will farther his gracious audience of his servants prayers What will not love grant 5 Consider what account the Lord makes 5 What esteem he hath of his Saints prayers of his peoples prayers They are his delight Prov. 15. 8. as sweet musick in his ears Revel 5. 1. They are memorials before him ever in his eye minding him of what is meet to be done for his people Acts 10. 4. They are as a Recompence to him he liketh to be paid in his dues in prayers also Psal 116. 12 13. he thinketh we never pray enough John 16 13 14. Hitherto you have asked nothing namely in comparison open thy mouth wide Psal 81. Mercy accompanieth prayer if the Lord would turne away the one yet not the others pleas Psalm 66. 20. 6 Consider what measures the Lord 6. What measures he keepeth in his respects to praier keepeth in his respects to prayer He heareth sometimes before we call preventeth his people with goodnesse Isaiah 65. 24. Sometimes even whilst praying they have answers of grace ibid. Sometimes when his people seek him for pardoning grace and the manifestation thereof he sheweth mercy even above their thoughts Isaiah 55. 6 7 8 9. giveth them as above what they ask so beyond their thoughts and expectations Eph. 3. 20. Wherefore raise up our expectations in this way of seeking the face of God touching his gracious disposition to hear and help us and when we have got up our thoughts therein to the highest yet believe it he hath mercy and answers of grace for us above our thoughts 7 Consider what method God continually and infallibly useth in his respects to 7. What method he observeth in his respects to praier prayer namely first to incline hearts to be cordial and serious in prayer and then to give his promised mercies Psalm 10. 17. Jerem. 29. 11. 12. The nearer and surer mercies are the more praying motions and workings there are then in our hearts Both are to the same mercy as one works to help to pray and to hear prayer Mercy would not be at work with us in the one if the other part of God's mercies work were not to be effected Lastly That we may clear up our fainting 8. Consider the Parable Luk 18 1. to 9. spirits and drooping hearts in expectation of faith that our prayers shall not fail of good successe from God consider of that Parable of our Lord Jesus which he for this purpose propoundeth Luke 18. 1. ad 9. A Judge a man comes off to hear a poor suppliants request and will not God a Father do much more for his An unjust Judg hears and will not a just and righteous God hear the cryes of his poor ones One that was a hater and disregarder of men and of his own name yet hears and will not God and Christ hear whose delight is to be with men Prov 8. One that was utterly averse from hearing He would not hear one to whom asking was a trouble This widow troubleth me yet at length grants the request of her which sought to him How much more will the Lord to whom prayer is a delight and whose property it is to be hearing even ready to hear prayers surely he will hearken to his suppliants requests much more One that while he denyed and delayed his Petitioner considered it not till afterward Then he considered with himself and he cometh off How much rather will the Lord who wisely weigheth all circumstances and inconveniences in case of too long delay to hear Isai 57. 17. He will surely fulfil his peoples desires One that in granting his Petitioners desire meerly to avoid disquiet Lest she should weary him out with her out-cryes he hearkens and will not God who delighteth in mercy do much more for his precious ones One that is solicited by a certain widow one no way allyed to him coming to him without any other Intercessour to plead her cause yet he cannot deny her Petition and can or will the Lord deny his own deare children which come to him in the name of him in whom he is well pleased yea and have the Lord himselfe to intercede for him Touching the last thing propounded very briefly The Marks of one praying in faith Marks of praiing in faith are these 1 When a soul is borne up and carryed 1. Praying amidst discouragements on in praying amidst discouragements to pray If he pray without ceasing when yet there are so many things sometimes which may seem to occasion ceasing to pray save that he prayeth in faith When we are hindred and opposed in it by Satan and others yet a Joshuah stands before the Angel notwithstanding Satans resistance Zach. 3. 1. or like him in Mark 10. 47 48 51 52. we continue crying Jesus have mercy on us even when others would forbid us when we are delayed and held off from our desired answers and left in some deeps of affliction in the interim and yet trusting in the Lord in Prayer We will wait Psalm 136. 