the flesh there was a great expectation raised up in the hearts of the godly people to look and pray for him Luke 2. 27. and 38. §. 2. By some speciall evidence as first sometimes by some notable circumstance 2 God doth usually often evidence to a man that his prayers contributed and went among the rest towards the obtaining of it as 1 By some circumstance as for example sometimes by ordering it so that that man that prayed most for a thing of concernement should have the first newes of it when it comes to bee accomplisht which God doth as knowing it will bee most welcome newes to him God doth herein as wee doe with a friend who we know is cordiall in and wisheth well to a businesse hee sends him the first word of it who was most hearty in it prayed most about it Good old Simeon had surely been earnest in seeking the Lord as wel as the rest in Ierusalem to send the Messiah into the world to restore and raise up the ruines of Israel for God did reveale to him that hee should see him before he died and therefore to evidence to him his respect to his prayers God carryed the good old man into the Temple just at the time when the Child was brought into the Temple for to bee presented to the Lord Luk. 2. 27 28. And in like manner good Anna who had served God with fasting and praier night and day God ordereth it so that she must also come in at the same instant Luke 2. 38. By some such like peculiar circumstance or other doth God often use to witnesse to a mans heart that hee hath heard him in businesses prayed for in common with others Secondly by the hearts being filled with much ioy in the accomplishment 2. By filling the heart with much joy in the accomplishment of what a man prayed for which is an evident argument that his prayers did move the Lord to effect it as well as the prayers of others Thus that good old Simeon seeing his prayers now answered hee was even willing to die through joy and thought he could not die in a better time Lord now let thy servant depart in peace For when the desires have vented and laid out much of themselves then when the return comes home they have an answerable part and share in the comfort of it and as desires abounded in praying so will joy and comfort also in the accomplishment As when a Ship comes home not onely the chiefe owners but every one that ventured shall have a share out of the returne in a proportion to the adventure so here though some one whom it mainly concerns hath especiall interest in the mercy obtained yet thou shalt have thy prayers out in joy from God that the thing is granted S. Paul had planted a Church at Thessalonica but hee could not stay to water it with his owne preaching yet when absent hee waters those Plants which hee had set with prayers night and day 1. Thes 3. 10. Night and day praying exceedingly for you sayes hee and as his prayers were exceeding abundant for them so was his joy as aboundant in them when hee had heard that they stood stedfast and fell not back againe Now wee live if yee stand fast in the Lord ver 8. And what thanks can we render to God for all the joy wherewith wee joy for your sakes before the Lord ver 9. 3 By thankfulnesse for it when accomplisht 3. If God give you a heart thankfull for a blessing vouchsafed to another prayed for by you with others it is another signe your prayers have some hand in it S. Paul knew not what thankes to give for the answering of his prayers as in that forementioned place Old Eli had put up but one short ejaculatory petition that wee reade of for Hannah that was The Lord grant thy petition 1 Sam. 1. 17. for the returne of that one prayer when Hannah related how God had answered her ver 26 27. hee returned solemne thankes And he worshipped the Lord there ver 28. § 3. Especially when the thing obtained cōcernes a mans own particular And lastly in case the thing concerned thy self which was prayed for by others helping thee therein what cause hast thou but to thinke that it was granted for thy owne prayers and not for theirs onely seeing God stirred up their hearts to pray for thee and gave thee a heart to pray for thy selfe and besides gave thee the thing which thou desiredst which argues thou art beloved aswell as they and accepted as well as they I know this shal turn to my salvation through your prayers saith S. Paul Phil. 1. 19. though their prayers went to the businesse yet had not S. Paul beene accepted himselfe the prayers of all the men in the world would have done him but little good God may heare the prayers of the godly for wicked men when they doe not pray themselves in temporall things so hee did heare Moses for Pharaoh Abraham for Abimelech and he may heare godly men the sooner for others prayers so hee heard Aaron and Miriam the sooner for Moses his sake Numb 12. 13 But if God stirs up thy heart to pray for thy selfe as well as others for thee then God that gave thee a heart to pray hath heard thy prayers also and hath had a respect to them more in it then to theirs because it concerned thy selfe as a more speciall mercy unto thee Chap. 5. CHAP. V. Common directions helpfull in all cases and prayers First from such observations as may be taken from before and in praying HAving premised these Cases I come now to more generall and common directions to help you in discerning and observing the minde of God and his answers to you in your prayers All which directions are such as may be helpfull in all the forementioned cases and in all sorts of prayers whatever And they are taken from observations to bee made upon your prayers c. Both before in and after praying § 1. Before when God prepares the heart to pray First Before praying when God bespeakes a prayer as I may so speak that is when God secretly speakes to the heart to pray much about a thing I expresse it thus according to that phrase of David Psal 27. 