A Practical Discourse of Prayer, Discourse · Part 3 · Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII. About inlargements in prayer, when ſaving.
WE are (God willing) to diſpatch the handling of ſome other caſes, in carrying on this weighty duty of prayer.
The eighth caſe now to be conſidered of, is touching inlargements in prayer, how Caſe. 8. About inlargements in prayer, which are ſaving: when they are for the manner,they are diſcerned to be from ſaving and peculiar principles of grace, and differenced from thoſe which are but from natural, carnal or common cauſes.
In anſwer whereunto, we muſt premiſe, that perſons may be ſtrangely inlarged in prayer, ſometimes from principles that are not ſaving. The Phariſees made long praiers. Mat. 13. 14. But from a principle of hypocriſie, ibid. From carnal and ſinfull aymes. ibid. And for a pretence make long prayers. From pride, as in thoſe rhetorical ingeminations, Matth. 6. 7. from errour, as truſting to ſuch inlargements, thinking to bee heard for their much ſpeaking. ib. id And for thoſe in Iſ. 1 15. they made many prayers, or multiplied petitions, as the Hebrew phraſe imports: ſome from carnal emulation of ſome famous men in the Church will ſtraine this way; ſome from deluſive raptures, may be wonderfully inlarged in their expreſſions in prayer, yet none of theſe in the right.
Now ſaving inlargements in prayer may be diſcerned from thoſe that are common,
1. They are free, not forced or ſtrained, 1 Free.Cant. 4. 11. As the droppings of the hony-comb, not needing ſqueezing, or as the powring out of water, or oyle, which runneth downe naturally and freely. Iſai. 26. 16. They powred out a prayer to thee. So Pſal. 102. the Title. Not but that ſuch inlargements doe ofttimes iſſue from foregoing ſtruglings and conflictings with much oppoſition, and many intervening lets, yea, and are not alſo without ſundry preſent difficulties; yet the ſpirit is free at ſuch times, and as far as it is ſpiritual it is delightfully drawne forth therein.
2. They are ſweet, ſolid, ſappy, lively, 2 Lively.ſtrengthning inlargements, as hony or milk, Cant. 4. 11. and that not onelyonly to us, but to others that joyne with us. The Churches lips when exerciſed in prayer, as well as preaching▪ run downe like the beſt wine, cauſing the lips of thoſe that are aſleep to ſpeak.
3. They are ſeaſonable inlargements. 2 Seaſonable.As when God in his providence calleth to them in ſpeciall ſort, whether in way of confeſſion of ſins, or of Gods merciemercy; or in a way of petition for mercies, for our ſelves or others. Thus Solomon, Ezra, Daniel and Chriſt were then in ſpecial wiſe inlarged. Theſe fruits of the lips of the Saints are brought forth in ſeaſon. Pſal. 1. 3.
4. They are moſt what ſecret cloſet-inlargements. 4 Secret.There David prayeth and cryeth aloud; there doe they powre out largely their ſecret whiſpers. Iſai. 26. 16. in the Hebrew, the ſame word with 2 Sam. 12. 19. as hath been formerly ſhewed. Zech. 12. 10, 12, 13.
5. They are contrite melting inlargements. Zech. 12. 10. Not ſome few drops 5 Contrite.of either, but abundance of ſuch a ſpirits influences, it is powred out; they are led as with ſupplications, ſo with weepings adjoyned to their inlarged prayers; ſuch were thoſe of Chriſt, his ſtrong cryes were with teares likewiſe. Heb. 5. 7. His lips in praier dropped ſweet ſmelling myrrhe, betokening ſome holy bitterneſſe or brokenneſſe.
6. They are obediential inlargements. 6 Obediential.David as he offereth a multiplied free-will offering, Accept the free will offering of my mouth, ſo he deſired to be taught his further duty, and teach me thy judgements Pſal. 119. 108. As he opens his mouth to expreſſe his inlarged deſires largely, ſo is it out of obediential longings to doe the will of God, ver. 131. I opened my mouth and panted, for I longed for thy commandements.
Laſtly, they are thankfull inlargements. 7 Thankfull.Pſal. 51. 15. Open thou my lips that my mouth may ſhew forth thy praiſe: if his mouth be opened, it wil appear in his prayſes: and Pſal. 71. 8. the Pſalmiſt's mouth is filled with prayſe, his prayſe is a fruit and concomitant of the delivery of his impriſoned ſpirit. Pſal. 142. 7.
