not for this people yet verse 19 20 21 22. he is at it againe beseeching of God for his Names sake not to abhorre them Chap. 11. 1. God telleth him there is no good that way to be done for them though as mighty men in prayer as Moses and Samuel stood before him afterwards indeed Jeremy once or twice prayeth against them in Jer 55. 10 15. and 18. 21 22 Remember that I stood before thee for them to turne away this wrath from them yet Lord thou knowest all their counsell against me to slay me forgive not their iniquity c. God is long before he inflicts his curse My spirit shall not alwayes strive with man yet his dayes shall be an hundred and twenty years Gen. 6. 3. We may then bee long before we wish the curse of God upon the ungodly Jesus Christ was by and heard his persecutors imprecating so against themselves and children saying his blood bee upon us and our children Matth. 27. 25. and one would think he might well say Amen thereto nay but he would not he did not for as in that Luke 22. 34. he prayeth rather that God would take off that curse Father forgive them for they know not what they doe Imprecations had certainly miscarryed if they had been made by any of the Saints against Manasseh or Paul who yet went very far in rebellion and enmity against God 3. Look that we imprecate and pray 3 We imprecate rather with respect to blessing that such or such calamities may light upon others so as in reference to blessing of them if the Lord please Psalm 83. 15 16. So persecute them with thy tempest and make them afraid with thy storme fill their faces with shame that they may seek thy Name O Lord. The Church she anathematizeth a wicked person but it is not for their destruction but of their flesh in them and that their soules might if possible be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus 1 Cor. 5. 4. So here 4. Look that we imprecate and pray 4 We pray rather against their sins then persons rather against their sin and wickedness then their persons against whom we pray 2 Sam. 15. 3. Turn this counsell of Achitophel into foolishnesse Acts 4. 29. Lord behold their threatnings Psal 7. 9. Let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end It is the wickedness and the enmity of Gods wicked enemies which most properly striketh at God which is most mischeivous to the Church and most hurtfull to themselves and others wherefore spare no arrows against that and as far as worldly greatness is an occasion and instrument of their wickedness we may pray against that Psal 58. 6. Break the great teeth of the young Lyons 5. Pray against the enemies of God 5 We imprecate conditionally suppositively and conditionally namely if they persist in their emnity against God that they be implacable that they bee reprobates persons devoted to ruine and ripe for it David prayeth against the inraged enemie that God would judge them Psal 7. 6. but verse 12 If he turne not God wil whet his sword and the Lord himself declaratively curseth the wicked by his Ministers but yet with a tacit condition if they repent not and the like Jer. 18. 7 8. 36. 2 3. and so are the Saints to wish that curse 6 Imprecate indefinitely of God against them with the like tacit condition if they repent not and the llke 6. Pray against the enemies of God indefinitely and abstractively not so much eying this or that person in particular Deut. 33. 11. Smite through the loynes of those that rise up against him that they rise not againe Moses did not eye one enemy of Levi more then another So Numb 10. 35. Let them that hate thee flye before thee the like Psal 68. 1 2. 1 Cor. 16. 22. Let them that love not the Lord Jesus be Anathema Maranatha There is ever most of God and least of selfe in such indefinite imprecations And the Saints may in that way of imprecating bee both more free and have more help to their faith in Gods promises wherein he ingageth himselfe in an indefinite way to plague such and such a sort of desperate and ripened enemies and the like without particular reference to this or that person in particular 7. Look that as we propound for our 7 We imprecate with faith and that with respect to Gods glory and the churches good end in such imprecations the glory of God and the Churches good and as Pauls respect to the glory of God in his word makes him wish them accursed that preach another Gospel Gal. 1. 8. And his respect to the Churches good and peace maketh him wish them cut off who trouble them Gal. 5. So for the manner of imprecating we doe it in faith Psal 36. 11 12. Let not the foot of pride come against me There are they fallen and he by faith seeth them fallen against whom he prayed Psalm 10. 15. Breake thou the arme of the wicked verse 15. The heathen are perished out of his land Yea that it be with holy griefe of heart that wee have any cause to imprecate against any enemies of God As Matth. 18. 