A discourse of the work of the Holy Spirit in prayer with a brief…

Be careful in nothing, but in every thing by Prayer and Supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. The whole of our concern in this World, is to be committed unto God in Prayer, as that we should not retain any dividing cares in our own minds about them. And herein the Apostle would have us to use an holy Freedom and Boldness in speaking unto God on all occasions, as one who concerns himself in them; hide nothing from God, which we do what lieth in us, when we present it not unto him in our Prayers; but use a full plain-hearted open Liberty with him, In every thing let your requests be made known unto God. He is ready to hear all that you have to offer unto him, or plead before him. And in so doing, the peace of God which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ, v. 7. which is ordinarily the condition of those who are found in diligent obedience unto this Command.

Be careful in nothing, but in every thing by Prayer and Supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. The whole of our concern in this World, is to be committed unto God in Prayer, as that we should not retain any dividing cares in our own minds about them. And herein the Apostle would have us to use an holy Freedom and Boldness in speaking unto God on all occasions, as one who concerns himself in them; hide nothing from God, which we do what lyeth in us, when we present it not unto him in our Prayers; but use a full plain-hearted open Liberty with him, In every thing let your requests be made known unto God. He is ready to hear all that you have to offer unto him, or plead before him. And in so doing, the peace of God which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ, v. 7. which is ordinarily the condition of those who are found in diligent obedience unto this Command.

(2.) There is also in it a Confidence of Acceptance, or being heard in Prayer; that is, that God is well pleased with their Duties, accepting both them and their ⟨p. 105⟩Persons in Jesus Christ. Without this we can have no Delight in Prayer, or in God as the Object of it, which vitiates the whole Duty. When Adam thought there was no Acceptance with God for him, he had no confidence of access unto him; but as the first effect of folly that ensued on the entrance of Sin, went to hide himself. And all those who have no Ground of spiritual Confidence for Acceptance with Christ, do in their Prayer but endeavour to hide themselves from God by the Duty which they perform. They cast a mist about them, to obscure themselves from the Sight of their own Convictions, wherein alone they suppose that God sees them also. But in such a frame there is neither Delight nor Enlargement, nor Liberty, nor indeed Prayer it self.