The Spirit of Bondage and Adoption, Treatise 2 · Chapter 47
CHAP. XLVII. Two Caſes ſtated; whether Saints are at all times alike heightened in their ſpirits in prayer. And if not, whence the difference that is in them at ſeveral times, proceeds?
Que.1 ARe all that have received the witneſſe of the Spirit, at all times alike bold in prayer?
Que.2. If not, how comes it to paſſe, that there is ſuch an alteration in the ſpirits of Gods people? That at one time they are more bold, and fervent in prayer, then at another?
Anſw. For anſwer to the firſt of theſe; you are to know.
(1.) That the boldneſſe of Gods people in prayer depends not upon the reception of the witneſs in themſelves, but upon the actual improvement of that teſtimony. If a man have never ſo good an evidence lying by him, and he have it not ready to produce in Court, when he is pleading his cauſe, he cannot be ſo confident in his plea, as at another time when he hath it in his hand. And therefore,
(2) The beſt of Gods Saints (as I have ſhewed you before) may not at all times have his Evidences at hand to plead. Many a Saint dares not ſometimes to owne his relation to God, and their Aſſurance admits of actual ebbings and flowings.
(3) Thereupon (no doubt) there muſt needs be leſſe life and confidence in drawing nigh to God. For at ſuch a time
1 All the Promiſes are like a Book ſealed to the ſoul. In all the word of God, it cannot find one Promiſe that it can urge with confidence.
For the Spirits Teſtimony is the only light in which we can challenge and lay claim to any Promiſe.
Now the Promiſes are the very ſpirits and life of prayer. Becauſe they are the only obligations upon which the Soul can claim any thing from God.
2. In ſuch a ſeaſon, the relations between God and the ſoul are clouded. The ſoul thinks God an enemy oftentimes, and alwayes (in ſuch a condition) questions (at leaſt) whether he be a friend, or rather whether he be not a meer ſtranger.
Now ſurely a man will have little heart or face, to prefer a petition to one whoſe love he ſuſpects; much leſs, to one whom by all probabilities he judgeth to be an enemy.
3 In ſuch a ſeaſon all graces (that are the very lungs whence prayer is breathed) are very low and flat in their actings. The abſence of the Sun in winter makes the plants caſt their leaves, and pluck in their bloſſoms; and the abſence of the Spirit muſt needs make graces look dead, and withered, and ſapleſſe. True, there is life in the root, but little appears; graces are benumm'd in ſuch a ſeaſon, and cannot act ſo freely as at other times. As Samſon, when his ſpirit of ſtrength from thr Lord had left him, thought to have gone forth and ſhaken himſelf as at other times, but he could not. A man thinks under ſpiritual with-drawings of God, Now I will rub up my graces, and beſtir my ſelf in prayer as at other times, but he is deceived, the Spirit of God is with-drawn from him.
Queſt. 2. But ſhew more particularly from whence this variety of tempers in prayer proceeds.
Anſw. What ever clouds the teſtimony of the Spirit (and I have ſpoken much to that Head before) muſt needs cauſe this difference in the frame of Gods people in prayer.
But to anſwer more particularly.
1 It may be neglect of our frequent applications to God in that way. A friend that a man converſeth with every day, he can ſpeak more boldly and familiarly to, then one that he ſees but now and then. When a ſoul viſits God but now and then, there grow ſtrangeneſſes and jealouſies betweene God and him; and a man is to ſeek whether he be the ſame to him as he was in times paſt, and ſo ſpeaks to him with more faintneſſe and flatneſſe of ſpirit.
2 It may be a freſh guilt of ſin admitted into the conſcience. This, as it weakens Aſſurance, ſo it faints prayer. A child ſcarce dares come to ask a favour from a diſpleaſed Father. And how unwilling we are under ſuch conſciouſneſſe of guilt to come to God in prayer, ſee in two examples. Of David, Pſal. 40. 12. Innumerable evils have compaſſed me about, mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, ſo that I cannot look up. In former times, I could have looked up with life and confidence in prayer, but now they force me to hang down my head: yea, they are more then the hairs of my head, therefore my heart faileth me. I have neither the face, nor the heart to come to God which I have had.
The other example is, that of the Prodigal, when he had been ſowing his wild oats, and began to return towards his Father: ſee how low he ſpeaks, Father, I am not worthy to be called thy Son, &c. and yet he ſtill had the comfort of his relation in ſome meaſure: he could ſay, Father ſtill. How much lower muſt a ſoul ſpeak, that hath ſinned away the remembrance, or (at leaſt) preſent ſenſe of that dear relation?
3 Many times the ſtream of life and confidence in prayer runs low, for want of an endeavour to quicken our graces; and this even under the ſenſe of Aſſurance. For a man may live in the light of Gods countenance, and that may prove a temptation to him to walk more ſleightly, and not make ſuch preparations for communion with God in a Duty as formerly. When a friend growes a daily gueſt, we do not feaſt him as when hee comes but ſeldom; we then entertaine him with houſhold fare; whereas if hee viſited us but now and then, we would (as we ſay) make a ſtranger of him, and provide for him of the beſt. So when God growes a daily gueſt to a ſoul, he is apt to grow bold, to addreſſe himſe…f to him with an ordinary frame and temper of Spirit; to make no extraordinary preparations, by trimming up his graces, and laying out his ſtrength in Duty: and when God ſees this, he frownes, and we hang down our heads when we come to him afterwards.