with Hannah thou can'st but weep out a prayer or with Moses stammer out a prayer or with Hezekiah chatter out a prayer yet do as well as thou can'st and thou shalt find acceptance with God 2 Cor. 8. 12. For if there be first a willing mind it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not The Publicans prayer had not much Rhetorick or eloquence in it God be merciful to me a sinner and yet God accepted it He Luke 18. 13. prayed much though he spake little and God did not turn a deafe ear upon him That God that once accepted a handfull of meale Lev. 2. 1 2. Chap. 6. 15. Luke 21 3. for a sacrifice and a gripe of Goats hair for an oblation and the poor widows two mites as if they had been two millions will certainly accept of what thou art able to do though thou dost fall short yea much short of what thou oughtest to doe Lord saith Luther thou commandest me to pray I cannot pray as I would yet I will obey for though my prayer be not acceptable yet thine own commandement is acceptable to thee If weak Christians would but put forth in prayer that little strength they have God would quickly renew their spiritual strength he would certainly carry them on from strength to strength he would Isa 49. 29 30 31. Psal 84. 7. still by secret assistances and secret influences help them on in their heavenly trade As a loving indulgent Father will take his little Child in his armes and carry him on in his way home ward when his strength begins to fail him and he can walk no further and the way proves dirty slippery or uneven So doth God by his Hos 11. 3. I taught Ephram also to go as a nurse doth the infant taking them by their arm When Gods poor Children come to a fowl way or a rough place he takes them up in his own arms and helps them over the quagmire of Crosses and the difficulties of duties and over all that straitness and narrowness and weakness oâ— spirit that doth attend them in their closet performances 'T is observable that when the King of Israel was to shoot the Arrow 2 Kings 13. 16. he did put his hand upon the Bow and Elisha did put his hand upon the Kings hand So when we go into our Closets we are to put up our hand and then the Spirit of God likewise will put his hand upon our hand he will put his strength to our strengâ—h or rather to our weakness Rom. 8. 26. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities lifts with us or helpeth together The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth properly signifie such a help as when another man of strength and ability steppeth in to sustain the burden that lieth upon our shoulders be it a logg or a piece of timber setting his shoulders under it to lift up and bear part of it with us or to help us as the nurse helpeth her little child upholding it by the sleeve When a poor Christian sets himself to closet prayer or to mourn or to believe or to obey c. then the Spirit comes in with new help and new influences and new assistances and so carryes him on in all these noble services That child that doth but stammer at first in time will speak plainly and fluently O how many Christians are there that now can pray with much freedom liberty and fluency who at first could only sigh out a prayer or stammer out a prayer or weep out a prayer Thou saiest thou canst not pray but didst thou but stir up thy self to obey that command Matth. 6. 6. as well as thou canst thou dost not know but that a power may go forth with the command that may enable thee to act suitable to the command In Matth 9. 1 9. Christ bid the Palsie man rise and walk Take up thy bed and go unto thine house The Palsie man might have objected Alas I am carried by four I am not able to stir a limb much less to rise but least of all to take up my bed and walk c. Oh but he rouseth up himself as well as he could and a power went forth with the command that enabled him to do what was commanded So Matth. 12. 10 14 There was a poor man that had a withered hand and Christ commands him to stretch forth his hand he might have replied My hand is withered and if I might have as many worlds as there be men in the world to stretch it forth I could not stretch it forth yea if my very life if my very salvation did lie upon stretching forth my withered arm I could not stretch it forth Oh but he throws by all such plea's and complies with Christ's command as well as he could and a power went forth and healed his hand O sirs if you would but pray in your closets as well as you can you do not know but that such power and virtue might flow from Christ into your hearts as might carry you on in your closet duties beyond expectation even to admiration others have found it so and why not you why not you Well remember that God is no curious nor critical observer of the incongruous expressions that falls from his poor children when they are in their closet duties he is such a father as is very well pleased with the broken expressions and divine stammerings of his people when they are in a corner 'T is not a flood of words nor studied notions nor seraphical expressions nor elegant phrases in prayer that takes the ear or that delights the heart of God or that opens the gates of glory or that brings down the best of blessings upon the soul but uprightness holiness heavenlyness spiritualness and brokenness of heart these are the things that make a conquest upon God and that turns most to the souls account But Fifthly Thou sayst thou canst not pray but if thou art a child of God thou hast the Spirit of God and the Spirit of God is a Spirit of prayer and supplication That all the Children of God have the Spirit of God is most evident in the blessed Scriptures Take these for a taste Zach. 12. 10. I will pour upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of grace and supplication Psal 51. 11. Take not thy holy Spirit from me Rom. 8. 15. Ye have received the spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father 1 Cor. 2. 12. We have received not the Spirit of the world but the spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God 1 Thes 4. 8. Who hath given unto us his holy spirit 1 John 3. 2â— Hereby we know that he abideth in us by the Spirit which he hath given us Chap. 4. 13. Hereby we know that we dwell in him and he in us because he hath