1 2 3 4 5. When the Lord is long silent yet we will not be silent but plead How long Lord Psal 13. 1 2. When denyed of God as the woman of Canaan as if we had no part in the mercy we ask it were not for us yet we continue asking Matth. 25. 25. 26 27. Surely there is faith emboldning thereunto verse 28. When we seem to be curbed and silently rebuked as the friend wished not to trouble his friend yet will not give over his suite Luke 11. Surely he thinks he speaks to a friend within or else he could not would not then continue asking 2 When we pray with some more then 2 Praying with boldnesse usual boldnesse and liberty of speech as sometimes in an awful and spiritual manner we are wondrous free to plead with God more then at other times now is faith stirring in such a Prayer 1 John 3. 21 22. Eph. 3. 12. 3 When we pray with a kind of delightful 3 Praying with heart calmness calmness and stilnesse of spirit not tossed like waves in prayer through the power of unbelief Jam. 1. 6. 4 When in setting our selves sometimes to pray to the Lord and petition him 4. Prayers turned into praises we are even ready to make a holy digression and diversion and turning our intended Petition into melting admiring praises of God as oft times spiritual Christians have experiences thereof surely then faith is stirring So Christ turning himselfe to approach to God John 11. 41 42. saith I thank thee Father that thou alwayes hearest me CHAP. V. Of Humility required in Prayer WE have entred upon the discourse of things propounded touching the conditions required for the incessant performance of the duty of prayer and have dispatched the first namely Faith And now we are to speak of the second condition thereto required and that is Humility It is the desire of the humble which the Lord heareth Psal 10. 17.
closer with God Take two Professors the one careless in this the other conscionable in attending to it Alas what sad rushes bruises and falls upon the very shadow of a temptation if he get some kind of hold of a Promise this sword of the Spirit hangs loose and dangling as it were like Amasa's sword 2 Sam. 20. 8. yea all the rest of his Spiritual armor is answerable yea but the other keepeth himself that the evil one toucheth him not enters not into temptation He hath Gospel Promises made known and made over to him to use at any time he hath them by him he keepeth a holy edg upon them by which he cutteth asunder many temptations He hath his faith and hope in its strength his bow abides in his strength and his armes are not broken Gen. 48. If temptations to unrighteous or guileful dealings begirt him his heart cryeth out God forbid O Lord how dare I so sin against thee If foiled at any time he presently cryeth O Lord ah my vile heart Lord Lord help or if unexpected afflictions be ordered to him he hereby tyeth his shooes of Peace ever and anon closer Patience Lord do me good hereby and so is not galled or grieved as the other when meeting with such stubby and hard wayes Paul was much that way with God learned contentment in all conditions knew how to be full and how to be hungry to abound and to want and to glory in infirmities 2 It is a special means to fit us for more solemne and continued Prayer They 2 To sit us for solemn Praier are ever good Proficients in that holy Art of Pleading they are ever and anon thus plodding upon it their minds thus exercised in it upon all occasions Such as wil be ever and anon thus whetting their praying spirits and graces will make work of it when they come to it They that are good at these running pulls and trips are surely good wrestlers with God It is no new or strange work to such to pray that when they come to pray more solemnly they know not how to set about it their hearts are not so out of kilter as we say as it is with idle Professors No these that have been so oft in a day at work with God this way have not their Tooles to seek but at hand and all in good plight fit for use Praying thoughts and desires are in a holy readinesse they familiarize with them 3. It is a meanes to meet oft with God 3 To meet oft with God If Abrahams servant be thus walking with God in his journey God will be with him he will meet him No sooner hath he done speaking to God in his heart but he discerneth that God is with him and accordingly blesseth him that being in the way he led him c. Gen. 24. 