8. Thou saidst seeke my face and I said Thy face Lord will I seeke now God then speakes to the heart to pray when not onely hee puts upon the duty by saying to the conscience this thou oughtest to doe but Gods speaking to pray is such as his speech at first was when hee made the world when hee said Let there be light and there was light so hee sayes Let there be a prayer and there is a prayer that is hee powres upon a man a spirit of grace and supplication a praying disposition hee puts in motives suggests arguments and pleas to God all which you shall finde come
in readily and of themselves and that likewise with a quickning heat and inlargement of affections and with a lingring and longing and restlessenesse of spirit to bee alone to powre out the soule to God and to vent and forme those motions and suggestions into a prayer till you have laid them together and made a prayer of them And this is a speaking to the heart and observe such times when God doth thus and neglect them not then to strike whilest the iron is hot thou hast then his eare it is a speciall opportunity for that businesse such an one as thou mayest never have the like Suitors at Court observe mollissima fandi tempora their times of beging when they have Kings in a good mood which they will be sure to take the advantage of but especially if they should finde that the King himselfe should beginne of himselfe to speake of the businesse which they would have of him and thus that phrase of Psal 10. 17. is understood by some that God prepares the heart and causeth the eare to heare that is hee fashions it and composeth it into a praying frame And sure it is a great signe that God meanes to heare us The difference between Satans unseasonable urging us to pray and Gods moving us when himselfe shall thus indite the Petition And by the way let me give this note of difference betweene these speakings to the heart and those whereby Satan puts us upon such duties at unseasonable houres and times as when we are otherwise necessarily to be imployed in our callings to eate or to sleepe c. then to put upon praying is a device of his he useth to tire out new converts with The difference will appeare in this the devill comes in a violent imperious manner upon the conscience but inlargeth not the heart a whit unto the duty but whensoever God at such extraordinary by-times doth call upon us hee fits and prepares the heart and fills the soule with holy suggestions as materialls for the duty for whatsoever he calls to he gives abilities withall to the thing he calls for And thus usually when hee will have any great matters done effected hee sets mens hearts a worke to pray by a kinde of gracious pre-instinct hee stirres them up and toucheth the strings of their hearts by his Spirit sent downe upon them Thus against the returne of the captivity he stirred up Daniels heart Dan. 9. 1. Hee knowing by bookes the time to be neere expiring was stirred up to seek God Dan. 9. 2. and so hee that made this Psalme Salvation being then nigh ver 9. 10. then God stirred him up to pray and pen this prayer for their returne which God had foretold hee would doe Ier. 29. 10 11 12. For having promised ver 10. I will cause you to returne after seventy yeares Then sayes he ver 12. shall ye call upon me and ye shall goe and pray unto mee and I will hearken unto you he speakes it not onely by way of command what it was they ought to doe but as prophecying also what they should doe for then he meant to stirre up their hearts as then hee did as appeares by those forementioned instances Therefore observe what things God thus by an instinct doth inlarge thy heart to pray for at times and sometimes at extraordinary by-times when haply thou diddest not think to pray about any such thing yet hee then stirred thee up most it may be as thou wert walking c. and having spare time he drawes thee into his presence and moves thee in that maner specified §. 2. 2 In praier Gods speaking to the heart in prayer an evidence of hearing which may be discerned Now secondly as God thus speakes to the heart to pray so also in praying and his speaking to the heart in prayer may bee discerned by these particulars 1 By giving a quiet rest of spirit about the thing prayed for in and by prayer 1. When God quiets and calmes and contents the heart in prayer which is done by speaking something to the heart though what is spoken be not alwayes discerned If you should see one who was an earnest and importunate suitor and exceeding anxious when he went in to a great man but behold him after comming out from him contented and quieted and cheerefull in his spirit you would conceive that certainly something had beene said to him which gave him encouragement satisfaction and contentment in his suit Thus when thou goest to God and hast been importunate in a businesse as suppose for Christ Oh give me Christ or else I die and thy desires were exceedingly up for it But thou risest up with thy minde calmed and satisfied and feelest the anxiousnesse the solicitude of thy heart about the thing taken off and dispelled This is a good sign that God hath heard thy Prayer and hath spoken something to thy heart which makes it thus composed When Hannah out of much bitternesse and with strong desires which by a long delay had bin made more violent so as her heart was much disquieted for Prov. 13. 