So Hannah having obtained Samuel by prayer shee returnes him unto God 1. Sam. 1. 27 28. For this childe I prayed and God gave me my petition and therefore also I have lent him to the Lord as long as hee liveth If therefore thou findest this his dealing with thee in answering thee to be a kindely motive to cause thee to mourne for sin and to bee as a restraint against sin it is a signe it was the fruit of praier Thus it wrought with David Psal 6. 8. Away from mee yee that work iniquity God hath heard the voice of my weeping Also if thou rejoycest in God more than in the thing obtained so Hannah begins her song when she blesseth God for her child My heart rejoyceth in the Lord c. 1. Sam. 2. 1. Shee rejoyceth not so much in the gift as in the giver and his favour more in this that her prayer was answered then in the thing obtained this is a signe of having obtained the mercy through prayers when it is thus sanctified unto a mans spirit §. 2. Prayer answered enlargeth the heart with thankfulnesse 2 Prayers answered will inlarge thy heart with thankefulnesse and thus usually they doe selfe-love makes us more forward to pray than to give thankes for nature is all of the craving and taking hand but where grace is there will be no eminent mercie gotten with much strugling but there will be a continued particular thankfull remembrance of it a long while after with much inlargement and As prayers abounded so will thanksgiving abound also Hannah shee makes a Song 1. Sam. 1. 2. Great blessings that are wonne with prayer are worne with thankfulnesse such a man will not ask new but he will withall give thankes for old Thankfulnesse of all duties proceeds from pure grace therefore if the spirit stirs thee unto it it is a signe he made the prayer What thankes shall I render to God for the joy I have in you saith S. Paul 1. Thess 3. 9 10 So in all his other Epistles all those hee writes to as he prayes for them so hee tells them he gives thanks for them and for their graces which he had prayed for And if answering prayers for others makes S. Paul so thankfull what when for himselfe Prayer and thanks are like the double motion of the lungs the ayre that is sucked in by prayer is breathed forth againe by thanks Is thy heart afresh inlarged as to mourne for past sins long since committed so in like manner to give thankes for past mercies wonne with long prayers and this for a long while after it is a sign that they were obtained by prayer §. 3. If this encourageth thee to go to God againe 3 If the mercy obtained doth encourage thee to goe to GOD another time to pray againe the more confidently and fervently it is a signe thou hast got the former that way For the Holy Ghost having once shewed thee this way of procuring mercy hence it is thou art thus ready to take the same course another time Psal 116. 2. The Lord hath heard mee and I will call on him as long as I live I know sayes hee now what course to take if I be in any want even to call upon him and he calls upon others to doe so too § 4. It makes a man carefull to performe his vows made in prayer to obtaine it 4 When God having heard thy prayers upon solemne vowes made by thee thy heart is made carefull to pay those vowes which thou didst make in the time of thy suing to GOD for that mercy this may be an argument to thee the thing being granted that thy prayer was heard For first it argueth that thy heart it selfe doth secretly make such an account that upon them God did grant the thing and thou dost therefore make conscience to return all again to God in service as the condition of thy Indentures made with him and as an homage due and an acknowledgement for ever that such a mercy was won by prayer and by this preservest the memory of the receit of that mercy vowes being of the nature of homage and secondly in this also it is an evidence that the thing was obtained by prayer in that God cals for those vowes from thee by his Spirit in thy heart and stirs thee up to perform them it argues that in relation to thy prayers answered He takes them as dues from thee that having dispatcht thy suite He now calls for what was agreed to bee given him when it should bee performed And thirdly in that also he doth accept the payment of these thy vows of thee he acknowledgeth that those vowes and prayers were heard for as Manoah said in another case If hee meant to have destroyed us Iudg. 13. 23 hee would not have accepted a sacrifice so in this case it may be said if God had not heard thy prayers hee would not have accepted thy vowes after thy praying Thus David Psal 66. 13 14. I will pay thee my vowes which my lips have uttered and my mouth hath spoken when I was in my trouble the reason follows v. 17 19. because that Verily God hath heard me when I cryed to him and so Eliphaz in Iob doth connect and hang these two together Iob 22. 27. Thou shalt make thy prayer to him and he shall heare thee and thou shalt pay thy vowes This which he speakes of paying his vowes was not onely as it was to be his duty but also as a consequent that would follow the other that when his prayers should be heard he thereupon would performe his vowes for his scope is to move Iob to turne to God shewing what benefit would accrue to him by it and amongst others this The hearing his prayers and performing his vowes 5 If a man sees by faith and acknowledgeth God ◠sole han◠in the accomplishment 5 When thou art inabled by faith to see cleerly Gods hand shewed forth in the effecting of that mercy over and above the power of second causes and to acknowledge it to his glory for the truth is one maine cavilling reason in our blinde hearts whereby wee are usually hindred and put by from apprehending our prayers to be answered when yet the thing is done wee shall find to be that our eyes are terminated and bounded in second causes and not raised to see Gods hand in the thing therefore on the contrary when God inableth thee to see that hee hath done thee this kindnesse so as thy minde is cleere in it this is a fruit of his hearing thy prayers And this you will usually finde to be true that so much faith and dependance as you had upon God in prayer for the obtaining of a mercy so much faith and acknowledgement you will have in the accomplishment of it Parallel with this rule is that other which in another case is usually given that in performance of duties so much as the soul did
