as physicians are wont to do: they put many ingredients into a thing, but it is one principal ingredient among the rest that he makes account will cure the disease. So do in this case: make use both of the prayer and of the means; yet you must know that prayer is the principal effector of the thing and the principal means — it is that wherein your confidence is to be. For indeed it is God that does bring everything to pass — there is no good in the city, nor no evil, but he does it; you know he takes all to himself. All the means by which good and ill is conveyed to you — they do not do the thing, they are but the vessels, they are but the instruments, as the beer and the wine wherein the medicine is taken, but it is the medicine that cures. So all the means cannot do it — it is the help and the power of God, the efficacy that comes from him, that brings things to pass. Therefore that must be remembered: use the means that you use with dependence upon God, with an eye upon him, that your hearts rest not upon them. For if they do, it is an inordinate use of them.

Lastly, you must take heed of sticking to any particular means. For if you do, it is a sign you do not trust God as you ought to do. It is a fault commonly: we pitch upon such a particular way and we think that must do it, or nothing. Now, if God is trusted to, he has more ways to the wood than one, he has more means to bring a thing to pass than one. And therefore we must leave it to him, who often does it best by another means than we dreamed of. As for example: David had a promise of the kingdom. Now when he had the kingdom of Judah, yet you know the kingdom of Israel stood out, for Ishbosheth had the kingdom and Abner was his chief captain. Besides, in his coming into his kingdom of Judah, we see how God worked the business without device, by a means that he never thought of — in that battle when Saul was killed and so many of his sons, there was so much way made for him, when he himself used no means to bring it to pass. Afterward, when the kingdom of Israel was kept from him and he had only Judah, we see God caused a division between Ishbosheth and Abner his chief captain. Upon that comes Abner and offers to David the whole kingdom. But yet he was but a reconciled enemy, and what Abner might have done, he knew not. Therefore God by his providence (though Joab sinned in it) caused Abner to be taken away by Joab. When this was done, yet Ishbosheth was alive still. Then were there two men set by the providence of God (though it were a great sin in them) to take away his head. And so the kingdom came wholly to David. For there were but two sons — Mephibosheth, that was lame of his feet, and Ishbosheth, that was lame in his mind, a weak man unable to manage so great and weighty a business to purpose. So God brought the business to pass by a way that David thought not of. Therefore, though we may use means, yet after the use of them we must depend upon God and leave it to God to take one means or other. We must do in this case as we do when we go to a man that is very skillful to do a work for us. If we go to a carpenter and tell him we have such a thing to be done — or if we go to those that [reconstructed: we call plumbers], that bring water from place to place, we tell him this is our desire, but how he will work and which way he will bring it to pass we know not, and yet we trust such a one. For we say, he is an honest man of his word, and if he has undertaken it, it is enough. Why will you not trust God, that goes so much beyond us, that has an infinite wisdom and an infinite power? And therefore we should so use the means that withal we keep our dependence upon him, that we leave it to him to use this or that means as it pleases him. For sometimes it may be he takes away that which we are about; sometimes he leaves us partly destitute and finds a way of his own, that we might trust to him and consider his power and his wisdom, what he is able to do. So much likewise shall serve for this case.

Another case is: what it is to pray in faith? You know that is required. Now there is a common error in this point. For a man may say, 'If I pray for the salvation of another, I have no promise — how can I pray in faith?' When a man prays to be guided in such a business, to have such an enterprise to be brought to pass, to have [reconstructed: relief] from such a trouble, [reconstructed: sick]ness, from such a calamity that he lies under — he finds no particular promise, and for all he knows it shall never be granted. How can he be said to pray in faith? For to pray in faith is to believe that the thing shall be done.

I answer, that to pray in faith is to go as far as the promise goes. Now no particular man has any particular promise that he shall have such a deliverance, that he shall have such a particular mercy granted him. And therefore it is not required to believe that particular thing should be done.

But you will say, what faith is it then that is required?