12 27 45 47. God is oft with the Minister in his Study who is thus praying oft in his heart for good speed in his work oft with the labouring man in the field whilst at his work if thus employed spiritually Now let us make some brief Use hereof and close this with some Cautions Let it humble us that we are so careless and barren in lifting up such Ejaculatory Vse Praiers to the Lord upon every occasion Evils of the neglect hereof Strangeness to God What strangeness groweth oftentimes betwixt God and our souls for want of these more transient and occasional talkings with the Lord How many precious things in private communion of Saints and edifying Loss of many holy advantages in the Ordinances discourses are lost for want of some forelifts and present lifting up of our hearts for the presence of God therein and blessing of God thereupon How many precious words of grace spoken by God to us will warm and affect us at present hearing of them yet are lost in respect of the abiding light and life of them for want of serious and thankful committing of them to the Lord by such short Ejaculatory Prayer that he might keep them for us Moses did otherwise when God spake home to him he hasteth to bow before him and by a short praier improveth that particular spoken that God was one pardoning iniquity Exod. 34 6 7. Let my Lord pardon our iniquitie and our sin ver 8 9. He presently retaileth and putteth to holy use that blessed treasury of Grace delivered of God to him But wee oftentimes intending haply to tell God of it more solemnly in the meane time lose it for want of present improving of it this way Yea many affecting providences respecting In providence our selves or others which are unexpectedly ordered lose their kindly work upon us for want of a present lifting up of our hearts in some sutable though short Ejaculations How much of God in our particular Callings In our particular Callings how many quickning motions of the Spirit suggested to us therein are in a manner lost for want of maintaining hereby an holy discourse with the Lord yea how many snares in want hereof doe wee meet with and are intangled thereby even in our lawful labors and recreations In the night season also how much precious time In the night season and advantage of conversing thus with God which is even cast and forced upon us for want of sleep or the like yet is all even lost Whilst we are lifting and revolving our selves too and againe in our beds and yet seldome or never lifting up our hearts thus unto the Lord And surely all these things seriously considered may justly humble us A second Use serveth for Exhortation Vse to stir us all up to make more conscience of Be wee stirred up to it this Dutie of Ejaculatory Praier those groundless pretences against continued and solemn Prayer Such as expence of too much time let of other occasions c. have No loss of time hereby here no place Boaz his harvest men may work hard and yet lift up their hearts for a blessing upon Boaz and the like Ruth 2 4. Nehemiah amidst his weighty imployments may be often at this holy work Lord remember me concerning this c. chap. 13. 13 14 21 22. Isaiah amidst his Ministerial exercises may make such holy Apostrophes in way of appeal to the Lord or the like as Isai 53. 1. Lord who hath believed our report So may Ezekiel chap. 20. 49. Ah Lord God they say Doth he not speak Parables Many occasions of it As intricate passages and occurrents Yea do not they as well as others in their way meet with such intricacies as by way of holy Apostrophes they must say as Zachary to Christ that Angel What meane these Zach. 7. 4. Do not they then with Amos in his work hear of or behold more unwonted unexpected judgments approaching and had need make such holy Apostrophes Unwonted judgments as Amos did on like occasion Amos 7. 1 2 4 5. O Lord God Forgive Arise we beseech thee
spread them before the Lord in their prayers and therefore let them bee much with God in secret And let all our brethren and sisters All sorts for Christ brings us into his Chambers and every of them make conscience also of this duty of secret prayer the Lord Jesus bringeth us my brethren into his chambers where he delighteth most to be and rest and shew himselfe and secrets to his Saints Cantic 1. 4. and shall not wee hereby bring him into our chambers also the Lord hideth us in the secret place of his Hideth us in his secret place presence the secret chambers of his providence and protection are our chambers for our safety and honour Psal 31. 20. Esay 26. 20. and shall not our chambers be his for his use that wee there meet and talke with him in secret prayer and he with us by his gracious presence and answers Each particular Saint of God hath his Each Saint hath his chamber or mansion-house in Glory chamber as I may say his mansion-place of glory in which to praise God for ever Joh. 14. 