31. When the fellow servants saw what was done by that cruel and mercilesse wretch against one of their fellows they were sorry and came and told the Lord. As Christ the Judge pronounceth that sentence against those his enemies with expressions of much bowels he beheld Jerusalem and wept over it and said they shall not leave thee one stone upon another because thou knewest not the day of thy visitation Luke 19. 41 42 43 44. So should the Saints which as witnesses or assessors either give in evidences or verdicts upon the testimonies of their acts of enmity against God and his Church they should doe it with griefe Touching the third thing propounded We must pray against treacherous enemies we say we may and must pray against treacherous enemies which should have been freinds as those of Meros which should have helped the Lord against the mighty were cursed Judg 5. 23. Psal 69. 20. I looked for some to take pity but there was none c. verse 22. Let their table become a snare 2. Against sligh undermining enemies such as pretending to pity and help will 2 Sly enemies hurt the people of God Psal 55. 15. Let death seize upon them his words were softer then oyle yet were they drawne swords Such as can use all fraudulent expressions to insinuate to murther soules Psalme 10. 7. and verse 8. They lurk and lye in wait to take all advantages to murther the innocent yea their very souls if it were possible as well as their bodies by wily tricks to draw them to sinne against their consciences verse 9. They would bee drawing them into their net Yea verse 10. Hee crowcheth and humbleth himselfe that the poor may fall And verse 12. Arise O Lord
speedily to pray before the Lord say the Gentiles and to seek the Lord I will go also 2. It is a scandalous evil it offendeth the 2. It s matter of just offence to others godly part of the assembly which are there seasonably to joine in the duty And the officers also whose spirits they are not to grieve Heb. 13. 17. For the unseasonable coming in of some and then of others disturbeth Ministers and people present and occasionally hindereth their continued fervency and interrupteth attention upon that worship in hand it occasionally hardneth luke-warme and back-sliding Christians in their neutrality of respect to the parts of publick worship and profaner persons in their grosser neglects and contempts thereof When they see Professours haply of note and name bee so slack and slighty in their attendance thereon 3. The ordinary practise of such carelesse coming 3. It s a symptom of a bad estate to joine in publick prayer before other publick worship performed in the assembly is a speaking symptome of an evill estate in persons guilty of it Christ hath had little power on their hearts who are no more ready and forward sacrifices Psalm 110. 3. Such upon whom he hath power being willing and forward that way it strongly argueth that such want a publick spirit love to the publick good through sense of publick evils and that they have little love to publick ordinances or delight in publick fellowship with the Saints as being so constantly carelesse of seasonable addressing themselves to publick prayer wherein all those are to the life expressed 4. Such cannot so groundedly expect a 4. Strips us of a publick blessing blessing upon other Publick ordinances then dispensed as the word preached or the like which regard not to joyne in Publick Prayer for the same Wherefore let all such who professe the feare of God be afraid any more to grieve his spirit or the spirits of his Saints by any such remissnesse and slacknesse in attending upon an ordinance so precious and prevailing with the Lord yea let them blush that in Popish times of superstitious blindnesse so many should from blind zeal bee so forward in awaiting Latine service to say nothing of other service Common-Prayer lately discarded in attending whereupon too many have placed their main Religion and Christians in these precious times of Gospel light and liberty should bee no more forward to improve that liberty of pure worship of God as other wayes so in Publick Praier which both Christ hath purchased so dearly and for which the Saints have wrestled so much with God and conflicted with so many difficulties with men The second Use therefore may serve to The second use of exhortation to attend upon publick prayer exhort all the people of God to seasonable conscionable attendance upon Publick Prayer presented in an holy manner in his Churches by such as the Lord calleth thereunto let not God have any cause to complain that Publick calling upon God is out of request with us Esay 43. 22. he accounteth we are weary of him if neglectful of that Thou hast not called upon me O Jacob but thou hast been weary of me O Israel Surely the Lord hath magnified his faithfulnesse in bringing us strangers into his holy mountain according to Isaiah 56. 