bondage and shall enable you to set your feet on his neck c. More clearly Isai 61. 1 2 3. He gave Christ and annointed and sent him for that end to proclaim liberty to the Captives and the opening of the prison to them that are bound and not only to proclaim it by the Word but to apply it by the Spirit ver 3. To appoint to them beauty for ashes the oyl of joy for mourning and the garment of joy for the spirit of heaviness or the Spirit of Adoption for the Spirit of Bondage So Psal 126. 5 6. They that sow in tears shall reap in joy c. And Isai 57 15. a remarkable Promise I dwell with the contrite and humble spirit wherefore To revive the spirit of the humble and the heart of the contrite ones For I will not contend for ever lest the soul should fail before me and the spirit which I have made See v. 18 19. The Spirit that is promised by Christ is called the Comforter Why so if not to denote the principall part of his work the comforting of the hearts of Gods people John 14. 26. Arg. 2. The Designe of God in troubling the conscience Soul-troubles are not brought on us meerly for their owne sakes for God afflicts not willingly nor grieves the Lam. 3. 33. children of men but they are ordinary Prologues of Comfort and Peace and therefore ordained to fit us to receive and prize it Hos 2. 14. I wil bring her into the Wilderness and speak comfortably unto her to her heart Heb. Into the Wildernesse i. e. a maze and wood of troubles that she shall know no way out of into such a condition in which a dram of comfort will be dearer then all the world and then I will speak to her heart when she is quite out of heart Gods usages to his people in this world are like Tragi-Comedies sad beginnings divers times that put all the Spectators into a maze to think what will come of them that so he may come off the more gloriously at the last by giving a comfortable close beside all mens expectations He sets off as Painters do a light colour by the neighborhood of a dark He caused light at the first to shine out of darknesse not before it or 2 Cor. 4. 6 without it but out of it And as he doth in conversion so in comfort First darknesse in conversion then light Ye were darkness Ephes 5. 8 c. so he doth in the work of consolation When I sit in darknesse the Lord shall be a light to me saith the Church Micah 7. 8. So in the Apostles experience We had the sentence of death in our selves that we might trust not in our selves but in him that raiseth the dead 2 Cor. 1. 9. And as Christ would not keep Lazarus from dying when he could have done so but rather chose to raise him from the dead by a miracle so will Christ deal with his people quite bring them to the grave that then he may get the glory of a kind of miracle and say Return ye sons Psalm 90. 3 and daughters of men Now can we think that God will lose the glory of his grace when he so aimes at it in those troubles that work it And surely he will do so if his people perish under them Thence the Spirit of God teacheth the Saints in darkness to urge that as an Argument Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead c. What remembrance of thee is there in the grave where all things are forgotten Psalm 88. 10 11 and 6. 5. q. d. I know thy aim in all these dark nights that I undergo is to make thy glory shine the clearer and is this the way to let a poor soul that would fain praise thee to drop into the grave and for ought he knowes into hell in darknesse without the least smile from thee c. Arg. 3. The duties God expects of his Saints which cannot be so perfectly and ingenuously performed by any as by an assured spirit Indeed the truth of them may proceed from a soul that is not assured but such high and noble measures cannot 1 Love to him again A man may and every Saint doth love God by a holy sympathy as soon as he is regenerated whether he know it or no and the demonstration of that love in the Saints when they come to discerne it becomes a means of assurance to them As in Antipathies sometimes they are strong in nature and no reason can be given for them Non amo te Sabidi nec possum dicere quare c So in sympathies founded in the nature of the things Why doth Iron love the Load-stone and cleave to it or the needle touched with it point Northward This I constantly affirm that where the soul loves God Gods love is the cause of that love to him and so it is whether it be manifested to his conscience or no because every grace is a fruit of Gods eternal love This I am sure is held out in that excellent place 1 John 4. 19. though I shall not grant it a fruit thereof only when knowne 'T is not said Because we are assured he loved us first but Because he loved us first But yet the love that is without assurance is not so strong so rational so active as that that proceeds from assurance when the love of God is shed abroad in the heart by the Holy Ghost for this will enable a soul to love much Luke 7. 47. to rejoice in tribulation Rom. 5. 3 5 and do many other difficult duties with more vigor and activity A young child may truly love the Father when it is unable to reason it selfe into the duty of love from experience of the Fathers love but the love that a growne child shews to the father after his experience of many acts of love for many years is more strong solid and rational So when a soul can say as David I love the Lord for c. Psal 116 1 Now God requires his children should grow up into an ingenuous filial love upon grounds of thankfulnesse and reciprocation Ephes 1. 