the flesh there was a great expectation raised up in the hearts of the godly people to look and pray for him Luke 2. 27. and 38. §. 2. By some speciall evidence as first sometimes by some notable circumstance 2 God doth usually often evidence to a man that his prayers contributed and went among the rest towards the obtaining of it as 1 By some circumstance as for example sometimes by ordering it so that that man that prayed most for a thing of concernement should have the first newes of it when it comes to bee accomplisht which God doth as knowing it will bee most welcome newes to him God doth herein as wee doe with a friend who we know is cordiall in and wisheth well to a businesse hee sends him the first word of it who was most hearty in it prayed most about it Good old Simeon had surely been earnest in seeking the Lord as wel as the rest in Ierusalem to send the Messiah into the world to restore and raise up the ruines of Israel for God did reveale to him that hee should see him before he died and therefore to evidence to him his respect to his prayers God carryed the good old man into the Temple just at the time when the Child was brought into the Temple for to bee presented to the Lord Luk. 2. 27 28. And in like manner good Anna who had served God with fasting and praier night and day God ordereth it so that she must also come in at the same instant Luke 2. 38. By some such like peculiar circumstance or other doth God often use to witnesse to a mans heart that hee hath heard him in businesses prayed for in common with others Secondly by the hearts being filled with much ioy in the accomplishment 2. By filling the heart with much joy in the accomplishment of what a man prayed for which is an evident argument that his prayers did move the Lord to effect it as well as the prayers of others Thus that good old Simeon seeing his prayers now answered hee was even willing to die through joy and thought he could not die in a better time Lord now let thy servant depart in peace For when the desires have vented and laid out much of themselves then when the return comes home they have an answerable part and share in the comfort of it and as desires abounded in praying so will joy and comfort also in the accomplishment As when a Ship comes home not onely the chiefe owners but every one that ventured shall have a share out of the returne in a proportion to the adventure so here though some one whom it mainly concerns hath especiall interest in the mercy obtained yet thou shalt have thy prayers out in joy from God that the thing is granted S. Paul had planted a Church at Thessalonica but hee could not stay to water it with his owne preaching yet when absent hee waters those Plants which hee had set with prayers night and day 1. Thes 3. 10. Night and day praying exceedingly for you sayes hee and as his prayers were exceeding abundant for them so was his joy as aboundant in them when hee had heard that they stood stedfast and fell not back againe Now wee live if yee stand fast in the Lord ver 8. And what thanks can we render to God for all the joy wherewith wee joy for your sakes before the Lord ver 9. 3 By thankfulnesse for it when accomplisht 3. If God give you a heart thankfull for a blessing vouchsafed to another prayed for by you with others it is another signe your prayers have some hand in it S. Paul knew not what thankes to give for the answering of his prayers as in that forementioned place Old Eli had put up but one short ejaculatory petition that wee reade of for Hannah that was The Lord grant thy petition 1 Sam. 1. 17. for the returne of that one prayer when Hannah related how God had answered her ver 26 27. hee returned solemne thankes And he worshipped the Lord there ver 28. § 3. Especially when the thing obtained cōcernes a mans own particular And lastly in case the thing concerned thy self which was prayed for by others helping thee therein what cause hast thou but to thinke that it was granted for thy owne prayers and not for theirs onely seeing God stirred up their hearts to pray for thee and gave thee a heart to pray for thy selfe and besides gave thee the thing which thou desiredst which argues thou art beloved aswell as they and accepted as well as they I know this shal turn to my salvation through your prayers saith S. Paul Phil. 1. 19. though their prayers went to the businesse yet had not S. Paul beene accepted himselfe the prayers of all the men in the world would have done him but little good God may heare the prayers of the godly for wicked men when they doe not pray themselves in temporall things so hee did heare Moses for Pharaoh Abraham for Abimelech and he may heare godly men the sooner for others prayers so hee heard Aaron and Miriam the sooner for Moses his sake Numb 12. 