I say, it is enough to believe that God is a Father, that he is ready to hear, and not only that he is ready to hear, but that he is ready to do that which is best for me in such a particular. For both are required: that you believe him to be well-affected toward you, as a Father, as one that tenderly regards your good, and not only so, but that he will do that in that particular that shall be most for his own glory and for your good. And if you do so, you pray in faith — though for the particular you know not whether it shall be granted or no. Indeed, if we had a particular promise (as Elijah had that it should not rain, etc.), in that case we were bound to believe in particular. But not having that, we are not tied to it: for the promise is the object of faith, and the habit is not to work beyond the object. For the object is the rule and the limit of the habit. Therefore you may pray in faith when yet you have no ground to believe and to think that that particular thing should be granted. For example: if a father pray that his son may have grace worked in his heart, that his soul may be saved — it may be the Lord will never do it. Or if one friend pray for another to the same purpose — though the thing be not done, yet the prayer returns into his bosom, he is no loser by it; there is a reward belonging to him for seeking to God in sincerity. It is his duty that he should do so. The like I may say for every particular case. And this encouragement you may have: that there is never any particular prayer put up wherein you seek things that are not granted, but you mistake in it. For if you believe this far (as I said to you), be sure that your prayers are accepted. God will do that which is best for you, and your prayers shall not be lost. So much also for that.

The last case is: how shall a man know whether his prayer is heard or not?

For answer to this we will give you this one rule (and that is as far as we can go): that those prayers that are made by the assistance of God's Holy Spirit, it is certain they are always heard. If you find that at any time, you need make no question but that God hears it and will do the thing — observing the cautions that we have given you before, that is, for the means, the manner, the time, and the measure. For it cannot be but that, when the heart is enlarged by God's own Spirit, that the prayer is an expression of holy desires, the Lord always hears. That place is clear for it, Romans 8:27: that he knows the meaning of the Spirit — that is, he so knows it that he hearkens to it, that he always accepts of it. And therefore when you come in such a case at any time, that your hearts are enlarged in a special manner — mark, I say, when your hearts are enlarged in a special manner and that with holy desires — certainly then God means to grant our requests. He would not send his Spirit to be an intercessor in your hearts if he did not mean to do it. For in that case he withholds his Spirit, he gives us not that enlargement of heart. Only this distinction must be carefully remembered: you may be sometimes very earnest (the parent may be very earnest for his child, as David was for his; and Moses, for all we see, was earnest to have gone into the land of Canaan — they were things that they desired) and yet that may be an expression of natural desires.

In that case, a man may be very earnest and yet he cannot build upon it, to say, 'My heart is much enlarged in prayer, and therefore I shall be heard.' But take in this: when the heart is enlarged with holy desires, and that in a special manner — somewhat more than ordinary — as that you see it is the work of the Spirit of God, quickening your heart, opening it wide, strengthening and enlarging it, and sharpening grace and holiness in you, in those requests you put up to [reconstructed: him] — in this case build upon it. Your prayers are heard, from that ground we have given you: he knows the meaning of the Spirit. So much shall serve for those cases of conscience in this spiritual duty of calling upon God.

Now the last thing we propounded was this: what the qualification is that is required in our prayers. For now we have said so much of prayer, it is a necessary thing that we know what conditions are required, that it may be acceptable.

And the first (we will commend to you that which is the ground and first in order before all the rest) is that the person be right. 'The prayer of the righteous prevails much' (James 5:16).

The ground of it is this: a man must first have Christ before he can have anything else. He has given us all things else with Christ. If [reconstructed: we] have all things else but have not him, it is nothing. All the promises, you know, are Yes and Amen, but it is in him. So that we must [reconstructed: first] have him. And besides, the general covenant must go before the particular. For the ground of all prayer is [reconstructed: not] this or that particular promise, but you [reconstructed: must first be in] the covenant. You [reconstructed: must] have the general covenant belonging to you before you can have the particular branches of it. And therefore a man must be within the covenant — his person must be first righteous — and be [reconstructed: righteous], and therefore [reconstructed: take heed of this], in this [reconstructed: case], to think thus with himself: he hopes his heart is sincere, and his prayer is right, and his ends are good. For though all this were true, yet if his person is not right, God regards it not. You know, the blood of a sheep and the blood of a swine — they are both alike, it may be; the blood of the swine is better than the other. Yet the blood of the swine was not to be offered, because it was the blood of a swine. So in this case, the prayer of an unregenerate man may be as well framed, for the petitions, for everything that is required immediately to a prayer. But the heart from which it comes, the person from which it proceeds — that is it that makes the difference. And therefore that must be observed: see the person be right. And therefore you shall find in Psalm 4:3: David makes that the ground why his prayer should be heard. Says he, 'Be sure that God has chosen for himself the godly man, and when I call upon him I shall be heard.' For that is the ground that he takes to himself, that he shall be heard — that God has chosen to himself the godly man. As if he should say, I am of the number. And therefore, you that are my enemies and think to prevail against me, I fear you not. For I pray to a God that will defend me, I am a godly man, and upon that ground I believe that my prayer is heard. Beloved, otherwise, though we pray and pray hard, yet our [reconstructed: sins] cry louder than our prayers, they [reconstructed: drown] our [reconstructed: prayers], they make a greater noise than [reconstructed: them]: the noise that our [reconstructed: sins] make is like the noise of a thunder, when the noise of our prayers is but like the crackling of thorns — it cannot be heard for the noise that sin makes in the ears of the Lord. Thus it is in this case, when we come before God in our sins, when a man comes into his presence in his unregenerate state.