2 3. Why shall not each Saint of God of what condition soever have here his retired oratory and place for secret praying unto God each of them are by their calling Gods hidden ones whilst here Psalme 83. 3. and let them be so in this Each Saint Gods hidden one Set apart for Gods Gods friends respect also by their secret repayres to the Lord in praier Each godly man in particular is set apart unto God Psalme 4. 3. and why then not more apart to pray to him we are his friends James 2. 8. John 15. 15 16. Cantic 5. 1 and let us then be his friends in a corner tell him our minds bee oft doing him this service of love in secret We are his spouses Hos Spouse 2. 19 20. now as Canticles 7. 10 11 12. The Church would have Christ goe aside as it were in private and there she will give him her loves so let us in secret give him this spouse-like love fruits of our lips in secret and there tell him all our hearts The spirit which is in the Saints is a free spirit Psal 51. 12 and truely there is the most free use and employment of that spirit in prayer when sequestred as from all occasions so from all other company Friends are most free and bold when alone so wee with the Lord when alone A gracious person is never more himselfe as gracious then when praying Psalm 109. 4. But I prayer saith he and truely never more seen to be such an one then whon praper or given to prayer in secret Hypocrites may and will pray and haply in private too but we must pray as most desiring privacy When the Lord would demonstrate to Ananias that Paul was converted he doth it by this argument for behold he praieth Acts 9. 11 it was alone in secret that hee Wicked ones have and serve their idols in â—ecret did thus he must inquire him out for hee was got into some corner of the house Let not wicked ones be more forward to set up an idoll in secret or to set up a false Christ in the chambers Ezek. 8. 8. Matth. 24. 26. then we to honour the true God and Jesus Christ thus in secret And that wee may yet a little further presse this so weighty a duty consider that it is indeed our priviledge in many respects ordered by the Lord in much wisedome and faithfulnesse for our good also as well as his glory that hee will have us thus to seek him by our selves alone in prayer For 1. Hee therein tendreth the very credit of his people They need not uncover their spiritual nakednesse before any man whatsoever nor all their personal plagues need be unbared before men it sufficeth that they have this priviledged precept to pray to their Father who seeth in secret and tell him all their hearts In Best for opening all their secrets some cases of personal sins against brethren personal confession of such sins is requisite and sometimes in case of some oppressing burthen upon our hearts wee are to goe to some faithfull Minister or experienced Saint of God and tell them our secret ayles but in ordinary course it sufficeth that wee tell the Lord in secret all our personall and particular failings and wants 2. If solitary Praier were not Gods Best for our necessities ordinance what should Gods solitary ones doe in sundry cases incident to them But now Jeremiah in a solitary loansome prison is encouraged Call upon me and I will answer thee Jer. 33. 13. Sometimes the Saints are like Pelicans and Owls in the desert Psal 102. 6. Well may they make their moans to the Lord but are of all others respect destitute Others would be like other birds fit to ho wt at them and make a wonder of them now welfare solitary prayer Sometimes the Lord worketh upon some one of the family a sonne or daughter or servant or the like the rest remain opposite to all good saying What profit should we have by praying unto God as they say Job 21. 15. nay now will such say of the other person we shall have him a precise foole a mopish sot father now is against child as Luke 12. 35. Now it is well that prayer in a corner where none seeth or heareth but the Lord is an acceptable service and ordinance The poor slave in the infidels family is now the Lords freeman for this business 1 Cor. 7. 21 22. So the poore Christian wife with whom her infidel husband liked to dwell though he yet like not her religion 1 Cor. 7. 13. she may pray alone with acceptance Banished John in Patmos may thus been in the spirit by himselfe alone Revel 1. 10. Manasseh in his fetters yet hath liberty all alone to make his praier to his God 2 Chr. 33. 11 12 13. If this had been no ordinance of God to what purpose had Davids couch-prayers been which yet prevailed Psalm 6. 6 7 8 9. Or how else had his cave-prayers ever come to be available as Psalm 142. title with verse 1 2. 