23. Part 3, Chapter 7. Straitenings in Prayer
CHAPTER VII.
STRAITENINGS IN PRAYER—THEIR CAUSES, CURES, AND DIFFERENCES.
Having spoken of sundry cases of conscience touching the incessant practice of prayer, we come now to speak of the straitenings, incident to the saints in prayer. We shall inquire of the causes, then of the cures, and then of the differences of these straitenings, incident to the saints, from the judicial speechlessness of hypocrites and reprobates.
We shall premise and prove that the saints may be straitened, and have their mouths in a manner shut up in prayer. This is too evident in ordinary experience; and it were most sad, if such as were sometimes shut up that they cannot pray, yea, and that some continuance of time, should be concluded to be therefore none of God’s chosen ones. David’s mouth was in this respect shut, and therefore he entreated the Lord to open it for him. And hence also Asaph complains of his being spiritually shut up:
“I am so troubled that I cannot speak.” Hence even the saints are described under the notion of prisoners, and whose experience does not at some time or other seal to this? But we consider first, the causes of such straitenings, and they are three: God, Satan, and ourselves.
1. God is a cause. He withdraws his Spirit, the author and efficient of all our liberty of speech, or steps which respect the welfare of our souls. Hence called the free spirit, from the effect, because it frees us to speak or do any thing to or for God, which he calls us unto. David wanted, and in his own sense had lost this spirit, in such like efficacies of it, and in the supporting influence thereof. The Lord sometimes lays spiritual bonds upon some of his professed people. Hence that complaint of the church: “Why hast thou hardened our hearts, from thy fear?” The Lord, who sometimes opens the hearts of men, does at other times shut them up, so as none but himself can again open them: “He shutteth, and none can open.” Sometimes some of God’s own professed people, which are not bound by any church for sins deserving the same in the nature of them, but being hid from the eyes of men, they cannot sentence the persons guilty thereof; but the Lord orders the matter so, that they go conscience-bound, and excommunicated by God for the same. So was David after his fall, and before his confession of the same, which (as it is probable) was not till a good space after, even after the birth of the child which he had adulterously begotten. O how a Christian’s spirit is hampered at such a time by the cords of his own sin! How is he bound up in petition and confession, having no list to pray; and when he is at prayer, no life or delight in it! his thoughts are not at liberty to attend his words; his affections are not stirring, he cannot get his heart to be affected. If he strive, it is but as against the stream; he would fain weep sometimes over his condition in his prayer, but cannot. He is often stressed in spirit, to make his moan to God; but his spirit is shackled, and he can but shake his chains before the Lord. His faith was in a dead sleep in his prayers, he cannot apprehend any thing of God or Christ, but is in his own sight like an atheist. The promises which sometimes have been a great support unto him, now he is not able to make any thing of them. His mind is full of hurries, but at no liberty to fix upon God or his covenant, yea, he is not free to desire grace and redress, as formerly. his conscience, whilst lie is upon his knees, often upbraids him with his sins, but will scarce afford him any friendly word of direction what course he should now take to mend himself. God sees his servants sometimes play the spendthrifts, and running into arrearages with him, and then he will lay them under restraint for a time, till they do humble themselves; or lie takes notice that they wax wanton, and begin to abuse their inward freedom, or are not so thankful for it; and in such a case he will cut them shorter, and abridge their former liberty: or else he observes much proneness in them to turn such grace of his into wantonness, to grow secure, if not proud and self-conceited, by occasion of that liberty of spirit which sometimes they have in prayer; for the redress and prevention whereof, he shuts them up, and keeps them short, that if they have any liberty that way, it shall be only as they stand in great need of it. It is probable it might be Reman’s case, who being a man of rarest abilities, (as appears by 1 Kings 4:31) might happily have run more riot, if not restrained and kept under. God will by such restraints warn them from their own gift of prayer, that they may not rest in it, and he vi1l make them know whence is all their freedom in prayer, and prize it more, when they shall again be enlarged; and cause them the rather to see how God owns them thereby, and so put them upon a freer owning of him, by occasion of his losing even these spirit bonds: “Truly, Lord, I am thy servant, thou hast loosed my bonds.” In a word, the Lord will by such straitenings, have them know their dependency upon him, in part likewise upon their fellow brethren and sisters, and to see a need of the help of their praying abilities. Now if there be ever a brother or sister at liberty, when some others of their brethren are under some restraint, their liberty yet is welcome news, and puts some life into these poor prisoners, and now must they be speedily spoken with to remember their poor brethren, and to take the next opportunity to get a grant from God for their speedy release. Like Absalom, when not suffered to come to court, earnestly sending to Joab, a courtier, and one that had the liberty of the presence-chamber, to peak to the king for him, that he may have free access to him as formerly.
