conscience Mat. 16. 18 19. And this I cal conviction of a gracious and happy estate which is opposite to that conviction of a wicked and wretched estate discovered in the conclusion of the legal Syllogism before mentioned 4 The Effects of this Testimony when it is finished are quite contrary to the former of the Spirit of Bondage 1. Calmnesse and sedation of spirit by the allaying of those boysterous winds of temptation that raised the waves This is contrary to that soul confounding horror that soul-ague soul-quake that I spake of formerly and is called in the Scripture Peace Isai 57. 19 21. and 't is opposed to the horrible confusions that are in a wicked mans awakened conscience ver 20. But the wicked are like the troubled sea when it cannot rest therefore the godly mans pacified conscience is like the calmed sea that hath not a wrinkle in its face not a blast to stir any there no wind breathing on it except that of the Spirit of God to excite it to love and thankfulnesse 2. Joy and sweetnesse and self complacency in the heart Which is opposed to that second fruit of the Spirit of Bondage within a man which is before mentioned viz. Soul distressing anguish A man that was before not only a terror but a burthen to himself and was weary of living through his anguish of heart now begins to take pleasure in himself and begins to eat his bread with joy and goes about his businesse rejoycing as 't is said of the Primitive Saints Acts 2. 46. 8 39. This is called Joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. and 1 Thess 1. 6. Of the Holy Ghost because proceeding from this Testimony of the Holy Ghost It is like the content a man takes in viewing a great deal of wealth heaped up together and a man can â—ay This is mine when a Miser doth sibi plaudere applaud himself in the language of the Poet and blesse his soul in the Horace language of the Psalmist Psal 49. 18. such a soul can go through the whole Treasury of the Word and wallow on the Promises as oâ— so many heaps of gold and cry out rejoycing All this is mine Can look abroad among all the providences of God and say All these are mine and look upward to heaven and to crown of glory and an innumerable company of Angels c. and say All this shall be mine too in possession as it is now in Title This is like the tryumph after a peace and expressed by the Apostle 1 Cor. 15. 55 56 57. in some such height of actual assurance of Gods love and his own happinesse Such a soul looks as God promised Davids house should be like the grass springing up by 2 Sam. 23. 4 clear shining after rain 3 Soul supporting hope And this I set against soul-distracting Despair which was reckoned in the former point among the fruits of the Spirit of Bondage This is not that hope which is the ground of justifying dependance upon Christ of which I have spoken before but that which is the daughter of assurance and differs from the other as I told you as Negative and Positive as rational and spiritual differ That hope is the daughter of notional knowledg this of Experimental Experience produceth this hope Rom. 5. 4. This is that that raiseth a man to a certain and patient expectation of and waiting for the things which faith of evidence assures him he hath a title unto and shall certainly enjoy We through the Spirit wait for the hope of Righteousnesse by Faith Where waiting sets out the nature of this hope 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we do look out for and expect with earnestnesse as the mother of Sisera is said to do Judges 5. the hope i. e. the matter of the hope which is Of righteousness by faith which justifying faith assures us of and this is By the Spirit the Spirits testimony is the ground of this hope and his assistance the cause of it This is called the Anchor of the soul that stayes him from being carryed away with waves of despaire upon the rocks of certaine ruine And this is that that is the Helmet of our salvation guards all blowes from our heads all the blowes of temptations Heb. 6. 19 20. 1 Thes 5. 8. CHAP. VIII A Case concerning Absolute Promises and general offers of the the Gospel and conditional Promises in reference to the Spirits Evidence BUt here ariseth another Question Quest Doth the Spirit in its mediate testimony witness from absolute Promises or from Conditional Promises From general Offers or special Marks Ans By Absolute Promises I here understand such as suppose no preceding grace infused into and acted in us to the fulfilling of them as the Promises of the first grace and of the price and purchase of it the bloud of Christ c. which suppose no gracious condition at all in us required to the performance of them If at least these may in a tolerable sense be called Promises By Conditional Promises I meane those which expresse such and such qualifications in us as disposing us to receive the benefit of such a Promise as when Christ is promised John 3. 16 Matth. 5. 4 John 14. 