13 But if God stirs up thy heart to pray for thy selfe as well as others for thee then God that gave thee a heart to pray hath heard thy prayers also and hath had a respect to them more in it then to theirs because it concerned thy selfe as a more speciall mercy unto thee Chap. 5. CHAP. V. Common directions helpfull in all cases and prayers First from such observations as may be taken from before and in praying HAving premised these Cases I come now to more generall and common directions to help you in discerning and observing the minde of God and his answers to you in your prayers All which directions are such as may be helpfull in all the forementioned cases and in all sorts of prayers whatever And they are taken from observations to bee made upon your prayers c. Both before in and after praying § 1. Before when God prepares the heart to pray First Before praying when God bespeakes a prayer as I may so speak that is when God secretly speakes to the heart to pray much about a thing I expresse it thus according to that phrase of David Psal 27. 8. Thou saidst seeke my face and I said Thy face Lord will I seeke now God then speakes to the heart to pray when not onely hee puts upon the duty by saying to the conscience this thou oughtest to doe but Gods speaking to pray is such as his speech at first was when hee made the world when hee said Let there be light and there was light so hee sayes Let there be a prayer and there is a prayer that is hee powres upon a man a spirit of grace and supplication a praying disposition hee puts in motives suggests arguments and pleas to God all which you shall finde come
done expecting have forgot their prayers and then hee doth things Isai 64. they looked not for § 2. A 2. cause are sinfull discouragements which are three Other discouragements there are wherein we our selves are more faulty and which are our sins more then our temptations which yet weaken the expectation of having our prayers answered as 1 Slothfulnesse in prayer 1 Slothfulnesse in prayer when wee doe not put to all our might in praying and then no wonder we doe not onely not obtaine but that our owne hearts misgive us that we look for little successe and issue of such prayers Qui frigidè rogat docet negare he that shews himself cold in a suite teaches him he sues to to deny him if wee see one seeking to us faintly and slightly wee are not then sollicitous to deny him but thinke hee will be easily put off and not thinke much so accordingly when wee shall observe so much by our selves and see our selves slothfull in praying and praying as if we prayed not no wonder if by reason of that consciousnesse wee looke not after the successe of such prayers which in the performance wee slighted when wee pray as if wee were willing to bee denyed wee knowing that the Scripture sayes that the fervent prayer onely prevailes that prayer which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that sets all the faculties on worke Iames 5. 16. How should wee then expect that God should grant any good thing to us For though God sels nothing to us for our prayers but gives freely yet hee would have his gifts accepted now without large desires and longings they would not be accepted and what is fervent prayer but the expression of such fervent desires Iacob wrestled when he obtained many seeke to enter sayes Christ but you must strive Now when wee know these things and yet are slothfull how can wee expect any answers at all will not the consciousnesse of it quell all our expectations and hence it comes to passe that God proportioning his dealings with us to our prayers because we seeme to pray and yet pray not to purpose therefore God hee sometimes seemes like one asleepe and then sometimes to wake and make faire offers to helpe and yet falls as it were asleepe againe because we were thus drowsie in our prayers those prayers that awaken God must awaken us Those prayers that stir God must first stirre us to lay hold on God as Isaiah speakes as obedience strengthens faith and assurance so fervency in prayer begets confidence of being heard In all other things slothfulnesse doth discourage and weaken expectation doth any man expect that riches should come upon him when hee doth his businesse negligently for it is the diligent hand that maketh rich doth any man expect a crop and a harvest if hee takes not pains to plow and sowe his Corne no more if you doe not take paines with your hearts in Prayer can you expect an answer or indeed will you 2 Discouragement looking at prayer as a duty rather then as a meanes to obtaine blessings 2 Cause or sinfull discouragement herein is looking at prayer onely as a duty to be performed and so performing it as a taske and not so much out of desires stirred up after the things to be obtained nor out of faith that we shall obtain them which is as if a Physitian having a sick servant to whom he prescribeth and commandeth to take some physicke to cure him and his man should take it indeed because it is commanded and prescribed by his master looking at it as an act of duty as hee obeyes him in other businesses but not as looking at it as a medicine or meanes that will have any worke upon him to cure him and therefore orders himselfe as if hee had taken no such thing Thus doe most in the world pray to God take prayer as a prescription only but not as a meanes they come to God daily but as to a Master onely in this performance not as to a Father and thus doing no wonder if they looke for little effect of prayers for our expectation never exceeds or reaches further then our end and intention which we had in any businesse If I perform any Ordinance but as a duty then I rest therein and expect no further as if a man preacheth for filthy lucre onely he performs his duty and then lookes for his hire but lookes not after any other effect of his Sermons so nor will