an hour as in half a year In those times they were so conversant in that duty of love that St. Paul saith They needed not that he should write to them concerning love 1 Thess 4. 9. In those dayes they were of one accord The very Heathens took notice of it and said Behold how the Christians love one another But we are fallen into those times wherein the love of men grows cold we upon whom the ends of the world are come bite and teare and devour one another 2 We come short of them in the contempt of the world You know hovv much those Christians Hebr. 11. lived above the vvorld They confessed that they were but strangers and pilgrims upon earth verse 13. They vvere not satisfied vvith the vvorld but sought after a better Countrey They came and laid their wealth at the Apostles feet to do with it whatsoever he pleased For cloathing they vvere contented with sheeps skins and goats skins and instead of our stately houses they vvere satisfied vvith dens and caves of the earth 3. We fall short of the primitive Christians herein also that they vvere taken off from that form of religion vvherein they vvere born and bred up and received a nevv form of religion Whereas they might have objected all our fathers vvere bred up in the law of Moses and shall vve take upon us a nevv vvay a nevv religion But they did not contend about it they forsook the rudiments of Moses and imbraced this nevv vvay and doctrine vvhich as they thought vvas never taught before But vve are more addicted to customes then Scriptures vve chuse rather to follovv vvhat hath been then to consider vvhat should be Many have much reasoning and contention for the old forme of religion Many are so setled in their old formes and wayes wherein they were born and bred that they will not indure or seek for a better form and way Heylin in his Geography reports of the King of Morocco that he told the English Embassadour in King Johns time that he had lately read Pauls Epistles which he liked so well that were he to chuse his religion he would imbrace Christianity but every one ought to die in the faith wherein he was born So it is with many among us they are perswaded they ought and resolved they will live and die in those customes and wayes wherein they were born they will not deny themselves in these triviall things for the exaltation of Christ and herein also we fall short of the primitive Christians And thus much for the last use And so I have dispatched the first and main Doctrine I hat in the times of the first promulgation of the Gospel greater successe did attend the Ministery and multitudes did come in with more holy violence after the ordinances then ever did before MATTHEW 11. 12. And from the dayes of John the Baptist untill now the Kingdom of heaven suffereth violence and the violent take it by force THere is but one Doctrine behinde and that is taken from the consideration of the quality of those persons who did expresse this holy violence who they were our Saviour himselfe acquaints us Matth. 21. 31. Jesus said unto them Verily I say unto you that the publicans and harlots go into the Kingdome of God before you Verse 32. The publicans and harlots believed John The Pharisees that led strict lives had a kinde of legall righteousnesse yet they were not the people that did receive Jesus Christ but publicans and harlots The Pharisees and lawyers rejected or frustrated the counsell of God against themselves or within themselves being not baptized of him But the Publicans justified God being baptized with the baptisme of John Luke 7. 29 30. They that used this violence were men that lived by rapine deceit exaction and oppression so did the Publicans Whence the observation is this Doct. 2 That usually those that have been most sinful before conversion do expresse the more holy violence and eagernesse of affection after Jesus Christ in the Gospel after they are converted In the handling of this point I shall do three things 1 I shall demonstrate the truth of it by Scripture-instances 2 I shall shew the reasons why God did pitch upon such chiefly who were most notorious ill-livers 3 I shall shew why such men are more violent in religion then others 1 I shall demonstrate the truth of the doctrine by Scripture-instances I shall give but two instances the one in Mary Magdalene the other in Paul 1 Mary Magdalene she was an unclean person a very harlot a great sinner but after her conversion she thought nothing too much for Christ 1 She anointed his feet with a pound of Spikenard that was very costly worth three hundred pence that is worth above nine pound in our money John 12. 5. 2 She broke through many difficulties to come to Christ Christ was in another mans house and he Simon a Pharisee Luke 7. 36 37. and set down to supper She might have raised an objection and said I cannot come at him and they in the house may think evill of it but all this could not keep her back Further there were more discouragements Not onely Judas but others were angry at her Mark 14. 4. There were some not onely Judas but others also that had indignation within themselves and said Why was this waste of the ointment made Yea the Disciples too had indignation at her Mat. 26. 8. The Disciples had indignation Yet she came to Christ through al these difficulties and she wept Luke 7. 44. And that so plentifully that she washed the fect of Christ with her tears Her eyes that had been windows of lost were now flood gates of tears 2 Another instance is that of Saul Before his conversion he was a notorious sinner He had an hand in the death of that holy man Stephen Act 8. 1. He was a man that breathed out threatenings and slaughters against the Disciples of the Lord Act. 9. 1. He was a blasphemer a persecutor and injurious 1 Tim. 1. 13. he cared not what he did to the people of God Yea further he did compel others to blaspheme Act. 26. 11. and being exceedingly mad a-against them he persecuted them even to strange Cities And yet behold this man that was so eminent a sinner before his conversion afterward made recompense he grew and abounded in grace he grew as eminent in grace as he was notorious in sin As he had hailed men to prison formerly so now he drawes them to Christ He preached that faith that once he persecuted Gal. 1. 23. So much for the first particular the proof of the point by Scripture-instances The second particular is this Why did God pitch upon such chiefly as were most notorious ill-livers Answ 1 I answer Two reasons may be given of it 1 To beat off the Pharisees from resting in their own righteousnesse