21 to believers comfort to them that mourne acquaintance with God to them that keep his Commandments c. By general offers I mean such Promises in Scripture as tender Christ to every one excluding none by special Marks such characters in Scripture as discover who they be that have received him Next I shall distinguish between a supporting testimony of the Spirit and an assuring testimony of the Spirit 1 The supporting testimony of the Spirit is such a witnesse in a mans heart as in a grievous plunge of temptation keeps him from sinking a plank in a desperate shipwrack that saves him from drowning And it is ordinarily the last refuge of a soul when Satan hath quite conquered Assurance then the Spirit acts that soul by a faith of relyance wherein he doth petere principium in a good sense acts faith as at first in Justification Well saith the soul if I am no Believer if I am no lover of God if I be a Formalist an hypocrite yet there is faith repentance love sincerity for me in Christ and God offers it freely and unconditionately I will stay my self upon those Promises or gracious declarations Thus Absolute Promises may be and are the ground of the Spirits supporting testimony 2 But secondly There is an assuring testimony of the Spirit that that a Christian lives by in calm and clear times and trades by that whereby we are said to know that God dwells in us and we in him 1 John 4. 13. Therein the Holy Ghost is said to come in the Gospel in much Assurance 1 Thess 1. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with a full sail of peace and spiritual satisfaction so that not only all doubtings are removed but all the grounds on which a man doubts are
penitents to rest Matth. 8. 28. But to those other advantages which are offered to sinners in Christ no sinner is called as a sinner but to some as an humbled contrite sinner to others as a renewed converted sinner Those whom God calls them he justifies and whom he justifies them he glorifies Rom 8. 30 He calls sinners justifies when called glorifies when justified For the application of the Merit of Christ and Justification thereby presupposeth the condemnation of the Law to have passed upon every person to whom it is due and that not only in the sentence of the Law and Court of God but in the sentence of the heart and Court of Conscience also Thence the difference between the Pharisee and the Publican in point of divine Justification is in Scripture attributed to the self-justification of the one and self condemation of the other not to the procuring causes but the disposing qualifications Luke 18. 14. And the Apostle Paul tells us that whiles the Jewes went about to make their own righteousnesse by the Law to stand they failed of Justification because that kept them from submitting to the righteousnesse of God Rom. 10. 3. And as for Comfort and Reward they presuppose Justification and by consequence self-condemnation and a spirit of bondage For peace with God and joy and comfort in the hope of the glory of God follow Justification Rom. 5. 1 2. Thus then to apply althat hath been said If what hath been before said seem too severely to knock any of those upon the fingers who lay hold on Christ know it is only the presumptuous sinner who is thus handled because he layes not hold on that in Christ which he regularly ought to come to him for and fastens upon that which in the condition wherein he stands and under the disposition and frame of spirit which at present possesseth him belongs not to him And herein Ministers are no way blameable As if a great Prince proclaim a free grant of some especial bounty or favour to all that will receive it suppose pardon and liberty to a thousand Malefactors and that without any consideration of any thing to be given or performed by them only because he will have them sensible of his goodnesse therein and warned from such courses for the future he resolves they shal al be brought to the trial of the Law and abide its sentence and receive their pardon upon the Gallowes at the very in ment in which the ladder is turning or the cart driving away and then also not without acceptance of it upon such termes and conditions to be mutually signed If now a rabble of Theeves or Murtherers that fear the Law will one day overtake them and therefore are willing to secure themselves for time past and to fortifie themselves against Justice in the practice of the same villaines for time to come shall rudely intrude and challenge the benefit of the Princes free Pardon without any such formalities as are before mentioned are they to be blamed who are but the instruments for the distributing of these pardons if they bid them stand off yea and knock off their fingers if they shall lay hold upon them in such a disorderly way This is the case of the Ministers of Jesus Christ now adayes A company of brazen-faced presumptuous Intruders make a tumult and arrogate to themselves and their complices the name of Saints and challenge an interest in Christs pardons priviledges and comforts in a way quite inconsistent with the standing rule of the Word and the constant experiences of all that are Saints indeed And because the Ministers of the Gospel will not betray their trust and let go the pardons and priviledges which Christ hath put in their keeping upon such termes and contend earnestly against their irregular wayes of demanding them and advise them to be contented to take them in the way and order prescribed by Christ to seek of him in the use of meanes a new heart sensible of the burthen of their sinnes and the wrath due unto them and in that way to come to Christ for pardon and peace and it shall then be as freely theirs as any one 's in the World these impudent slanderers reproach the Ministers of the Gospel as unfaithful to their trust as streightening the free grace of their Master Christ for their own ends and with these clamors get into corners and forge counterfeit writings and seals themselves and invite others to come in and take the like from them at the same rate on which they