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
in favour with God a man that art very pleasing and delightful to God God loves to lade the wings of private prayer with the sweetest choicest and chiefest blessings Ah how often hath God kissed a poor christian at the beginning of private prayer and spoke peace to him in the midst of private prayer and fill'd him with light and joy and assurance upon the close of private prayer And so Cornelius is highly commended and graciously rewarded upon the account of his private prayer Acts. 10. 1 2 3 4. There was a certain man in Cesarea called Cornelius a Centurion of the Band called the Italian Band a devout man and one that feared God with all his house which gave much Alms to the people and prayed to God alwayes He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth houre of the day an Angel of God coming in to him and saying unto him Cornelius And when he looked on him he was afraid and said what is it Lord and he said unto him thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God Vers 30. 31. And Cornelius said four dayes agoe I was fasting until this hour that is until about three a clock in the after-noon vers 3. and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house and behold a man stood before me in bright cloathing and said Cornelius thy prayer is heard and thine Alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God Mark as he was praying in his house namely by himself alone a man in bright clothing that was an Angel in mans shape vers 3. appeared to him and said Cornelius thy prayer is heard he doth not mean only that prayer which he made when he fasted and humbled himself before the Lord vers 30. 31. but as vers 2 3 4. shews His prayers his prayers which he made alone for it seemes none else were with him then for he only saw that man in bright cloathing and to him alone the Angel addressed his present speech saying Cornelius thy prayers are heard vers 4 31. Here you see that Cornelius his private prayers are not only heard but kindly remembred and graciously accepted and gloriously rewarded Praying Cornelius is not only remembred by God but he is also visited sensibly and evidently by an Angel and assured that his private prayers and good deeds are an odour a sweet smel a sacrifice acceptable and well pleasing to God And so when had Peter his Vision but when he was praying alone on the house-top Acts 10. 9 10 11 12 13. On the morrow as they went on their journey and drew nigh unto the City Peter went up unto the house-top to pray about the sxith hour And he became very hungry and would have eaten but while they made ready he fell into a trance and saw heaven opened and a certain Vessel descending unto him as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners and let down to the earth wherein were all manner of four-footed beasts of the earth and wild beasts and creeping things and fowls of the air And there came a voice to him Rise Peter kill and eat When Peter was upon the house-top at prayer alone then he fell into a trance and then he saw Heaven opened and then he had his spirit raised his Mind clevated and all the Faculties of his soul filled with a Divine Revelation And so when Paâ—l was at prayer alone he saw in Acts 11 18. a Vision a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him that he might receive his sight Paul had not been long at private prayer before it was revealed to him that he was a chosen vessel before he was filled with the gifts Graces and Comforts of the Holy Ghost And when John was alone in the Isle of Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ whither he was banished by Domitian a most cruel Emperor then he had a glorious Euseb l. 3. c. 18. Rev. 1. 9 ult Rev. 5. 1 to 9. sight of the Son of man and then the Lord discovered to him most deep and profound Mysteries both concerning the present and future state of the Church to the end of the world And when John was weeping in private prayer doubtless then the sealed book was opened to him So when Daniel was at private prayer God dispatches a heavenly messenger to him and his Errand was to open more clearly and fully the blessed Scripture to him Some comfortable encourraging knowledge this holy man Doctor Ames got his learning by privat prayer and so did Solomon his wisdom of God had attain'd unto before by his frequent and constant study in the word and this egges him on to private prayer and private prayer posts an Angel from heaven to give him a clearer and fuller light Private prayer is a Golden-key to unlock the mysteries of the word unto us The knowledge of many choice and blessed Truths are but the returns of private prayer The Word dwells most richly in their hearts who are most in pouring out of their hearts before God in their Closets When Bonaventure