his own heart Look as the holy Spirit is not always a teaching Spirit nor always a leading Spirit nor always a comforting Spirit nor alwayes a sealing Spirit nor alwayes a witnessing Spirit nor alwayes an assuring Spirit to any of the Saints so he is not alwayes a supplicating Spirit in any of the Saints When he is grieved vexed quenched provoked he may suspend his gracious influences and deny the soul his assistance and what can a Christian then say or do But Secondly I answer Thou canst not pray but canst thou not sigh nor groan neither there may be the spirit of Adoption in sighs and groans as well as in vocal prayer Rom. 8. 26. The force the vertue the efficacie the excellency of prayer doth not consist in the number and flourish of words but in the supernatural motions of the spirit in sighs and groans and pangs and strong affections of heart that are unspeakable and unutterable Certainly the very soul of prayer lyes in the pouring out of a mans soul before the Lord though it be but in sighs groans and tears 1 Sam. 1. 13 19. One sigh and groan from a broken heart is better pleasing to God than all humane eloquence But Thirdly I answer Beg of God to teach thee to pray O beg the holy spirit that is a spirit of prayer God hath promised his holy spirit to them that ask it Luk. 11. 13. If ye then being evil know how to give good gifts unto your children how much more shall your heavenly father give the holy spirit to them that ask him Ezek. 36. 26 27. A new heart also will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will takeaway the stony heart out of your flesh and I will give you a heart of flesh and I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and ye shall keep my judgements and doe them Ezek. 11. 19. And I will give them one heart I will put a new Spirit within you and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh and will give them an heart of flesh Zech. 12. 10. I will pour upon the house of David and upon the Inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication Now Gracious promises are Gods bonds and he loves to see his people put them in suit God expects Isa 62. 6 7. Isa 42. 25 26. that we should be his Remembrancers and that we should pray over his promises When he had promised great things to his people concerning Justification Sanctification Preservation he subjoynes Yet I will for this be enquired of by Ezek. 36. 37. the house of Israel to doe it God looks that we should spread his gracious promises before him as Hezekiah Isa 37. 14. did Seanacheribs letter God is never better pleased than when his people importune him in his own words and urge him with arguments taken from his owne promises Though God be a very affectionate father and a very liberal father yet he is not a prodigal father for he will never throw away his mercies on such as will not stoutly and humbly plead out his promises with him God loves to take state upon him and will be sought unto both for his giving in of mercies and for his making good of precious promises Thou sayest thou can'st not pray why can'st thou not goe into a corner and spread the Promises last cited before the Lord and tell him how much it concernes his honour glory as well as thy own internal eternal good to make good those gracious promises that he hath made concerning his giving of his Spirit to them that ask him and his putting his Spirit within them and his pouring out a Spirit of grace and supplication upon them We read of Tamar that when Gen. 38. 18 25. Judah her father-in-law lay with her she took as a pledge his signet bracelets and staffe and afterwards when she was in great distress and ready to be burnt as an Harlot she then brought out her staff and signet and Bracelets and said by the man whose these are am I with child and thereby she saved her life The promises are as so many rich Mines they are as so many choice flowers of paradise they are the food life and strength of the soul They are as a staffe to support the soul and they are as a signet and Bracelets to adorne the soul and to enrich the soul and therefore poor sinners should bring them forth and lay them before the Lord and urge God with them there being no way on earth to save a mans soule and to prevent a burning in Hell like this Concerning precious promises let me give you these eight hints First that they are truly propounded stated by God Mark 10. 30. Secondly That they shall certainly be performed 2 Cor. 1. 20. they being all made in and thorow Christ they are made first to Christ and then to all that have union and communion with him Sirtorius saith Plutarch paid what he promised with fair words but so doth not God Men many times say and unsay they often eate their words as soon as they have spoken them but God will never eat the words that are gone out of his mouth Isa 46. 