for the third use The fourth use is for caution and that in four particulars 1 Take heed of pleading for or being contented with a moderation in matters of religion Moderation in religion is accounted a vertue in these times whereas Jesus Christ would have spued us out of his mouth If Jesus Christ commend an holy violence in the matters of religion what becomes of this moderation Indeed for men to be moderate in things that are lawfull is good It is the advice of the Apostle Phil. 4. 5. Let your moderation be known unto all men the Lord is at hand that is let your moderation be in the love and desire of things lawfull and indifferent of things in this world be moderate in those things that they may not hinder you in your course towards heaven but not in any case to be moderate in religion and that I shall make appear in these four particulars 1 Moderate estates do not content you in the world Men rise up early and go to bed late and eat the bread of carefulnesse and are eager and indefatigable in their pursuits of the world If you get not so much this year you will indeavour to get more the next year no man hath moderation after the things of this world no man is contented with that estate they are in but labours to improve it Like the Chaldeans of whom it is spoken Habak 2. 5. He inlargeth his desire as hest and is as death and cannot be satisfied But gathereth unto him all nations and heapeth unto him all people And is it reason that you that are so immoderate in the pursuit and desire of the things of this world should be moderate in the things of heaven 2 You have been very immoderate in your desires after your lusts before your conversion and therefore in all reason you should not now be moderate in your desires after God and the things of God How many times have you bin as it were sick till you have you accomplisht your ends in a sinful course and will you not now be sick of love after Christ and after heavenly things Hast thou not burnt in lust and will you now be key-cold in religion 3 God doth expresse as great yea more dislike of lukewarmnesse in religion as if a man were of no religion Famous is that instance of Laodicea Revel 3. 15 16. I would thou were either cold or hot So then because thou art lukewarm neither cold nor hot I will spâ—â—e thee out of my mouth Not that God would have men to continue in or return to Paganisme or Judaisme both of which his soul abhors but onely because he doth exceedingly distaste lukewarmnesse in the prefession of Christianity 4 In a false religion men have shewed much zeal and forwardnesse Isa 46. 6. I hey lavish gold out of the bag and weigh silver in the balance hire a Goldsmith and he maketh it a god they fall down yea they worship c. The people were so violent in an Idolatrous religion that they did spare no cost nor pains to accomplish it So those false Prophets those prophets and worshippers of Baal 1 King 18. 28. They cried aloud and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancers till the blood gushed out upon them So Paul when he was a Jew and adversary to Christianity beyond measure he persecuted the Church of God and wasted it Gal. 1. 13. Jerem. 32. 35. Those superstitious Jews built the high places of Baal which are in the valley of the son of Hinnom to cause their sons and their daughters to passe through the fire unto Moloch which I commanded them not So zealous and servent were they in their Idolatrous worship and service that they would cause their children to be burnt as a sacrifice to their false god So likewise among us the Papists are zealous and eager for their worship witnesse their whippings and scourgings and fastings and other penances If men be thus zealous in false wayes how servent should we be in a true But so much for the first branch of the Caution Caution 2 2 Take heed you do not think you shall ever go to heaven without this holy zeal and violence It was onely the violent in John Baptists dayes that took heaven You can never go to heaven except you strive to enter in at the strait gate You must strive till you sweat you must strive with all your might and all will be little enough Take heed therefore you do not think it an easie thing to go to heaven But withall take this though you cannot go to heaven without this holy violence you shall never go to heaven for it James 1. 25. Whosoever looketh into the perfect law of liberty and continueth therein he being not a forgetfull hearer of the Word but a doer also this man shall be blessed in his deed So that you see a man shall not go to heaven for his doing though he cannot go to heaven without it Caut. 3 3 When you see the servants of God zealous and violent in the wayes of God take heed you do not judge of this as the world doth that you do not judge it a vain and needlesse thing or that you do not judge it folly and madnesse When Paul was thus violent for the propagation of the Gospel when he came before Festus Festus told him that much learning had made him mad But Paul said I am not mad but speak forth the words of truth and sobernes Caut. 4 4 Take heed thou doest not abate thy â—â—al in the matters of religion because it may be thou meetest with much reproach and many scandals from the men of the world for the sake of religion David was more eager in his dancing before the Ark notwithstanding the scoffings of his wife 〈◊〉 scandals and reproaches and troubles will make thee abate thy zeal for God hou wilt never be able to hold out to the end I will never believe that man will indure a rack for his religion that cannot bear a reproach He that cannot indure a frown for it will never indure fire and faggot if thou canst not indure a taunt or jeer for thy profession of religion much lesse wilt thou endure a Gibbet And so much for the use of Caution Use 5 The next use is this This Doctrine may stirre up in us an holy lamentation If it vvere so that in the dayes of John the Baptist men were so holily violent after Jesus Christ and his Ordinances then how should we lament and bewail our times when we consider hovv defective men are novv adayes and hovv much vve fall short of those converts at the first plantation of the Gospel We fall short of them 1 In regard of their love and union It was observed that the primitive Christians were so full of love and affection to one another that they could be acquainted together as well in half