2. Satan sometimes surprises the saints, they are in his hands, and then you see in the instance of those disciples, that they are so heart-bound this way, that they could not watch or pray, no not for the least space of time, when in the most danger. Though there were some stirrings in their spiritual part to the contrary; fain they would have prayed, but could not, their spirit was willing: the Lord gave leave to Satan to hamper them a little, and to correct their former pride, and carnalness. Sometimes the saints are just captives under the hands of their spiritual enemy. Sometimes the devil lays a snare for them, and so they are entangled thereby, namely, by raising carnal fears or cares in them, or by increasing or strengthening them being raised, or he does peradventure hurry them into some temptation. The Psalmist was so hampered through temptation, that he had no heart to cry or pray: “I sink in the mire, I am weary of my crying.”
3. Ourselves:—
1. From some lust or sin, unto which our hearts are let out; some deceit of sin causes such stupefying of the soul of a Christian, that he cannot bestir himself in any such holy service as prayer: “Lest any be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” As it is said of the wicked, that “he is bound by the cords of his own sin;” so is it true in part in the saints themselves: and as it was with Simon Magus, he being under the bond of iniquity, under the binding power of covetousness and pride, he could not pray himself, but begs Peter’s prayers. So is the same in part verified, in respect of some degree of straitening, occasioned from like sins in them, though not in like power: such sins will bind, both by their hardening power, as before was said, and by their terrifying perplexities, which they may occasion in the soul; for as strong legal terrors are binding to the spirits of men, hence that of “the spirit of bondage to fear.” So any other fears occasioned by sin, which are not so properly legal, yet they are in this sense binding to the saints ofttimes. Hence, Asaph is so troubled with perplexing fears, in the sense of his sin, that he cannot speak to God, namely, with that liberty of spirit which formerly he did.
2. From some carnal distempered griefs which do contract our spirits, as griefs do the natural spirits, as we are naturally such; in sufferings, we cannot utter our minds. When a discouraging fainting frame of spirit seizes on us, it is with us as it was with Daniel, we are not able to speak to the Lord; the disciples under that frame could not pray, although enjoined by Christ. Aaron could neither speak, nor do ought before God that day, when too much Oppressed with grief about his son’s death.
3. From our straitening of God, and of his saints or servants. When we straiten the Spirit’s motion in meditation, or otherwise, then cannot we hold on either in praying to God or praising him; they cannot pray at length, or in every thing give thanks, which quench the Spirit. Hence, when the Apostle exhorts to these, he dehorts from this, as a bar thereto; when the Spirit is pent up in us, then does he leave us. He is a free Spirit, and will be at liberty where lie abides; and when we allow not room to him, he will be gone, and then our spiritual liberty goes away with him: or if we are straitened toward God’s afflicted saints, truly God will leave us to straitenings in prayer. Hence if those the prophet spake to, will draw out their souls to the needy, he promises in the name of the Lord, that their spirits shall be free, and ready to pray, and that the Lord will be as free, and as ready to answer, otherwise, no wonder that they set times apart to fast, but are not enabled to pray suitably. They were like tongueless bulrushes in comparison of true suppliants, they could bow down the head, but not sincerely open the mouth in prayer to the Lord.