10 11. My counsel shall stand and I will doe all my pleasure yea I have spoken it I will also bring it to pass I have purposed it I will also doe it Thirdly That they all issue from free grace from special love Hos 14. 4. from divine goodness Fourthly That they are all as Jer. 31. 3. unchangable as he is that made them Fifthly That they are all bottomed and Mal. 3. 6. founded upon the truth faithfulness and all sufficiency of God Sixthly That they are pledges and pawnes of great things that Heb. 13. 5. God will doe for his people in time Seventhly That they are most Heb. 6. 12. sure and certain evidences of divine favour and a declaration of the Num. 23. 19. heart and good will of God to his poor people Eighthly That they are the price of Christs blood Now how should all these things encourage poor souls to be still a pressing of God with his promises But Fourthly You say you cannot pray c. O that you would leave off objecting and fall upon praying If you cannot pray as you would nor as you should pray as well as you can Josephs brethren stood so long dallying delaying and trifling out the time that having a Journey to goe to buy corn they might have bought and returned twice before they went and bought once When Eliah called Elizeus he goes about the bush 1 Kings 19. 20. and he must needs goe bid his father and mother farewel before he could follow the Prophet O friends take heed of dallying delaying trifling going about the bush when you should be a faling upon the work of prayer What though
The eye that sin shuts afflictions open Soul and to mend whatsoever is amiss They are Pills made up by a heavenly hand on purpose to clear our eye-sight 1 Kings 17. 18. And she said unto Elijah what have I to do with thee O thou man of God art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance and to slay my Son If God had not taken away her Son her sin had not been brought to remembrance It was the Speech of an holy man in his sickness In this Disease said he I have learned how great God is and what the evil of sin is I never knew to purpose what God was before nor what sin was before The Cross opens mens eyes as the tasting of Honey did Jonathans Here as that Martyr phrased it we are still a learning our A B C and our lesson is never past Christs Cross and our walking is still home by weeping Cross But Thirdly The Rod is used to prevent further folly mischief and misery Prov. 23. 13 14 With-hold not correction from the Child for if thou beatest him with the Rod he shall not die Thou shalt beat him with the Rod and shalt deliver his Soul from Hell It is said of the Ape that she huggeth her young ones to death so many fond Parents by not correcting their Children they come to slay their Children The best way to prevent their being scourged with Scorpions in Hell is to chastise them with the Rod here So God takes up the Rod he afflicts and chastiseth his dearest Children but 't is to prevent soul-mischief and misery 't is to prevent pride self-love worldliness c. Paul was 2 Cor. 12. 7 8 9. one of the holiest men that ever lived on earth he was called by some an earthly Angel and yet he needed the Rod he needed a thorn in the flesh to prevent pride witness the doubling of those words in one verse least I should be exalted above measure least I should be exalted above measure If Paul had not been buffetted who knows how highly he might have been exalted in his own conceit Prudent Physitians do often give their Patients Physick to prevent Diseases so doth the Physitian of souls by his dearest Servants Job 33. 17 19. Job 40. 4 5. Hos 2. 6 7. He is chastened also with pain upon his bed and the multitude of his bones with strong pain That he may withdraw man from his purpose and hide pride from man Afflictions are the Lords Drawing-Playsters by which he draws out the core of pride earthliness self-love covetousness c. Pride was one of mans first sins and is still the root and source of all other sins Now to prevent it God many times chastens man with pain yea with strong pain upon his bed Job 34. 31 32. Surely it is meet to be said unto God I have born chastisement I will not offend any more That which I see not teach thou me if I have done iniquity I will do no more The burnt Child dreads the fire Sin is but a bitter sweet 't is an evil worse than Hell it self Look as Salt brine preserves things from putrefying as salt Marshes keep the Sheep from rotting so sanctified Rods sanctified Afflictions preserves and keeps the People of God from sinning But Fourthly The Rod is to purge out that vanity and folly that is bound up in the heart of the Child Prov. 22. 