7. and is as ready to make us joyfull in his house of Prayer if we are not wanting to our owne soules God honours this part of his worship before others and therfore by a synechdoche putteth it for his whole worship his house of worship he calls an house of yrayer as being a choice part of his worship Neglect that neglect all as being that which instrumentally putteth life and lustre into all other parts of worship their burnt offerings saith God there shall be accepted For my house shall be called an house of Prayer Look then that wee put special honour upon this ordinance Yea these instrumentally occasion more honour to God Prayers made in Zion have their answers God is a God honouring Church-Prayer also and therefore hath Church-Prayses too Prayse waiteth for him in Zion Psal 65. 1 2. As gifts are bestowed by occasion of many so thanks come to be given by many 2 Cor. 1. 11. And who would not then if they love the Lord bee ready to give a lift to such honour of his name Yea wee shall come to have more abundant honour by it in the eyes of others to be stiled and owned as under God helpers to them in the attaining of such and such begged blessings you also helping by your Prayers saith Paul to the Church of Corinth In a word it is the priviledge of the Saints purchased at a deare rate by Jesus Christ by whose cause it is that their enmity being slaine Eph. 2. 16. both such as were nigh and such as were a farre off verse 17. through him have both an accesse by one spirit unto the Father verse 18. and are fellow-Citizens verse 19. And as such they trade with God publickly as well as privately in praier for the furtherance of the whole Cities good and every part thereof There is a City treasury of Prayers from which oft times even other decayed Citizens instrumentally get relief Many a decayed Parish as I may call it in the great City of God in the Church universal is raised againe by it and many a back-sliding Christian raised up againe by it as others keep that blessed stock going for us so should we for them And as a means the more to farther us this way let every gracious person make conscience to quicken up each other to this duty So these converts do Zach. 8. 21. Come let us go speedily to pray before the Lord I will goe also CHAP. IIII. Of Private or Family Prayer HAving spoken of the first branch of continued Prayer even Publick Prayer we must now speak of Private or Family Prayer required also implicitely in this undefinite injunction Pray without ceasing respecting the families in the Church Family prayer distinguished of Thessalonica as well as the whole Church collectively considered Family Prayer is either extraordinary or ordinary both are dutyes in their seasons Of extraordinary Family Prayer such as to which fasting is joyned is that 1 Cor. 7. 5. That ye may give your selves to fasting and prayer namely considered as members of the family privately as of the Church publickly whether upon occasion of removal which may and must be done by one family alone sometimes as well as by many families joyning together at other times Ezra 8. 25. That we may seek a right way for us and our little ones c. upon occasion also of publick losse of some pious rulers as those of the Jews did for Josias 2 Chron. 34. 24 25 26. unto which allusion is made Zach. 12. 11 12. And many other occasions might be instance on this way Ordinarie private Praier in families is either occasional or more properly oeconomical occasional Private
O God lift up thy hand and verse 15. Break thou the arme of the wicked Such enemies who professing the true religion yet against their owne light will be plotting all the wayes they can aginst the Saints and to reproach and to disgrace the wayes of God Jer. 18. 18 19 21. these are very like the Devil transforming himselfe into an angel of light but against his light using all his wiles to insnare souls and bring them to like perdition with himselfe These doe the more mischeife to the Church and people of God and possibly cause many truly godly ones through their wiles to go halting and bleeding to their graves 3. Against mocking scoffing and insulting enemies who like Tobiah and Sanballat 3 Mocking insulting enemies doe deride and jear at the gracious practises of the Saints as they did at that good work of theirs in building Jerusalems walls Nehem. 4. 2 3. But verse 4 5. Heare O God for we are despised and turn their reproach upon their owne heads Psal 69 10. When I wept and fasted that was to me a reproach or ver 11. I became a proverb to them And verse 26. They talk to the greif of them whom thou hast wounded verse 27. Add iniquity to their iniquity c. Such as are ready to gnash their very teeth at the righteous and to make themselves merry at any evill befalling them Psal 35. 16. Hypocritical mockers in feasts who gnash their teeth upon me they open their mouth wide against me and said Aha aha our eye hath seen it verse 26. Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoyce at my hurt Such are old standers in the ways of sinne and have long walked in the counsels of the ungodly and now taking up their rest as it were in the way of scorning at God and good Psal 1. 1. These have most venome in them that can laughingly smile on the Saints when yet they had rather be gnashing their teeth at them and so are riper for Gods curse as even ready to glory in any wicked pranks which are played against the Saints 4. Against apostatized enemies As 4 Apostatized enemies an Achitophel a Judas Psal 55. 12 13. 14 15. An Alexander 2 Tim. 4. 4. Alexander hath done me much hurt the Lord reward him according to his deeds Such do much hurt indeed they know the wayes of the Saints they are most imbittered against them Like Christians turning Turkes proselited pharisaical persons more hellish in their malice and fury against the godly then Turks or Pharisees themselves Math. 23. 15. the sweetest wine turning the sharpest vinegarlike spirits against the Saints 5. Against such as apparently oppose rather 5 Enemies against God in Saints persons God in their persons then the persons themselves opposing persons every way amiable in their eyes for parts parentage good behaviour and repute and only because godly and so hating them without any personal cause Psal 69. 4. onely for Gods sake they reproach them verse 7. Because they pray and fast that is to their reproach verse 10. Let the table of such become a snare c. verse 22. Psal 35. 7. Without cause on my part they have hid for me their net c. Therefore let their way be death And verse 20. They devise deceitfull matters against them that are quiet in the land Persons that meddle not with others or other matters but have their conversations in heaven they themselves cannot charge them to bee turbulent but they are pious they are conscientious that is enough against them in such mens eies yea where-ever or in whomsoever such persons see the image of God they doe like their father the Devil maligne it Yea though they gaine neither credit nor profit by maligning such persons as the Devil himselfe doth not but are rather losers by it yet they are well appayed if they can but wreak their despight upon the Saints let the ways of such be slippery the angel of the Lord persecute them Ps 35. 6 7. c. 6. Against such enemies who are so 6 Enemies past the reach of mans justice great that they are even past the reach in a manner of humane justice none other left in a manner to break their teeth but God onely Such as say wee will speak and doe thus and thus with them and let us see the proudest He of them all which dare contradict or oppose us Our tongues are our owne who is Lord over us As for the Saints they make a puffe at them such poor snakes as they are and some vilest persons haply being exalted to the highest place of rule such wicked enemies walk on every side without curb or controule Now it is high time for the poore and needy to cry against them and God will arise at their cry Psal 2. 3. 12. 4 8. with 1. 5. verses compared In this case Christ maketh it the Saints duty to cry night and day for vengeance against such enemies And God at length will hear them Lu. 18. 1 2 3 7 8. Bloody minded Joab being too mighty to be reached by King Davids justice is prayed against 2 Sam. 3. 29. Let this blood rest on the head of Joab and verse 39. I am this day weak though anointed King and these men the sons of Zerviah bee to hard for me The Lord shall reward the doer of evill according to his wickednesse 7 Enemies with whom divine justice hath begun 7. Against the enemies of God which divine justice hath already found out and begun to seize upon If the fire of God hath begun to kindle on them and in them we may blow it up by this holy breath Psal 21. 9. c. and verse 13. compared If God sheweth that it s his will to cut down such ripened stalks we may help onward to their cutting downe if he hath begun to wound such mad dogs such wolves such serpents we may help to kill them outright If he hath routed such Midianites our prayers must help for the chase of them When persecuting Babylon is once begun to be battered at and closely besieged through Gods sin revenging hand Then the inhabitants of Zion shall say the violence done to me and to my flesh be upon Babylon and my blood upon the inhabitants of Chaldea shall Jerusalem say Jer. 51 31 32 33 with 34 35. Lastly against general enemies such as 8 General enemies Antichrist the Saints may and must all and every one of them muster up al their spiritual forces against such an enemy To conclude Quest It may be demanded When the Quest Saints prayers against the enemies of God may be sayd to be heard or how it may be known that such judgements as the Lord inflicteth upon his enemies are fruits and issues of the Saints prayers Answ I answer 1. When God bringeth Answ strange judgments upon persons prayed Such prayers answered when strange judgements come upon them against As Hezekiah