3. If this had not been an acceptable ordinance there had not been such honorable records thereof kept by and with the Lord as 2 Chron. 33. 18 19. this is singled out amongst all that Manasseh did in his loathsome state in captivity as most notable and honourable and therefore is twice Best for the Saints honour repeated and his prayer and his prayer So Cornelius his prayers are as memorials before the Lord Acts 10. 2 4. 4 It is well for the Saints that this is an Ordinance in point of honour that God herein and hereby is wont to put upon them singly and severally as that hereby they come to have Testimonials from the Lord himself of the good of Grace which is in them and of their prevailing with him for desired mercyes Thus when Jacob is all
into some heinous sin as other speech is sometimes lost by bodily falls so is this by such spiritual falls So David after his 2 By reason of sad falls great fall into the sinnes of murder and adultery lay speechlesse in this respect for a while Psal 32. 3. When I kept silence my bones waxed old so do dangerous declinings and backslidings in religion occasion some Backsliding temporary cessation of solemne prayer hence Isai 43. 22. Thou hast not called upon me O Jacob but hast been weary of me O Israel So Isai 64. 7. There is none that calleth upon thy name that stirreth up himselfe to take hold of thee Great guilt breedeth great horrour and great despondency of mind and heart which with unbeliefe blending it selfe causeth poor Christians even to give off prayer in their desperate fits Look as Heathen Tully said to his brother I would pray to the Gods for those things but that they have given over to hear my prayers or as desperate Saul perceiving Strength of unbelief God answereth him no more will goe to him no more to inquire 1 Sam. 28. So it is thus far forth with the Saints so far as desperate dispondencies grow upon them and represent the Lord to their souls as all justice they dare not come to him in these fits Sometimes they pore too much upon discouragements which they meet with in Discouragements prayer within themselves also as that they pray with so many distempers and distractions intermixed and with so little life or liberty of spirit or comfort or quiet or faith or good successe and the like that as good never a whit as never the better and they are even loth sometimes to goe apart to pray And sometimes Christians fall into some such errours touching prayer Errours as for a time doe take them off from it imagining that God being a spirit must be worshipped only in spirit and truth and so not by any bodily worship That bodily exercise even in prayer profiteth not that all outward forms of worship are abolished The Christians must have some immediate light of the spirit and unwonted suggestions putting them upon prayer if at any time they doe set upon prayer if at any time they doe set upon prayer These and sundry like delusive principles too rife in these latter dayes make too great and too long interruptions with too many hopefull professours in this holy exercise of solemn prayer 2. To pray indesinently is to maintaine 2 To maintain a praying spirit praying dispositions that albeit we actually pray not without intermission or doe nothing else but pray as those fanatical Euthites of old yet in the inward frame and bent of our heart wee cease not prayer There is still a spirit in us crying Abba Father Gal. 4. 6. a disposing us upon all occasions to goe to God as a Father in prayer Christians of all sorts both Ministers and others must have their vials full of prayers ready still to powre them out albeit they actually doe not powre them out without intermission They are to be ready evermore to offer up those holy odours and that holy incense though not alwaies actually offering the same Revel 5. 8. The church in its members must have honycomb-lips ready to drop this sweet wholsome hony of prayer albeit they bee not dropping the same every moment Cantic 4. 11. Thy lips drop as the hony-comb And good reason is it why each gracious person should maintain alwayes a praying frame in their hearts for a praying frame is a most A praying frame a most filial frame son-like child-like frame If ever the love of sons and daughters of God be stirring in them it is then if ever their hearts are filled with holy awe of God and faith in him it is then if ever they are ready to doe any thing for God it is then The same spirit which is to them a spirit of sonnes a spirit of adoption acteth in them as a spirit of Prayer and where there is a spirit moving to Prayer or cry Abba Father there is a spirit of adoption Rom. 8. 