that seraphical Doctor as some call him was asked by Aquinas from what books and helps he derived such holy and divine expressions and contemplations He pointed to a Crucifix and said Iste est liber c. Prostrate in prayer at the feet of this Image my soul receiveth greater light from heaven than from all study and disputation Though this be a Monkish tradition superstitious Fiction yet some improvement may be made of it Certainly that Christian or that Minister that in private prayer lyes most at the feet of Jesus Christ he shall understand most of the mind of Christ in the Gospel and he shall have most of heaven and the things of his owne peace brought down into his heart There is no Service wherein christians have such a near familiar and friendly entercourse with God as in this of private prayer neither is there any Service wherein God doth more delight to make known his truth and faithfulness his grace and goodness his mercy and bounty his beauty and glory Bene orasse est bene studuisse Luther to poor Souls than this of private prayer Luther professeth That he profited more in the knowledge of the Scripture by private prayer in a short space than he did by study in a longer space As John by weeping in a corner got the sealed book opened Private prayer crownes God with the Honor and Glory that is due to his Name and God crowns private prayer with a discovery of those blessed weighty Truths to his servants that are a sealed book to others Certainly the soul usually enjoyes most communion with God Nunquam minus solus quam cum solus Never less alone than when alone said the Heathen And may not a Saint say so much more that hath communion with God Jer. 13. 1 2. in secret When a christian is
the glory of God And Thirdly The light of the knowledge of the glory of God And Fourthly Shining And Fifthly Shining into our hearts And Sixthly Shining into our hearts in the face of Jesus Christ And thus you see that the Lord reveals the secrets of himself his kingdome his truth his grace his glory to his saints But. Thirdly There are the secrets of his favour the secrets of his special love that he bears to them the secret purposes of his heart to save them and these are those great secrets those deep things of God which none can reveal but the Spirit of God Now these great secrets these deep things of God God doth reveal to his people by his Spirit 1 Cor. 2. 10 11 12. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit for the spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God For what man knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of man which is in him Even so the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God Now we have received not the spirit of the world but the spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God Now what are the things that are freely given to us of God but our election vocation justification sanctification and glorification And why hath God given us his Spirit but that we should know the things that are freely given to us of God Some by secret in that 25th Psal 14. do understand a particular assurance of Gods favour whereby happiness is secured to us both for the present and for the future they understand by secret the sealing of the Spirit the hidden Manna the White Stone and the New Name in it which none knoweth but he that hath it And so much those words He will shew them his Covenant seems to import for what greater secret can God impart to his people than that of opening the Covenant of grace to them in its freeness fulness sureness sweetness suitableness everlastingness and in sealing up his good pleasure and all the spiritual and eternal blessings of the Covenant to them Such as love and serve the Lord shall be of his Cabinet Counsel they shall know his soul secrets and be admitted into a very gracious familiarity and friendship with himself John 14. 21 22 23 He that hath my commandements and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved of my father and I will love him and manifest my self unto him Judas saith unto him not Iscariot Lord how is it that thou wilt manifest thy self unto us and not unto the world Jesus answered and said unto him if any man love me he will keep my words and my father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him God and Christ will keep house with them and manifest the secrets of their love to them that are observant of their commands And thus you see that the Saints are the onely persons to whom God will reveal the secrets of his Providence the secrets of his Kingdom and the secrets of his Love unto Christ came out of the bosom of his father and he opens all the secrets of his father only to his bosom friends Now what an exceeding high honour is it for God to open the secrets of his love the secrets of his promises the secrets of his providences the secrets of his counsels and the secrets of his covenant to his people Tiberius Caesar thought no man fit to know his secrets And among the Persians none but noble Men Lords and Dukes might be made partakers of State secrets they esteeming secrecy a Godhead a Divine thing as Ammianus Marcellinus affirms But now such honour God hath put upon all his Saints as to make them Lords and Nobles and the only privy-statesmen in the Court of Heaven The highest honour and glory that earthly Princes can put upon their subjects is to communicate to them their greatest secrets Now this high honour and glory the King of kings hath put upon his people For his secrets are with them that fear him and he will shew them his Covenant 'T was a high honour to Elisha that he could tell the secrets 2 Kings 6. 