and right things should be our constant and daily study The thoughts of the Righteous are right Prov. 12. 5. and therefore no wonder that the words of the pure are pleasant words Prov. 11. 26. When men love purenesse of heart in all their courses there will be a grace and savour thereof in all their discourses with God or men as Prov. 22. 11. when persons double in some things with God and their owne soules they will do so in other things likewise James 1. 8. A double minded man is unstable in all his wayes Hypocrisie is leaven Luke 12. 1. if you lay it and hide it and suffer it to lye in one part of the lump of your conversation it will spread and sowre all the rest soon James 4. 2 3. compared prescribing the remedy of that guileful asking to spend the blessings of God upon their lusts verse 23. He instanceth the double minds that such have and they must purge themselves of their double mind in all other things if ever they would approach and draw nigh to God in prayer rightly and not ask amisse and for this purpose get we our hearts and hands rid of what ever sinfull defilements which do foment that doubling with God and hindreth this integrity in prayer If men in any kind retain the same they will ask amisse ask things with a false adulterous heart ibid. verses 23 4. compared We shall never make streight steps in this part of our christian race if that which is lame be not healed Heb. 12. 13. If the feet of our affections be diseased we can never wrestle with God so stably but shall halt therein as well as in other of the waies of God 2. When at any time we espy any flaws or doublings with God in prayer as the 2 Be truely abased for any guile therein best sometimes may espy some guileful slightings and overlinesse therein be we greatly abased for the same as James wisheth such as ask amisse and such false spirits therein James 4. 2 3 4. or such as would bee rid of such doubling guileful distempers verse 8. to be afflicted and mourne namely for that doubling with God and their owne soules when Christians pay deare for such slynesse and slightnesse they will surely take heed thereof the more bitter it becomes and grievous to their palate the more will they leave it and loath it It is to be feared that many Christians which see such slyness and guiliness in prayer they are content sometimes that they have prayed albeit the same were a shell and shadow of the duty and the pith and substance thereof were wanting or if they bee troubled lightly slightly with it all is not wel with them that they deal not so faithfully with God and their owne souls yet they are not throughly stirred up with serious griefe and holy indignation by reason thereof and therefore goe on oft times in such a way If guile of spirit were so exactly and throughly examined and sentenced and holy revenge taken upon it such a cheater would not so much haunt the hearts of christians in this and other of the ordinances of God as it doth And to this let me add that we carefully and resolutely resist Sathan when at any time then or afterwards he doth tempt us to this guiliness and false-heartedness in our talking with God in prayer give not the least way to it but when at first you perceive the tempter busie that way to put us upon sinister ends in our requests or any sly dealing with God and our soules in prayer away with it strongly and seasonably bend we all our strength against it discover to God by humble and solemn confession that treacherous motion cry out upon it pursue it and never leave till we have sent it packing with shame and loathing of heart Hence is it that James wisheth such as were so guily in their prayers they made James 4. 2 3 4. to make use of that remedy Resist the divell namely in his temptation thereunto and he will flye from you verse 7. and espying such like wilinesse of spirit in our prayers let us bee willing to be crossed in any such requests as we make with such a spirit for verily God wil not grant such desires to us if he love us Jam. â— 3 if we do or should do it it would be worse for us Many of the Saints see cause to blesse God afterwards that the Lord did not grant such or such requests of theirs perceiving that indeed their heads were not right therein and t is well for them that God will crosse them in any sinfull desires of theirs yea it would be better for us that God should fall upon us with some good downeright blowes whilst we carry it thus wilily with him in any of our prayers as usually he doth deal with his servants under such distempers Wars came upon them many contentions amongst them they that doubled and devided so with God they were divided amongst themselves and not so true to each other James 4. 