came by theirs And thus becomes this deluded generation to be so pestered with a rabble of drunken lying Sabboth breaking unclean heretical blasphemous pretenders to Saintship and salvation which are the reproach and burthen of this and will be except God be infinitely gracious unto this Land beyond expectation the bane as to Religion and godlinesse of succeeding generations CHAP. XV. Encouraging early converts and vindicating the preaching of the Law from the exceptions of touchy hearers FRom the Thesis so cleared and vindicated Learn 1. What a thrifty course it is to be an early convert If a man must come under the Spirits bonds the sooner the better so much the longer true peace and liberty we attain by how much the earlier we have gotten through this Aprenticeship How rich do such grow if not neglecting their time and opportunities who get early out of their service Whereas if one be a man before he becomes an Apprentice besides that the service will be more tedious and irkesome at such an age how much of the prime of his days doth he lose wherein he might get a great estate were he his own man O how much joy and peace and assurance of Gods Love how much comfortable communion with him how many rich experiences how great an accession of grace how many opportunities of service and if there be degrees of glory how much of the weight of their crown do they lose that passe the pangs and throws of the new birth when they are even ready to go out of the World O friends how good is it for a man to bear this yoke in his youth seeing it must be born at one time or other Lam. 3. 27. The strength of the bearer is then greatest the burthen of sin at that age not being greatned by the many aggravations of a riper and more experienced familiarity with it will be lighter the workings and flowings of heavenly affections under it will be sweeter more ingenuous and unmixed with self-ends and hypocriticall collusions the removal of it in likelihood will be the sooner at least the surer God having engaged himself that they that seek him early shall finde him whosoever misse him they shall not Prov. 8. 17. This is much set forth by what was before said concerning the measures of conviction which the Spirit works by The longer wee continue in an unregenerate condition the more do we multiply the sorrows and throwes of
again 2 Another Affirmative and Adversative But i. e in lieu of it you have received another-guise gift the Spirit of Adoption All these parts shall receive their fuller explication in the following Treatise which I shall marshal under four Propositions or Theses Whereof the first is Theses I. The Spirit of Bondage in Gods Elect ends in a Spirit of Adoption The handling of this point will afford us these main heads of Discourse 1 What Adoption is 2 What is the work of the Spirit of Adoption 3 How this Thesis is to be understood 4 How the truth of it appears 5 Why the Spirit doth in such persons so work 6 Certain other Questions and the use of the whole Concerning the first that falls in occasionally in this Chapter Quest 1. What is Adoption Ans Adoption is to be looked on under a double respect 1 Active 2 Passive whereby it hath relation 1 To its Causes 2 To its Subject So it is 1 An Act of Grace as it is the work of God Adopting 2 A gracious Priviledg as it is the state of man Adopted We shall joyn both together and describe it as a priviledg of ours but depending upon its causes Thus Adoption is a gracious priviledge whereby the Elect of God and they only are out of the special grace and good will of God the Father made his children through Jesus Christ and entituled with him to the joint inheritance of all the priviledges belonging to the sons of God both here and hereafter 1 The general nature of it is a gracious Priviledge And so the Scripture speaks of it every where 1 John 3. 1. Two special Notes set it out a note of Attention Behold and another importing Admiration What manner of love is this c. The word is in the Orignal In what soil doth this strange plant grow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In quo solo natus est talis amor If David thought it so great an honour and priviledg to be the Kings Son in Law 1 Sam. 18. 18 23. if it were noted as a special act of self-denial in Moses to reject that offered relation of being an adopted Son to Pharaohs daughter Heb. 11. 24 which imports it was such a priviledg as scarce any but a Moses would have refused certainly it must be a priviledg of an high nature to be made a Son or Daughter to God Almighty And this must needs be a gracious priviledge seeing the picture of it is so full of glory Rom. 9 4. 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a special Right Authority Joh. 1. 12. 2 This the more appears because it is appropriated to a very few the subjects of it are Gods Elect and they only Ephes 1. 5 He hath predestinated us to the Adoption of children And those Elect are not actually so till they become actual Believers John 1. 12. To as many as received him i e. believed in his name he gave power c. and needs must it be so for by nature we are children of wrath as well as others Ephes 2. 2 And we are the children of the first Adam till we are the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus Gal. 3. 2. 3 The Causes of it are 1 Principal 2 Less principal 1 The principal cause is God the Father the Fountain of this relation His is the power of adopting Sons 'T was the usual act of the Father thus to adopt No child can adopt a father because it is an honour and the Superiour is not honoured by the Inferior but the Inferiour by the Superior Ephes 1. 