Deut. 29. 29. Secret things belong to God but revealed things to us and to our Children we know not any thing of the decree and counsell of God but onely as he is pleased to reveale it Though God can give a mercy without prayer yet he hath not any where promised to give it without prayer Prayer is the meanes that God hath appointed us to use for the obtaining of mercy 3. The decree of God must not make us to be remisse in prayer for God hath decreed not onely the end but also the meanes as God hath decreed to give thee mercy so he hath also decreed that thou shouldest pray for it And therefore wheresoever the decree or purpose of God is mentioned it is used as an argument to stirre up the people of God to prayer For thou oh Lord of hosts God of Israel hast revealed to thy servant saying I will build thee an house therefore hath thy servant found in his heart to pray this prayer unto thee And now oh Lord God thou art God that God and thy words be true and thou hast promised this goodnesse unto thy servant Therefore now let it please thee to blesse the house of thy servant that it may continue for ever before thee For thou oh Lord God hast spoken it and with thy blessing let the house of thy servant be blessed for ever You see here God had purposed and promised to blesse the house of David and to continue it for ever doth this make David remisse in prayer doth David argue what need I pray for this mercy seeing God is resolved to give it No David takes this hint and useth it to good purpose in his prayer Another instance you have in Isaac God had decreed and promised that the seed of Abraham should be multiplyed as the starres of the heaven Gen. 15. 5. and that this promised should be accomplished in Isaac Did this make Isaac neglect prayer No for we read Gen. 25. 21. Isaac intreated the Lord for his wife because she was barren and the Lord was intreated of him c. Though God had promised that in Isaac all the nations of the earth should be blessed yet Isaac betakes himselfe to prayer to God for the accomplishment of that mercy that was decreed and promised Object But you will say suppose God hath decreed he will not give me the mercy I pray for what benefit is it for me to pray for it I answer 1. It is more then any man doth know that God hath decreed he will denie thee the mercy thou askest 2. If it be so that God hath decreed not to give thee the mercy thou prayest for yet God will give thee the returne of prayer into thy bosome though it may be he will not give thee the particular thing thou desirest And thus I have dispatcht the first thing I have answered the objection The second particular is this What is this holy importunity I answer in generall The word in the originall signifies impudence or want of shame It is a metaphor taken from beggars who are impudently importunate and take no denyall if you deny them once they will aske you again and again and never leave till they get what they desire It is a gathering together of all the affections of the soule a stirring them all up in prayer whereby the soule is so earnestly desirous after the good it wants that it will not rest nor leave off the duty untill he doe finde some returne This is ment Rom. 12. 12. Continuing instant in prayer The Originall word is very emphaticall It notes not oneiy to persevere but to persevere and continue with utmost strength to ingage all a mans possibility in the worke It notes instancy and importunity It is a phrase borrowed from dogs that when they are hunting will not cease following the game till they have got it So a godly man will pursue God in duty and never leave till he finde the mercy he begs from him Thus did holy Jacob Gen. 32. 26. God said 〈…〉 for the day breaketh And be said I will not let thee goe unlesse thou blesse me So it is said of Elias James 5. 17. He prayed earnestly In the Greeke it is in praying he prayed to shew that a Christian when he is praying should yet pray should pray more earnestly he should be as it were in agony in prayer It was said of Austin in his preaching that he never left preaching till he found he had done some good upon the hearts of his hearers So must you pray and continue praying and doe not give over till you finde some good done upon your hearts till you finde sin weakned and graces strengthned This is the holy importunitie that is here spoken of And so much for the second particular The third particular is this When doth the Lord worke in the hearts of his people this holy importunity what seasons are they wherein the people of God are most importunate Answ 1 I answer 1. God workes this holy importunity in the hearts of his people at their first conversion then is the time when they are most earnest after God in duties Austin tells us it was so in his time first Converts were most fervent and affectionate towards God in duty when they were first brought from the state of nature into the state of grace At the first taste of the excellency of grace they are much ravished with it because of the newnesse of the conditions New things doe most affect men 2. There is the most holy importunity in a man when he lives under the clearest apprehension and assurance of Gods love in Christ Psal 42. 4. When I remembred these things I poure out my soule in me when he remembered and considered the marks and tokens of Gods grace in him and love to hm this made him importunate A Christian may be compared to a Marigold which while the Sun shines upon it opens it selfe but afterwards shuts Christians when the Sun of Gods favour shines upon them their soules are inlarged their affections inflamed towards God but when God hides his face they are troubled their hearts are straitned and they cannot pray as they used to doe It is said of the Nightingale that when she thinks any one is neere she sings more sweetly then when she is alone in the wood The soule when it sees that God is neare it and that his favour is towards it then it sings most sweetly then it prayes most fervently but when the love of God is clouded and the soule left as it were alone then the affections flag and grow remisse in prayer 3. Another time when the people of God are importunate is when the time for the accomplishment of a promise growes neer This we find in Daniel When he understood by books the number of the years whereof the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the Prophet that