12. Hope and by the same reason desire also deferred makes the soule sick when out of the abundance of her griefe shee had poured her soule out before the Lord 1. Sam. 1. 16. Eli the Priest joyning in prayer also for her The Lord grant thy petition after that prayer she found her heart so quieted that shee looked no more sad as the Text sayes there She arose quieted and calmed and it was that prayer that did both fill Elies mouth with that word of prophecie and her heart with quietnesse and a secret word from God accompanying it that did still those waves and accordingly God gave her a Son a Son of her desires And the like God doth now by speaking as I said something to the heart as by dropping in some promise or other into the heart or some like consideration saying as it were to the heart even as Eli from God did to her The Lord grants thy petition As to S. Paul when he was earnest with God about removing his buffetings by Satan which whether they were the stirring up a lust or temptations of blasphemy I doe not now dispute I besought God thrice that is earnestly sayes hee that it might depart and to this hee had an answer in the meane time given him till it should bee taken away enough to still and quiet him so 2. Cor. 12. 8 9. And he said that is in prayer the Lord did put in this consideration and promise into his thoughts And he said unto me my grace is sufficient for thee and my power is made perfect in weaknesse This answer thus comming in this promise thus seasonably suggested stayed and quieted Pauls heart In like manner thou hast it may bee been long praying against poverty or the like distresse and God le ts fall this or the like promise into thy heart I will never leave thee
So Hannah having obtained Samuel by prayer shee returnes him unto God 1. Sam. 1. 27 28. For this childe I prayed and God gave me my petition and therefore also I have lent him to the Lord as long as hee liveth If therefore thou findest this his dealing with thee in answering thee to be a kindely motive to cause thee to mourne for sin and to bee as a restraint against sin it is a signe it was the fruit of praier Thus it wrought with David Psal 6. 8. Away from mee yee that work iniquity God hath heard the voice of my weeping Also if thou rejoycest in God more than in the thing obtained so Hannah begins her song when she blesseth God for her child My heart rejoyceth in the Lord c. 1. Sam. 2. 1. Shee rejoyceth not so much in the gift as in the giver and his favour more in this that her prayer was answered then in the thing obtained this is a signe of having obtained the mercy through prayers when it is thus sanctified unto a mans spirit §. 2. Prayer answered enlargeth the heart with thankfulnesse 2 Prayers answered will inlarge thy heart with thankefulnesse and thus usually they doe selfe-love makes us more forward to pray than to give thankes for nature is all of the craving and taking hand but where grace is there will be no eminent mercie gotten with much strugling but there will be a continued particular thankfull remembrance of it a long while after with much inlargement and As prayers abounded so will thanksgiving abound also Hannah shee makes a Song 1. Sam. 1. 2. Great blessings that are wonne with prayer are worne with thankfulnesse such a man will not ask new but he will withall give thankes for old Thankfulnesse of all duties proceeds from pure grace therefore if the spirit stirs thee unto it it is a signe he made the prayer What thankes shall I render to God for the joy I have in you saith S. Paul 1. Thess 3. 9 10 So in all his other Epistles all those hee writes to as he prayes for them so hee tells them he gives thanks for them and for their graces which he had prayed for And if answering prayers for others makes S. Paul so thankfull what when for himselfe Prayer and thanks are like the double motion of the lungs the ayre that is sucked in by prayer is breathed forth againe by thanks Is thy heart afresh inlarged as to mourne for past sins long since committed so in like manner to give thankes for past mercies wonne with long prayers and this for a long while after it is a sign that they were obtained by prayer §. 3. If this encourageth thee to go to God againe 3 If the mercy obtained doth encourage thee to goe to GOD another time to pray againe the more confidently and fervently it is a signe thou hast got the former that way For the Holy Ghost having once shewed thee this way of procuring mercy hence it is thou art thus ready to take the same course another time Psal 116. 