12. that were spoken in the Kings bed-chamber O what an honour must it then be for the Saints to know the secrets that are spoken in the presence-chamber of the King of Kings Now I appeale to the very consciences of all that fear the Lord whether it be not a just equal righteous and necessary thing that the people of God should freely and fully lay open all the secrets of their hearts before the Lord who hath thus highly honoured them as to reveale the secrets of his providence kingdome and favour to them Yea I appeale to all serious and ingenious Christians whether it be not against the light and law of nature and against the law of love and law of friendship to be reserved and close yea to hide our secrets from him who reveales his greatest and his choicest secrets to us And if it be why then do not you in secret lay open all your secret sins and secret wants and secret desires secret feares c. to him that seeth in secret You know all secrets are to be communicated only in secret none but fooles in Folio will communicate secrets upon a stage or before many But Thirdly Consider that in times of great straits and trials in times of great afflictions and persecutions private prayer is the Christians meat drink 't is his cheif city of refuge 't is his shelter and hiding place in a stormy day When the Saints have been driven by violent persecutions into holes and Heb. 11. 37 38. Rev. 12. 6. Psal 102. 6â— 14. caves and dens and desarts and howling wildernesses private prayer hath been their meat and drink and under Christ their only refuge When Esau came forth with hostil intentions against Jacob secret prayer was Jacobs refuge Gen. 32. 6 7 8 9 11. And the messengers returned to Jacob saying we came to thy brother Esau and also he cometh to meet thee and four hundred men with him All cut-throates Then Jacab was greatly afraid and distressed and he devided the people that was with him and the flocks and heards and the camels into two bands And said if Esau come to the one company and smite it then the other company which is left shall escape When all is at stake 't is christian prudence to save what we can though we cannot save what we would And Jacob said O God of my Father Abraham and God of my Father Isaac the Lord which saidst unto me return unto thy country and to thy kindred and I will deale well with thee Promises in private must be prayed over God loves to sued upon his own bond when he and his People are alone Deliver me I pray thee from the hand of my
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
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
given us of his Spirit That all the Children of God have the Spirit of God may be further made evident by an induction of these seven particulars First They are all sanctified by the Spirit 1 Cor. 6. 11. Ye are sanctified by the Spirit of our God I do not say that they are all equally sanctified by the Spirit but I say they are all really sanctified by the Spirit Though all the servants of Christ have their Talents yet all have not Mat. 25. 15. their ten Talents nor all have not their five Talents nor all have not their two Talents some have only their one Talent Though Benjamins Mess was five times as much Gen. 43. 32 33 34. as his brethrens Mess yet every one of his brethren had their Mâ—ss so though some Christians have five times more measures of the Spirit and more measures of light of love of holiness of heavenly mindedness c. than others have yet every Christian hath some measures of the Spirit and some measures of grace and holiness c. Though some are Babes in Christ 1 Pet. 2. 2. 1 John 2. 12 13 14. and others are Children in Christ though some are young Men in Christ and others are old Men in Christ yet every one of them is John 3. 8. born of the Spirit of Christ Though none of the people of God in this life have the Spirit in perfection yet every one of them have so much of the Spirit as will bring him to salvation every Christian hath so much of the Spirit as will bring Christ and his Soul together and therefore without all peradventure every Christian hath so much of the Spirit as will at last bring Heaven and his Soul together Secondly They are all led by the Spirit Rom. 8. 14. As many as are led by the Spirit of God are the Sons of God Every Child of God hath a twofold Guide the Word without and the Spirit within Isa 30. 20 21. How the Spirit leads by the rule of the Word and how he leads Prov. 6. 22. Ephes 5. 9. to God and leads to Christ and leads to Truth and leads to Righteousness and leads to Holiness and leads to Happiness I shall not now undertake to shew Thirdly They are all upheld strengthned by the Spirit Ps 51. 12. Vphold me with thy free Spirit or underprop me or sustain me as the Hebrew hath it with thy free voluntary Spirit or as the Greek turns it with thy noble princely Spirit So Eph. 3. 16. To be strengthned with might by his Spirit in the inner man By the inner man some understand the regenerate part of man others by the inner man do understand the soul with all its noble faculties and motions Take the words which way you will 't is certain that all the spiritual might and strength that a Christian hath he hath it from the holy Spirit Though the Spirit strengthens every Christian in the inner man yet I do not say that the Spirit strengthens every Christian alike in the inward man Some have stronger corruptions to subdue than others and more violent temptations to with-stand than others and greater difficulties to wrestle with than others and choicer mercies to improve than others and higher and harder duties of Religion to mannage than others and accordingly they are more strengthned in the inner man than others Fourthly They are all partakers of the first-fruits of the Spirit Rom. 8. 