the Holy Ghost What was his end in desiring the Holy Ghost Was it to obtain a spiritual mercy No but it was that he might work miracles And further when Peter put him upon the begging of a spiritual mercy vers 22. pray God if perhaps the thoughts of thine heart may be forgiven thee But Simon Magus followed not Peters rule he had no great desire of the pardon of sin or any spirituall mercy but he prayes That none of those things which Peter had spoken might come upon him vers 24. That is that his money might not perish nor he perish with it that his gifts might not perish this was his great request and desire 3. An holy importunity of Gods people is more in sensibleness of the inward affections of the heart then in the outward expressions of words Psal 38. 9. All my desire is before thee and my groanings are not hid from thee Davids heart panted and failed him vers 10. but not a word of expressions though his expressions were very good Rom. 8. 26. The spirit helps our infirmities with sighs and groans that cannot be uttered It is said Revel 5. 8. The four and twenty Elders had golden vials full of odours which are the prayers of the Saints They are called odours for their sweetnesse golden for their excellency and vials which are vessels of large extent in the belly but narrow mouthed The hearts of Gods people are like vials many times inlarged within when they are straitned in their words and expressions There are many times most dilated desires in the hearts of the Saints and yet they are so narrow mouthed that they are not able to utter But now it is otherwise with hypocrites they have more in the expression then in the action It was Gods complaint against the Jews of old They draw nigh to God with their lips when their hearts were far from him An hypocrite indeed performes duty but his duties never reach to his heart They are like a pot that is hot at the top but cold at the bottom 4. An holy importunity makes a man more inlarged before God in secret then before men in publike O my Dove that art in the clifts of the rock in the secret places of thy stairs let me see thy countenance let me hear thy voice for sweet is thy voyce and thy countenance is comely The voice of Christs Church is sweet even then when she is in secret when none but God beholds her Cant. 8. 13. Thou that dwellest in the gardens the companions harken to thy voice cause me to hear it But now an hypocrite doth never care to have any secret communion with God he cares not to pray alone and if hee bee brought to that hee takes no care of his heart he curbs not his thoughts all his care is in company popular applause and vain-glory is as the wind to the sails of a Ship that makes their affections move the faster An hypocrite in this regard may be resembled to a Nightingale which sings sweetess when any man stands neer her So carnal men when others are witnesses of their actions then they put forth the utmost of their ability They are of John's temper he was zealous onely upon that condition that others would see it 5. This holy importunity makes a godly man the more humble the more enlarged he is to prayer The reason is because he looks upon his enlargements not as coming from the strength of his natural parts or abilities but as the free-gift and gracious dispensation of Gods Spirit and so he sees he hath nothing whereof to boast and so it makes him low in his own eyes You know a violet that is one of the sweetest flowers growes lowest in the earth The fullest ears of corn do most hang down The fullest barrels make the least noise So the most gracious heart is the most low and vile in its own apprehensions is the nearest earth but dust and ashes The fuller he is of divine discoveries or enlargement the less boasting doth he make in the world A ship the heavier it is laden the lesse it is tost with winds and waves the more empty it is the more it is lifted up above the water so a man the more empty the more tost too and fro with every wind of applause Grace is as it were the balast of the soul to keep down a mans spirits and make him humble in the midst of wit and parts Be ye therefore sober and watch unto prayer Be sober and not puffed up do not boast of your enlargements Though it is true it doth refer to another thing yet Byfield refers it to prayer and he saith That man that prayes to God with most enlargednesse of affections towards God that man cannot but he must watch and be sober Sobriety is opposed to pride for a man may be dumb with his own gifts and graces and watchfulnesse is opposed to remisnesse and deadnesse and carelesnesse of spirit in the performance of duties Thus it is with a sincere man that hath this true importunity in him But now wicked men if ever they have enlargements in duty it puffs them up It is with them as it was with Uzziah 2 Chr. 26. 16. When God had helped him marvellously til he was strong But when he was strong his heart was lifted up to his destruction When God helps the soul of such a man in duty it makes him to lift up himself against God and be puffed up above his brethren 6. He that hath this holy importunity in him his desires are rather quickned then abated by denials You finde this in the woman of Canaan Matt. 15. 22. She cryed unto Christ saying Have mercy on me O Lord thou Son of David my daughter is grie vously vexed with a divel Jesus Christ takes no notice of her He answered her not a word vers 23. There is one discouragement One would have thought she would have dâ—â—sted but she prayed again and the Disciples besought him to send her away vers 23. There was another discouragement which would have knocked off the desires of many but she continues her request still Jesus Christ himself answers her I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel vers 24. There is a third discouragement and yet this doth not cool her affections but she comes afresh upon Christ she came and worshipped saying Lord help me vers 25. Yet she found another repulse and that worse then any of the former It is not meet to take the childrens bread and give it to doggs vers 26. Christ you see calls her a dog and yet all this doth not cast her off but she takes encouragement even from this discouraging answer And she said Truth Lord yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters table vers 27. She was resolved she would not give over till she got what she came for till Christ