men doe after their prayers for answers to them when they performe them as duties onely Now to help you in this you are to looke to two things in prayer A directiō Two things to be lookt at in praying Acōmand A promise First to a command from God Secondly to the promise of God and so to consider it in a double relation first as a duty in respect to the Command secondly as a means to obtaine or procure blessings at Gods hand in relation to his promise therefore in prayer first an act of obedience secondly an act of faith is to bee exercised aske in faith nothing wavering Iam. 1. Now the most in the world performe it as an act of obedience only and so rest in the present performance and acceptation of it but if a man pray in faith hee will pray with an eye to the promises and looke on prayer as a meanes for time to come to obtaine such or such a mercy at Gods hands and if so then he is not satisfied till hee hath an answer of his prayers and till then will wait as the Church sayes Shee would wait till hee did arise and plead her cause 3 Discouragement falling into sins againe after praying A third sinfull discouragement is returning to sinnes after prayers when a man hath prayed for some mercy and riseth full of much confidence that his prayers are heard and so a while he walkes yet falling into a sin that sin doth dash al his hopes undoes his prayers as he thinkes and calls them backe againe meetes as it were with the answer which is Gods messenger and causeth it to returne to heaven againe How often when God had even granted a petition and the decree was a comming forth and the grant newly written and the seale a setting to it but an act of treason comming betweene stops it in the seale and deferres it blots and blurreth all both prayer and grant when newly written and leaves a guilt in the mind which quells our hopes and then wee looke no more after our prayers and this especially if when we were a sinning such a thought came in as often it doth to restrain us are you not in dependāce upon God for such a mercy and have prayed for it and are faire for it how then dare you doe this and sin against him when in this case the heart goes on this blots all the prayer and discourageth a man for saith the conscience will God hear sinners as he
workes of GOD are so exceeding great and his thoughts therein so very deep Psal 92. 5. that every Iota of them doth deserve our deepest studies and intentions and thereunto require a proper skill and wisedome to reade his hand peculiar unto the Saints ver 6. whereunto there must be adjoined the most diligent search Psal 77. 6. and attentive observation to finde out his meaning in them and withall a speciall inclination and delight to be conversant therein Thy workes are very great sought out of those that have pleasure in them Psal 111. 2. And if of all the rest those choiser pieces his workes of mercy may challenge our best regard in which his heart and delights are most Mich. 7. 18. on which his wisedome hath laid on the richest workmanship in the most curious contrivements of his love Then surely that selected volume of more speciall mercies His Epistles vouchsafed in answer to our prayers is above all other most exactly to be studied and most diligently to bee perused by us Wherein God doth unbosome himselfe and lay open his heart more sweetly more familiarly unto us which are directed and in a maner dedicated more particularly unto our selves alone Many of them written with his owne hand in a more immediate maner discovered and appearing in them and all of them come sealed with the impresse of everlasting love and downe laden with the enclosure of the most precious tokens of his speciall favour Ps 107. 43. Who so is wise will observe these things and they shall understand the loving kindnesse of the Lord. Neither have such favours onely more of mercy in the things themselves bestowed but are further indeared to us by being made our owne mercies by a more peculiar title to them by which the kindnesse in them is rendred double For therein wee have that royall liberty to become our owne choosers and contrivers of our owne condition having all the promises throwne downe to us with blanks for us to write our names in which of them wee please which is the greatest liberty And Wee have withall his Spirit secretly directing and fixing the needle of our desires to the same point wherein his great intentions towards us doe meete with our best good which is indeed the truest liberty And to be made our selves whom we love so well and therefore delight to do good unto the chiefest instruments under him of our owne greatest happinesse is a priviledge then which the creature is not made capable of a more transcendent royalty And yet when the greatest love thus rectified which possibly we can beare our selves hath opened its mouth widest and stretched our desires in praying to their utmost compasse then will Gods infinite vast love not onely fill them but doe for us above all that we are able to ask yea to thinke exceeding abundantly above all as farr above as his thoughts are above our thoughts which is farre more then the heavens are higher then the earth All which when put together if well considered how would it provoke us to call in all that precious stock of our time thoughts and intentions which wee cast away on trifles to lay out the choisest portion of them in this thriving trade of entercourse with God the returnes whereof are better then the merchandise of silver and the gaine therof then fine gold It is the praying Christian that alone imployes the riches of the promises which wee usually let lie by us like dead stocke unimproved whilst