1 2 3 4. but as a remedy of that inward cause of these outward disorders and mischiefes This Apostle wisheth such and let us follow his counsell Submit wee our selves to God verse 7. and humble our selves under any such divine providence verse 10. see that it is good say it is good and then we shall he better 3. Labor to be of an humble and lowly heart 3 Bee of an humble spirit in prayer in our praiers and we shal pray the more honestly intirely They are ever proud spirits that have such selfe-aims and slie respects to their own names or such good blessings as the main in their praiers which may make them seeme some body amongst men what ever approbation therein they get with God James telleth those he mentioned that they were of adulterous spirits James 4. 4. that they asked and had not as asking amisse out of base respects and verse 2 3. verse 6. he telleth them more plainely that they would be above others in gifts and repute and estate c. Envy setteth them on work verse 5. they are proud and therefore God resisteth them in that way of asking but humble ones get the grace of him which their hearts seek Humble ones have no such wily fetches and reaches but are plain hearted they are such which are lifted up whose hearts are not upright within them in any things what they say or doe Heb. 2. 4. 4 Bee wee of believing spirits therein 4. Get and exercise more faith in the Lord. So much unbeliefe in our asking so much doubling with God James 1. 6 8. Unbelief is never cordial but slavish and selfish Faith will cause a through opening of the heart to God Psal 62. 1 8. Wee shall then draw near to God with the truest hearts when with most assurance Heb. 10. 22. There is secret Atheisme of heart or infidelity and much unbeliefe in that
musings 8 Spiritual drowsinesse sluggishnesse 8. Sluggishness and slightiness of heart When heart and mind is of a drowzie temper it is of a dreaming temper full of impertinent fancies even when to be imployed in prayer or the like yea if both body and soul be not in a waking and watching plight the soul wil be apt to be hurried with impertinencies temptations Matth. 26. 41. Watch and pray lest yee enter into temptation Now touching the second thing propounded Remedies against distractions in praier even the Remedies of such distractions in prayer Let but diligent heed be taken and conscionable indeavour used against each of the former occasions and causes thereof and it will help to redresse the same Espy out and bewaile the secret guile and wilinesse of heart get your heart rid of those distrustful cares of that Disconcontent and inordinacy of affection banish that spirit of Lust and of Error from your souls beware of that family contention and that spiritual or corporal supineness and you wil in a good measure get rid of such distractions in prayer But yet for our better help herein 1 Make conscience of holy and due Holy â—â—â—paration unto prayer preparation of our selves unto prayer Exod. 34. 3. Moses must come alone to God and leave the flocks Jacob ferrieth over all belonging to him on the other side of the river before wrestleth with the Angel Gen. 32. Abraham leaveth the servants and the Asses at the foot of the hill when to goe to sacrifice to the Lord. Gen. 22. David had got his heart into a very serious and fixed frame for that praising part of his prayer and yet as thinking that all too little saith hee will yet rouse himselfe up to that work Psal 57. 7. O God my heart is fixed my heart is fixed I will sing and give praise and verse 8. I my selfe will arise right early So good Deborah rowseth up herself amain to powr out prayses to the Lord Jud. 5. 12. Awake awake Deborah awake utter a song A gracious heart should think it self never enough awaked to such holy work experience of Saints will prove it and when they can by grace get their minds and hearts a little sequestred to consider seriously of the work they are going about and of God and Christ before whom they come and of themselves who are to come before the Lord and the like before they actually addresse themselves to solemne prayer how intently and spiritually and strongly they are wont then to bee carryed through the duty and all other times when they more suddenly and inconsiderately set upon prayer how unprofitably they are wont to spend such a time and how many hurries of spirit this way and that way they are cumbred with and much adoe to make any thing of it at such times 2. Spiritual wisedome is another help 2 Godly wisedome Godly wisedom will choose places for prayer which are freest from any distracting occasion Hence Christ so often repaires to the mountaine to pray Wisedome will seasonably discern a deluding cheating thought yea though it come with its vizard or with its painted face wearing in view the very livery of our heavenly Father and much readier will it espy other thoughts which would slyly withdraw our minds by little and little from the present businesse of our souls Wisedome is before him that hath understanding Prov. 17. 