3 5. compared So 1 John 3. 1 What manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the children of God The vouchsafement of it is from him to us 2 The lesse principal is either 1 That that inwardly moved him which the Schools call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that as followes is his meer grace and good will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes 1. 5. and this Chapter from ver 3 to 14. is a perfect common place upon it Having predestinated us to Adoption according to the good pleasure of his wil and therefore he will have that grace of his alone glorified thereby ver 6. And indeed what else could move him we being poor forlorn condemned creatures the seed of a Traitor and cast out in our nativity to the contempt of our persons c. as is described Ezek 16. 3 4 2 The outward procuring cause called also by them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Jesus Christ which followes next in the description Through Jesus Christ Now Christ hath a special influence upon this work two wayes 1. As the purchaser of it unto us For he redeemed us that wee might receive the Adoption Gal. 4. 5. of sons We were not capable of this Adoption till redeemed unto it for wee were by nature the subjects nay the slaves to another Prince who ruleth effectually in the children Ephes 2. 2. of disobedience nay we were condemned by the justice of God and so til our lives and liberties were thus purchased were not capable of any inheritance our very beings and estates were legally forfeited and but by Christs purchase wee had never beene capable of inheriting any thing but Hel Ephes 1. 7 11. 1. Pet. 1. 3 4. 2. As the deriver of it upon us He being the head of all the Adopted family from whom the priviledg of the blood and right of inheritance is derived as a streame from the fountain upon us God first Adopting Christ in him us For our priviledg doth not flow properly from the natural relation of Christ to God the Father but from the moral assumed relation that which Christ received from him when he undertook to bring many children to glory for the priviledges of Christs natural relation to the Father cannot be communicated therefore he is called Gods only begotten Sonne And this is the blasphemy of the Familists both old and new that the Godhead dwelleth in the Saints as it doth in Christ whence it will follow contrary to scripture that the Saints also are the natural Sonnes of God This is that that I would say God hath annointed Christ as the second Adam and the head of his Church with the oyl of gladnesse above his fellowes bestowed upon him the graces of Justification Sanctification and all priviledges belonging to them in an eminent manner and so made him the first born son of his grace by Adoption Psal 89. 26 27. I will make him my first born This filiation is not that natural relation to God for he was never made the natural Son of God and in that respect seeing he had no brethren he could not properly be a first born It must therefore be meant of a primogeniture by Adoption and because primogeniture carries a right of Authority with it among Princes therefore it followes Higher then the Kings of the earth I 'll give him power over all the
not as actually and assuredly so but as one that hath offered himselfe to that relation and will own it to those that upon that offer claim it at his hands Thence though they know not God to be their Fateer yet they lay hands on him upon his free offer as engaged to be their Father and so by frequent acts of relyance grow up into assurance that he is so when they find such fruâ—ts of their reliance as evidence a real relation between God and them I know many of Gods Saints do and I think they should call God Father when they scarce know whether they may be so bold or no and speed that way 3. That if any one of Gods elect want the assuring testimonies of Gods Spirit it is their own fault seeing God holds it forth to them in many a precious promise And if they dare not call God Father it is because through clouds of temptation and corruption they darken those evidences which might demonstrate their sonship For justification and sanctification if discovered are sure foundations of comfort and assurance Thence their condition is exprest by darknesse which is not the extinguishing of light in the object or in the eye but clouding it 4. Of those that have this assurance and enlargement thereupon very few or none keep it at all times alike and can alike improve it on every occasion Great sinnes and great troubles c. may many times cloud and sometimes as to the act blot out the evidence of their Adoption Thus David wanted this Spirit Psal 51. 11. 