od in Christ will make
right calling on his name, it learneth men how to call God, to call him
Abba, Father. Faith useth to vent itself in prayer. I say, much
consideration of God, and claiming into him, and to the grounds of
confidence in him, must both make prayer acceptable, and carry the stamp
and impression of God's name, or Christ's name, on it, and also make much
prayer: for when a soul hath pitched on God as its only felicity, and thus
made choice of him, it findeth in him all sufficiency, all things for all
things. There is no necessity, but it findeth a supply in his fulness for
it; and therefore it applieth a man to the fountain, to draw out of the
wells of salvation. There is nothing can be so sweet and refreshing as for
such a soul to pour out itself every day in him, to talk with him face to
face. Faith engageth the heart to come to God with all things; whereas
many difficulties would have been, and the secure or unsettled heart would
have gone as many different ways to help them. Faith layeth hold on God,
knoweth but one, and bringeth all here; and therefore access to God is a
fruit of it, access unto the grace wherein we stand by faith. And again,
how can prayer be acceptable as long as faith doth not principle it? It is
but like a beast's groaning under a burden. Laying hold on God himself
makes a man's duties acceptable, because he speaks and asks; believing
that he shall receive, he trusteth God and doth not tempt him. Where
lively faith is not entertained there cannot be much affection which is
the oil of the wheels. There may be in some bitterness of spirit much
vehemency; but that is not a pure flame of divine love that burneth upward
to him; and it is soon extinguished, and lasteth no longer nor present
sense, and then the soul groweth harder, as iron that had been in the
fire.

II. When there is not much prayer and calling, faith cannot lie strong and
violent; for prayer is even the exercise of faith, if you wear out of
that, faith rusteth. There may be much quietness with little prayer, but
there cannot be much, and strong and lively faith, for where it getteth
not continual employment it fags. And indeed prayer is a special point of
holding God fast, and keeping him, therefore join these, if ye would
thrive in anyone of them. Your unbelieving complaints are not prayers and
calling on his name, because they are not mixed with faith. As the apostle
said of the word, so may it be said of prayer,--