2. The Lord hath heard mee and I will call on him as long as I live I know sayes hee now what course to take if I be in any want even to call upon him and he calls upon others to doe so too § 4. It makes a man carefull to performe his vows made in prayer to obtaine it 4 When God having heard thy prayers upon solemne vowes made by thee thy heart is made carefull to pay those vowes which thou didst make in the time of thy suing to GOD for that mercy this may be an argument to thee the thing being granted that thy prayer was heard For first it argueth that thy heart it selfe doth secretly make such an account that upon them God did grant the thing and thou dost therefore make conscience to return all again to God in service as the condition of thy Indentures made with him and as an homage due and an acknowledgement for ever that such a mercy was won by prayer and by this preservest the memory of the receit of that mercy vowes being of the nature of homage and secondly in this also it is an evidence that the thing was obtained by prayer in that God cals for those vowes from thee by his Spirit in thy heart and stirs thee up to perform them it argues that in relation to thy prayers answered He takes them as dues from thee that having dispatcht thy suite He now calls for what was agreed to bee given him when it should bee performed And thirdly in that also he doth accept the payment of these thy vows of thee he acknowledgeth that those vowes and prayers were heard for as Manoah said in another case If hee meant to have destroyed us Iudg. 13. 23 hee would not have accepted a sacrifice so in this case it may be said if God had not heard thy prayers hee would not have accepted thy vowes after thy praying Thus David Psal 66. 13 14. I will pay thee my vowes which my lips have uttered and my mouth hath spoken when I was in my trouble the reason follows v. 17 19. because that Verily God hath heard me when I cryed to him and so Eliphaz in Iob doth connect and hang these two together Iob 22. 27. Thou shalt make thy prayer to him and he shall heare thee and thou shalt pay thy vowes This which he speakes of paying his vowes was not onely as it was to be his duty but also as a consequent that would follow the other that when his prayers should be heard he thereupon would performe his vowes for his scope is to move Iob to turne to God shewing what benefit would accrue to him by it and amongst others this The hearing his prayers and performing his vowes 5 If a man sees by faith and acknowledgeth God ◠sole han◠in the accomplishment 5 When thou art inabled by faith to see cleerly Gods hand shewed forth in the effecting of that mercy over and above the power of second causes and to acknowledge it to his glory for the truth is one maine cavilling reason in our blinde hearts whereby wee are usually hindred and put by from apprehending our prayers to be answered when yet the thing is done wee shall find to be that our eyes are terminated and bounded in second causes and not raised to see Gods hand in the thing therefore on the contrary when God inableth thee to see that hee hath done thee this kindnesse so as thy minde is cleere in it this is a fruit of his hearing thy prayers And this you will usually finde to be true that so much faith and dependance as you had upon God in prayer for the obtaining of a mercy so much faith and acknowledgement you will have in the accomplishment of it Parallel with this rule is that other which in another case is usually given that in performance of duties so much as the soul did
all things wee pray for If a man comes to sue to any man whose mind he knew not whether hee loved him or not he would have small hope or expectation of having his suite granted though hee came againe and again but if he be assured he is in favour with him according to that degree of favour hee supposeth himself to stand in with him hee is assured and confident of obtaining his request 2 Of the weaknesse of our prayers which is answered by three things 2 Discouragement is the weaknesse of their prayers though a man thinks his person is accepted yet alas sayes he my prayers are so poore and weake as surely God will never regard them To remove which let mee first aske thee this question Doest thou pray with all thy might then though that thy might be weak in it selfe and in thine owne apprehension such yet because it is all the might which thou hast and which grace hath in thee it shall be accepted For God accepts according to what a man hath and not according to that he hath not 2 Cor. 8. 12. 2. Thou art to consider that God doth not heare thee for thy prayers sake though not without them but for his Names sake and his Sons sake and because thou art his child as the mother when her child cryes suppose it be a weake child doth not neglect to heare and relieve it but tenders it not because it doth cry more lowd but because it cries and pities it the more the weaker it is 3. Againe though the performance in it selfe be weake yet confidered as a prayer it may be strong because a weake prayer may set the strong God a worke as faith for the act of it as produced by us may be weak yet because its object is Christ therefore it justifies so it is in prayer it prevailes not because of the performance it selfe but because of the name which it is put up in even Christs name and therefore as a weake faith justifies so a weake prayer prevailes as well as a stronger and both for the like reason in both for faith attributes all to God and so doth prayer for as faith is meerly a receiving grace so prayer a begging grace And therefore dost thou think thy prayers are accepted at all notwithstanding their