15 Foolishness is bound in the heart of a Child but the Rod of correction shall drive it far from him The Rod is an Ordinance as well as the Word and such Parents that use it as an Ordinance praying and weeping over it shall find it effectual for the chasing away of evil out of their Childrens heart Eli and David were two very choice men and yet by their fondness on one hand and neglect of this Ordinance on the other hand they ruined their sons and whether they did not undo their souls I shall not at this time stand to enquire When Moses cast away his Rod it became a Serpent Exod. 4. 3. and so when Parents cast away the Rod of correction 't is ten to one but that their Children become the brood of the Serpent Prov. 13. 24. He that spareth his Rod hateth his son but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes Not only the care but also the cure of the Child so far as the Rod will reach lyes upon the hands of the Parent Now Afflictions are like a Rod in this respect also for as they are sanctified they cleans and purge away the dross the filth and the scumb of the daughter of Zion Isa 1. 25. And I will turn my hand upon thee and purely purge away thy dross and take away all thy tinn Isa 27. 9. By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged and this is all the fruit to take away his sin Dan. 11. 35. And some of them of understanding shall fall that is into great Afflictions to try them and to purge them and to make them white even to the time of the end All the harm the Dan. 3. 23 24. fire did the three Children or rather the three Champions was to burn off their cords Our lusts are cords of vanity but the fire of Affliction shall burn them up Zech. 13. 9. And I will bring the third part through the fire and will refine them as Silver is refined and will try them as Gold is tryed they shall call on my name and I will hear them I will say it is my People and they shall say the Lord is my God Sharp Afflictions are a fire to purge out our dross and to make our graces shine they are a potion to carry away ill humours they are cold frosts to destroy the vermine they are a tempestuous Sen to purge the Wine from its lees they are like the North Wind that dryeth up the vapours that purgeth the blood and quickens the spirits they are a sharp Corrosive to eat out the dead flesh Afflictions are compared to Baptizing and washing that takes away the filth of the Soul as water doth the filth of the body Mat. 10. 38 39. God would not rub so hard were it not to fetch out the dirt and spots that be in his Peoples hearts Fifthly The Rod serves to improve that good that is in the Child Prov. 29. 15. The Rod and reproof giveth wisdom but a Child left to himself bringeth his Mother to shame So Afflictions they serve to improve our graces Heb. 12. 10. For they verily for a few dayes ehastened us after their own pleasure but he for our profit that we might be partakers of his holiness that is that we might more and more be partakers of his holiness Vers 11. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous but grievous nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them that are exercised thereby Hence 't is that the Saints glory in
private prayer will most clearly and abundantly evidence the singular love the great delight and the high esteem that he hath of private prayer We say those children love their books well and delight much in learning who will be at their books when others are gone to their beds and who will be at their books before others can get out of their beds Certainly they love private prayer well and they delight much in closet communion with God who will be a praying when others are a sleeping and who will be addressing their souls before God in a corner before their mistress is a dressing of her self at the Glass or their fellow-servants a dressing themselves in the shop But Fourthly Because the servants redeeming of time for private prayer from his sleep set meales recreations c. may be of most use to other fellow servants both to awaken them and to convince them that the things of Religion are of the greatest and highest importance and that there is no trade for pleasure or profit to that private Trade that is driven between God and a mans own soul and also to keep them from trifling or fooling away of that time which is truly and properly their Masters time and by the Royal law of heaven ought to be spent solely and wholly in their service business For what ingenious servant is there in the world but will argue thus I see that such and such of my fellow servants will redeem time for private prayer and for other closet services from their very sleep meales recreations c. rather than they will borrow or make bold with that time which my Master saith is his c. and why then should I be so foolish so bruitish so mad to trifle or idle or play or toy away that time wnich should be spent in my masters service and for my masters advantage But Fifthly and lastly Because the servants redeeming of time for private prayer from his Sleep his Meales his Recreations c. cannot but be infinitely pleasing to God and that which will afford him most comfort when he comes to die The more any poor heart acts contrary to flesh and blood the more he pleases God the more any poor heart denyes himself the more he pleases God the more any poor heart acts against the streame of sinful examples the more he pleases God the more difficulties and discouragements a poor heart meets with in the discharg of his duty the more love he shewes to God and the more love a poor heart shewes to God the more he pleases God Jer. 2. 