VE x.io. Ephefians,Chap. 6. 789 Anfm. The inefficiencieofthe word is twofold. Simple, when it hath no favingworke : or preparative, when it is Paid co worke nothing as it fhould, as we dcfire, as we fometime have felt it. Now the firft ftandeth not with faith,the latter doth : as for exam- ple, put Aquavitx into a dead mans mouth, and all the reftoratives that may be,they doe nothing with him : but give food,or reftoratives toa man in a dropfie, or confumption, though he ftill walk weakly, and have no appetite before, and hath (lathingafter, and qualmes ri- ding over the ftomach,yet heis prefervedby them : now we fay,things do nogood, when they donor fohealthfomely nourifh, as they ufe in found bodies. Now this latter is the eftate of a Chriftian foul, not the former : lie may anfwer therefore bydenying the fecond part of the reafon q It is effeduall, though it do work nothing with him, as he path known it. 6.4The Devill will thus fuggeft to thy confcience: Ifever thou ObjelII.6. didit trulybeleeve, God would hear thy prayer : but thou askeft, and receiveft nor. Anf. The forme of the reafon is naught, as which runneth from hearingto receiving. The anfwer is, We mutt diftinguifhbetwixt hea- ring, and fignifying,that we are heard by the effea. The firft (in law- full things askedin the name of Jefus, a 6. Zohn 23.) is alwayes: the fecondnot alwayes. For God when he heareth, often makethas if he heard nor, nay as if hewere contrarily minded. Lam.3.44. Thou haft covered thy felfe as with a cloud, that our prayer fhouldnot pafi'e through, that is, thou feemeft fo in effeét. David. How long wilt thou fmoake againft prayer, &c. open thycares. Daniel to. God made him fee, he heard him a good (pace after : yet he did heart him from the firft requeft. This then is the flare of Gods people. But Godwhen he heares dothmake as though he did not heare,yea were turned from them and their prayers in difplea- fure. Seaventhly, true faith faileth not : thine dothoften faile, and thou ObjeFá.7â art fo weake, thou feeft thou canft not hold out. And the truth is the belt faith tried long, will limpe a little, Pfal. 116. to. s r. I faid in iin fv Imy tcare, all men arelycrs, &c. t Sam. 27. r. And Davie! faid in his heart, I (hall one day perifh by the hand of Saul, &c. Is it not better forme that I fave my felfe in the land of the Philiftines, &c e And we by experience finde,thatoften through unbeleefe and impatiencie, we yeeldthe buckler,and leave awhile clafping that promife which onely can releeve us. But the anfwere is, by learning what it is to have true faith faile: there is a double failing, oneof the grace, another of theworke : now this latter, the work,may ceafe while faith doth not faile : as Luke 22. 3 a. But I have prayed for theethat thy faith falle not. Yet compared with the end, Peters confeion, which was the worke of faith, failed in his mouth, and yet thegrace was fate in his heart: for Chrift was heard in that he prayed for. So that if the rea- fon be thus framed, That faith which faileth in the worke is a falfe Tu faith,
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