4. From distrust and strength of unbelief; an unbelieving Zachariah shall be dumb. Men under the power of unbelief are wholly shut up, “he hath shut them up in unbelief;” so is it partly manifest in this business of prayer. None are so free to pour out their hearts upon all occasions in prayer, as they that trust in God: “Trust in the Lord at all times, and pour out your hearts before him;” when faith is not stirring in the soul to take hold of God, a praying spirit is not stirring to call upon God. When a professed people of God through distrust secretly think that God’s hand is shortened, it is no wonder, then, that even God by his Spirit’s motions does call on them, and invite them to prayer, or the like, that they have no heart to make a suitable answer therein unto the Spirit in their prayers: whence that complaint and expostulation of God: “Wherefore when I called, was there none that answered?” Distrust does limit the power, mercy, and truth of God, the merit and mediation of Christ, the latitude and virtue of the covenant of grace, which should be the foundation of the soul’s enlargement in prayer, they “limited the holy One of Israel.” It is by faith only that we comprehend those dimensions in the Lord’s love. That he may dwell in your hearts by faith, that ye may comprehend with all saints what is the height, and length, and breadth, and depth, and know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge.
5. From an unsettled and unstable frame of spirit. whether in respect of the practice of the duty, or in respect of the place of our abode. When a man is journeying, his prayers are suitable to those travellers whose spirits use not to be enlarged in prayer, through the many occasional hurries of their spirits.
6. From resting in former enlargements or present preparations to prayer, this stops the flowing and spreading of holy desires to grace, yea, the continued course of the Spirit’s influences.
7. From carelessness and improvidence, either in putting ourselves upon straits of time, and so the duty is performed in a hurry; and no wonder the Spirit in such a case, as pent up, from so specious pretence at first, there is not now time, therefore what need enlargements? Brevity is more seasonable; and so by frequent inuring ourselves to be thus straitened outwardly for a time, our spirits by little and little are conformable thereunto; or in heedless admiring other vain and impertinent thoughts which take up room in the soul, that they crowd better thoughts.
8. From curious puzzling ourselves about comprehending and conceiving of God, without reference to the present matter in mention in prayer. In this work, after the soul has in vain toiled it gathers discouragement, and has no heart to speak any more in so atheistical a sort as at such a time it will be apt to conclude: whereby it comes to pass that the wheels of the soul wanting the oil of joy, they cannot be readily turned about. Such straining of our strings too high, does but occasion some cracking in them, and thereby our music is marred for that time; when our spirits are once nonplussed, as they will soon be in such transcendent mental discourses of a subject past their comprehension, they then blush, and the shame thereof puts them to silence, like some petitioner to a king, so taken up in speaking to him with many circumlocutions touching his excellency, majesty, greatness, and glory, etc., that he has forgot what he came about, and is not able to recover expressions of his request.
Secondly, The means of cure of such straitenings in prayer; and they are these:—
1. Be sensibly apprehensive of the evil plight of a spirit straitened in prayer. Such prisoners as mourn in the sense of their thraldom, are in the ready way to liberty in all the ways of God, and so in this of prayer. A broken heart will break this deep silence. And to help our apprehensions herein, consider but how sad it is to be tongue-tied otherwise. Christ sighs over it, and you see with what difficulty it is cured. Such are usually as deaf in hearing the word as they are spiritually tongue-tied, they are straitened in hearing as well as praying dispositions: the saints arc never more enlarged in praying, than when their spirits are much enlarged in hearing; and so, on the contrary, men that have ears but hear not, have not spiritual use of their ears: they have mouths and speak not, they have not the fruitful use of their mouths in prayer; yea, such a dumb distemper in prayer, is attended with spiritual lameness, and halting in the ways of God wherein they make little progress. Hence the prophet prophesies of spiritual dumbness and lameness to be cured at once. How miserable is the case of a man otherwise dumb, every one will easily conceive; and truly this spiritual condition far exceeds the misery of that, as might be easily demonstrated. When a man which has spoken, is taken speechless, how sad is it accounted in all that behold it, or hear of it? Alas, says one, heard you not of such a sad thing befallen such a one? he has lost his speech: if he could but express his mind, it would never grieve his friends so much; but alas, he is suddenly taken speechless; so might much more be said of such a Christian. Hence, a speechless condition is inflicted upon the unprepared guest, as a sad