An exposition with practical observations continued upon the eleventh, twelfth, & thirteenth chapters of…

One Note or two more: It becomes the most generous and magnanimous spirit, to have his heart breaking, and to express ¹his heart breaking with tears before God; It is an excellent thing to see a man of a brave spirit, strong and full of courage in any service of God, and yet when he comes to have to deal with God, to have a melting, tender and soft spirit in his dealings with God. If you should see now a great Captain or General that were brave and magnanimous when he was abroad in the field about any difficult work, but when he comes before God in Prayer, there he can weep like a child, there he can mourn and lament, and his heart break as soon as a child; this is an excellent spirit now, spirits that can turn according to what God calls them to, this way or that way, can be stout and hardy in a work that requires stoutness, and can be soft tender and yielding in such a work that requires such things: Thus was our father Jacob: Oh! to have tender hearted Captains and Generals, to have courageous spirits, yet broken hearted spirits, to mix the work of Grace ⟨p. 247⟩thus it is most excellent, and it becomes the most bravest spirit in the world, not only to fall down to prayer, but to weep before the Lord; some men think it's too low a thing to fall a weeping in prayer, as if it were a womanish and a childish thing; Oh! it's an argument that thy heart is carnal and base to think, that it's for want of understanding, I say, this is evil, and it comes from much corruption in the heart for to think it either beneath a brave spirit, or beneath a prudent spirit; I'll give you one example that weeping is not beneath a ²brave spirit, this is enough, and also that of David, no man did shed more tears in the presence of God than David that brave Captain; but to put both together, I'll set before you the example of Jesus Christ, in Heb. 5. 7. the text saith, That in the days of his flesh he offered up prayers and supplications, (how?) with strong cries and tears: even Jesus Christ, the Son of God, God blessed for ever, he that was equal with the Father, the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah, he that had all strength and power, and had all the treasures of wisdom hid in him, and the fullness of the God head dwelt bodily in him, and yet when he had to deal with the Father, he offers up prayers, with strong cries and tears.