But this is not all. Be likewise — a man that is within the covenant may have a particular sin (as you heard before) that may intercept his prayers, and that may hinder the blessing. So that sin must be removed before his prayers can be heard. It is true, the son abides in the house forever, but yet the son may commit such [reconstructed: an] offense that his father may treat him as a servant — he may deny his requests and refuse them when he comes to seek anything at his hands. And therefore there must be a particular reconciliation, a particular repentance — that sin must be removed and done away that stands in the way. And therefore this method the saints have kept in calling upon God. See in Daniel and Ezra — all of them for the most part, when they make any complete prayer, we see still they begin with humiliation and confession of sins. And the reason of it is that their persons might be clear and innocent, that those [reconstructed: sins] might be removed which would stand in their way. Likewise, that is a ground of that in 1 Timothy [reconstructed: 2]:8: says the Apostle there, 'I will that prayers be made in all places, that you lift up [reconstructed: holy] hands without [reconstructed: wrath] and [reconstructed: doubting].' The meaning is this: not only that a man be within the covenant, but that he be cleansed from all particular sins that might cleave to him and hang upon him. As, for example, when you would be accepted of God — if there be any particular sin hanging on you, that must be removed by renewing your repentance. And besides that, see what the Scripture takes notice of when a man comes to pray: his heart must be cleansed from pride (for God resists the proud), his heart must be brought to a humble disposition. Likewise it must be cleansed from wrath — he must lift up pure hands without wrath. This is often required. Matthew 5: 'Leave your offering and go and make peace with your brother.' So likewise from unthankfulness: our prayers are not accepted except we be thankful for mercies received. The like we may say of every particular case. We must be careful to cleanse ourselves from all sinful lusts and corrupt affections, that they have not dominion in our hearts, but that we lift up pure hearts and innocent hands. And that is the first thing that is required: that the person be right — that is, not only that he be within the covenant, but likewise that those particular sins be removed that may be an impediment to his prayers.

The second thing required is faith. 'Lift up pure hands without wrath and doubting.' You know that in James: 'Let him ask of God, let him ask in faith and waver not.' So that, though prayer be the key to open God's treasures, yet faith is the hand that turns the key, without which it will do no good.

Now the Lord requires faith, partly for his own sake — he would not otherwise be acknowledged, if you did not trust him when you come to seek him, if you did not rest upon him. Besides, he should lose his glory: for in this we glorify him when we trust him, and we dishonor him when we distrust him. When we come and seek to him and do not rest upon him, we dishonor him.

Besides, in regard of us, he requires faith and will not hear us without it. Because, as it is in James 1:6 (in the same place where faith is required), there is good reason why it is required. For says the Apostle there, 'he that believes not' — or 'he that wavers' — 'is like the wave of the sea.' That is, sometimes in his prayer he is very earnest, as a wave that swells high; sometimes again he will be nothing at all. Yes, says the Apostle, he is not only uneven in the business of prayer, sometimes earnest and forward, and sometimes giving over again — off and on. But such a man is unstable in all his ways. For he that trusts in God will be careful not only in prayer, but to keep all his ways right. But he that trusts him not wavers in everything. He is (it may be) diligent in prayer, he will look to his ways for a time, but he rests not upon God, he rests upon other things. He is like a wave, he is not constant. And therefore faith is required. Now, when I say faith is required, know this: that there is a double faith required in our prayers to God.

The one is a faith in the providence of God; the other is a faith in his promise.