16 17 18 19 He would have them be rooted and grounded in the experimental knowledg of the love of Christ and thence to draw strength to obey him in all things And therefore it must needs be his ordinary way to those Saints from whom he expects this fruit to give them the Spirit of Adoption to testifie this Love to them And there is a Promise that love of good will to Christ shall be seconded with manifestation of love from Christ Joh. 14. 21. 2 Joy in the Holy Ghost and that alwayes 1 Thes 5. 16 Now although a soul may have some sprinklings of joy upon the general hopes which it gathers to it self from general Promises yet it is nothing to that whicâ— particular assurance gives Now God will have the joy of his Saints full joy John 15. 11. And
when the Spirit suggests matter of prayer as in expressions Without all question the Spirit when hee supplies will not supply the lesse materiall part of prayer and not the more principall and momentous A man of a nimble invention and a fluent tongue may be able to speak high strains of Rhetorick in prayer but is the heart warmed sutably to the expressions If the stream run only from the teeth outward as we say 't is not supplied from a divine spring 5. If the heart be warmed also yet I ask doth its warmth produce the language of prayer or rather the language it Some good natures as we call them will weep at a passionate discourse either of their own or another mans The heart is first hot where the expressions are from the Spirit It may be expressions may add to the quantity of heart-affection in duty as on the other side dull expressions will much take off from the edge of a good affection But whence was the rise of thy heate in the substance of it from without or from within A natural mans expressions in prayer are the spring of his affections a godly mans affections are the spring of his expressions 3. Adde also that the fayling of expression in prayer is much our own fault 1. Sometimes we over-prize it In desiring it too sollicitously when absent in rejoycing and pleasing our selves too fondly when present discomforting our selves when we want it as if we wanted the Spirit because we have not a wished supply of the gift and laying the foundation of our hopes of acceptance upon that when present which we may be accepted without 2 Studying more to pray then praying that we may pray Spiritual abilities for prayer of whatever kind they be are usually fetched in by prayer Luke 11. 13. as water in the well is fetched up by putting water into the pump Whiles we are asking God hears and that he may enables us to aske He giveth the Spirit to them that ask him 3. Want of meditation I mean not of expressions but things Well studyed matter yeilds plentifull expressions the Poet observes Verbaque praevisam rem non invita sequuntur Horat. art Poet. Well-conceived matter is never stifled in the birth for want of the midwifery of apt expressions 4 Want of acquaintance with the Word of God Many people complain they have a great dearth of expressions in prayer but the cause of it is in themselves They do not study the Word of God which as it is a compleat magazene of matter so it is the best and most genuine spring of expression in prayer The language of confession petition thanksgiving which the Saints of God use in the Scripture is in a sort a supply from the Spirit fetched in by industry For it is all of it indited by the Spirit to our hands Those are surely therefore the most acceptable meet expressions to send up to heaven which first descended from heaven There is a strange vein of expression in prayer that conceited persons affect in these dayes which a man if he compare with Scripture will easily conclude to be a gibberish of a wanton age unknown to the Saints of God in former times The Spirit of God loves to indite your prayers when hee doth supply your defects that way in his own familiar expressions which are those of the Scripture CHAP. XLIX Saints are informed what deadens them in prayer Where also a case what to be done when a Saint cannot call God Father and in case some sinne streighten him As also how to maintain boldnesse and fervency in prayer NOw to apply this usefull point 1. In the first place this lets many poor souls under darknesse know whence that deadnesse and flatnesse of spirit which they are ever complaing of in prayer doth proceed They do what they can to darken their evidences and take delight in finding matter of charge against themselves to the shaking of them and yet take it ill that they cannot have that freedome and liberty and livelynesse in prayer which they desire This is as if they should cut off their own legs and then complain that they cannot go They clip the very wings upon which prayer should raise it self heaven-ward and then they complain they cannot fly so high in duty as they would Qu. But what shall I do if by reason of this darknesse I cannot call God Father with confidence Answ 1. Acknowledge with sense and feeling that unworthinesse of thine which discourageth thee Say Lord I confesse I am unworthy to be called thy sonne as the Prodigal doth and endeavour as much as thou canst to fill thy face with shame and confusion in the sense hereof 2. Acquaint him with thy particular straightnesse of spirit and the cause of