omen and forerunner of his doom. It was the first effect of divine wrath upon such professors, and it is well if it be not the case of many that hear me this day. Ah, how sad is it to hear that one’s tongue is cut out? nay, suppose it be but gagged by the enemies of our souls, like notorious thieves; first, robbing us of the treasure of our peace, and leaving us conscience-wounded, and then gagging of u, lest by our outcries unto heaven they should soon be pursued and executed. O the weight such poor souls feel! but know not how to remove the same: they would fain cry, as men oppressed in their sleep, and tell how sad it is with them, but they cannot. What, to be thrown into a dungeon, and to be in a manner forbidden all means to send to, or speak with, either our heavenly father, or our elder brother and chief friend, Jesus Christ! How sad is this! What, not to be so much as at prison liberty, even to beg out of the very grate? This is most sad: sure we are in for some great matter-of-fact, else we should not be left under such straits. Begging is but a poor trade, you will say; yea, but whilst we are at liberty to beg for our soul’s livelihood, it is comfortable, it is hopeful; but when even that poor trade fails us, verily all will yield that this case is much to be lamented. O how must such needs pine away, like that dumb person mentioned in the Gospel! How will such run upon desperate adventures, like him that sometimes casts himself into the water, sometimes into the fire; and what more contrary one unto the other? Yet verily, if not upheld, thus will these do in that want of this free spirit: a free spirit is an upholding spirit from all such distempers. How unthankfully do such walk, if their mouths be not opened! God has little praise from them. “Open thou my lips, and my mouth shall show forth thy praise.” Sad are their cases all the while all these sweets are in their sense, at least in their experience restrained from them, whilst their hearts are hardened, and shut up. The church which complains of her heart as hardened, complains likewise of God’s mercies as restrained from her: this evil of a straitened spirit will appear the more, by comparing of it with the grace of a spirit free in prayer, and other holy duties. What David said of his case is true in this, that it argues that the Lord delights in us when he delivers us from this straitened condition, and sets us at a holy liberty in our spirits: the Lord delights in such of his people as he admits and enables to be so free in opening their minds and heart unto him; and as David says: “God girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect, maketh my feet like hinds’ feet;” so may we apply the same to this case, that verily the Lord makes our way perfect when there are no more such blunders therein, and he communicates special strength to us, when we can more freely without such stops, keep on in this part of our Christian course. It is an argument, that we shall by him be enabled to do great things, when he thus enlarges our steps: “He setteth me on high places, and thou hast enlarged my steps.” And that the Lord has known our souls in adversity, he has owned us, and so also will, when in this wise also he sets our feet in a large room. I have urged this the more to be so apprehensive of the evil of this imprisoning of our spirits in prayer, if ever we mean to get at liberty, because there are a sort of spiritual prisoners, whose hearts are shut up in prayer, and other holy ordinances, and yet they lay it not to heart; or when they feel themselves to be a little restrained, they are but slightly affected with it; they think all is not well with them indeed, or so well as formerly, and wonder what is the matter that they are not so free in prayer as heretofore, but it may be this is but a nine days’ wonder to them, and so by degrees their spirits are still more and more straitened, and then they begin to have more serious troubles and fears about the same, what the issue thereof may prove; and sometimes their fears are more desperate, lest the Lord has thus laid them up, as intending erelong to proceed against them in a way of justice; and then they begin to bestir themselves for help. But if this straitening continue long with them, then haply, as it is with prisoners, which although at their first coming into prison, it seemed somewhat strange and sad to them to be thus cooped up, and they many times sadly bemoan their case, yet having been long in prison, then they begin to grow more resolute, and are less solicitous of using means to get out. So it is here with many Christians: at first, they are much troubled a their straitenings in prayer, but when they have been a long time shut up in their spirits, they are apt to grow more desperate, and secretly to think that there is little hope now, that they should recover their former freedom of spirit: they have used means, but all in vain, they seem but to strive against the stream in wrestling in their poor measure with God and themselves for their liberty, and therefore they may as vell be content and quiet, and so suffer their sins like Delilah’s to lull them asleep, and to bind them so their strength departs from them, and they are made a miserable prey and reproach unto the enemies of their peace.