2 3. Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem saying thus saith the Lord I remember thee the kindness of thy youth the love of thine espousals when thou wentest after me in the wilderness in a Land that was not sown Israel was holiness unto the Lord and the first fruits of his increase all that devour him shall offend evil shall come upon them saith the Lord. God was very highly pleased and greatly delighted with the singular love and choice affections of his people towards him when they followed after him and kept close to him in that tedious and uncouth passage through the waste howling wilderness How all these things do comport with that poor pious servant that redeemes time for private prayer upon the hardest termes imaginable I shall leave the ingenious Reader to judge And certainly upon a dying bed no tongue can express nor heart conceive but he that feeles it the unspeakable comfort that closet duties will afford to him that hath been exercised in them upon those hard termes that are under present consideration But Ninthly I answer If thou art a gracious servant then the near and dear relations that is between God and thee and the choice priviledges John 8. 32 33 36. that thou art interested in calls aloud for private prayer As thou art thy Masters servant so thou art the Lords free-man 1 Cor. 7. 22 23. For he that is called in the Lord being a servant is the Lords free-man Likewise also he that is called being free is Christs servant Ye are bought with a price be not ye the servants of men Either when they command you things forbidden by Christ or forbid you things commanded by Christ or when they would exercise a dominion over your faith or a lord-ship over your consciences Suffer not your selves in spiritual things to be brought into such bondage by any men or Masters in the world as not to use that freedom Gal. 5. 1. Col. 2. 20. Gal. 2. 4. and liberty that Christ hath purchased for you with his dearest blood No servants are to serve their masters in opposition to Christ nor no servants are to serve their masters as spiritual masters Nor no servants are to serve their masters as supream masters but as subordinate masters Ephes 6. 5 6 7. And as every gracious servant is the Lords free-man so every gracious servant is the Lords friend Isa 41. 8. James 2. 23. John 15. 13 14 15. And as every gracious servant is the Lords friend so every gracious servant is the Lords son Gal. 4. 5 6. Rom. 8. 16. And as every gracious servant is the Lords son so every gracious servant is the Lords spouse Hos 2. 19 20. 2 Cor. 11. 2. And now I appeal to the consciences of all that have tasted that the Lord is gracious whether the near and dear relations that is between the Lord and pious servants doth not call aloud upon them to take all opportunities and advantages that possibly they can to pour out their souls before the Lord in secret and to acquaint him in a corner with all their secret wants weaknesses wishes c. And as gracious servants are thus nearly and dearly related to God so gracious servants are very highly priviledged by God Gracious servants are as much freed from the reign of sin the dominion of sin and the damnatory Rom. 6. 14. power of sin as gracious masters are Gracious servants are as Rom. 8. 1. much freed from hell from the curse of the Law and from the wrath of God as their gracious masters are Gracious servants are Gal. 3. 13. as much adopted as much reconciled as much pardoned as much justified and as much redeemed as their gracious masters are Gracious servants are as much heirs 1 Thes 1. 10. Col. 3. 11. Gal. 5. 6. Rom. 8. 17. Gal. 6. 14. 1 Pet. 2. 9. heirs of God and joynt heirs with Christ as their gracious masters are Gracious servants are as much a chosen generation a royal priesthood an holy nation a peculiar people called out of darkness into his marvelous light as their gracicious masters are And therefore they being all alike interested in all these great and glorious priviledges which belong to Saints as Saints they are without all peradventure alike obliged and engaged to all those duties which lies upon Saints as Saints among which private prayer