with Abraham Gen. 15 11. When Abraham was sacrificing fowles came downe upon the sacrifice but Abraham drove them away Deodate saith this is a signe that the Devills those infernall spirits labour to disturbe us in holy duties as the good Angels behold us in our assemblies and rejoyce to see our order so the wicked Angells labour to disturbe us and molest us 2. There is strength against us from within There is that in thy heart that will carry thee more violently from God then the good motions in thee can bring thee to God there is a forcible withdrawing of the heart from God James 1. 14. Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed When you have no will to doe good even then you have a will to doe evill nay there are wills of the flesh and lusts of the flesh shall we not have halfe a will for God when we have many wills for sin You see therefore it is not without good reason that we should be thus importunate in prayer And so much for the fifth particular The sixt particular is this What are the reasons why so many people doe want this holy importunity that so many pray and so few pray with that earnestnesse and eagernesse of heart and affection that is required I answer that comes to passe for many reasons Reas 1 1. This comes to passe from the injections and instigations of Satan The Devill acts not onely powerfully but also subtilly and craftily he will endeavour to divert you from the performance of duty he will perswade you to neglect it if he can But it may be thou wilt say thou wilt direct thy prayer unto God and thou wilt have thine eye fixed upon God Why now Sathan will fall in with you he will jogge your arme he will take off your eye from the marke that you shall not be able to hit it Thus he dealt with Abraham as you heard before Thus he dealt Job 1. 6. Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord and Sathan came also among them I am not ignorant that many Interpreters by the sons of God doe understand the Angells because the Angells are called the sons of God Job 38. 7. but it cannot be so taken here I will give but one reason to prove it because the place where the Angells are is in heaven and if so then the Devill must be in heaven which is by all denyed he never was in heaven since he was cast out of it And therefore Bolducius saith that this day was the Lords day and by the Sons of God are meant the godly men that lived in the time and place where Jobâ—ived â—ived the posterity of Seth. And you hall finde in Scripture this very appella tion given to them Gen. 6. 2. The sons of God saw the daughters of men These sons of God must needs be men and not Angells And so they are to be understood in this place in Job the people of God met together and came before the Lord and Sathan came also among them he came to hinder them and disturbe them So it was Zach. 3. 1 2. And be shewed me Joshua the high Priest standing before the Angell of the Lord and Sathan standing at his right hand to resist him And the Lord said unto Sathan The Lord rebuke thee O Sathan even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee is not this a firebrand pluckd out of the fire You see how Sathan laboured to divert the thoughts and distract the heart of the high Priest in the performance of religious duties That is the first reason 2. This importunity is wanting in our prayers when we know and allow our selves in any one sin and let it lie upon our hearts unrepented of Hildersham gathers from the 51 Psalme that all the while that David did lie in that sin of adulterie all the time that sin was unrepented of the heart of David was shut up that he could not pray as he was wont to doe before and as he did after he had repented of that sin at which time he writ that penitentiall Psalme You had need looke to your hearts that there doe not lie there any sin incouraged and unrepented of for be sure of this if thy prayer doe not make thee leave sinning thy sin will make thee leave praying That is the second reason of the want of importunity 3. Another reason is this because many take unfit seasons for the performance of dutie It is the judgement of that learned and reverend man of God Mr Bolton that the taking of unfit seasons for the performance of prayer doth more obstruct and hinder this holy importunity in prayer then all the suggestions and instigations of Sathan Now there are three unfit seasons for the performance of this duty 1. When the body is sleepy and fit for nothing but to take its rest A sleepy and sluggish temper is a canker to eat out many sweet affections Cant. 3. 1. By night upon my bed I sought him but I found him not Some Inter preters take occasion hence to speak against late prayers 2. Another unfit season is when the heart is filled with worldly care and distractions and the incumbrances of this present life many men are guilty of this they will so â—log themselves with the cares of this life that they cannot have a praying time free from them Some men will be down upon their knees before the things of this world are out of their minds and so they have no time to consider or meditate or to put the heart into a fit frame for that work You know we are to attend upon the Lord without distraction 1 Cor. 7. 35. It was the fault of those Jews in hearing that when they came to hear the word their hearts did go out after their covetousnesse Ezek. 33. 31. That is another season unfit for prayer 3. Another season is when we are under passionate distempers When tumultuous passions are up holy affections are down 1 Tim. 2. 8. I will that men pray every where lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting to shew that where there is wrath the duty of prayer cannot be performed in an acceptable manner And of the same mind was the Apostle Peter who therefore gives this counsel 1 Pet. 3. 7. Likewise ye husbands dwel with them according to knowledg giving honour unto the wife as unto the weaker vessel and as being heirs together of the grace of life that your prayers be not hindered The Apostle wisely fore-saw that if man and wife lived in discontent and trouble then their prayers would be hindred and therefore he adviseth them to prevent the hinderance of their prayers by avoiding occasions of discontent And that is the third season wherein people are are unfit for prayer so they are diverted from that servency and importunity
