root of all dumpishness. It was by the belief of the word we had life at
380 charnock's works. [Ezek. IX. 4.
and spend their da3's in gluttony and luxury ! And shall not a Christian
find much more delight in applying himself to God ? We should delight
that we can, and have hearts to ask, such gifts, that thousands in the world never dream of begging. To be dull is a discontentedness with our own
petitions. Delight in prayer is the way to gain assurance. To seek God, and treat him as our chiefest good, endears the soul to him. Delighting in
accesses to him will inflame our love ; and there is no greater sign of an in-
terest in him than a prevalent estimation of him. God casts off none that
affectionately clasp about his throne.
To this purpose,
1. Pray for quickening grace. How often do we find David upon his knees for it ! God only gives this grace, and God only stirs this grace.
2. Meditate on the promises you intend to plead. Unbelief is the great
root of all dumpishness. It was by the belief of the word we had life at
fijst, and by an exercise of that belief we gain liveliness. What maintains our love will maintain our delight ; the amiableness of God and the excellency of the promises are the incentives and fuel both of the one and of the
other. Think that they are eternal things you are to pray for, and that you have as much invitation to beg them, and as good promise to attain them,
as David, Paul, or any other ever had. How would this awaken our drowsy
souls, and elevate our heavy hearts, and open the lazy eyelids to look up ! And whatever meditation we find begin to kindle our souls, let us follow it
on, that the spark may not go out.
3. Choose the time when your hearts are most revived. Observe when God sends an invitation, and hoist up the sails when the wind begins to blow. There is no Christian but hath one time or another a greater activeness of spirit. Choose none of those seasons which may quench the heat and dull the sprightliness of your affections. Resolve beforehand this, to
delight yourselves in the Lord, and thereby you shall gain the desire of your
hearts.
A DISCOURSE OF MOURNING FOR OTHER
MEN'S SINS.
And the Lord said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem., and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that he done in the midst thereof.— EZEKIEL IX. 4.
When God in the former chapter had charged the Jews with their idolatrv, and the multiplicity of abominations committed in his temple ; and, ver. 18, had passed a resolve that he would not spare them, but deal in fury with them, though they should solicit him with the strongest and most importu-
nate supplications ; in this chapter he calls and commissions the executioners of his just decree : ver. 1, ' He cried also in mine ears with a loud voice, saying. Cause them that have charge over the city to draw near, even every man with his destroying weapon in his hand ;' and declares whom, and in what manner, he would punish, and whom he would pardon. The execu-