is one and therefore they are to buckle to this duty against all carnal reasons and objections whatsoever But Tenthly and lastly I answer That the promised reward in the Text lies as fair and as open to the Servant as to the Master to the Bond as to the Free to the Peasant as to the Prince Whosoever prays to his heavenly father in secret be he high or low rich or poor honourable or base servant or master he shall receive an open reward The reward in the text is not to be confined or limited to this or that sort or rank of men but 't is to be extended to all ranks and sorts of men that make conscience of private prayer of closet duties So Ephes 6. 5 6 7 8. Servants be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh with fear and trembling in singleness of your heart as unto Christ Not with eye-service as men pleasers but as the servants of Christ doing the will of God from the heart The Persian Kings did usually reward the faithful services of their servants Surely the King of Kings will not fall short of the Kings of Persia with good will doing service as to the Lord and not to men Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doth the same shall he receive of the Lord whether he be bond or free Col. 3. 22 23 24. Servants obey in all things your masters according to the flesh not with eye service as men-pleaesers but in singleness of heart fearing God And whatsoever ye do do it heartily as to the Lord and not unto men Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance for ye serve the Lord Christ Such servants as serve their masters faithfully cordially and in singleness of spirit shall receive the reward of Grace the reward of the Inheritance The meanest servant that is faithful in the service of his master shall Rom. 8. 15. 16 17. for a recompence recieve the eternal inheritance The recompence of reward in the Scripture last cited is not of merit but of meer grace because the inheritance belongs only to children upon the account of their birth or adoption Faithful servants shall of servants be made sons and so enjoy the heavenly inheritance Christ is so noble a Master that he will not suffer any service that hath been performed to men out of Conscience to his command to pass unrewarded O how much more will he recompence pious servants for those spiritual services that they perform for his sake for his glory God is so liberal a pay master that no Mal. 1. 10. man shall so much as shut the door or kindle a fire upon his altar or give a cup of cold water Mat. 10. 42. one of the least readiest and meanest refreshments that be but he shall be rewarded It is an excellent observation of Calvin upon Gods rewarding of the Rechabites obedience Jer. 35. 19. God saith he often recompenceth the shadows and seeming appearances of vertue to shew that complacency he takes in the ample rewards that he hath reserved for true and sincere piety Nebuchadnezzar though a Tyrant yet being engaged in Gods service against Ezek. 29. 18 19 20. Tyre he shall have Egypt as his pay for his pains at Tyre It is an ancient slur and slander that hath been cast upon God as if he were an austere Master an illiberal Lord and as if there were nothing to be got in his service but knocks blows wounds crosses losses c. whereas he is a rewarder not only of them that diligently seek him Heb. 11. 6. but even of the very worst of men that do any service for him I have read of Herod Agrippa the same that was smitten by the Angel and eaten up of worms because he gave not glory to God Acts 12. 23. that being bound in chains and sent to Prison by Tiberius for wishing Caius in the Empire one Thaumastus a servant Joseph Antiq lib. 18. cap. 8. of Caius carrying a Pitcher of water met him and Agrippa being very thirsty desired him to give him some of his water to drink which he willingly did whereupon Agrippa said This service thou hast done in giving me drink shall do thee good another day And he was as big and as good as his word for afterwards when Caius was Emperour and Agrippa made King of Judea he first got his Liberty then made him chief Officer of his Houshold and after his decease took order that he should continue in the same Office with his Son Now how much more then will the King of Kings reward all those poor pious servants of his that do not only give to him in his Members cups of cold water but do also redeem time from their very rest meals and recreations that they may have some time to seek the face of God in a corner Certainly There shall not be a sigh a groan a prayer a tear let fall by a poor servant in a corner that shall not be at last regarded and rewarded by the great God Lyra saith that Mordecai waited six years before his good service was rewarded by King Ahasuerus It may be God may reward thee sooner for all thy closet services but if he do not reward thee sooner he will certainly reward thee better he will reward thee with higher Honours with greater Dignities 1 Cor. 9. 