it tell him what tyes thy tongue that thou wouldst pray but thou darest not own any relation to him desire him for his own glory to discover that relation to thee that may embolden thee to his service 3. Maintain notwithstanding this thy claim to God as thy Father upon those promises upon which at first thou didst believe God warrants every soul to call him Father that is brought to a desire to become his child None ever call'd God Father out of a sincere desire to that relation and the duties of it from whom God refused to accept of the title We never find God quarrell with any upon this account for calling him Father except they were such as denyed him filial duty and reverence Supposing then that thou canst not call God Father upon evidence of particular faith yet do it upon grounds of relyance such as his offers invitations promises plead that promise of Relation 2 Corinth 6. 18. 4 Ask spiritual good things of him under the obligation of that relation And urge him with his Fatherly bowels in Jesus Christ to all poor souls that come unto God through him Call him Father at adventure upon Christs score and see whether he can disclaim the name The advantage of this will be the hearing and granting of thy petitions and the Answer of prayer will be an evidence of thine Interest No greater foundation of Assurance then the Answer of our Prayers Psal 66. 19. See what a kind of Argument the holy man drawes Assurance from in that place If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear my prayer But verily God hath heard me That is the Minor Proposition the Conclusion is natural therefore I do not regard iniquity in my heart So in this Case the Argument will be undenyable God heareth none but sons But God heareth me Therefore I am a Son Quest But suppose some Sin of a deeper dye then ordinary straighten me and weaken my confidence in approaching to God Answ 1 Then sensibly confesse and bewaile that sin before God Acknowledge that thou dost not only deserve the darkning of thine own faith but also the darkning of his face and that not only here but
is not enough here for him to reply Thou hast a deceitful heart and thou hast had great experience of it and there be many hypocrites and there is much counterfeit gold c. These are generals Ask him by what warrant from the Word he bids thee doubt whether thou be an hypocrite and thy gold be false If he shew not his warrant fall pell mell upon him spare him not for an illegal Assault and Battery 3 Wordlesse Scruples must be silenced especially if I either have or have had to my best and most deliberate judgment sufficient ground to convince me of the contrary In such a case if I have been formerly satisfied upon Scripture grounds I am to rest in that satisfaction if not yet if now such grounds be presented to me I am bound to receive it and at least to silence all Scruples to the contrary Otherwise the Authority of Gods Word would be far lesse with me then that of mine own groundlesse fancies or Satans vexatious suggestions Conscience is an Officer of Gods his Deputy-Iudg in the soul and therefore it must determine from and according to the most preponderating evidence from the Word of God As in matters of Law a Judg is not to hearken to every litigious Lawyer that puzleth and perplexeth a cause farther then he speaks Law to justifie his allegations but if he can bring none may and ought to proceed to sentence upon those rules of Law and Justice upon which he hath formerly judged in the like cases or such as being now urged on the behalf of the Defendant have nothing of moment objected to the contrary I know Satan can and doth often tempt with a Word in his mouth as he did our Saviour with It is written and so without all question doth where hee sees the soul will not be taken with chaff or baffled with meer scare-crows of groundlesse suggestions urge Scripture in troubling the conscience And in such cases we had need of a Spiritual palate exercised to taste words as Elihu layes the comparison between inward and outward sense Job 33. 3. But if all the Scruples of our spirits were reduced to this trial not one to a thousand but would let fall its suite rather then discover its weakness by the impertinency of its allegations Object But if I have never so plain word urged upon me to satisfie me yet if the Spirit do not make the word satisfying Satan is an impudent Accuser and mine own heart is full of darknesse and it will question whether it be day when the Sun shines and with those that are resolved to conclude snow black rather condemn the most certain of the senses for a mistake in so clear an Object then acknowledg an error in its own reasonings Ans I grant it Yet this I must do in the case in hand 1 I must acknowledg that I ought or that I see no reason at least why I ought not to be satisfied with such clear evidence there being so little objected that may reasonably disparage it 2 I ought to condemn bewayle and pray against such unwarrantable slownesse of believing where I have so much apparent ground 3 I ought at least to suspend those groundlesse Scruples for the present and act upon the conclusion which I am convinced appears most justifiable from Scripture though I cannot apprehend it altogether beyond question at present as if it were unquestionable till some new grounds of more considerable weight are urged to obstruct my proceedings As