23. Our selves have the first-fruits of the Spirit which are but as a handful of corn in respect of the whole crop All the grace 2 Cor. 1. 22. and all the holiness which we have from the regenerating Spirit at first conversion is but a drop to that Sâ—a a mite to those Talents which we shall receive in the life to come Fifthly They are all taught by Isa 59. 21. the Spirit John 14. 26. The holy-Ghost whom the father will send in my name he shall teach you all things This promise primarily belongs to the Apostles Secondarily to all believers Though these words were spoken at first to the Apostles only yet they were not spoken of the Apostles only Isa 54. 13. In the words there are three things promised to the Apostles First Immediate illumination by the Spirit of God Secondly A full knowledge of all those truths belonging to their Apostolical office and that were necessary for them at that juncture of time Thirdly Absolute infallibility as to matter oâ— Doctrine There are also three things promised to all beleevers First Mediate illumination teaching truths by the Spirit of truth in the use of the meanes of grace Secondly Knowledge of all truth necessary to salvation Thirdly infallibility too so far forth as they adhere and keep close to the spirits teaching in the word Philo saith That the primitive Christians were called Tillers because as husbandmen till their fields and manure their grounds so did they teach their Families and nurture their Children and servants with good instructions O what choice teachings of the spirit were these primitive Christians under who made it so much their business their work to teach those that were under their charge So John 1. 2 27. But the 1 Thes 4. 9. 2 Cor. 3. 8. anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you and ye need not that any man teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things and is truth Not that we know all things simply or that we need not a Ministry to teach and instruct us but he speaks comparatively you shall not be so helped by any instructions without the Spirit as with the Spirit The Spirit shall declare the truth as it is in Jesus more clearly more freely more particularly more certainly more universally more 1 Cor. 6. 9 10 11 12. 1 Tim. 4. 1. John 16. 25 Isa 48 17. Eccl. 11. 5. effectually than any other is able to doe The Spirit this holy unction shall teach the Saints all things not all things knowable for that is impossible for finite creatures to attain unto Who knows the motions of the heavens the influences of the stars the nature of the creatures or how the bones doe grow in the womb of her that is with child who knowes the reason why the River Nilus should overflow in the summer when waters are at the lowest or why the load-stone should draw Iron to it or incline to the Pole-star Pliny tells us of one that spent Lib. 11. c. 9. eight and fifty years in learning out the nature of the Bee and yet had not fully attained to it How is it possible then for the wisest naturalist to enter into the deep things of God! Paul that learned his divinity among 1 Cor. 13. 9 10 11. the Angels and that had the holy-Ghost for his immediate teacher tells us plainly That he knew but in part and O then how little a part of that part do we know But the Spirit teacheth
The End which is twofold 1. Subordinate and that is the certainty of our salvation 2. Ultimate and that is the praise of his glory Sixthly The Time how long this seal and earnest shall thus assure us and that is till we have the compleat possession of what it is an earnest To prevent mistakes and disputes about the Sealings of the Spirit on the one hand and to support comfort and encourage the poor people of God on the other hand let me briefly hint at the Spirits â—pecial sealing times As First Conversion times are often the Spirits sealing times Luke 15. 22 23. Upon the Prodigals return the fatted Calf is killed and the best Robe is put upon his back and the Ring is put upon his hand and shooes on his feet Some by the Robe understand the Royalty of Adam others the Righteousness of Christ And by the Ring some understand the pledges of Gods love Rings being given as pledges of love and by the Ring others understand the seal of Gods holy Spirit men useing to seal with their Rings Among the Romans the Ring was an ensigne of vertue honour and nobility whereby they that wore them were distinguished from the common people I think the main thing intended by the Robe and the Ring is to shew us that God sometimes upon the sinners conversion and returning to him is graciously pleased to give him some choice manifestations of his gracious pleasure and good-will and to seal up to him his everlasting love and favour And hence it comes to pass that some that are but babes in Christ are 1 Pet. 2. 2 3. 1. John 2. 12 13 14. Acts 9. 3 4 5 6. so diligent and active in religious duties and so consciencious and dexterous in the exercise of their Graces At first conversion God helps some of his people to read their own names written in legible letters in the Book of Life No sooner are some converted but the Spirit stamps his seale upon them Secondly Beleeving times are sealing times Ephes 1. 