29 2 Tim. 4. 8. Rev. 2. 10. Jam. 1. 12. 1 Pet. 5. 4. with more glorious Robes and with a more royal Crown even an incorruptible Crown a Crown of righteousness a Crown of life a Crown of glory And therefore hold on and hold out in your secret retirements Though some may deride you and others revile you and your carnal Masters discourage you yet God is faithful and will certainly reward you yea he will openly reward you for all the secret pourings out of your souls in his bosome But Object 3. Some may further Object and say O but we cannot pray alone we want those gifts and endowments which others have we are shut up and know not how to pour out our souls before God in a corner we would willingly pray but we want ability to pour out our souls before the Lord in secret c. Sol. 1. Gods dearest children may sometimes be shut up they may with Zacharias for a time be struck Luke 1. 20. dumb and not able to speak Psal 77. 4. I am so troubled that I cannot speak Psal 38. 9. Lord all my desire is before thee and my groaning is not hid from thee Gods dearest children have sometimes been so shut up that they have been able to say nothing nor to doe nothing but groan A child of God may sometimes meet with such a blow from God from Conscience from Scripture from Satan from the World that may for a time so astonish him that he may not be able to speak to God nor speak to others nor speak to
extraordinary Fourthly There is moral self which includes a freedome from gross hainous enormous wickednesses and a fair sweet harmless behaviour towards men Fifthly There is relative self which takes in our nearest and dearest relations in the flesh as Psal 45. 7 8 9 10 11. Wife Children Father Mother Brothers Sisters c. Now when a man comes thus universally to deny himself for Christ's sake and the Gospels sake and Religion sake then the Spirit of the Lord comes and seals him up unto the day of redemption This is a truth confirmed by the experiences of many Martyrs now in Heaven and by the testimony of many Christians still alive Seventhly Sacrament times are sealing times In that feast of fat things God by his Spirit seals up his love to his people and his covenant to his people and pardon of sin to his people and heaven and happiness to his people There are many precious souls that have found Christ in this Ordinance when they could not find him in other Ordinances though they have sought him sorrowingly In this Ordinance many a distressed soul hath been strengthned comforted and sealed I might give you many instances take one for all There was a gracious woman who after God had filled her soul with comfort and sealed up his everlasting love to her fell under former fears and trouble of Spirit and being at the Lords Supper a little before the bread was administred to her Satan seemed to appear to her and told her that she should not presume to eat but at that very nick of time the Lord was pleased to bring into her mind that passage in the Canticles Eat O my friends Cant. 5. 1. But notwithstanding this Satan still continued terrifying of her and when she had eaten he told her that she should not drink but then the Lord brought that second clause of the Verse to her remembrance Drink yea drink abundantly or be drunk as the Hebrew hath it my beloved or my loves as the Hebrew hath it All faithful souls are Christs Loves and so she drank also and presently was filled with such unspeakable joyes that she hardly knew how she got home Which soul-ravishing joyes continued for a fortnight after and filled her mouth with songs of praise so that she could neither sleep nor eat more than she forced her self to do out of conscience of duty At the fortnights end when God was pleased to abate her measure of joy she came to a setled peace of conscience and assurance of the love of God so that for twenty years after she had not so much as a cloud upon her spirit or the least questioning of her interest in Christ But Eighthly When God calls his people to some great and noble work when he puts them upon some high services some difficult duties some holy and eminent imployments then his Spirit comes and sets his seal upon them Jer. 1. 5. Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctifyed thee and I ordained thee to be a prophet unto the Nations The Lord sending the Prophet Jeremiah to denounce most dreadful judgements against a rebellious people an impudent brazen-faced Nation he assures him of his eternal election and of his choice presence and singular assistance in that work that he set him about vers 8 17 18 19. Thus the Lord dealt with Peter James and John Matth. 17. 