12. A child having offended may scarce dare call Father whiles that guilt remains uncovered 5. Even the high and heroical acts of assuring faith in Gods Saints are not always free from some mixture of doubting else there were no difference between assurance and plerophory or full assurance Answ â— But to answer more particularly 1. To the first Question 1. All the Elect of God have not presently when called the particular assuring testimony of Gods Spirit though even that belongs to them because of some obstructions that either from Satan or their own hearts may be put in their way A man may be long a child of God before he know himself to be so There must in order of nature be the certitudo objecti before certitudo subjecti for I can never be sure of a thing before it is And how long this proposition I am justified may be true before this I know I am justified I cannot tell it may be divers years 2. An elect child of God for any thing I know or to my utmost knowledge the Scripture reveals may go to heaven without that particular actual assurance or a particular confidence to addresse himself to God as his Father otherwise then by claim as before for I conceive it is not essential to the having of eternal Life to know that a man hath grace actually but only to have those things in him whence the evidence of the truth of grace may be to a clearer and more enlightened spirit discovered Though it be said He that believeth not shall be damned yet it is no where said he that knows not he believes shall be damned 3. Yet is every such elect child of God The reality of his relation to God produceth in a Saint those fruits even when he himselfe doth not know them As appears in second troubles in Gods people after conversion Faith produceth those acts not by its assuring but uniting act carryed out after holinesse and obedience to God by the secret seed of God that is in him by a natural inclination I mean from the new nature though he be not so visibly acted by moral perswasion or force of argument from graces received as those that see they have grace and are adopted usually be As in those creatures that want reason there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in Infants a natural love to parents though they cannot argue themselves by reason into the duties that evidence it from the particular knowledge of that relation And upon the same account they are affected with the evil of displeasing their parents although they feele no stripes and do not draw out that sorrow by argument from their Fathers love 2. To the Second Question I answer 1 That neither is it necessarily thus in all that have been under a Spirit of Bondage though elected upon the reasons before alledged 2. Yet have such that have been under a Spirit of Bondage more special promises of this kind which could they lay all hold on they would attain it but Satan taking the work of the Spirit out of his hand and finding them prepared for such impressions of trouble by the former work keeps the very stamp of a Spirit of Bondage on them when they are as to their condition under a Spirit of Adoption Mat. 11. 28. Isa 57. 15. 3. Nay when they get comfort and assurance it is commonly the stronger and more full and firm Understand this point thus then That usually and in Gods ordinary way of dealing with his Elect when he hath brought them under bondage by the Spirit he doth send them a Spirit of Adoption in its evidencing acts as well as in the rest Though he may sometime vary from the usual and ordinary rule And the giving of the Spirit of Adoption in these acts is to be understood as that of the Spirit of Bondage and its method before discovered that except possibly in some few singular cases it is ordinarily so CHAP. IV Arguments to prove this Thesis or Proposition NOw let us advance to the proof of the Thesis Quest How appears it that God doth so ordinarily Ans 1 By his Promises 2 By his Design in bringing under the Spirit of Bondage 3 By the Duties that he expects of his Saints 4 By the Experiences of his people Arg. 1 By his Promises which engage him thereunto John 16 10 11 12 the same spirit that is promised to convince of sin saith Christ shall convince of righteousness and of judgment Of righteousnesse because I go to the Father i. e. he shall convince poor burthened souls that there is a sufficient righteousness in me to cover the guilt of all their sins and this by my Ascension which declares the full discharge of the debt which on the behalf of my Elect I contracted and because I go to my Father my admission to my Father gives full assurance that I am again received into his favour and so there remains no cause of his displeasure against mee or mine that cast themselves upon me for righteousnesse Of Judgment i. e. of the truth and reality of their own graces as Isai 43. 1 3. Or Of judgment because the Prince of this world is judged i. e. a judgment of absolution of their persons and cause which shall appear by the contrary sentence on their accuser it shall be made appear that God hath condemned him that accused you and kept you in
thorow fear or temptation as at other times moving it to conceale the Devils counsell but out of distraction and oppression of spirit Now if this same soul find it selfe in the same condition before God when it sets to prayer it may lay the blame hereof on the greatnesse of its burthen and content it selfe in the assurance of as kind an acceptance of its sighs and groans as if they were drawn out in long prayers But if the straightnesse be not towards men or other imployments but only in duties to God-ward then enquire after farther causes whereof take these following 2. The admission of some late grievous sinne that yet is unrepented of Guilt is a tongue-tying thing When the man in the Gospel was taken without a wedding garment the Text sayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was speechlesse Mat. 22. 12. his mouth was stopped with a gagge Great sins are great gaggs And 't is not only so with the unregenerate but with the Saints also See it in Davids example Psalm 51. 