in a case of Law among men is clear A man hath a Title to such Lands as by the advice of Lawyers and from Law he conceiveth to be good or at least after many debates with an adversary that obstructs his quiet possession he sees not by any thing that can be urged to the contrary but that his own is the most likely Title If this man enter upon this Estate and use it as his own till the Advarsary produce a more legal evidence then his and justifie it in Court the man offends not So in conscience Gods Ministers that are the Counsellours in its cases tell thee according to their best knowledge in the Scriptures that thou art a child of God and hast an unquestionable Title to him this they prove by Scripture compared with the operations of Gods sanctifying Spirit in thy heart Satan sayes no and thy own misgiving heart fears lest he say true However thou seest no reason he brings from Scripture or at least none so weighty as that thou seest sufficient cause from his allegations to reject those other that make for thee nay it may be thy judgment inclines to them but thy heart is yet fearful and trembling in such a case thou maist safely practise as occasion serves upon that conclusion which thou seest least to weaken I mean thou maist act as a child of God apply Promises urge them in Prayer c. as if they were thine till some more considerable grounds be offeâ—ed to weaken the former upon which thou actedst This I say because I know it is the doubt of some precious souls whether they may pray or apply any Promises til they be altogether out of doubt that they are the children of God 4 Nay let me say more If thou have but the least ground to hope that though thou be not a child of God for the present yet thou art no where excluded from a capacity of being so thou maist lay hold upon the Promises which belong to Saints so far as to improve them to duty though thou maist not so far as to build an Assurance upon them And the reason is because the Gospel becomes mine by my laying hold upon it and claiming it as mine And God allowes a Christian an holy violence in entering upon the precious possessions thereof the violent Mat. 11. 12 take it by force If a man should never lay hold of a Promise till he be assured that it belongs to him he would never lay hold of any because as I shall tell you more hereafter Assurance that the Promises and the things promised in them are mine depends upon my laying hold of them and claiming them as mine and therefore cannot go before in an orderly and ordinary way 4. Sometimes when mine own scrupulous heart will take no satisfaction I ought to lay some weight of confidence upon the judgment of others godly Ministers and experienced Christian friends A stander by say we oftentimes sees more then the parties in action can see themselves I believe my Physician concerning the state of my body and my Lawyer concerning the state of my Sute though it may be I have strong inclinations of my self to make a contrary judgment and upon their judgment I follow the ones Physick and the others counsel 'T is not a matter of small moment when upon the sight of thy serious humiliation and sorrow for sin earnest and restlesse desires after Christ and holiness and the like signes a Minister
without fear of being made an Offender for a misplaced word for a fault of circumstance as other strangers are Nay when God doth not hear the Saints voice as many times when they are under some pressures that over-burthen them he may not How he calls for them and invites them to speak Cant. 2. 14. O my Dove let me hear thy voice for thy voice is sweet q. d. I wonder I heare not from such or such a child of mine It may bee my little child thinks I cannot away with broken language the language of a troubled spirit O yes the broken and stammering tongue of a child is sweet It is a mighty encouragement to boldnesse that a man cannot be more bold then he is welcome 4 This is the purchase of Christs blood We have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this bold liberty of speech through the blood of Jesus Heb. 10. 19. We may draw nigh which is an action importing confidence when we have to do with our betters but upon what account Upon the account of Christs bloud when strangers must stand off and keep distance Ephes 2. 13. And it is the fruit of his Intercession Therefore Heb. 10. 22. we are bid to draw neer in full Assurance of faith that God wil not bid us depart his presence or stand further off and the ground of this boldness is the purchase and intercession of Christ v. 20 21. Hee that hath made his way by an acceptable present or hath the protection of some honourable and acceptable Courtier will draw nigh and present a Petition to an earthly Prince with confidence God never received a present that he was more delighted with then the active and passive obedience of his Son nor can wee come to God under the wing of a more powerful Advocate On this last Head I could enlarge abundantly As by representing to you The dearnesse of this Son to God He is his beloved Son Mat. 3. ult in whom his heart is at rest The infinite value of his obedience which we plead in proportion whereunto the things we ask are lesse then nothing Hee offered that to God which by the merit of its worth might have sufficed to purchase infinitely beyond what 't is possible for us to enjoy The earnestnesse sensibleness importunity authority if I may so speak with reverence of his Intercession See the former Hebr. 4. 