weaknesse if that they are accepted then they must be accepted as prayers now if they be accepted as prayers then as effectuall motives to prevaile with God to grant the thing you aske for if hee should not accept them to that end for which they were ordained it is as if hee accepted them not at all As therefore when he approves of any mans faith as true and sincere hee approves and accepts of it to that purpose for which it was ordained which is to save and justifie and to this end doth as fully accept the weakest act of faith as the strongest so is it with their prayers which being ordained as a means to obtaine mercies from him if hee accepts them at all it is with relation to the accomplishment of them which is their end 4. Men are mistaken in judging of the weaknes of their prayers they judge of the weaknesse of their prayers by their expressions and gifts in performing them or by the stirring and overflow of affections whereas the strength vigor of prayer should be estimated from the faith the sincerity the obedience the desires exprest in it As it is not the lowdnesse of a Preachers voice but the weight and holinesse of the matter and spirit of the Preacher that moves a wise and an intelligent hearer so not gifts but graces in prayers are they that move the Lord. The strength of prayer lies not in words but in that it is fitted to prevaile with God one prayer is not more strong then another further then it is so framed as it hath power with God more or lesse as of Iacob it is said he had power with God Hos 12. Now prayers move God not as an Oratour moves his hearers but as a child moves his father two words of a childe humbled and crying at his fathers feet will prevaile more then penned orations Rom. 8. It is the meanning of the spirit that God lookes unto more then the expressions for the groans there are said to be unutterable Hezechiahs expressions were so rude and broken that he sayes Esay 38. 14. that he did but chatter hee being then sick even as a crane yet God heard them 3. So often failings of answers answered by foure things A third discouragement is faylings of answers I have prayed often and long and I have been seldome or never answered and therefore I make little account of my prayers that they are heard others have the revenewes of their prayers comming in but I doe misse whatsoever almost I stand for Therefore say they as those Why have we fasted and thou regardest it not Isay 58. 3. To remove this consider 1. That thou hast the more reason to wait for thou hast the more answers to come for as wicked men treasure up wrath so doe godly men mercy and especially by their prayers therefore mercies and answers do often come thick together even as afflictions also doe Suppose thou shouldst have few answers concerning the things thou seekest for here either in praying for thy selfe or others yet thy reward is with the Lord. It is in praying as in preaching a man may preach faithfully many a yeere and yet not convert a soule and yet a man is not to give over waiting but to observe after every Sermon what good is done and whether God will give men repentance as it is 2 Tim. 2. 25. And if none be converted yet as Esay 49. 4. A mans reward is with the Lord. Every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour 1 Cor. 3. 8. and not according to the successe of his labour only So it is in praying though thou missest againe and again nothing succeeds thou prayest for yet be not discouraged for thy reward is with the Lord which will come in one day 3. God doth it not that hee heares thee not but to try thee for a man to say as David sayes Psal 116. 1 2. God hath heard my prayer therefore I will call upon him as long as I live that is nothing so much as to be able to say Well I have prayed thus long and for these many things and never sped and yet I will call upon him whilst I live though I find no answer in this life To finde commings in in a trade and yet to hold out trading still argues not so much faithfulnesse in a mans calling as when a man hath losses and castings behind hand and yet to follow it 4. God usually stayes so long that we have done expecting Luke 18. 8. The Elect cry day and night but God stayes so long ver 7. that when he comes hee findes not faith they have
Heb. 13. 5. nor forsake thee which quiets and contents thy minde This is an answer and observe such answers for they are precious 2 When God drawes nigh and reveales His love in and upon such a petition 2. If whilest thou art a praying God doth draw nigh to thy soule and revealeth himselfe to it in and upon such or such a particular petition As in case thou didst mainely intend when thou diddest begin to pray to set thy selfe to beg some temporall mercie at his hands some great matter for the good and prosperity of the Church as Daniel Chap. 9. did set himselfe to seeke God for the returne of the Captivity and even before thou commest to aske it or in asking it God smiles upon thee welcomes thee falleth about thy neck and kisseth thee This thou art to observe as a signe hee heares thy prayer and accepteth both thee and it when there is such a strong sense of Gods favour and presence whilest thou art upon such a suit and request more then at other times or then in other passages of the same prayer this is a token God heares thee in that particular and thou art to observe this his speaking to thy heart When thus thou shalt no sooner come into his presence to enquire of him but hee sayes Here I am as the promise is Esay 58. 