they might have in their prayers We should therefore chuse the fittest seasons for prayer It is said of Luther by Vitus Theodorus who was present with him at Coburge and many times heard him at his private prayers in a letter of his to Melanchthon That there was no day passed over his head wherein Luther did not spend three hours at the least in prayers and those not hours that he could best spare unseasonable hours but such hours as were the fittest for his study And that was a reason that Luther was very importunate in his prayers as the same Author informs us Good God with how much reverence did I hear him pray With how much boldnesse and confidence c. And on the contrary one reason why men have so little of this holy importunity is for want of taking fit seasons for the work 4. Another reason of the want of this holy importunity is the difuse and neglect of prayer in your Christian course Many there are that pray sometimes and leave off praying again now this doth very much dull mens affections in prayer There is a Proverb Use makes perfectness I am sure it is so in the duty of prayer let a Christian pray often and he will come to pray well and to pray with much enlargednesse of heart and let him leave off prayer and he will finde his heart exceedingly streightned Take a Key if you use it frequently it will be bright but if you lay it aside it will soon grow rusty thus will it be with a mans heart use prayer much keep it close to the performance of duty it is the way to have thy heart bright Let this Key of prayer which doth open heaven be used it will be kept bright and thy prayer will enter into heaven but let this Key of prayer be laid aside and do not thou often use it and it will quickly grow rusty again thy prayers and performances will not be able to enter neaven and thou wilt not be able to perform duty in that manner that God expecteth If thou dost not watch unto prayer with all carefulnesse thou wilt loose thy zeal and servent affection and thy holy desires after God in duty As it is with a Pump use it every day and water will come but if you forbear the use of it two or three dayes water will neither come so easily nor so plentifully If you do not pump out your holy desires every day they will quickly flag and grow remisse Physitians observe concerning the teeth that that side of the teeth that is not used is most subject to rheumes and distillations That heart that is not inured to prayer and holy duties is most subject to Satans instillations and suggestions This is the fourth reason Reas 5 The fifth reason why this importunity is wanting is this because men tye themselves to prescript forms of prayer I do not say that it is unlawful to use set forms of prayer we finde that Jesus Christ himself used a form Matt. 26. 39. Christ went and said Father if it be possible let this cup pass from me Vers 42. He went again the second time and prayed saying O my Father if this cup may not passe from me thy will be done Vers 44. He went away again and prayed saying the same words To shew that it is lawful 〈…〉 forms of prayer but not alwaies You are to strive for the spirit of prayer A man that will use his crutches constantly shall go â—ame all the dayes of his life 〈…〉 live in an age wherein Religion is 〈◊〉 professed and the Gospel is fully 〈◊〉 known Do not content your selves 〈◊〉 forms labour for the spirit of prayer 〈…〉 you may go to God and spread 〈…〉 him your wants and necessities and 〈◊〉 those mercies that are most sutable to 〈◊〉 wants and exigences Forms indâ—ed will teach you to beg pardon for sin in general but you must beg pardon for particular sins You must not onely beg mercy in general but you must also beg 〈◊〉 particular mercies that are most 〈…〉 you And this set forms are 〈…〉 which yet is the main work in prayer He that tyes himself alwaies to another mans form will not be able to pray alone but weakly and coldly and formally This is the fifth reason 6. Another ground of this importunity is a giving way to an accustomed continuance in a sleight and carelesse performance of duties this enervates the affections and emasculates the spirits what men are accustomed to that they get an habit of so that they cannot do the contrary As a Carriers horse that is used to a dull and slow pace cannot go out of it The lessening of Acts makes Habits more remisse That is the last reason And so much shall suffice for answer to the sixth Question LUKE 11. 8. Though he will not rise and give him because he is his friend yet because of his importunity he will give unto him c. THE Fourth paticular is this By wat helps may a man attain to this holy importunity in prayer For answer I shall lay down six or seven Theological helps by which a man may come to attain this holy importunity 1. Possesse thine heart with an lawful fear of the Almighty God This was the ground of Davids importunity as you may see Psal 5. vers 3. he saith My voice shalt thou hear in the morning And in the 7 verse you will finde this holy fear did lye at the bottom Lut as for me I will come into thine house in the multitude of thy mercy and in thy fear will I worship towards thine holy temple David came to duty with a strong 〈◊〉 of Gods greatness and dreadfulness So it is the advice of the Apostle that if we would serve God acceptably we must do it with reverence and godly fear Heb. 12. 28. That fore-cited Author Vitus Theodorus writes concerning Luther That he prayed with so much confidence as if he had been speaking with his friend and familiar and yet with so much reverence as one that considered the great distance between God and him I may allude to that place Isal 60. 5. though the words are spoken to another purpose Thy heart shall fear and be enlarged An holy fear breeds an holy care If a man once comes to this that he is fearlesse of God he will quickly be carelesse in prayer Job 15. 4. Yea thou castest off fear and restrainest prayer before God A man that doth cast off the fear of God doth soon cease to pray unto God He that fears God most that man will certainly pray to God best That is the first help Help 2 2 Another help or meanes to get this holy importunity is this To recollect thy thoughts by holy meditation before thou comest to this weighty duty of prayer to God And upon this ground we finde meditation and prayer to be put together Psal 5. 1 2. Give eare to my words O Lord