First, I say, faith in the providence — which is a thing of much moment, and we are apt to forget it. We see it clearly, Psalm 146:5-6: 'Blessed is he that trusts in the God of Jacob, who made heaven and earth and the sea, who keeps covenant and mercy forever.' You see faith there required in the providence: 'He made heaven and earth and the sea' — is he such a God, who is able to bring anything to pass? For he made heaven and earth, and is he not able to do anything besides?

Secondly, there must be a faith in the promises, as is expressed in the other words: 'He keeps covenant forever.' So likewise, to express the defect of it: you see when Martha and Mary came to Christ to raise Lazarus, they believed he was ready enough to do it (there was faith in his willingness), but they lacked faith in his providence. For Martha comes to him and tells him, 'Lord, he has been in the grave four days' — as if she had said, surely now it cannot be done, if you had come sooner it might have been brought to pass. So she believed him to be willing, but there lacked faith in the providence.

Again, as here faith in the providence was wanting, so we see in the leper there was faith in the providence (it may be the other was wanting, but that is not expressed — it is more probable he had both): 'Lord, if you will, you can make me whole.' Here was an evidence of faith in the providence — he acknowledges his power: 'If you will, you can make me whole.' But because Christ did answer him, it is likely he had faith in the promise too. So, I say, there must be a faith — first, in the providence; secondly, there must be a faith also in the promise of God. You have ground enough for that, you have his sure word for it. He has said, 'Ask and you shall have, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened to you; and whatever you ask, if it be according to his will, it shall be done to you.' So that is the thing we are chiefly to look to, to consider this faith in God's promise. For men are ready to say, 'I doubt not but God is able, but all the question is whether he be willing or no.' And therefore, if we will have our prayers strong and effective, we must be careful to strengthen our faith in his promise. For as that is strong, so our prayers do more prevail with God. It is a matter of much moment, and therefore we will show briefly how your faith may be strengthened, and likewise how you may know it.

First, you shall strengthen your faith if you consider the nature of God. Beloved, this is a great cause why we believe not the promise of God and his readiness to help us in difficult cases — because we are ignorant of the nature of God, of the attributes of God, or at least we do not consider them. For example (that I may open it to you a little and show you the way of making use of the attributes of God in calling upon him and strengthening our faith from them): consider first the justice of God. I will give you examples how the saints have still strengthened their faith from God's attributes. David used this argument: 'Lord, you are just; I am innocent.' When he tells God of his justice and withal expresses his own innocence, it is a strong argument. David, you see, uses it often (I need not name particulars): 'Lord, reward me according to my innocence'; 'You know I am righteous, and my enemies have done me thus and thus much wrong, and you are just.' God cannot deny this, for it is a strong argument that is taken from such an attribute.

So again, the goodness of God: 'Lord, you are full of mercy; on the other side, I am full of misery.' And when these are put together, it is a great means to strengthen our faith. And therefore we see David often expresses his own calamity — his disease, how he was oppressed by enemies and slandered, etc. — and God's mercy, that is the ground of it. God is full of compassion. As if he should say, 'You are full of goodness, and I am in calamity and misery at this time.' And that was an argument whereby he strengthened his faith.

So again, another attribute of God is his glory. When we make the argument thus — 'Lord, you have an eye to your glory, and I aim at your glory in such a request' — it is a strong prevailing argument with him. You know Moses prevailed with him when he sought the saving of the whole people of Israel: 'Lord,' said he, 'your name will be polluted — what will the heathen say? And since I aim at your glory in it, deny me not.' And likewise Hezekiah and David — they use the same argument to God: 'Shall the dust praise you? Shall any glory be given you in the grave? Shall we be able to do anything for your honor when we are dead?' So that the arguments that are taken from God's glory and our aim at his glory is another means to strengthen our faith.

Moreover, the power of God — that is another attribute whereby we may conceive the same argument as before. When we go to God and express our weakness and his power: 'Lord, we are weak, we are able to do nothing; Lord, you are almighty, you made heaven and earth' — it is a strong argument to prevail with him. So we see Asa prevailed with God, 2 Chronicles 14: 'O Lord,' said he, 'it is all one with you to help with many or few, and we rest upon you.' As if he should say, 'We are exceeding few, we are exceeding weak, we are able to do nothing, but you are able to do it with a few as well as with a great multitude.' There he puts them together. And the like we have of Jehoshaphat: 'Lord, we have no strength to stand before our enemies, but our eyes are to you.' As if he should say, 'You have strength and power enough, you are able to do it, though we are unable.' This is another argument taken from the power of God.