2. By the matter of them. 1. The moſt 2 By the matter. 1 Reſpecting our ſins.acceptable inlargements being moſtly and beſt ſeen in ſenſible aggravations of our own wretchedneſſe, as in Ezra and Daniels examples, Ezra 9. Daniel 9. Jer. 3. 21. the choice matter of their ſupplications and inlarged prayer, is, touching the perverting of their way, and their forgetting of the Lord, Oh how long will a contrite Suppliant be here in making ſad commentaries upon his own wretched heart? what large declamations will he make againſt his own ſins?
2. In ſenſible amplifications of Gods 2 Gods grace.grace and mercy to us, as in David, of which his Pſalmes are a plentifull proofe. The love of God maketh him eloquent in ſetting out the beauty and excellency thereof to the life.
3. In ſpiritual pleas, eſpecially for ſpi-ſpritual 3 Spiritual mercies.mercies, of which the prayers of David and of other Gods ſervants are full.
4 In the caſes of afflicted, tempted ones, eſpecially of afflicted Churches. Oh! 4 The afflicted or tempted ones caſes.how large and unwearied is a gracious Nehemiah in ſuch a caſe! hee will ſpend dayes in dilating upon ſo ſad a theame in the ears of the Lord. Nehem. 1. 3, 4. The ſubſtance of the largeſt prayer that is recorded to be made by Solomon, concerneth moſt what the caſes of afflicted ones in ſome kind or other. 1 Kings from the 31. verſe to 54.
3. By the occaſionall riſe of them. 3 For the occaſion of them.The inlargement of the Saints in prayer being occaſioned.
1 By afflictions. Afflicted Hannah 1 Afflictions,was large and long in prayer, inſomuch that Eli obſerving her moving her lips ſo long, ſaith, how long wilt thou be drunken? 1 Sa. 1. 14, 15. When Davids ſpirit is ſo hard beſtead, then doth he powr out a complaint. Pſal. 142. 2, 3. And when ſo perſecuted and reproached, then is imploied in little elſe but praying. Pſ. 119. 4. And this argueth that ſome ſpiritual principles are within, that ſuch griefs and ayls inlarge their hearts; which naturally rather contract the ſpirits of men, and ſilence them, as in hypocrites which are then ſtraitned. Bonds of afflictions are bonds to their ſpirits, they cry not when God bindeth them. Job 36. 13. But afflictions ſanctified to the ſaints, make them more in praier.2 Conqueſt of temptations.
2. By the conqueſt of ſome foregoing ſad temptation, or upon the remove of ſome ſad deſertion, and after ſome foregoing ſtraitnings, and ſilencings of them. Then it is not a ſupplication, but they are ſupplications. Hence David is large in ſupplicating. Pſal. 130. 1, 2, 3, 4. And is bent to ſpend in a manner his whole time in prayer, after he had got the ſtart of ſuch tryals. Pſal. 116. 1, 2, 3. 10, 11, 12, 13.
3. By the bringing home of ſome 3 Some promiſe ſet home.word of promiſe to the heart. When David doth pray for a free ſpirit, and to have his mouth opened, hee prayeth that he might heare of gladneſſe, have ſome quickning, healing promiſe ſpoken and manifeſted to him as the means thereof. Pſalme 51. 8, 12, 15. verſes compared.
4 By ſome ſpecial ſenſe of love to the 4 Love to the Lord.Lord. Hence when the Lord ſetteth forth the lips of his Spouſe, ſo freely dropping ſweet and ſavoury expreſſions before him. Cantic. 4. 1. He magnifieth her love therein, how fair is thy love? love is unſatisfied; it thinketh it hath never ſpoken enough of its mind to the Lord, that it hath never talk enough with him, that it is never near enough to him, that it hath never hold enough of him, that it hath never love-tokens enough from him, that it hath never ſufficiently declaimed againſt all diſtancing treacherous diſtempers and ſins, and that it hath never ſpoken ſufficiently in his praiſes; ſo that when it is ſtirring in the Saints, no wonder if then they are ſo large, and inlarged in their prayers.
A fourth way of diſcovery of ſuch inlargments 4 For the iſſue of them; effectual.to be right, is by the iſſue of them, being in the Saints a ſucceſsful prevailing for conquering graces over their diſtempers, over their corruptions, over their temptations of fear, care, grief, diſtruſt, and the like; beſides, the obtaining of quickning, comforting grace, for doing or ſuffering the will of God, and depending upon the promiſes and faithfulneſs of God in Chriſt. The fruit of the Saints opening their mouths in inlarged prayers, is Gods gracious filling of them with ſuch like grace Pſal. 81. 10. Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it. The fruit of Jacobs long continued Supplications, that night the Angel wreſtled with him, you ſee what it was; his diſtruſt and carnal fears of Eſau were removed, his Faith and Joy are revived, and the like, Gen. 32. 24, 26, 28, 30.