I. Scripture-light the most sure light ... delivered in three sermons on 2 Pet.…

Thirdly: You would fain have enlargements, and workings of the heart in Prayer: but what would you do with those enlargements? Would you show your Enlargements, your Excellencies, your Graces to God, when you come to Duty? A Beggar you know, if he have any excellent thing, as Gold, or Silver, he hides that, and he shows his wounds, he shows his sores; if you mean to give him a penny, and ask him if he have any money, I have twopence, or threepence Sir, saith he, or a penny; but he hides his excellency, and he lays open his wounds; and if he can but open his sores before you, he thinks he doth beg effectually. Beloved! we all go to God in Prayer, in forma Pauperis, every man sues in this Court in the form of a Beggar. If thy heart then be straightened, if thy heart be hard, and if thy Spirit be dull in duty, you may go to God, and open your sores, and wounds before him; you may go and say, Lord, what an hard heart have I! and what a dull and straightened Spirit have I! This father becomes a Beggar, and you must come as a Beggar, when you come before him; yet you must know,¹ That neither your Poverty, nor your Riches; neither your straightenings in Duty, nor your enlargements, do make any alteration in the Mind and Will of God. Indeed, God seems to deal by us sometimes, as a Father doth by his little Child; he holds a piece of Gold or Silver in his hand, and saith the Father, if you can get this out of my hand, you shall have it; so the Child strives, and pulls, and works, and then the Father opens his hand by degrees, first one finger, then another, and then another, and at last his whole hand; and the child thinks he hath got the money by his own strength and labour, whereas the Father intended to give it him, but in that way. So here, God intends to give us a mercy in the way of Prayer, and he sets us a praying for it, and we think we obtain it by the strength of our own prayer, as if we did move, and change the will of God by our Duty: but all the enlargements in the world, make no alteration in the will of God; he is immovable, unchangeable, and the same for ever: But he will give out his blessings in a way of prayer, therefore it is our Duty to pray, yet we must not be discouraged though we cannot pray as we would.

Thirdly: You would fain have enlargements, and workings of the heart in Prayer: but what would you do with those enlargements? Would you shew your Enlargements, your Excellencies, your Graces to God, when you come to Duty? A Beggar you know, if he have any excellent thing, as Gold, or Silver, he hides that, and he shews his wounds, he shews his sores; if you mean to give him a penny, and ask him if he have any money, I have twopence, or threepence Sir, saith he, or a penny; but he hides his excellency, and he laies open his wounds; and if he can but open his sores before you, he thinks he doth beg effectually. Beloved! we all go to God in Prayer, in forma Pauperis, every man sues in this Court in the form of a Beggar. If thy heart then be straightened, if thy heart be hard, and if thy Spirit be dull in duty, you may go to God, and open your sores, and wounds before him; you may go and say, Lord, what an hard heart have I! and what a dull and straighened Spirit have I! This father becomes a Begger, and you must come as a Begger, when you come before him; yet you must know,