14 15. and 2. 17 18. The latter John 17. 24. There are in a sort Verba Imperatoria words of command shall I say Father I will that those whom thou hast given me be where I am 5 The Spirit of God is the Framer of our Petitions and we may then be bold to present them because he makes Intercession according to the will of God If a skilful Lawyer frame a Petition for a man and put every word in its place a man will be more emboldned to present it then if it were his own composure Rom. 8. 26 27 6 'T is for Gods dishonour when his children come sneakingly and pusillanimously to the Throne of Grace If a man should see a Father that his children did scarce dare to speak to but in a mumbling tremulous manner would he not have cause to look upon him as a cruel tyrannical father unreasonably severe to his children CHAP LIV. A Question answered How a man may procure this boldnesse both those that have never had it though under Assurance and those that have and have lost it are directed Quest BUt suppose I cannot come to God in this manner with an holy boldness how shall I procure it Answ I answer either 1 Thou hast never had this actual boldness and confidence in prayer though thou hast had a just right to it Or else 2 Thou hast had it and hast now lost it 1 If thou hast notwithstanding thy Assurance of Gods love or at least some comfortable whispers thereof in thy heart never had this boldnesse in Gods presence as it is possible it may bee the case of many a child of God Some children even of earthly parents though they be assured of their fathers love yet cannot for their hearts put on a bold face to speak to them as some others can and so 't is often according to the different tempers of Gods children to be seen in their addresses to God I say in this case 1. Thou must look upon it as a duty so grounded as before and such a duty as God is exceedingly delighted withall and so strive to break the bonds of sinfull modesty There is a sinfull modesty which the very Philosophers condemne as a vice in morality and call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is nothing but a rustick and foolish weakness of countenance by which a man is hindred from just and honourable actions because hee cannot look discouragements and oppositions in the face as he ought to do This is an infirmity even in Gods people They come to God many times in Duty as if they were doing that that they are ashamed to bee seen in and are afraid of being taken in the fact This they must labour exceedingly against as an infirmity and often remember that they offend against an expresly commanded Duty if they come not boldly to the Throne of grace 2. Labour to fortifie thy selfe against all such things as may weaken thy confidence Such as 1 The consideration of Gods greatness and majesty with thine own vilenesse and unworthinesse In which case consider 1. True this should stirre up a fear of reverence and caution that thou do nothing unworthy so great a presence Eccles 5. 1. But thou must take heed of a fear of diffidence a fainting discouraging fear and to this end consider 2 That though God be a great God and a great King above all gods yet he is thy Father and Royal dignityes though they require a reverence sutable to the distance that ought to be between a Prince and a subject and that even from a sonne yet they stoop themselves exceedingly to relations Ahasuerus though none be dispensed with for intruding into his presence without a solemne call by the holding forth of the golden Scepter yet remitts of the rigour of that ceremonious distance to Hester his wife and Solomon Hest when his mother Bathsheba comes to him upon the throne he arises and commands a seat to be set for her on his right hand 1 Kings 2. 19. 3. That that great God hath promised to stoop and condescend to a way of communion and familiar converse with such vile creatures under the sense and apprehension of their own vilenesse Isa 66. 2 57. 15. Psalm 138. 6. Though the Lord be high yet hath he respect to the lowly So that no man hath more right to boldnesse in the presence of God then he that is most sensible of his own vileness God will not upbraid such a petitioner with his vileness Jam. 1. 5. 4. That the Saints of God have married these two together a serse of
of God Isa 1. 5. If a man want support and security in a suffering time 't is true God is a refuge and strength and a very present help in time of trouble Psal 46. 1. But to whom is he so to them that call upon him Ps 105. 18. Lastly he delivereth the righteous out of all his afflictions Psal 34. 19. But upon what termes Call on me and I will deliver thee Psalm 50. 15. God hath delivered me and doth deliver and will deliver saith the Apostle but in what way 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you Corinthians conferring mutual help by your prayers 2 Cor. 1. 11. 3. Look on God as 1. Prescribing this duty in affliction as Psalm 50. 15. and in my Text and many other places 2. Expecting it as one who often afflicts to that end that hee may make our proud hearts to stoop to duty Hosea 5. 15. 3. Making promises to this duty rightly performed in such a season See at large 2 Chron. 7. 13 14 Psalm 50. 15. 4. Sealing them with plentifull performances See a threefold cord of experiences in one Psalm 34. 