Chap 3ó. An Expoliçion upon the Reoke o fJoz. yet f. 16 When David was in great diffreffe, he faith, ( `Pfal.142. 2.-) rpowred out my Complaint before him,l ;bowed before him nay trote- bies; that is, I prayed unto him with all my foule or I prayed -my very foule unto him. ( Lament. 2. 18, 19. ) Their heart Cryeel unto the Lord, &c. Arife, Cry out in the night in the be- ginning of the watches powre out thine heart like water before the face of the Lo-d: lift up thy hands toward him. So then, prayer may be called a powring out of the foule or heart to God, and iris fo, for two reafons. puff Becaufe when Saints are in great trouble or firaits of any kind, then their hearts are enla-g d, and, they open their 'Whole mind to God, they keep nothing back : they tell him of all their doubts, deftres, hopes, fearer_ fins, they tell him of all their temptations, forrows, and aflf &ions :. when all comet out., there is a powring out of the heart, Secondly ,. It iscalled apowring out of the heart; not only becaufeof the abundance, of matter uttered in prayer, but be- caufe of the fervency and earneftneff of the Spirit in prayer.; when prayer comes not forth droppingly, droopingly, lleepil.y, dreamingly, or droufily, but with a mighty force, with ftrong affg&ions, like a flood or torrent, when 'tis a working or in- wrought prayer,then the foule is powred forth ; Then we may be fayd not only to pray much, but tobe much in . prayer. It is an eafie matter to powreout words in prayer, but it is a hard mat- ter,yea without the Spirit an impoffible matter,to powre out the foule, the heart, before the Lord in prayer ; yea there are many that powre out tears beforeGod, and yet powre not out their hearts and foules before God in prayer. In this fence, doubties, lobs foule was powred out upon him, The Apoftle lames (Chap. 5 13. ) gives this dire&ion ; 1r any man afiîled ? let him pray.. lob was not only aman affiieted, but much and greatly allidfed, therefore,fureiy,he(being God)did not only pray,but be prayed much and greatly in his afili&ion. Thirdly , This phrafe of powring out the foule, may . import a neernes to death, or a giving up of the ghofk. A dying man poureth out his foule ; Thus the woman fpake in her petition to David for the:returne ofAbfhalom, (2 Sam. 14.14. ) -We muff needs. di, and be as waterfpile upon the ground which cannot begad altered up againe. The body is like an empty vefrel when once foule t e 157
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