5. This holy importunity, makes a godly man the more humble, the more enlarged ⟨p. 39⟩he is to prayer: The reason is, because he looks upon his enlargements, not as coming from the strength of his natural parts or abilities, but as the free-gift, and gracious dispensation of Gods Spirit: and so he sees he hath nothing whereof to boast; and so it makes him low in his own eyes. You know a violet, that is one of the sweetest flowers, grows lowest in the earth. The fullest ears of corn, do most hang down: The fullest barrels, make the least noise: So the most gracious heart, is the most low and vile in its own apprehensions, is the nearest earth, but dust and ashes. The fuller he is of divine discoveries, or enlargement, the less boasting doth he make in the world. A ship, the heavier it is laden, the less it is tossed with winds and waves; the more empty it is, the more it is lifted up above the water. so a man, the more empty, the more tossed too and fro with every wind of applause. Grace is, as it were, the ballast of the soul, to keep down a mans spirits, and make him humble in the midst of wit and parts. Be ye therefore sober and watch unto prayer. Be sober and not puffed up, do not 1boast of your enlargements. Though it is true, it doth refer to another thing, yet Byfield refers it to prayer; and he saith, That man that prays to God, with most enlargedness of affections towards God, that man cannot but he must watch and be ⟨p. 40⟩sober. Sobriety is opposed to pride, for a man may be dumb with his own gifts and graces; and watchfulness is opposed to remissness, and deadness, and carelessness of spirit in the performance of duties. Thus it is with a sincere man, that hath this true importunity in him. But now wicked men, if ever they have enlargements in duty, it puffs them up. It is with them, as it was with, Uzziah 2 Chr. 26. 16. When God had helped him marvellously, till he was strong. But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction. When God helps the soul of such a man in duty, it makes him to lift up himself against God, and be puffed up above his brethren.
5. This holy importunity, makes a godly man the more humble, the more enlarged ⟨p. 39⟩he is to prayer: The reason is, because he looks upon his enlargements, not as coming from the strength of his natural parts or abilities, but as the free-gift, and gracious dispensation of Gods Spirit: and so he sees he hath nothing whereof to boast; and so it makes him low in his own eyes. You know a violet, that is one of the sweetest flowers, growes lowest in the earth. The fullest ears of corn, do most hang down: The fullest barrels, make the least noise: So the most gracious heart, is the most low and vile in its own apprehensions, is the nearest earth, but dust and ashes. The fuller he is of divine discoveries, or enlargement, the less boasting doth he make in the world. A ship, the heavier it is laden, the lesse it is tost with winds and waves; the more empty it is, the more it is lifted up above the water. so a man, the more empty, the more tost too and fro with every wind of applause. Grace is, as it were, the balast of the soul, to keep down a mans spirits, and make him humble in the midst of wit and parts. Be ye therefore sober and watch unto prayer. Be sober and not puffed up, do not 1boast of your enlargements. Though it is true, it doth refer to another thing, yet Byfield refers it to prayer; and he saith, That man that prayes to God, with most enlargednesse of affections towards God, that man cannot but he must watch and be ⟨p. 40⟩sober. Sobriety is opposed to pride, for a man may be dumb with his own gifts and graces; and watchfulnesse is opposed to remisnesse, and deadnesse, and carelesnesse of spirit in the performance of duties. Thus it is with a sincere man, that hath this true importunity in him. But now wicked men, if ever they have enlargements in duty, it puffs them up. It is with them, as it was with, Uzziah 2 Chr. 26. 16. When God had helped him marvellously, til he was strong. But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction. When God helps the soul of such a man in duty, it makes him to lift up himself against God, and be puffed up above his brethren.
- 11 Pet. 4. 7.