14 15. Deliver me saith he from blouds O Lord then my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousnesse Open my mouth c. Davids lips had a padlock upon them guilt had locked them up He dared not speak to God whom he had so grievously offended And no wonder if Saints dare not speak where they are sure not to speed if they be dumb when they know God is deaf David knew well enough that sinnes make Gods ear heavy as he informes us Psalm 66. 18. If I regard iniquity in my heart God will not hear my prayer and the Prophet Isaiah tells us no lesse Isai 59. 1 2. The Spirit of prayer also will be grieved and depart from us if we defile his lodging he is a pure an holy Spirit Eph. 4. 30. In this case the counsel of Zophar to Job 11. 13 14. is very good If thou prepare thine heart and stretch out thy hands towards God If iniquity be in thy hand put it far away c. So shalt thou lift up thy face confidently c. Search out the sinne and remove it by renewed repentance and the fresh application of the bloud of Christ by faith which is the fountain of Evangelical repentance and then try again the Spirit of Grace that enables thee to mourne will bee a Spirit of Supplication too Zech. 12. 10. 3. Sometimes Gods glory is the cause of thy restaints of spirit God intending to teach thee that all thy enlargements are from him alone We often pray in the strength of natural parts or gifts at the best and it may be we idolize these last in our selves and others Now God may in his wisedome leave us to straightenednesse of spirit in prayer to make us lesse depending upon those helps And this he will do to choose at such a time when afflictions are heavy upon us because that is a time if any be when it may be supposed necessity will enlarge parts and gifts to the utmost Afflictions are usually incitements and occasions of enlargement in prayer God makes account that at that time he shall hear from his people Hos 5. 15. and in our straits commonly we give God many faire words are rhetorical more then ordinary flatter with our lips Psalm 78. 36. A Scholar at the Vniversity that seldome writes and it may be if he do oftner then ordinary yet writes curtell'd letters to his friends at other times yet against Quarter-day when hee needs his pension will be sure not to fayle of a large letter and a bill of expences annexed Hence oftentimes the people of God are very fondly conceited of afflictions and under deadnesse of spirit are too apt to wish them out of a conceit that when they come they are able to make great use of them to quicken their hearts to prayer But the Lord chasteneth their foolish expectations divers times by stopping their mouths under those very troubles whence they hoped for great improvements and enlargements hereby teaching them that the Spirit of supplication as well as the Spirit of sanctification bloweth where and when he listeth John 3. 8. This case whenever it befalls any as we may ghesse when it doth so by our former valuation of gifts and conceits of improving afflictions c. calls upon such persons to give God the glory of his own peculiar attribute the preparer of the heart and the Spirit of its own office the Spirit of Supplication and call for and rely on divine assistance meerly in that work 4. Sometimes misapprehensions of God may be the cause of straightnesse in duty Thoughts that God is our enemy c. And then we deale with God as we do with our best friends many times in an humour we have a conceit that they have done us a discourtesie or are fallen out with us it may be upon slight reports or other as slender evidence and then our stomacks presently swell so bigge that we cannot so much as speak to them Pride and discontent will so swell a mans stomack like spleen winds up to a mans mouth that he cannot speak except to belch out the language of discontent and passion Sometimes we conceive God so offended at us that he casts away our prayer Lam. 3. 8. And where a man hath little hope to speed he will have very little heart to speak whereas hope to prevaile is the most fluent fountain of Rhetorick that can bee thus want of Faith makes the voyce of prayer stick in the teeth as we use to say The Spirit of Adoption only is the Spirit of Supplication and a man cannot pray so much to the purpose as when he can call God Father Then we cry 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom 8. 15. When David was in that grievous trouble Psalm 116. What lets his tongue loose in prayer I believed saith he therefore I spake v. 10. Friends prayer is the child of Faith not Fancy not the voyce of Invention but Affection begotten not in the brain of an Oratour but in the heart of a child A child is very copious and fluent in expression commonly when he complains to a Father but will lye still and cry it out in a sullen mood and say never a word if a stranger aske what ayles it The cure in this case is Look over all your evidences remember dayes past and the years of the right hand of the most high thy songs in the night and his mercy and lovingkindnesse in the day Call to mind promises of everlasting love in and notwithstanding the heaviest afflictions apply them and labor to urge them Challenge God upon old acquaintance as Christ My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Mat. 27. 46. O Lord how comes it to passe now that I have lost my acquaintance with thee Lord return and visit me with thy ancient loving kindnesses Psal 25. 6. 2 After discovery and removal of the impediments and obstructions aforesaid Study your own case distinctly and clearly