hee like a wise and diligent Merchant looks abroad upon all the affaires of Iesus Christ that are afloat here in this world and adventures in them all is watchfull to spy out all advantages and with an holie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intermedleth in every businesse that may bring in glory unto God good unto the Church grace and comfort to his owne soule And how infinitely rich must that man needes become that puts even Gods riches out to use with the increase of ten Talents for one yea an hundred fold The due estimate whereof would no lesse quicken us to as diligent an inquiry what becomes of all those goodly adventures the prayers we make to listen what haven they arrive at how and when and with what fraught they doe returne In which great duty and most necessary property of all true Merchants yet many of the best and greatest dealers that are diligent enough in praying are still found failing and deficient that omit no gainfull opportunity of adventure but are carelesse and unobservant of their returnes Some through ignorance it may be that this is at all a duty or of any such importance are carefull onely how to lade in praiers enough not expecting to finde any of this bread cast upon the waters untill that great and generall returne of themselves all the world with joy bringing their sheaves with them Others though at present many of their praiers come home after a few daies and richly laden yet through want of skill to reade those Bills of Exchange which God often writes in an obscurer character they lie unregarded by them Many when voyages prove long though to their greater advantage when once they doe returne yet in the meane time through discouragement they give all for lost as we doe ships at Sea we cannot heare of The most are commonly complaining that their adventures still miscary and that little or nothing comes of all their prayers And All are negligent of keeping their bookes of accounts to cast up their commings in and goings out the one with the other By which they lose the chiefest portion of that comfort which for the present God hath here allotted us to live upon the revenues of their prayers And God also is not onely robbed of that Custome of his glory which should thence accrew but wronged also by standing still as debtor in their accounts to many prayers in the return of which he hath been creditor long agoe I have endevoured therefore in this small Treatise to convince beleevers of the grand importance of this duty which is so full of gaine To discover likewise the causes of the neglect herein and remove the temptations and discouragements which doe occasion it and have briefly resolved such cases as doe more usually occurre in the practise of it But principally my desire was to give in some few experiments and observations which may help to teach the weaker sort though not perfectly to reade yet here and there to spell and especially out of the impressions in their own hearts Gods meaning towards them in his answers I have cast in some scattered calculations of broken praiers cast up which though they wil not amount to make generall and perfect Tables out of yet may serve as Instances and examples for yong beginners to direct them in the exercise of this most usefull skill and wisedome how to compute and ballance their accounts by comparing their prayers and their returnes together This
know that the prayer notwithstanding is accepted by the effects upon the heart which are 4. 206 1 If we acknowledge God righteous in the deniall ibid. 2 If God fills the heart with contentment in the deniall 207 3 If the heart bee thankfull out of faith 209 4 If not discouraged but prayes still 210 CHAP. 10. Application A reproofe of them that pray but looke not after the Returnes of their prayers The causes of this neglect are 212 1 Temptations 1 From want of assurance that our persons are accepted 216 2 From the weaknes of our prayers three answers to it 221 3 From not obtaining what wee formerly prayed for answered by 4. things 227 2 More sinfull discouragements as 231 1 From slothfulnesse in praying 232 2 Looking at prayer as a duty only and not as a meanes to obtaine 236 3 Falling into sinne after prayers 240 Sixe Observations more out of the Text. 1 Observ That God doth sometimes not speake peace to his owne people 245 2 Obser The cause thereof some folly 251 3 Observ God only can speak peace 258 4 Observ God easily can give peace 267 5 Observ God will certainly speak to his people 278 6 Observ After peace spoken his people should returne no more to folly 283 The sin and folly of relapsing shewne by 7. reasons 29â— Temptations from relapse into the same sinne after peace spoken answered By Scriptures 32â— By 3 Examples 33â— By 4 Reasons 34â— 5 Cautions 36â— FINIS THE RETVRNE OF PRAYERS PSAL. 85. 8. I will heare what God the Lord will speake for He will speake peace unto His people and to his Saints but let them not turne againe to folly The Coherence of the words THis Psalme was penned in the name and for the comfort of the whole Church of the Iewes both as a Prophecie of and a Prayer for their returne out of the Babylonish Captivity and the flowing in again of that ancient glory peace administration of Justice liberty of Gods Ordinances plenty and increase which formerly they enjoyed but had now suffered an ebbe of seventy yeares continuance And first he beginneth with Prayer from the first verse to this wee have in hand putting the Lord in minde of and urging Him with His graciour dealings in former times unto His Church this is not the first time saith he that the Church hath beene in Captivity and that thou hast returned it as out of Aegypt c. and therefore wee hope that thou wilt doe so againe Thou hast beene favourable unto thy Land c. His Prayer being finished and hee having spoke he now stands and listens as you use to doe when you expect an Eccho what Eccho hee should have what answer would bee returned from Heaven whither his Prayer had already come I will heare what the Lord will speake or as some reade it I heare what the Lord doth speake for sometimes there is a present Eccho a speedy answer returned to a mans heart even ere the Prayer is halfe finished as unto Daniel Dan. 9. 