Again, the unchangeableness of God. When one comes to the Lord and shall say to him, 'Lord, you have done thus and thus in former times for your servants; Lord, you have done thus for me in another case; and you are unchangeable, you are the same God' — this is a great means to strengthen our faith. As you know it is in your lawsuits: when you have a precedent, it adds strength to the cause. And when we have precedents for this, it will add strength to us, and that strength is taken from God's unchangeableness. If we put them together — 'Lord, you are unchangeable; Lord, you have done it to other men in the like case; you have done it to me also in the like case' — it is a strong argument, and an argument that David uses. You see how he is stayed by it, Psalm 22:4: 'Lord, our fathers trusted in you and were delivered; they trusted in you and were not confounded.' As if he should say, 'Lord, you are unchangeable; you heard them in the same case when they trusted in you; now it is my case, and therefore I beseech you to help me in my distress.'

Again, the faithfulness of God, the fidelity of God — that is another of his attributes. And when we make our argument thus — 'Lord, you are faithful, and I trust in you' — it is a strong argument. You know it is an argument that prevails much with men. A man is ready to say, 'He trusts me; I must not deceive him.' Now the Lord keeps covenant and mercy forever. When we come and use this to him — 'Lord, you are faithful; you have said you will keep covenant and mercy forever; you cannot do otherwise; it is your nature; you cannot deny yourself; and I rest on you, I depend on you in such a case' — it cannot be that the Lord should fail us. If a man will not fail one that trusts in him, certainly the Lord will not. And that is an argument that is used often: 'You never fail those that trust in you.'

Then besides the absolute attributes of God, consider his relative attributes. He is a Father, and a Master — it is a strong argument that is taken from these. If we go to the Lord and say, 'Lord, you are a Father, you are a Master, you are a husband — where should the children go but to their Father? Where should the wife go but to her husband? Where should the servants go but to their Master, to their Lord? Lord, you have commanded us to provide for our own, and he is worse than an unbeliever who provides not for his own. Lord, we belong to you, we are yours.' We see David uses this argument — that God has made him. You have it often in the Psalms: that God had made him, not only his creature, but had made him again; he was his servant. 'I am your servant' — he often uses this relative, that God was his God and that he was God's servant, one that did belong to him and that did depend upon him. And surely, my beloved, dependence and seeking to God is a great means to win him to us. When we see another depend upon us, one that is ours, that is an effectual motive with men — the same is as prevalent with God, and therefore may strengthen our faith. Now when I say these arguments prevail with God, the meaning is indeed that they prevail with us — they strengthen our faith, they enable us to believe that God is ready to help us. And when we believe it and trust upon him, then indeed God is ready to second it, because then we are prepared; we can then put up our desires in the prayer of faith. Otherwise, they are put up with doubting, and that makes them unacceptable to God and ineffectual. And now, as I have shown you the way, so likewise in a word we will show you when we do pray in faith — for that is a thing that is very useful. You shall know it by this (for I add that because I see the Scripture requires it as such a main condition without which a man cannot be accepted: 'Be it done to you according to your faith' — it is everywhere emphasized): you shall know it by the quietness of your mind and your security. When a man calls upon God and his mind is quiet in it, it is a sign that he believes and trusts in him — it is a prayer of faith. Hannah, you know, in that case looked no more sad, because she trusted in God; she believed the thing should be done. And therefore, if you find anxiety and perplexity in your minds, it is a sign that your prayers want so much faith. For if you did rest upon God, you would be quiet and secure in him.

Secondly, if you do believe, you will continue in prayer. You know it was an argument of the faith of the woman of Canaan that she continued — that she would take no denial. Though the Lord denied her and put her off, yet she held out. And what was the reason of it? Because she believed that he was the Son of David, that he was merciful, and that he would hear in the end. So that continuance in prayer is an argument we do believe the Lord. As a man that believes that such a man is within the house whom he desires to speak with — he is content to wait long. Or one that has a suit and knows that he shall have an end of it — he will never give over. So it is in this case: if we believe, we will be content to wait. He that believes will not make haste, because he trusts in God and depends upon him.

Likewise, an argument of faith is a diligent use of those means that God has prescribed, and no other. And so we have shown you two things that are required in prayer: that the person must be righteous and within the covenant; secondly, faith is required — and likewise how this faith is worked, both in his providence and in his promises, and likewise how we shall know whether our prayers be the prayers of faith or no.

Finis.