thou hadst formerly more affection but lesse judgement lesse experience lesse spiritualnesse in thy prayers It may be now thou art more sound in knowledge thou makest a more inward progresse in holinesse thou canst now make a more inward prayer to God thou hast now more inward communion with God Now if this be so thou hast no cause to be discouraged God loves a judicious prayer as well as a large and affectionate prayer you see what you want one way you make up another way A young carpenter gives more blowes and makes more chips but an old and experienced workman doth the most and the best worke A young Musitian can play more quickly and nimbly upon an instrument but an old Musitian hath more skill 2. It may be when thou hadst more affections in prayer thou hadst more sin in prayer more pride in thy gifts more dependance upon thy duties more sensoriousness of others and many other corruptions that did accompany thy prayers and thy affectionatenesse in them Now though thou hast lesse affections yet those other corruptions are in great part eaten out 3. It may be thou hast not now so many helps and opportunities to keep up thine heart to stirre up thine affections in prayer as thou hadst formerly It may be thou didst formerly live under the teachings of an able godly minister Now thou hast lost that opportunity And so there are severall other helps that peradventure are now taken away from thee 4. Though it is true thou art abated and thou didst pray better formerly then now yet ought not this to be matter of discouragement to thee 1. If it doth not proceed from a voluntary carelessenesse 2. If it be not accompanied with hardnesse and insensiblenesse 3. If it be not continued in with lazinesse and contentednesse And so much for answer to the second reason 3. Another ground of doubting to the people of God is this They complaine they have not those inlarged expressions in prayer which Gods people use to have For answer consider these things 1. This hath many times been the case of Gods own people that they have wanted expressions they could not finde a vent for their affections Thus it was with Hannah she spake in her heart but she was not able to expresse her selfe So it was with holy David Psal 77. 4. I am so troubled that I cannot speak and yet in the first verse of that Psalme he tells us he cried unto the Lord with his voice Here was an heart full of prayer though he wanted utterance 2. It is better to have affections without expressions then expressions without affections God lookes more to the desires of the heart then the words of the mouth It may be what thou wantest of expression is made up in affection 3. It may be what is wanting in words is made up in life as thou art defective in expression so thou makest a recompence in conversation and that is the best expression that can be It is much better to live a prayer then to expresse a prayer It is good to pray for grace but it is better to live a life of grace It is good to pray against sin but it is better to live against sin And so much for answer to the third doubt A fourth ground of doubting is this Many a disconsolate Christian is apt to say I am troubled with wandring thoughts with deadnesse and dulnesse of heart in prayer I confess thy case is sad and to be lamented for and it is just matter of humiliation Yet even here is matter of comfort 1. If thou dost what thou canst to free thy self from wandrings before thou comest to pray 2. If thou dost what thou canst to resist these wandrings when you are come before God in prayer 3. If you be sensible of these wandrings afterward If you can say you do these three things your wandrings shall never be laid to your charge And thus I have done with both these Uses of Caution And so I have done with the principal Doctrine which was this That on holy importunity and earnestness of spirit is a condition required in the prayers of Gods people if they expect returns thereunto There is another considerable Doctrine yet behinde taken from the amplification of the concession He asked but three loaves but because of his importunity he gave him as many as he needed The observation thence is this That when the heart is importunate in begging mercy God usually gives us more then we pray for In the handling of this Doctrine I shall 1. prove it by Scripture-instances 2. I shall lay down the reasons of it 3. I shall answer some objections and cases of conscience and so I shall come to application 1. I shall prove it by Scripture instances 1. You have the instance of Hannah 1 Sam. 1. She beg'd a son with much importunity being a woman of a sorrowful spirit for want of a son Well God returns her an answer Chemnitius observes that Hanna asked a son and God gave her a Prophet She begged a son God gave her a gracious son a son greatly beloved of God She asked a single mercy and God gave her a double blessing Another instance you have in Abraham Gen. 17. Abraham prayed O that Ishmael might live in thy sight Well what answer doth God return That you have vers 19. Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed and thou shalt call his name Isaac and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant and with his seed after him It was Abrahams desire that Ishmael might live Now God not onely grants that but hee grants him a better mercy Another instance you have in the Canaanitish woman Matth. 15. who did importunately beg of Christ the life and health of her daughter Christ answered her thus Be it unto thee even as thou wilt Now if you ask what is the reason why God deals thus with his people I answer Reas 1 1. This proceeds from the largenesse and greatnesse of Gods power and the riches and freenesse of his grace towards us Ephes 3. 20. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we are able to ask or think according to the power that worketh in us A man may ask of another man and it may be receive but then hee must not aske again but herein appears the power and ability the goodness and bounty of God if we ask of him once or twice he is a God that is able to give not according to our asking onely but above what we ask and not onely above what we can ask but above what we can ask or think The words are so full that they cannot well be expressed God doth more then excessively God hath not onely a fulnesse of abundance but of redundancy not onely of plenty but bounty he is better then our prayers Reas 2 2. God will do this to