2. Plead with God, that his promise and covenant enlarge us. If he will lead us with supplications, then with multiplied enlarged expressions of our hearts in prayer; if with weepings too, then with enlarged affection also. For what God promised to them of old, lie is the same to make it good to us, as need requires: “I will (says God) lead them with weeping and supplications in a strait way wherein they shall not stumble.” Yea, set faith on work; enforce such suitable promises made to persons even in their sad plight, upon our own hearts. Since the Lord Jesus is anointed of God for this very purpose, to speak, and that effectually, liberty to the captives; surely, then, to such poor souls as are spirit and heart- bound, groaning under, and mourning over the same as their extreme misery. God is verily faithful in his promise, to make the dumb to sing and speak forth his praise for God’s opening their mouths, loosening their tongues in his service.
Yea, but will some poor soul say; I have given just cause of this my imprisonment, I am in for debt and delinquencies, I am justly restrained my former freedom of spirit, and therefore, what have I to plead?
We vill grant all this, and if thou have nothing to plead, then cry, Guilty, and confess all is just, and put thyself upon the King’s mercy; yet withal plead the benefit of his royal clemency, “engaged in the word of a king for the deliverance of just captives.” This promise being as well verified in the delivery of imprisoned and captive spirits, as in that of Babel’s captives of old, which were justly delivered for their sins. Imitate David in a like case; after his grievous fall, he felt himself in the net, his spirit strangely entangled and bound up; yet he purposes that he would constantly wait and look for his liberty again: “My eyes are even unto the Lord; he shall pluck my feet out of the net.” So do you; and though while you urge your case before the Lord, and press the same upon your own spirit, yet you seem to yourself but hard and slight; as the church when pleading strongly, yet cries out of her hardness of heart: “Why hast thou hardened our hearts from thy fear?” etc., yet cease not to do it still; and when at any time you do get hold of any word of grace, and grant of your liberty from the Lord, hold it fast, and be not beaten out of the same, by any cavils of the enemies of your peace. If when we go on in this, or any other way of God, we would not have our steps any more straitened, take fast hold of any item of God’s grace; and if we once get such a gracious information of God’s love in his promise, set home by his Spirit, then keep it, for the very life of our souls depends thereon: “When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened: take hold of instruction, let her not go, keep her as thy life.”
3. Improve the offices of Christ for this end; Christ was anointed to this work of procuring prisoners liberty: he is given of the father for that end. And if to free spiritual Prisoners at their first conversion; when they are under such strong iron bolts, yet he does it; what will he not do for such as he has once set at liberty? when they are haply held under sonic smaller cords for a time; and be it that we are justly under such a spiritual restraint for our covenant breaches, yet, inasmuch as the Lord Jesus is given to be a deliverer of all spiritual prisoners, by being their covenant; Therefore, the Lord supposes the free passage of his promised grace to such: “I will give thee for a covenant to bring the prisoners from the prison.” The Lord Jesus even begged this office, that he might have the honor of this gracious work of delivering the poor darkened, straitened spirits. hence, the blessed Father is brought in as speaking to the blessed Son, saying, “I have heard thee,” etc., “and I will give thee for a covenant,” etc., “that thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; and to them that are in darkness, Show yourselves;” and when he mentions his saying so, he means his operative word of command of their liberty, who are ashamed to show their heads in the sense of their own misdoings.