9. Therefore Psal 69. 17 18. Heare me speedily sayes David and that I may know thou hearest mee draw nigh to mee therefore when God drawes nigh to thee it is a signe hee heares thee Daniel having fasted and prayed for three weekes together Dan. 10. 2 3 Then an Angell came and one of the three Persons came and told him hee was a man greatly beloved ver 11 and 19. when in like maner God by his Spirit comes downe and meets thee and tells thy heart in secret that thou art His beloved and Hee is thine then thy prayers are certainly heard for if hee accepts thy person much more thy prayers 1. Iohn 5. 19 20. Men false men false upon the ballance as David speakes when they come to bee tried and weighed they will out of cunning use suitors most kindly then when they meane to put them off and deny them their requests But God who is truth and faithfulnesse it selfe doth not use so to deale but when he means to answer the prayer Hee withall sometimes reveals his free grace most to the end they may see and acknowledge the fountaine of all to be his everlasting love and so take the thing granted as a fruit of it and thereby come to bee the more abundantly thankfull Onely let me adde this Caution A caution That yet this is not alwayes an infallible signe the thing is granted though that the prayer is accepted which may bee of great use to you That it is not alwayes infallibly true that when God drawes nigh to you in a particular request that that request in particular shall bee granted in that maner you desired but it is a certaine evidence that thy prayer is heard and that the thing thou askest is agreeable to his will and that hee approves of thee and thy request exceedingly and thinketh the better of thee for it and hee will give thee it or something that is better There may be herein and sometimes is a mistake of Gods meaning to thinke that alwayes then the thing shall be granted when God drawes nigh to a man experience sometimes shews the contrary Quest But you will say Why doth God draw so nigh if he meanes not to grant it Answ 1. He shewes thereby His approving will of the thing prayed for Now GOD approves many things hee decrees not The reasons why God sometimes drawes nigh when he grants nor the thing There is his approving will and his decreeing will God may shew his approving wil of the thing thou askest as suppose it bee in view a matter which is of great consequence for the Church which hee doth for thy encouragement but yet it followes not that his decreeing wil is for the accomplishment of that very thing in particular 2. God may accept the person and the prayer when hee doth not grant the thing prayed for and by that drawing nigh witnesse his acceptation of thy person and the prayer Yea 3. That revealing of himselfe is oftentimes all the answer he intended to such a prayer and it is answer enough too to enjoy in the stead of a particular mercy the assurance of Gods love As suppose thou didst pray against some evill comming upon his Church which he yet intends to bring which hee did set thy heart a worke to pray against thereby to manifest the sincerity therof and then hee seeing thee thus sincere drawes nigh to thee and tells thee however it shall go well with thee and that thou art greatly beloved of Him Thou art sometime to take this for all the answer hee meanes to give And this hee doth sometimes also to content the heart and prepare it for a deniall in the thing whereas otherwise the deniall of what a Christian hath been earnest in might occasion as in many it doth a questioning and doubting of Gods love §. 4. God some times stirs up a particular faith of assurāce in some businesses 3 When God stirres up in the heart a particular faith in a businesse as sometimes He doth and upholds the heart to wait for it maugre all discouragements So hee did in David Psal 27. 3. David was then in great hazards by reason of Saul or Absalom and those such and so often as that to sense and outward probabilities hee was like never to live quietly againe at Ierusalem and enjoy Gods Ordinances there in peace but for this David had prayed and had made it as the grand request of his whole life as every man hath some one great request of all other even as Hee hath some speciall grace above all other or gift c. so request to God next to His salvation as haply for his Ministery or the like therefore sayes David verse 4. This one thing have I desired and accordingly God gave him a speciall faith in this thing above all other because it was his great request In this will I be confident verse 3. And though an hoste of men should againe and againe incompasseme saies he yet in this I will be confident that I shall still escape and see Ierusalem againe and enjoy the Ordinances and live in peace and though his faith failed him often as in the persecution of Saul it did for he said he should one day perish by the hand of Saul 1 Sam. 27. 1 yet at other times his faith was marvellously upheld and hee was confident in this Hee used not to be so in other requests thus absolutely particularly and distinctly and therefore he sayes In this c. As there is a witnesse of the Holy Ghost immediate to the heart sealing up adoption to a mans person