20. 21. And in briefe it is this The Lord will speake peace unto His people this answer hee findes written at the bottome of the petition but with this clause of admonition for time to come added But let them not returne againe to folly a good use to bee made of so gracious an answer Chap. 1. CHAP. I. The maine observation and subject of this Discourse thence deduced That Gods people are diligently to observe the answers to their Prayers The reasons of it THese words being especially spoken in relation to the answer of God returned to his Prayer made therefore in that relation I meane principally to handle them The observation is this That when a man hath put up Prayers to God hee is to rest assured that God will in mercy answer his Prayers and to listen diligently and observe how his Prayers are answered both are here to bee observed I will heare what God will speake that is how Hee will accomplish them and withall he confidently expresseth an assurance that God will speake peace Thus doth the Church Mich. 7. 7 8. I will looke to the Lord I will wait my God will heare mee Shee was both sure of gracious audience with Him my God will heare me and she will wait till hee answers her and observe how hee doth it I will looke to the Lord and vers 9. I will heare the indignation of the Lord till he plead my cause So Habakkuk hee having made a Praier against the Tyrannie of Nebuchadnezzar in the first Chapter having ended it hee begins the second Chapter thus I will stand upon my watch tower and see what hee will answer mee The sinfulnesse of the neglect hereof demonstrated by 7. reasons and in the end an answer comes vers 2. and as hee thus waited for a Vision for sometime their Prophecies were in answer to their prayers so should wee for an answer unto ours 1. Reason Reas 1. Hereby an Ordinance of God is taken in vaine which is Gods Name because otherwise you take an Ordinance of God in vain in your hearts which is to take Gods Name with whom in that Ordinance you deale in vaine for it a signe you thinke your prayer not an effectuall meanes to attain that end it is ordained for and say secretly in your hearts as they Iob 21. 15. What profit have we if we pray to him for if we use any meanes and expect not the end it is a signe wee thinke the meanes vaine to accomplish that end Whereas every faithfull prayer is ordained of God to bee a meanes to obtaine what wee desire and pray for and is not put up in vain but shall have answer 1. Ioh. 5. 14 15. This is the confidence that we have in Him that if we aske any thing according to His will He heareth us t is true God heareth an enemy but to heare with favour is the hearing there meant and is so used in our ordinary speach as we say of a Favourite that he hath the Kings eare and if a man bee obstinate to a mans counsell we say hee would not heare though hee give the hearing so here to heare is a word of gracious inclination to doe the thing required and thus Gods eares are said to bee open to their prayers and so it followes there that if he heareth us whatsoever we aske wee know that we have the petitions that wee desired of Him Assoone as wee have prayed wee are said to have our petitions that is they are then granted and we may be confident they are assented unto by God although in regard of outward dispensation the command for accomplishment is not yet come forth even as a petitioner is said to have his suit when the word of the King is gone forth that it shall be done though it passeth not the seale or bee not signed a good while after And like as when a wicked man sinneth assoone as the act
therein according to what is our duty not according to what is his decree Againe secondly that phrase helpes to answer this when hee is said to helpe our infirmities and therefore not according to his owne vast knowledge doth he frame our prayers but so as hee applies his assistance to our infirme weake and narrow apprehensions and stirres up desires in us to such things as according to our knowledge wee are in duty to conceive and which by all wee can see by what is afore us revealed in his providence we thinke to be most for our good and his glory and God accepts such desires as from us but yet doth for us according to the largenese of his owne love §. 2. A mistake to pray absolutely for such blessings as are not absolutely promised And so now to come to the case propounded and therein unto helps to pacifie and direct the heart about those prayers at which the things are not granted And first how diddest thou frame thy prayer for that thing which is denyed thee Didst thou pray for it absolutely and peremptorily as simply best for thee thou must not then think much if such a prayer bee denyed for therein thou wentest beyond thy commission but if thou didst pray for it conditionally and with an if as Christ did if it be possible which instance is a strong ground for such kinde of prayers and not my will but thy will be done so as thou didst referre it unto and trust Gods judgement in the thing and not thine owne onely didst put him in mind as thy duty was of what was represented to thee as best for thee in view and so left it to him to cast and didst referre it to His will and wisedome In which when we are denied we are to rest in Gods judgment as best for us and so interpret the prayer answered Then thy prayer may be most fully answered and heard and yet the thing denied and thou art to interpret and God takes meaning and mind revealed in the event in the best sense which way soever it falls for otherwise CHRIST had not been heard when yet the Text sayes Hee was heard in all hee feared Hebr. 5. 