Improve the priestly office of Christ, the priestly merit and mediation, and intercession of the Lord Jesus for this end; for so in a special manner is he given as a covenant for this purpose. He is our surety, whom the blessed Father will not refuse. His suffering, as “one dumb before the shearer,” and as one from whom God withdrew for a time, has purchased our liberty to approach, and freely to pour out our souls before the throne of grace. He was forsaken for a time, that we might not forever be forsaken: “By the blood of his covenant it cometh to pass that the Lord delivereth his prisoners,” not only from a Babylonish, but from all other imprisoned conditions of soul or body, therefore let all “the poor prisoners of God, which are prisoners of hope, turn hither as to their strong hold.” So did Hezekiah when not able to speak out, or pour out his heart distinctly and freely before the Lord, but in an abrupt manner; and when held under the pressures of his heart, he cried out for the benefit of this his surety, “I am oppressed, O Lord, undertake for me.” Improve the intercession of Christ for this likewise; whereby the Lord Christ is fully able to deliver us from this or any other bondage: “He is able to save them to the utmost that come unto God by him, forasmuch as he ever liveth to make intercession for them.”
Improve his prophetical office also for this purpose, inasmuch as the blessed Father that he might bring about liberty for all spiritual prisoners, has given him to be a light to them, and experience proves it, that no sooner does the Lord become light to poor deserted, tempted ones, but they regain liberty of spirit likewise. It is the Son that makes any free indeed, but it is by discovering some special part of that mind, and covenant, and promise of God; they come to know more of his truth, and that truth so made known to their souls, does set them free in this kind, as well as otherwise: “Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” They are the scruples, and objections, and mists in the mind, which keep the spirit so strait; and so long as that darkness remains, that prison state of soul remains too. But when he brings them that sit in darkness out of the prison, when they are cleared up, then those binding fears and griefs of distrust vanish, and the spirit is sweetly at liberty again, to pray more freely, or to do any other spiritual service. In a word, improve the kingly office of the Lord Christ for the same purpose. The Lord Christ is a true Solomon, who opens his mouth for the dumb. Spiritual bondage of the poor soul, has been occasioned either through some violence of temptation and corruption, or through some wily deceit of their own hearts, drawing them to give at first but a little way to remissness in prayer, or to some other distemper; and then to suffer ourselves to .go on in some such unsafe way, until we have been so entangled in the snare, that we know not how to get into a serious and fervent frame; yea, but Christ, as the antitype of Solomon, is promised to redeem his people from deceit and violence. And, as the antitype of Hezekiah under his government, the tongue of his stammering subjects, such as are spiritually tongue-tied, shall be free and ready to speak plainly of God or to him: “The tongue of the stammerers shall be able to speak plainly.”
4. Improve others’ liberties of the throne of grace. The Lord ever uses to keep some iii his churches at liberty for this very end; sometimes it is the turn of such subjects and favorites, and household servants to have the liberty of the king’s court and presence chamber: sometimes again some others are thereto admitted; now seek out such princely spirits, who may open their mouths for you. As imprisoned Joseph made use of the butler’s liberty to be a mean of his. So do we in this case: he that had an impediment in his speech, had got others to speak for him. And those dumb ones which had friends to bring them before Christ, and to cast them down before him, they got cured, and were enabled by Christ thereupon to speak. So will it be here in like cases
5. Be sincere and cordial with God in our approaches to him. Consciousness thereof greatly furthers our liberty of spirit. David, who made conscience to seek God’s statutes, and was conscious to himself that he did what he did from obedience and respect unto the commands of God, says, that “therefore he will walk at liberty.” When a Christian is conscious of carelessness in the service of God, or secret treachery of heart in his grounds or aims therein, this appalls him, and so straitens him.
6. Improve heedfully the word preached and read. When we continue in Christ’s word, then we come to know the truth, and to be set free. We gain oft- times many precious enlargements of spirit in the attentive use of the word preached. Our spirits and consciences so freed on earth, are the freer in heaven too, in respect of their free approaches thither, and suitable entertainments thence.
7. Lastly, cherish joy in God, and Christ, and his covenant; and our hearts being thereby enlarged, will be freer to run in this or any other way of God’s commandments: “I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart.”