24. whilst the fools eyes are wandring in the corners of the world The wise Christian keeps his eye from gadding after vaine objects and keeps it rather intent upon wisedomes works and wayes The heart of the wise is at his right hand the instrument of action Eccles 10. 2. He hath his heart and spirit at an holy beek to be imployed as wisedom shall direct as there is need of the exercise of thoughts or desires or griefe or joy or feare or anger in an holy way or work a truely wise Christian hath them at hand to do their several homage to the Lord being thereto commanded by his spirit The wise mans eyes are in his head Eccles 2. 14. The truely wise Christian hath the ready and seasonable use of the eyes of his mind and understanding holy thoughts and apprehensions are not to seek when the Lord calleth for the use thereof as in prayer or the like but they are then active and so ready to keep out worse or unjust thoughts A wise Christian being also privy to his owne inability to keep his heart close to God he betaketh himselfe to the Lord as he did Psal 86. 11. Vnite my heart to fear thy name He would have the Lord to keep his heart close to any part of his fear or worship that it scatter not wander not therefrom Intruders cannot get in unseene and untaken notice of whilst this lightsome watchful grace is imployed as they will in darker places This skilfull Pilot at the helm by keeping its eye upon Gods compasse avoids many yawes and much lee-way in a gracious Christians course in prayer or otherwise which other unwise Christians make 3. Wathfulnesse which is the seasonable 3 Watchfulnesse and practical use of that holy wisedome upon every occasion This will bee examining such as knock at the door of the heart whilst the spirit is talking with God in prayer Those godly Church-officers described Revel 4. 6 8. with their eyes before and behind and within also to observe all without and as well also within themselves they goe on uninterrupted in the worship of God as though their cry was but one and the same continued cry night and day They rest not night nor day saying Holy holy holy Lord God Almighty which is and was and is to come This pondering the path of our feet is a help to going right on in this or any other way of God without diversions from it or stumbling in it Prov. 4. 26 27. Ponder the path of thy feet and let all thy wayes be established Turn not to the right hand nor to the left the former is the meanes to the latter A good watch at the City gates the out-lets and inlets of suggestions to the mind or motions from it will keep us from trouble-Cities such trouble-souls as are these distractions and help rid them of such Vagrants as they are Such holy careful oversights of the banks will prevent the dividing of the streams and issues of our minds even our thoughts that they run in no other channel and way then is meet for them When we go to prayer we are assaying by the ladder Jesus Christ to climb up to heaven and this holy care of our feet keeps them from slipping and us from falls Look to thy foot when thou goest into the house of God namely to worship God in prayer or otherwise Eccles 5. 1. When wee go to pray we go spiritually to plow and this holy minding of our work and our hand helpeth to keep us in our right furrow 4 Holinesse and
consider what a disparagement it wil be to thy glory in the eyes of thy enemies to deale so strictly with thy people men are forbidden to lay a stumbling-block before the blind and wil God lay such an occasion of offence and falling in the way of blind Aegyptians The like plea is used in Psal 79. 9 10 11. Help us for the glory of thy name purge away our sins for thy names sake wherefore should the Heathen say where is there God Render to them the reproach wherewith they have reproached thee O Lord. So Psal 74. 18. 19 22. and in many other places to like purpose The cases wherein Gods name and glory is in any special sort engaged are of greatest weight and concernment and therefore none necd be afraid or ashamed to plead them in such sort before the Lord in such pleas truly if the Lord should deny his Saints he should deny himselfe And the self-deniall of the Suppliant shines forth the more in such pleas when he pleads the case not so much in reference to himselfe as to the Lord himselfe and to his name Secondly the suitablenesse of the relation His relation to us and fitnesse to help us betwixt God and us as Psal 79. 9. Help us O God of our salvation Deliver us for thy name sake As if they would say thou stilest thy selfe the God of our salvation we by thy grace doe eye and own thee as such a one wherefore shew that thou art such a one by saving of us let it appeare that it is no empty title And what is more suitable to a God of salvation then to save his people or wherein shall that Name of thine be more magnified then in thy delivering thy people So Esay 63. 