Gospel-Worship

In the last place observe this rule, if ever God hath helped thee at any time in prayer, that thy heart hath been kept close to a duty, and thou hast had Communion with him, bless God for that, bless God for that help; tis a rule of very great use for us to get further assistance from God in any thing, if so be our hearts be enlarged to bless God for any assistance we have had heretofore; and the reason why we gain and prosper so little in our Christian course, it is because we do not take notice of what God hath done for us, to give God glory for mercies formerly received, and therefore God takes little or no delight in coming in with further mercies to us; as if you had a young nursery of trees, and they began to thrive very well, but there comes a company of Caterpillars and spoils almost all the young Trees that are set, only two or three are kept from the Caterpillars; a man goes into his orchard, and looks upon his Trees, and this is spoiled, and that is spoiled; but he sees two or three and these flourish fairly, and these are full of buds, and are like to come to something, and he rejoices mightily in those, because they are saved when so many others are spoiled; and so do thou view thy prayers, and consider how many hath been spoiled as it were by these Caterpillars; for I compare wandering vain thoughts in prayer unto Caterpillars that are upon the trees; and we see that if stormy rainy weather comes the Caterpillars will fall; and one would think that these blustering storms and the hand of God that hath been out against us, should have cleansed our thoughts and souls from these Caterpillars that have been upon our duties, but many duties have been spoiled; yet thou mayest say, that through Gods mercy such a Morning in my closet, the Lord ⟨p. 290⟩hath preserved a prayer to himself, and I have gotten power over this vain heart of mine, bless God for this, and so the Spirit of God will be more ready to come in and help thee another time; but thus much shall suffice to speak to this, that's the second thing, we must give up our selves wholly to this duty.

In the last place observe this rule, if ever God hath helped thee at any time in prayer, that thy heart hath been kept close to a duty, and thou hast had Communion with him, blesse God for that, blesse God for that helpe; tis a rule of very great use for us to get further assistance from God in any thing, if so bee our hearts be inlarged to blesse God for any assistance wee have had heretofore; and the reason why we gaine and prosper so little in our Christian course, it is because we do not take notice of what God hath done for us, to give God glory for mercyes formerly received, and therefore God takes little or no delight in comming in with further mercyes to us; as if you had a young nursery of trees, and they began to thrive very well, but there comes a company of Caterpillars and spoiles almost all the young Trees that are set, only two or three are kept from the Caterpillars; a man goes into his orchard, and looks upon his Trees, and this is spoild, and that is spoiled; but he sees two or three and these flourish fairly, and these are full of buds, and are like to come to something, and he rejoyces mightily in those, because they are sav'd when so many others are spoil'd; and so doe thou view thy prayers, and consider how many hath been spoiled as it were by these Caterpillars; for I compare wandring vaine thoughts in prayer unto Caterpillars that are upon the trees; and we see that if stormy rainy weather comes the Caterpillars will fall; and one would thinke that these blustering stormes and the hand of God that hath been out against us, should have clensed our thoughts and soules from these Caterpillars that have been upon our dutyes, but many duties have been spoiled; yet thou maist say, that through Gods mercy such a Morning in my closet, the Lord