7. § 3. There may be a reservation in the denial for some greater mercy 2. Observe if there were not a reservation in that denial for some greater and further mercy whereof that deniall was the foundation Thus 1 oftentimes some great crosse is prevented by the deniall of a thing which we were urgent for if we had had many of our desires we had been undone So it was a mercy to David that his childe was taken away for whose life he was yet so earnest who would have been but a living monument of his shame It was also a mercy to David that Absalom was taken away whom surely he prayed much for for hee loved him much who if he had lived might have beene the ruine of him and his house As a wicked mans deliverance and the granting his request layes a foundation and is a reservation of him to a worse Judgement So the deniall of a Godly mans prayer is for his greater good and is laid as a foundation of a greater mercy 2 and againe oftentimes the very deniall breaks a mans heart and brings him nearer to God puts him upon searching into his wayes and estate and in his prayers to see what should be amisse therein which alone is a great mercy and better then the thing seeing by the losse of that one thing hee learns how to pray better and so to obtaine a hundred better things afterward Christ desired the Cup might passe it did not and that was the foundation of our salvation the way to His glory Hee being to passe through that suffering into His glory The woman that had the bloody issue though shee used many meanes and haply prayers among the rest and all in vaine yet none tooke effect that in the end shee might come to Christ and have both body and soule healed at once §. 4. There may be a transmutation of the thing denied into some other blessing that is better of the same kind 3 Observe if there be to a transmutation and a translation or turning of â—he thing desired into some other greater blesâ—ing of the same kind for God all whose wayes are mercy and truth to His people doth improve husband and lay out the precious stocks of their prayers to the best advantage in things whereby the greatest returns and gains may accrue as old Iacob laid not his Hand of blessing as Ioseph would have guided them but laid the right hand upon the yonger Sonne whom Ioseph did set at his left So often doth God take off his hand of blessing from the thing we prayed for and laies discovers it in another more for our good and as God giving Isaac the power and priviledge to blesse a sonne though Isaac hee intended it for Esau yet God unbeknown to him transmitted it to Iacob yet so as the blessing was not lost Thus is it in our prayers for blessings both upon our selves and others There is often a transmutation never a frustration of them which may as truely and directly bee called an answer to the prayer As if a factor beyond Sea when the owner sends for such and such commodities supposing them more vendible and advantagious but the Factor knowing the state of things and the prices sends him â—ver in stead of them such as shall sell better and bring in more profit may be said to answer his letters and that better then if hee had sent those very commidities he writ for Thus Abrahams prayers for Ishmael were turned for Isaac Davids for the Childe to Solomon §. 1. God answers to the ground of our prayers 4 Observe if in the end God doth not answer thee still according to the ground of thy prayer that is see if that holy end intention and affection which thou hadst in prayer be not in the end fully satisfied though not in the thing thou didst desire for God answers Secundum cardinem according to the hinge which the prayer turnes upon As when a General is sent out with an Army by a King or a State who give him many particular directions how to order and dispose and manage the war although in many particulars that fall out wherein they could not foresee to give so punctuall and particular directions he swerve from the directions yet if he keeps to the intent of their Commission and doth what is most advantagious for their ends he may bee said to keepe to his Commission For as they say of the Law Mens leg is est lex the mind of the Law is the Law not the bare words it is printed in so the Meaning of the Spirit is the prayer Rom. 8. 27. and not simply the things desired wherein wee expresse those our desires and still the meaning the intent the ground of our