13. When they were in the very exercise of their faith when they were acting Rom. 15. 1 Pet. 1. 8. of their faith for so much the Original imports the Spirit came and sealed them up to the day of redemption He that honours Christ by frequent actings of faith on him him will Christ honour by setting his seal and mark upon him Thirdly Humbling times mourning times are sealing times When a holy man was askt which were the joyfullest dayes the comfortablest dayes that ever he enjoyed he answered his mourning dayes His mourning dayes were his joyfullest dayes and therefore he cried out O give me my mourning dayes give me my mourning dayes for they were my joyfullest dayes Those were dayes wherein God sealed up his everlasting love to his soul Job 22. 29. Isa 29. 19. When the Prodigal had greatly humbled himself before his father then the best Robe and the Ring were put upon him Luke 15. 17 24. There are none that long for the sealings of the Spirit like humble souls nor none set so high a price upon the sealings of the Spirit as humble souls nor none make so choice an improvement of the sealings of the Spirit as humble souls And therefore when mens hearts are humble and low the Spirit comes and sets the privy seal of heaven upon them Fourthly Sin-killing sin-mortifying sin-subduing times are the Spirits sealing times Rev. 2. 17. To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna and will give him a white stone and in the stone a new name written that no man knowes saving he that receiveth it God will give to the victorious Christian a secret love-token whereby his soul may rest assured of the unspeakable love of God and of its freedom from condemnation White stones were of very great use among the Romans and among the Athenians and served to acquit the accused in Courts of Justice When Malefactors were accused arraigned and condemned in their Courts they gave them a Black stone in token of condemnation but when they were acquitted they gave them White stones in token of absolution And to this practise the holy Ghost seems to allude He that is victorious over Isa 56. 5. his lusts shall have a new Name that is better than the names of sons and daughters and he shall have the pardon of his sins writ in fair letters upon the white stone so that he may run and read his absolution The victorious Christian shall 1 John 1. 7. have assurance of the full discharge of all his sins he shall have a clear evidence of his Justification and a blessed assurance of his eternal Election all which are hidden and mysterious things to all but those that have experienced and tasted what these sweet meats of Heaven mean Among the Romans there were solemn feasts held in honour of those that were victorious in their sacred Games Now those that were to be admitted to those Feasts were wont to have their names written on white shels and white stones and by these Tickets they were admitted Now some think the holy Ghost alludes to this practise and so would hint to us a privy mark whereby victorious Christians may be known and admitted as bidden guests to the heavenly banquet of the hidden Manna according to Rev. 19. 9. O sirs when predominate lusts are brought under when bosom sins lye slain in the soul then the Spirit comes and seals up love and life and glory to the soul Fifthly Suffering times are sealing times Act. 7. 55 56 59 60. Rev. 1. 9 10. 2 Cor. 4. 15 16 17. The primitive Christians found Acts 5. 40 41 42. Psal 71. 20 21. Psal 94. 19. Rev. 1. 9 10. them so and the suffering Saints in theÌ„ Marian dayes found them so When the Furnace is seven times hotter than ordinary the Spirit of the Lord comes and seals up a mans pardon in his bosom and his peace with God and his title to heaven When the world frowns most then God smiles most when the world puts their iron chains upon the Saints legs then God puts his golden chains about the Saints necks when the world puts a bitter cup into one hand then the Lord puts a cup of consolation into the other hand when the world cries out Crucifiè them crucifie them then commonly they hear that sweet voice from heaven These are my beloved ones in whom I am well pleased Blessed Bradford looked upon his sufferings as an evidence to him that he was in the right way to heaven And saith Ignatius It is better for me to be a Martyr than to be a Monarch Sixthly Self-denying times are the Spirits sealing times Matth. 19. 27 28 29. First There is sinful self which takes in a mans lusts Secondly There is natural self which takes in a mans arts parts gifts with Reason Thirdly There is religious self which takes in all a mans religious duties and services whether ordinary or
Father While the child is in the womb it cannot cry but as soon as it is born it cries Whilst Paul did lie in the womb of his natural estate he could not pray but no sooner was he born of the spirit but the next news is Behold he prayeth Acts. 9. 11. Prayer is nothing but the turning of a mans inside outward before the Lord. The very soul of prayer lyes in the pouring out of a mans soul into the bosome of God Prayer is nothing but the breathing that out before the Lord that was first breath'd into us by the spirit of the Lord Prayer is nothing but a choice a free a sweet and familiar intercourse of the soul with God Certainly it is a great work of the Spirit to help the Saints to pray Gal. 4. 