commanded them and the Lord accepted Job It may be there be times when you can not pray or when God will not heare your prayers but remember you have a stock of prayers going for you And thus much shall suffice by way of answer to this objection I now come to make application LUKE 11. 8. Though he will not rise and give him because he is his friend yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him c. IN the first place let me draw some Inferences or Corollaries from what hath been insisted upon Corol ∣ lary 1 1. Returnes to prayer are not given for the works sake but for the persons sake Though the matter of thy prayer may be good yet if thou art not a good man thou shalt not be accepted God had respect first to Abel then to his offering Psal 34. 17. The righteous cry and the Lord heareth The person must be in a state of favour before the dutie can be accepted Corol. 2 2. Though prayers are not returned for the work yet they are not returned without the work God expects the worke and the worke you must doe though God will not have you to look for acceptance for the workes sake Corol. 3 3. Nor are returnes of prayer made to a person singly considered but a member of Christ as one that hath a share in his intercession Joh. 15. 7. If yee abide in mee yee shall aske what you will and it shall be given you So Joh. 16. 23. Whatsoever ye aske the Father in my Name that he will give to you All our prayers are but Cyphers till Christs intercession be added Cyphers in Arithmetick stand for nothing till a figure be added Coroll 4 4. The longer and the more thou hast prayed the more affectionate shouldest thou be in prayer Mat. 6. 7. Aske and yee shall have seeke and yee shall finde knock and it shall be opened unto you Observe the gradation in these words Aske but you must not stay there you must seeke nor yet must you rest satisfied there you must knock Your affections should be every day more eager and earnest you should pray more fervently as it is said of Christ Luk. 22. 44. Corol. 5 5. He can never pray importunately that doth not pray daily Intermission of dutie will quickly cause an interruption in thine affections you must therefore pray in secret pray fervently pray morning and evening And to stirre you up to and incourage you in this worke Consider 1. The example of those holy men of God who have done thus Nehemiah 1 6. Let thine eare now be attentive and thine yet open that thou maiest heare the prayer of thy servant which I pray before thee day and night So you have the example of Daniel Dan. 6. 10. hee kneeled upon his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thankes before his God as he did before time It was a custome that he had observed of former time Though he was a great Courtier and a man full of great imployment yet he would not neglect prayer Nor was this an extraordinary fit but his ordinary course So in David Psal 5. 3. My voyce shall thou heare in the morning and in the evening will I direct my prayer unto thee and will looke up So Psal 88. 13. But unto thee have I cryed O Lord and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee So Psal 119. 147. I prevented the dawning of the morning and cryed unto the Lord. Psal 55. 17. Evening and morning and at noone will I pray and cry aloud 2. You have the example of Jesus Christ himselfe Mark 1. 35. In the morning rising up a great while before day he went out and departed into a solitary place and there prayed and so at evening Mat. 14. 23. He went unto a mountaine to pray and when the evening was come he was there also And least you should thinke this was onely upon extraordinary occasion it is said Luk. 22. 3. He came to the mount of Olives as he was went Joh. 18. 2. Jesus resorted thither with his Disciples 3. Consider you have the very examples of of Heathens in this The Heathens sacrificed to Heroules morning and evening upon the great Altar at Rome 4. Consider that in the Lords Prayer we are taught to pray every day Christ did not bid us pray for bread or things necessary for a moneth or a yeare but day by day 5. This was prefigured in the Law there was a daily offering to be given to God a lambe at morning and a lambe at night as you may see Exod. 29. 38 39. Yea extraordinary sacrifices did not abolish this number there was a burnt offering for the Sabbath besides the continuall burnt offering and the burnt offering at the beginning of the moneth and the Passe over and yet though these extraordinary workes were to be done yet the ordinary were not to be left undone 80 that you see here is good ground and encouragement for then to be-frequent in these religious duties And somuch for the 〈…〉 Use 2 Caution â— This may be usefull for the instruction of those to whom God hath given returnes of prayers to whom God hath out of his bounty given more then they did â—â—ke To such I must give first Sâ—â—ne negative cautions secondly Some positive cautions Nega ∣ tive 1 â— Some 〈…〉 cautions and that in foure regards 1. Let not Gods returnes to thy prayers make thee remisse and carelesse in the performance of duty Beware of an empty heart when God brings in thy mercies with a full hand Merchant adventurers iâ— they have good returnes are incouraged to adventure their Ships to Sea againe Our hearts are so base and disingenuous that wee are apt when we have what we seeke for to seeke no more O take heed of this let not Gods goodnesse make you worse 2. Another caution iâ— this Let not returnes to prayer make you conceited and proud of your gifts or of your graces Wee are too apt to reflect upon our selves our parts our graces our abilities and therefore we have more need to 〈…〉 of it Beware that thine heart be not lifted up in pride against God least God be provoked to lift up his hand against thee in judgement 3. Take heed that you doe not ascribe the returnes of prayer do your owne importunitie but 〈◊〉 to the freenesse of Gods grace Men are 〈◊〉 apt to 〈◊〉 to their owne 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 because to their owne drags Take â—eed o◠〈◊〉 God cannot endure to have his glory givs and another Say rather I have received mercy but alas there is nothing in mee that could deserve it all comes solely from the free grace of God 4. Take heed of returning againe to sin after God hath returned thy prayers into thy bosome Psal 85. 8. I will heare what the Lord God will speake for he will