goe out of it selfe to God for strength to performe them so much when they are performed will the heart acknowledge Gods assistance and be humbled And this is a signe of prayer being heard upon this ground because Gods end of hearing prayers is that wee might glorifie him So Psal 50. 15. Call upon me in the day of trouble and I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorify mee Therefore when the heart hath prayed much for a mercy with dependance before the obtaining of it and then is enabled to exalt God when it is obtained it is a signe that God did it in relation to those prayers For there is that connexion made betweene these as between the cause and the effect I will heare thee and thou shalt glorifie me David when he was delivered out of all his troubles as when hee made that 18. Psal he was as appeares by the title of it then at the 6. verse he relates how he had prayed and how hee was heard and see thereupon how his heart was enlarged to acknowledge God alone to have done all in the rest of that Psalme so from the 27. and also from the 31. ver When wee see Angels from God beyond the power of second causes descending it is a signe that prayers as Angels first ascended and obtained that mercy Thus also the Church Esay 26. having obtained those deliverances by prayer ver 17. for which there she makes that song by way of thankfulnesse she ascribes all unto God ver 12. Thou hast wrought all our workes for us and ver 18. Verily we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth §. 6. With the mercy sometimes a speciall evidence comes in that it is obtained by prayer 6 When with the mercy there commeth the assurance of Gods love and an evidence of his favour when GOD sends not a bare token only but a letter also with it to beare witnesse of his love in which the token is wrapt I need not make that a sign for when this comes with a mercy it carries its owne evidence you will then know well enough that it is the fruit of prayer §. 7. By the evēt things obtained by prayer prove reall and stable mercies 7 Lastly it will be evident by the event things obtained by prayer have few thornes in them the curse is taken out but what comes but by ordinary providence comes as it were up of it selfe alone and like the earth untilled is full of thornes and bryers and many vexations The reason is for what comes in by prayer comes as a blessing and so no sorrow is added to it and also because prayer killeth those inordinate lusts which is the cause of that vanity and vexation which is in the things enjoyed But when the blessing of God maketh rich he addeth no sorrow with it Prov. 10. 22. Things long deferred at last obtained by prayer prove most cōfortable and in a setled manner such they prove standing and stable blessings and what trouble the heart was put to in the deferring it is recompenced by the more setled constant immixt sweetnesse in the enjoying prayer having long perfumed it and the thing being steeped therein it proves exceeding pleasant So Prov. 13. 12. Hope deferred makes the heart sicke but when the desire comes it is a tree of life and heales that sicknesse and abundantly comforts the heart Thus Isaac found Rebekkah a great blessing and a comfortable wife to him Gen. 24. ult Such a comfort also was Isaac to Abraham Gen. 17. 18 19. A sonne indeed a sonne of laughter as his name signifies and such was Samuel to Hannah shee had not onely a sonne of him but a good son a blessed son a Prophet and the Judge of the people of God whereas Iacob getting the blessing but without prayer how imbittered was it to him though a blessing to him in the event by twenty yeeres banishment from his mothers house When Israel themselves set up a King but not by me as God saies what a punishment was he to them given in wrath and taken away in anger Hos 13. 11. Chap. 9 CHAP. IX Considerations to quiet the heart and to help it to discerne an answer to and acceptation of the prayer when the thing is not accomplisht § 1. The thing prayed for is not alwaies granted when yet the prayer is heard BUt now the next and more difficult question is When the thing is not granted how shall we then discerne and know that God doth notwithstanding heare the prayer Concerning which I must premise this that it is true that alwayes the very thing it selfe desired is not granted when yet the prayer is heard Christ prayed the Cup might passe from him which though some interpret the word passing for the short continuance of the brunt and that therefore in that respect hee was heard directly in what he asked yet if so why was that clause if it be possible added that argues his petition was for a totall removall yet with subjection to Gods will for he knew there was no great impossibility in a short removall of it nay it was impossible but that it should passe Acts 2. 24. But howsoever it is plain in Moses about his going into Canaan Deut. 3. 26. I besought the Lord sayes hee ver 23. and hee was angry with mee and would not heare me ver 26. Likewise ere I come to resolve the case an objection is also to be removed which is That if the Spirit of GOD doth make every faithfull prayer in us as Rom. 8. 26. it is said Hee doth wee know not what to pray for but the Spirit helpeth our infirmities c. and he searcheth the deep things of God as it is said 1 Cor. 2. that therefore hee knowing that GOD will not grant such a thing you may think that he should not stirre up the heart to pray for that which God meanes to deny but alwayes guide the heart aright and not let us erre or misse in the things wee pray for To this in briefe by way of answer An objection answered 1. The Spirit makes not prayers in us alwayes according to what Gods secret will and foreknowledge is That though the Spirit knows Gods mind and teacheth us what to pray for yet the thing prayed for may not bee granted but according to his revealed will to us both in his word and in his providence as things therein are presented to us and doe lie before our view and so not alwayes according to what hee meanes to doe but according to what it is our duty to pray most for for hee concurres to assist us to pray as he doth in preaching or using other such like meanes and Ordinances wherein though the spirit knowes whom God meanes to convert whom not yet he assists us Ministers in our spirits oftentimes as much to preach to those hee meanes not to convert as to those hee meanes to convert Hee dealing with us