tor and Intercessor for
his people, John xvii. 24, saying, "Father, I will that they also whom
thou hast given me, be with me where I am," &c. May not the poor
faint-hearted believer that is looking to Jesus, draw an heart-reviving,
and soul-encouraging conclusion out of this, and say, though my prayers
be shut out, and when I cry for relief under my discouragements, I get
no hearing; but, on the contrary, my discouragements grow, and my heart
fainteth the more; yet Christ always was heard, and the Father will not
say him nay; why then may not I lift up my head in hope, and sing in the
hope of the glory of God, in the midst of all my discouragements?

7. By faith they would cast all their discouragements, entanglements,
and difficulties, as burdens too heavy for their back, on Christ, and
leave them there with him who only can remove them; and withal, resolve
never to give over, but to go forward in his strength, and thus become
daily stronger and stronger in resolutions, purposes, desires, and
endeavours, when they can do no more.

8. They would look to Jesus, the author and finisher of faith, and set
him before them as a copy of courage, "who for the joy that was set
before him, endured the cross, despising the shame," and endureth
contradiction of sinners against himself, Heb. xii. 2, 3. And this may
prove a mean to keep us from wearying and fainting in our minds, as the
apostle hinteth there.

9. They would remember, that Christ going before, as the Captain of
their salvation, hath broken the ice to them, and the force and strength
of all those discouragements, as we did lately show; so that now they
should be looked upon as broken and powerless discouragements.

10. They would fix their eye by faith on Jesus, as only able to do their
business, to bear up their head, to carry them through discouragements,
to apply cordials to their fainting hearts, and remain fixed in that
posture and resolution, looking for strengthening and encouraging life
from him, and from him alone; and thus declare, that, (1.) They are
unable of themselves to stand out such storms of discouragements, and to
wrestle through such difficulties. (2.) They believe he is only able to
bear them up, and carry them through, and make them despise all those
discouragements which the devil and their own evil hearts muster up
against them. (3.) That come what will come, they will not quit the
bargain--they will never recall or take back their subscript