6. Because you are sons God hath sent forth the spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba father God hath no still-born children The Gemination Abba Father notes fiduciall filial and vehement affection The first is an Pareus Hebrew or Syriack word the Second a Greek whereby is signified the union of the Hebrews and Grecians or the Jews and Gentiles in one Church Abba Father What is Abba say others in Hebrew Father and it is added because in Christ the corner stone both peoples are joyned alike becoming sons whence soever they come circumcision from one place whereupon Abba uncircumcision from another whereupon father is named The concord of the walls being the glory of the corner stone The word Abba say others signifies Father in the Syriack Tongue which the Apostle here retaineth because it is a word full of affection which young children retain almost in all Languages when they begin to speak And he adds the word Father not only to expound the same but also the better to express the eager movings and the earnest and vehement desires and singular affection of beleevers in their crying unto God even as Christ himself redoubled the Mark 14. 36. word Father to the same purpose when he was in his greatest distress This little word Father saith Luther lisped forth in prayer by a Child of God exceeds the eloquence of Demosthenes Cicero and all other so famed Orators in the World 'T is certain that the Spirit of God helps the Saints in all their communions with God viz. in their meditations of God in their reading and hearing of the Word of God in their communions one with another and in all their solemn addresses to God And as to this the Apostle gives us a most special instance in that Rom. 8. 26. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit it self maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered When we are to pray there is in us sometimes an infirmity of ignorance so that we know not what to pray for either in regard of the matter or the manner And there is in us at other times an infirmity of pride and conceitedness so that we cannot pray with that humility and lowliness of spirit as we should spiritual pride having fly-blown our prayers Sometimes there is in us an infirmity of deadness dullness drowsiness c. so that we cannot pray with that warmth heat life spirit and fervency as we should or as we would and at other times there is in us an infirmity of unbelief and slavish fears so that we cannot pray with that faith and holy boldness as becomes Children that draw near to a Throne of Grace to a Throne of Mercy c. But now the Spirit helps these infirmities by way of instruction prompting and teaching us what to pray for and how we should spell our lesson and by telling us as it were within what we should say and how we should sigh and groan and by rousing and quickening and stirring of us up to prayer and by his singular influence and choice assistance opening and enlarging our hearts in prayer and by his tuning the Strings of our affections he prepares us and fits us for the work of Supplication And therefore every one that derides the Spirit of prayer in the Saints saying these are the men and the women that pray by the Spirit blaspheme against the holy Spirit it being a main work of the Spirit to teach the Saints to pray and to help them in prayer Now all the Saints having the Spirit and the Spirit being a Spirit of prayer and supplication there is no reason in the world why a Saint should say I would pray in secret but I can't pray I can't pour out my soul nor my complaint before the Lord in a corner Sixthly and lastly Thou sayest thou canst not pray thou hast not the gifts and parts which others have But thou canst mannage thy callings thy worldly businesse as well as others and why then canst thou not pray as well as others Ah friends did you but love private prayer as well as you love the world and delight in private prayer as much as you delight in the world and were your hearts as much set upon closet prayer as they are set upon the world you would never say you could not pray yea you would quickly pray as well as others 't is not so much from want of ability to pray in secret that you don't pray in secret as 't is from want of a will a heart to pray in secret that you don't pray in secret Jacobs love to Rachel and Sechems love to Dina carried Gen. 29. ch 34. them through the greatest difficulties Were mens affections but strongly set upon private prayer they would quickly find abilities to pray He that sets his affections upon a Virgin though he be not learned nor eloquent will find words enough to let her know how his heart is taken with her The application is easie He in Seneca complained of a Thorn in his foot when his Lungs was rotten So many complain of want of ability to pray in their closets when their hearts are rotten Sirs do but get better hearts and then you will never say you can't pray 'T is one of the saddest sights in all the world to see men strongly parted and gifted for all worldly businesses to cry out that they can't pray that they have no ability to pour out their souls before the Lord in secret You have sufficient parts and gifts to tell men of your sins your wants your dangers your difficulties your mercies your deliverances your duties your crosses your losses your enjoyments your friends your foes and why then are you not ashamed to complain of your want of parts and gifts to tell those very things to God in a corner which you can tell to men even upon the house-top c. But Fourthly Some may further object and say God is very well acquainted with all our wants necessities straits tryals and there is no moving of him to bestow any favours upon us which he