15. Againe a frame of Prayer is the most A most sweet and comfortable frame sweet calme and comfortable and thence in Rom. 8. 15. opposed to the spirit of bondage working feare amazing discouraging sinking fear But this breeding and feeding filial boldnesse and freenesse with God as a child with his Father Againe it is a most free and best priviledged frame of spirit and hence also A priviledged frame opposed to that servile frame and imbondaging fear ibid. Is any free to pray free in praying surely those imbondaging cords of slavish distempers are broken in sunder A praying frame is likewise a most evangelical An evangelical frame frame being redeemed from the lawes rigour and confinement we are most at liberty to addresse our selves thus as children to our heavenly Father Gal. 4. 5 6. To redeeme them that were under the law that we might receive the Adoption of sonnes and because yee are sonnes God hath sent forth the spirit of his Sonne in your hearts crying Abba Father A praying frame is also a most heavenly A heavenly and gracious frame and gracious frame A spirit of grace and a spirit of supplication or a spirit disposing or carrying out to powre out holy Supplications are inseparable companions Zech. 12. 10. I will powre out upon them a spirit of grace and of supplication No grace is wanting where a spirit of prayer is not wanting All and every grace is stirring where that spirit of praier is working A praying frame is an humble frame of heart the Saints never mourne more savingly over their sinnes even as crucifying the Lord Jesus then when in such a frame ibid. A praying frame is a believing frame An humble and believing frame and a believing frame is a praying frame then have they the most clear and effectual views of him whom they have pierced ibid. To conclude this a praying frame both furthers our delight in prayer and maketh it every way more easie pleasant to us that we are not so apt to give out through emergent difficulties or discouragements therein yea and it furthereth the good successe of our praier with the Lord himselfe Quest How may a believer maintain in Quest himselfe a praying frame Answ 1. Let such as would hold up Answ 1 such a blessed frame in their hearts be daily Helps to maintain a praying frame sucking from the flowers of Gods providences and promises some spiritual sweetnesse and then our spiritual combs will bee dropping ripe Droan-like Professors whilst they neglect this and live upon an old stock of grace or comfort received they grow altogether listlesse to prayer they have enough already what need they ask more But this Bee-like diligence in the Saints will make their lips like the dropping hony-comb whence that by way of allusion Cantic 4. 11. And this
words and commands of God he saith that therefore he will walk at liberty Psa 119. 45. When a Christian is conscious to himselfe of any witting carelesness in the service of God or any secret Treachery and falseness of heart in his grounds or aims therein this appaleth him and so straitneth him 6. Improve wee heedfully the Word 6. Improve the Word preached or read preached and read When we continue in Christs word attending to it and on it then we come to know the Truth and to be set free Joh. 8. 31 32. We gain oft times many precious loosenings of our spirits in the attentive use of the Word preached Mat. 16 19. Our spirits and consciences so freed on earth are the freer in heaven too in respect of their free approaches thither and sutable entertainments thence 7. Lastly Repair and cherish we our Joy 7. Cherish holy joy in God and Christ and his Covenant and our hearts being thereby inlarged will be freer to run in this or any other way of Gods Commandments Psalm 119. 32. I will run the wayes of thy Commandments when thou hast enlarged my heart The third thing propounded cometh Differences betwixt others straitnings and that of the Saints which now to be answered namely How this straitning in prayer incident to the Saints may be discerned from that judiciary speechlesness mentioned Mat. 22. 12. He became speechless And from that sad doom of hypocrites whose gifts of prayer and the like come to be so miserably diminished so far to decay that they cannot pray in any sort as formerly their gift is in a manner taken from them Mat. 13. 12. From him shall be taken away even that which he hath To which I answer 1. That the straitness incident to the Saints it is not perpetual albeit they are kept a 1. Is not perpetual while under some restraint yet they are many times set at liberty again Isai 61. 