The Christian-man's calling: or, A treatise of making religion ones business. Wherein the nature…

But here a caution will be seasonable: The fire of thy fervency must be from Heaven; not such strange fire as Nadab and Abihu. offered to the Lord: I mean, it must not be the voice of nature, an earnest cry for the enjoyment of creatures; but the voice of the Spirit, an importunate desire for conformity to, and communion with the Lord Jesus Christ. We read of those that howled upon their beds for corn, and wine, and oil, Hosea 7.17. Many, like children, roar, are much out of quiet, disturb others with the noise they make, but it is for clouts for a Baby: Who will show us any good? The voice of a Saint must be, as of a wise son at full age, for the inheritance; Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon me.

But here a caution will be seasonable: The fire of thy fervency must be from Heaven; not such strange fire as Nadab and Abihu. offered to the Lord: I mean, it must not be the voice of nature, an earnest cry for the enjoyment of creatures; but the voice of the Spirit, an importunate desire for conformity to, and communion with the Lord Jesus Christ. We read of those that howled upon their beds for corn, and wine, and oyl, Hosea 7.17. Many, like children, roar, are much out of quiet, disturb others with the noise they make, but it is for clouts for a Babey: Who will shew us any good? The voice of a Saint must be, as of a wise son at full age, for the inheritance; Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon me.

The Petitioner herein must be very careful; he that rides apace, had need to be sure that he is in the right way, or else the freer his horse is, the more he wandereth to his loss. The greater the fire is, the more watchful we must be that it be kept within the chimney; the more earnest our affections are, the more we must mind what our petitions be: The promises of God must be the foundation of our prayers. What he promiseth to give, I may pray to receive: Remember the word ⟨p. 177⟩unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope, Psal. 119.49. but its dangerous for the building to jet out (upon the Kings high-way) beyond the foundation; this may cause the house to fall, or be taken down. Because godliness hath the promise of this life, I am bound to pray, Give me this day, my daily bread. Temporal good things must be part of the matter of my prayer; but because God promiseth these things conditionally (so far only as he seeth fit for his honour, and my comfort) therefore I must pray for them conditionally. The Apish child that crieth and squeaketh for the knife, to be its own carver, and will not be satisfied with its Parents feeding it, deserveth the rod; our prayers both for the matter and the manner, must run parallel with Gods promises. Prayer is a putting Gods promises into suit; but he that sueth a Bond, must mind the condition in it, or the verdict will be to his cost and damage. That which boils gently over a small fire, may be of use to us, which if it should boil hastily, and run over, it may raise ashes enough to spoil it self. The way to lose our requests for temporals, is to be as hot and hasty for them as if they were our all, even our eternals.