1 to the 6th and thus he dealt with Paul Acts 9 to 23. Ninthly When they are taken up into more than ordinary communion with God then is the Spirits sealing time When was it that the Spouse cried out My beloved is mine and I am his but when Christ brought her to his banquetting house and his banner over her was love Cant. 2. 16. 3 4 5 6. compared c. Tenthly and lastly When Christians give themselves up to private prayer when Christians are more than ordinarily exercised in secret prayer in Closet duties then the Spirit comes and seals up the Covenant and the Love of the Father to them When Daniel Dan. 9. 20 21 22 23. had been wrestling and weeping and weeping and wrestling all day long with God in his Closet then the Angel tells him that he was a man greatly beloved of God or a man of great desires as the Original hath it There was a gracious Woman who after much frequenting of Sermons and walking in the ways of the Lord fell into great desertions but being in secret prayer God came in with abundance of light and comfort sealing up to her soul that part of his Covenant viz. I will take the stony heart out of Ezek. 11. 19 20. their flesh and will give them an heart of flesh that they may walk in my statutes and keep mine ordinances and do them and they shall be my people and I will be their God And thus I have given you a brief account of the Spirits special sealing times Now mark This seal God sets upon all his wares upon all his adopted children for sooner or later there are none of his but are sealed with this seal God sets his John 3. 3. 2 Thess 2. 13. Heb. 12. 14. seal of Regeneration he stamps his Image of Holiness upon all his people to difference and distinguish them from all prophane moral and hypocritical persons in the World Doubtless the sanctifying work of the Holy Ghost imprinting the draughts and lineaments of Gods Image of Righteousness and Holiness upon Man as a seal or signet doth leave an impression and stamp of its likeness upon the thing sealed is the seal of the Spirit spoken of in Scripture 2 Tim. 2. 19. The foundation of God standeth sure having this seal the Lord knoweth them that are his And let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity But to prevent mistakes you must remember that though the Spirit of the Lord first or last will set his seal upon every real Saint yet the impression of that seal is not alike visible in all for some bear this impression as Babes others as men grown up to some maturity All Gods adopted children bear this impression truly but none of them bear it perfectly in this life Sometimes this seal of Regeneration this seal of Holiness is so plain and obvious that a man may run read it in himself and others and at other times 't is so obscure and dark that he can hardly discern it either in himself or others This seal is so lively stampt on some of Gods people that it discovers it self very visibly eminently gloriously but on others it is not alike visible And thus I have made it evident by these seven particulars that all the children of God have the Spirit of God Now mark The Spirit of God that is in all the Saints is a Spirit of prayer and supplication Rom. 8. 15. Ye have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba
Oh what is it then to be kept in torments and everlasting darkness I am here in my own house upon a soft bed in the dark kept from sleep but one night but to lye in flames and endless misery how dreadful must that needs be These and such like meditations were the happy means of this young mans conversion I have read a notable Story of one Theodorus a Christian young man in Egypt who when there was a great deal of feasting mirth and musick in his Fathers house withdrew himself from all the company and being got alone he thus thought with with himself Here is content and delight enough for the flesh I may have what I desire but how long will this last this will not hold out long then falling down upon his knees before the Lord in secret he said O Lord my heart is open unto thee I indeed know not what to ask but only this Lord let me not dye eternally O Lord thou knowest I love thee O let me live eternally to praise thee If there be any way or means on earth to bring us upon our knees before God in secret it is the serious and solemn thoughts of Eternity O that the fear of Eternity might fall upon all your souls O that you would all seriously consider that after a short time is expired you must all enter upon an eternal estate O consider that Eternity is an infinite endless bottomless gulph which no line can fathom no time can reach no age can extend to no tongue can expresse it is a duration alwayes present a being alwayes in being its Vnum perpetuum hodie one perpetual day which shall never see light O Sirs this is and must be for a lamentation