Thirdly. How this straitening in prayer, may be discerned from judicial speechlessness: “He was speechless.” And from that sad doom of hypocrites, Whose gifts of prayer, and the like, come to be so miserably diminished, and so far to decay, that they cannot pray in any sort as formerly, their gift is in a manner taken from them: “From him shall be taken away even that which he bath.” To which I answer,
1. That the straitness incident to the saints is not perpetual. Although they are kept a while under sonic restraint, yet they are set at liberty again. As David, and others have been, and are. Some of the people of God may lie longer by it than others, and God may keep their feet in the stocks longer than others, for wise and holy ends; some again are shut up less while, yet both the one and the other are enlarged at length. They for a time be bound as in earth, so in heaven, like excommunicants; but yet as that bound incestuous Corinthian, was again loosed, so is it with these. But it is otherwise with reprobates and hypocrites, when judicial straitening seizes upon them. These chains of theirs are chains of darkness, and in them are kept too, without bail or mainprize; their straitening grows fast upon them, until that after a while both their words and wvill, and spirit and all fail them in prayer.
2. It is not total and universal in the saints. Speechlessness in hypocrites is accompanied with binding band and foot. In all ordinances, as well as prayer, their spirits are shut up, and to no service of God arc they free, but the saints when straitened in prayer, oftentimes meet with some enlargement of heart in meditation, as the church which found not God in public or private ordinances, yet in meditation upon what the watchmen, the ministers spake, therein found Christ. Sometimes in conference with other Christians whilst sadly complaining of their deserted estate, even therein they meet with Christ.
3. The occasion in the saints, may be some particular defeat in them, or some particular distemper on their part. But the cause in the other, is a total want of true faith and repentance. They have not the wedding garment, and hence become speechless, when called to an account for it. Or some universal barrenness and unprofitableness, as in the slothful servant that does not at all, or to any purpose improve his talent, and therefore it is taken from him:
“But from him that hath not, shall be taken away that which he hath.” Or, it is occasioned by some high-handed contempt of reconciliation to some of God’s people whom they have injured, who thereupon commit their cause to God as the judge of all; and God thereupon as a judge, delivers them over to perpetual imprisonment. Or else it is occasioned from some gross, contemptuous, undervaluing, and unworthy apprehensions of God; as when the hypocrite conceives God to be a most hard and unmerciful master. Or else a man is haply of an unmerciful and implacable spirit towards others, and therefore God justly delivers him to a perpetual imprisoned condition, even in this life, in respect of his Spirit. Or such a one does willfully rest in some gifts of grace received, without due care of continual supply for the future, as well as for the present. They care not for a heart, as well as a brain, treasury, and so like foolish virgins come at length to be fatally straightened of oil. When there is no care of adding to grace received, they come at length to lose their light and vigor of gifts, but be that lacks these things is blind, or cannot see afar off.
4. The ministry of God’s servants uses not to bind, but rather to loose those; ever and anon they meet with some word of grace that enlarges their hearts to God-ward, and in his ways. Christ by his ministers says to such sometimes, “Go forth,” be not ashamed to show your faces before the Lord. The gospel preached by the spirit of Christ, effectually proclaims their liberty. But these are bound by the servants of God, which were sent out to loose others, some prophet is made an instrument to shut their eyes and ears, their hearts and mouths. Some Peter, some minister in his preaching binds them.
5. The former in their straitenings are very sensible of the burden and evil thereof, although not able to get at liberty. Such prisoners are broken-hearted and do mourn; when they cannot utter their minds in prayer, they can sigh; when their mouths are not open to the freewill offerings of prayer and praise, they offer that sacrifice of a broken heart, yea, it makes them meek or submissive to any course that God would take with them. And they make it the main of their begging then, that they might be enlarged, and free to speak to God, especially to his praise: “Open thou my mouth.” But the other are in a manner wholly senseless, and speechless, and therefore doomed to a place and state of weeping afterwards.
6. Those are prisoners of hope, and now and then suffered to walk abroad, yea, to come into their Lord’s gracious presence. But these are forever thence forward excluded God’s gracious presence. They are taken away, cast out. Those have sometimes some glimpses of the light of God’s countenance. But these are cast into utter darkness, therein to reside and abide.