A88594:341
A treatise of effectual calling and election. In XVI. sermons, on 2 Pet. 1.10…
A treatise of effectual calling and election. In XVI. sermons, on 2 Pet. 1.10 Wherein a Christian may discern, whether yet he be effectually called and elected. And what course he ought to take that he may attain the assurance thereof. Preached by that faithful servant of Christ, Mr. Christopher Love, late minister of Lawrence Jury, London.
London: printed for John Rothwell, 1653
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
First, peradventure you judge that you are not enabled to pray, because you want expressions in prayer, though you have affections. Now if you judge your inability to pray, because you want expressions only, you judge amiss, because prayer is to be judged by the affections, not by the expressions. Expressions they are but the breath of nature, ⟨p. 119⟩a natural voluble tongue may tumble out expressions; whereas affections in prayer, they are the breath and fruit of the holy Spirit. Therefore do not judge you cannot pray, because you have not such fluent expressions as others use, for the very essence of a prayer lies in the heart, and therefore it is said, when the Spirit of God teacheth men to pray, it teacheth them not only in expressions, but with sighs and groans that cannot be uttered. Rom. 8.26. When the Spirit moves the heart, and makes you sigh out your requests, and sorrow out your supplications, you pray best of all.
First, peradventure you judge that you are not enabled to pray, because you want expressions in prayer, though you have affections. Now if you judge your inability to pray, because you want expressions only, you judge amisse, because prayer is to be judged by the affections, not by the expressions. Expressions they are but the breath of nature, ⟨p. 119⟩a natural voluble tongue may tumble out expressions; whereas affections in prayer, they are the breath and fruit of the holy Spirit. Therefore do not judge you cannot pray, because you have not such fluent expressions as others use, for the very essence of a prayer lies in the heart, and therefore it is said, when the Spirit of God teacheth men to pray, it teacheth them not only in expressions, but with sighs and groans that cannot be uttered. Rom. 8.26. When the Spirit moves the heart, and makes you sigh out your requests, and sorrow out your supplications, you pray best of all.