viz. that Eternity is a thing that most men never think of or else very slenderly a snatch and away as Dogs are said to lap and away at the River Nâ—lus But as ever you would have your hearts chained to your closets and to closet-duties as the men of Tyrus chained their God Apollo to a post that they might be sure of him then seriously and frequently ponder upon Eternity and with those fourty valiant Martyrs be still a crying out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O Basil 40. Martyr Eternity Eternity Mr. VVood after some holy discourse fell a musing and cryed out before all present for neer half a quarter of an hour together for ever for ever for ever Austins Prayer was Hack me hew me burn me here but spare me heareafter spare me hereafter Certainly if Christians would but spend one quarter of an hour every day in the solemn thoughts of Eternity it would make them more in love with Closet-prayer than ever yea it would make them more fearful of omitting Closet-prayer than ever and more careful and Conscientious in the discharg of all Closet-Duties than ever And thus according to my weak measure I have given out all that at present the Lord hath graciously given in to my poor soul concerning this most necessary most glorious and most useful point of points viz. Closet-prayer I shall by assisting grace follow this poor piece with my prayers that it may be so blest from on high as that it may work mightily to the internal and eternal welfare both of Reader Hearer and Writer FINIS ERRATA In the Epistle Dedicatory neer the middle for for are r. are for corrosives for appropiating r. appropriating In the 3. Lesson for Mow r. Now. In the 7. Lesson for hang up r. hang upon p. 21. l. 28. read thus p. â—0 l. 28. read Paul p. 98. l. 26. dele as well p. 99. r. in the marg Deus p. 149. l. 2. dele must p. 126. l. 7. r. lyes p. 168. l. 16. r. decree for degree p. 170 l. 4. r. evade p. 175 l. 20. r. Solomon p. 189. l. ult r. adressing p. 190. l. 14. r. or for for p. 209. l. utl r. and. p. 224 l. 18. r. drink l. 22. r. affliction p. 254. l 7. r. he for the. p. 298. l. 22. r. cum p. 357. l. 8. r. Marquess for Martyr p. 371. l. 28. r. a very for every A TABLE Containing The Chief Heads of this BOOK Of Afflictions  THat Afflictions refemble a Rod in Seven Particulars you may see in the Epistle Dedicatory  Of Allegories  Of Allegories p. 1. to 19. Of the Blood of Christ  That the least drop of Christs Blood was not sâ—fficient for the redemption of our Souls is made good by five Arguments p. 303 304 305. C  Doct. That Closet-Prayer or private prayer is an indispensable duty that Christ himself hath laid upon all that are not willing to lye under the woful brand of being Hypocrites p. 6. Five Arguments to prove Closet-Prayer to be a Duty p. 6. to p. 8. The most eminent Saint in all Ages have applied themselves to Closet-Prayer p. 8 to p. 19. We may more freely fully and safely unbosome our souls to God in our Closets than we can in the presence of many or a few p. 30 to p. 34. Christians enjoy most of God in their Closets p. 36 to p. 46. The time of this life is our only time for Closet-Prayer p. 46 47. The prevalency of Closet-Prayer p. 47. to p. 67. See Secret  Rules to be observed in Closet-Prayer  First Be frequent in Closet-Prayer and that upon eight grounds p. 297 to p. 30â— Secondly Take fit seasons and oppâ—rtuâ—ities for Closet Prayer Three unfit seasons for Closet Prayer are hinted at p. 305. to 311. Thirdly Look that you do not perform Closet-Duties meerly to still your Consciences p. 312 to p. 315. Fourthly Take heed of resting upon Closet-Duties p. 315 to p. 322. Fifthly Labour to bring your hearts into all your Closet-Prayers p. 322 to p. 328. Sixthly Be servent be warm be importunate with God in all your Closet-performances p. 328. to p. 339. Seventhly Be constant in Closet-Prayer hold on and hold out in Closet-prayer p. 339 to p. 347. Eighthly In all your Closet Prayers thirst and long after Communion with God p. 347 to p. 384. Ninthly In all your Closet-Duties look that your ends be right p. 384 to p. 387. Tenthly Be sure that you offer all your Closet-Prayers in Christ's name and his alone p. 387 to p. 393. Eleventhly When you come out of your Closets narrowly watch what becomes of your Closet-Prayers p. 393 to p. 399. Of Christ  Christ was much in Secret Prayer p. 19 to 24. Six Arguments why Christ was so much in Secret Prayer p. 24 to p. 27. Christ was very much affected and delighted in the Secret Prayers of his people p. 73 to p. 75. What a friend Christ is shewed in Ten particulars p. 76 77 78. Of Combates  The Combate between the Allmigh and Jacob opened in Six particulars p. 49 to p. 58. Of Communion with God  Quest How shall a man know when he hath real Communion with God in his Closet or no Answered