4 5 6. Now God calls not for expects not encourageth not prospers not an unseasonable duty and therefore from all this it followes that to one that looks on God in affliction the seasonablenesse of prayer is strongly concluded by all these particulars 2 Look on our selves under affliction and prayer will seem exceeding seasonable at such a time from these following considerations arising from the condition it selfe which we are under which hath these advantages in its nature and usual attendants to further us in the duty 1. Sense of pain or present danger 'T is natural to cry under the rod qui nescit orare c. saith the proverb send a man to Sea if you 'l teach him to pray Jonah 1. 6. Even heathen Marriners can find some God or other to go to in a storme Jon. 1. 6. I know 't is not alwayes gracious prayer that comes from a sense of suffering A dogge will howle when you strike him and God can give some mens devotions in such a condition no better terme Hos 7. 14. But I know also that even a child will cry and begge heartily under the rod. And all prayers that are extorted from men by smart are not carnal and natural prayers though sometimes and in wicked men alwayes they be so The prayer may be spiritual though the motive be natural We fast and the Jews and others of old wore sackcloth upon their flesh to provoke by the hunger and pain of the body the spirits to devotion When the spirit is overwhelmed the natural man seeks vent sometimes this way but a godly man alwayes 2. Affliction usually begets lowly and humble thoughts in men For as it is natural to man to be proud and lofty under a prosperous condition Psal 73. 5 6. So is it also to begin to know himself when he is laid low by affliction Ps 9. 20. Put them in fear O Lord that the nations may know themselves to be but men Before they scarce thought they were men as others are Lam. 3. 27 28 29. Long afflictions such as the Prophet describes there make men sit alone and keep silence lay their very mouthes in the very dust and take patiently any thing from God or men I know that a man may be humbled that is not humble No afflictions though they plow long furrowes and deep ones too can of themselves teare up the root of pride out of the heart but they may tear and mangle it so that it may be checked for the present in its growth whiles better seeds are sown in the heart by grace that in time will wafte it quite out of the field Wicked men will never pray till affliction bring them upon their knees And the Saints of God sometimes are too proud to be beholden to God till bare need force them to it The prodigal whiles he had but husks though a sonne yet thinks not of his duty And 't is said of our Saviour Christ himselfe that as man he learned obedience by the things that he suffered Heb. 5. 8. and being a man of sorrowes in his state of humiliation he powred out strong cryes and groanes v. 7. Now that which grace cooperating with it humbles and layes the soul low before God puts a man into the fittest temper for prayer 3. Afflictions ordinarily are the chafingdish that warmes and recovers the remembrance of sinne unto men They recovered the remembrance of the Patriarchs sinne as Divines observe twenty years after Gen. 42. 21. Now verily say they now we are in bonds are we guilty concerning our Brother i. e. now our consciences tell us we are guilty So Hos 5. 15. I will returne to my place till they be guilty i. e. till the sense of guilt forgotten afresh seize their consciences therefore Job calls plagues Gods witnesses and renewed plagues renewed witnesses Job 10 17. because they testify sinne and oftentimes when they are repeated plagues wilfulnesse and obstinacy in sinne And this property of affliction makes it very much conduce to prayer A burden ed spirit under sense of sinne vents its sorrowes and oppressions that way Prayer to such a soul is like lightening the ship in a storm like letting out the impostumed matter out of a sore As shall be shewn more hereafter 4. A man in an afflicted condition hath many promises to urge God withal which are peculiar to such a condition Concerning sanctification of affliction Ezek. 20. 37. 38. Isa 27. 9. moderation in afflicting v. 8 9 that and support under suffering together 1 Cor. 10. 13. Psalm 23. 2 3 4. bettering and improving us by it Heb. 12. 11. deliverance in it Job 5. 19. Isai 43. 2. Psalm 34. 20 112 4. from it Psa 125 3 91. 14 15. 37. 40 and many places more Now that season is a proper season for prayer of all others which the Lord chuseth as a proper season of granting As the time to ask and receive a dole is then when it is to be distributed If a beggar be out of the way then he missâ—th his Almes See Ps 32. 6. Godly men pray in a time when God wil be found 5 A man in an afflicted condition hath more especial need of supply in many graces then at another time As in 1 Faith Luke 21. 31 Hab. 21 23. 2 Humility 1 Pet. 5. 6. 3 Patience Heb. 10. 36. Jam. 1. 4. 4 Repentance Lam. 3. 40. 1 Chr. 7. 13 14. Now all supplies of the Spirit must be fetched in by prayer Phil. 1. 19 20. If a man were never so sure of supplies from a friend at all turnes yet it is requisite that he send him intelligence of his wants Indeed God needs not any intelligence of our condition who knowes our estate better then wee do knowes what part of the wall needs most strengthning though we never tell him but God will take no notice of