1. As David and others have been and are True it is that some of the people of God may lye longer by it then others and God may keep their feet in the stocks as Jobs phrase is Job 13. longer then others for wise and holy ends some again are shut up lesse while yet both the one and the other are inlarged at length They for a time be bound asn iearth so in heaven like Excommunicants but yet as that bound incestuous Corinthian was again loosed 2 Cor. 2 so is it with these But it is otherwise with Reprobates and Hypocrites when Judiciary straitning seiseth upon them These chains of theirs are chains of darknesse and in them are kept too without bail or mainprise Their straitning groweth fast upon them until that after a while both their words and will and spirit and all fail them in prayer 2. That is not total and universal as is 2 It is not total the other That speechlesness in hypocrites is accompanied with binding hand and foot Matth. 22. 12 13. In all Ordinances as well as prayer their spirits are shut up and to no service of God are they free but the Saints when straitned in prayer yet oftentimes meet with some inlargement of heart in meditation as the Church which found not God in publick or private Ordinances Cant. 3. 1 2 3 4. yet in reflecting Meditation upon what the Watch-men the Ministers spake therein she found Christ Sometimes in conference with other Christians whilst sadly complaining of their deserted estate even therein they meet with Christ 3 The occasion of that in the Saints 3. Hath not the like occasions as Reigning unbelief may be some particular defeat in them or some particular distemper on their part But the cause of this in the other is a total want of true Faith and Repentance they have not that wedding garment Matth. 22. 11 12. and hence become speechlesse when called to an account for it Or Unprofitableness some universal barrenness and unprofitablenesse as in the slothful servant that doth not at all or to any purpose improve his Talent and therefore it is taken from him Matth. 25. 18 28. and chap. 13. 12. But from him that hath not shall be taken away that which he hath Or it is occasioned by some Implacableness high-handed contempt of reconciliation to some of Gods people whom they have injured who thereupon commit their cause to God as the Judg of all and God thereupon as a Judg delivereth them over to perpetual imprisonment as Matth. 5. 24 25 26. Or else it is occasioned from some gross contemptuous undervaluing and unworthy Hard thoughts of God apprehensions of God as when the Hypocrite conceiveth God to be a most hard and unmerciful Master Matth. 25. 24 25 28. Or else a man is haply of an unmerciful and implacable spirit towards others and therefore God justly delivers him to a perpetual imprisoned condition even in this life in respect of his Spirit like to that Matth. 18. 30 34. Or it may be such a one Resting in gifts received doth wilfully rest in some sprinklings of gifts of grace received without due care of continual supply for the future as well as for the present They care not for a heart as well as a brain Treasury and so like foolish virgins come at length to be fatally scanted of oyl Matth. 25. 3 4 8. When there is no care of multiplying and adding to grace received they come at length to lose their light and vigour of gifts as 2 Pet. 1. 5 6 7. 8. but he that lacketh these things or holy additionals mentioned is blinde or cannot see a far off c. 4. The ministry of Gods servants useth 4 Is not usually by the ministry of the word not to bind but rather to loose those ever and anon they meet with some word of Grace that inlargeth their heart to God-ward and in his wayes Christ by his ministers saith to such sometimes as Isai 49. 8 9. Go forth be not ashamed to shew your faces before the Lord. The Gospel preached by the spirit of Christ effectually proclaimeth their liberty Isai 61. 1. Joh. 8. 31. But these are bound by the servants of God which were sent out to loose others Matth. 22. 10 13. some Prophet is made an instrument as to shut their eyes and ears so their hearts and mouths Isai 6. 10. Some Peter some minister in his preaching bindeth them Matth. 16. 19. 5. The former in their straitnings are very sensible of the burden and evil thereof 5 Is not accompanied with senslesnesse of it although not able to get at liberty Such prisoners are broken hearted and do mourn Isai 61. 1 2. when they cannot utter their minds in prayer they can sigh Rom. 8. â—6 when their mouths are not open to those free will offeringâ— of prayer and praise mentioned Psal 119. 108. Yet they offer that sacrifice of a broken heart Psal 51 15. compared with verse 11. yea it maketh them