16. Doubtlesse thou art our father our Redeemer c. As if they had said O Lord we have no other but thee of whom should children seek for reliefe or from whom should they expect succour but from their father Now we are resolved to own no other for our father but thee and can a father be curst to his poor desolate disconsolate sick or sad children when it is in his power to relieve them To this we may adde the suitablenesse of the mercies we ask of God unto him and unto us So Numb 11. 17 18 19. Let the power of my Lord be great as thou hast said the Lord is long-suffering and of great mercy forgiving iniquity c. pardon I beseech thee the iniquity of thy people As it is suitable to a sinning people to get a pardon so it is most suitable to a sin-pardoning God to give forth a pardon to them So Psal 130. 4. But there are forgivenesses with thee that thou maist be feared I need not speak more in this case or so much as scruple it that thou shouldst be strict upon a poore desolate tempted creature to mark what is done amisse and so to proceed to condemne or confound such a one as I am for there are Forgivenesses with thee the manifold pardons that I need for my manifold and multiplied sins are in readinesse in abundance with thee thou canst not deny the benefit thereof to me in my case I wil and do conclude it as a granted case there are forgivenesses with thee What then that thou maist be feared Thus the Faith of Heavens suppliants wil be coming within God and wil be framing good conceits of God and telling him how wel they are perswaded of him and of his generous nature that if he deny them he should disparage himselfe in their eyes who had better thoughts of him As Paul desiring Agrippa's becomming a Christian he windeth him in by his holy Rhetorick thus Believest thou the Prophets yea I know thou believest so that if Agrippa deny this he must in a manner weaken his own esteem so when the Saints in their prayers and pleas hold forth their faith in God as such or such an one in his gracious nature the Lord useth not to exercise himselfe short of their apprehensions but it is for his honour to make good the utmost of his peoples desires and expectations of Faith Thirdly the little gain that the Lord The little gain the Lord wil have by our ruines would have by denying his people in the mercies they request David beggeth his own life of God using this plea What profit is there in my blood Psal 30. 9. So did the captive Church plead Psal 44. 12. Thou sellest thy people for nought and dost not increase thy wealth thereby So then poor Saints of God when they come and tell the Lord in their prayers that indeed he may condemne or confound or cut or cast them off he may continue to frown upon them and to withdraw his spirit from them he may deny such and such requests of theirs for such and such just causes in them but what wil he gain thereby he may gain many praises c. by hearing them and helping them but what good wil it doe him to see them oppressed by the enemies of their soules or what delight would it be to him to see them sighing and sinking and fainting under sad pressures c. this is an allowed and a very succesfull kind of pleading We might instance in many other pleas respecting God as that Esay 63. 15. Where is thy zeale and thy strength the sounding of thy bowels and of thy mercies towards me are they restrained These are prevailing pleas since the Lord can as soon cease to be as cease to be zealous of his own glory in his peoples welfare since he neither wanteth power nor wil to help them in any needful case which concerneth them for he hath strength and therefore is able and bowels of compassion and tender mercies and therefore is willing to answer and succour his people Yea every Attribute and Title of God and every promise is a several plea which God cannot deny The second sort of pleas respect the Saints themselves which plead and they Pleas respecting us are of two sorts First some respect the dependency and needinesse of our condition As our needinesse as we are creatures Secondly others the good of grace shining forth in us Of the former sort let us instance in these 1. It may be and hath been pleaded that we are Gods creatures both considered as men and as Saints by calling we are the workmanship of his hands and as such plead for his gracious respects Job 10. 9. Thou hast made me as the clay and wilt thou bring me to dust again As if he should say thou hast been at such cost and paines to make me and now wilt thou altogether marre me by afflictions and temptations so the Church pleadeth Esay 64. 8 9. But now thou art our Father we are the clay thou art the potter be not wroth very sore Which is as much as to say Fathers doe not use to be irrevocably displeased with their children nor wil they correct them