they might be doing but they could not blame him if their labour wanted sucesse Nay such an appâ—rent prohibition is so far from laying a restraint upon the Saints that if thereupon they did forbear they would provoke the Lord and wrong themselves and others Thus Gen. 32.26 the Lord saith to Jacob let me go but he will not till he get the blessing and if he had yielded we may suppose he would not then have gotten the blessing so Exod. 30.10 the Lord sayes to Moses let me alone Nay but replyeth Moses I will stand in the breach and will not leave off to interceed for that people though it hath most grievously provoked thee You will say may we not pray against such as have committed that unpardonable sin Thus the Christians of old prayed against Julian the Apostate if then we may pray for such it must be lawfull to put up contradictory prayers Ans Albeit too many no doubt have been guilty of that blasphemy yet since that which is the main ingredient of it viz. malice rage and hatred of the known truth is a latent thing and not obvious to the eye of our discretion I never read of any since the dayes of the Apostles whom the Church of Christ durst determine and peremptorily conclude to be guilty of that sin except (n) Theodor. hist lib. 4. cap. 9.17.19 Julian the Apostat for whom they left off to pray and prayed against his malice and rage that the Lord would prevent that mischief he intended against Christians and would remove such a stumbling block out of the way of the Gospel but they did not pray for Julians condemnation nor had they any warrant to pray for that Again you will object and ask what difference there is between one lying under that peremptory sentence and him upon whom it is already executed May we not as well pray for them that are in hell as for those we know to have sinned unto death Ans Because we conceive this to be the main objection we will now speak to it at some length And first if we abstract from a revelation which cannot now be expected and speâ—k of those who have grievously backslidden as we would remember Beza his caveat and beware lest we too rashly judge of any man that he hath committed that unpardonable sin So this may be warrant enough for us to pray for any man though never so gu lty and lying under many sad threatnings that there is no sentence and threatning though never so peremptory but it admitteth a limitation and proviso When I say unto the wicked thou shalt surely dy would not this appear to be a most peremptory and irrevocable sentence and yet hearken to what followeth if he turn from his sin he shall surely live he shall not die Ezek. 33.14 16. It is true 1. these who are guilty of the blasphemy against the holy Ghost shall never find grace to turn and repent and lay hold on Christ and so shall never be pardoned yet if they did turn they should find mercy and live And then 2. albeit there be no particular sin that is unpardonable except that blasphemy yet the most part of sins and sinners shall never be pardoned and therefore our prayers can do them no good and thus unless we limit our prayers to the Elect and add this condition when we pray for others if they belong to the election of God we must pray for them whom our prayers will not profit Secondly and especially we answer Albeit these who are guilty of that unpardonable sin be under an irrevocable sentence and though we as is supposed know their condition to be desperate yet we must carry our selves far otherwayes towards them then towards those who are in hell and as upon a civil consideration we owe them if our Superiors Magistrates Parents Masters c. honour and obedience So also upon a sp ritual account there be several duties which we may perform towards and with them while they are Viators and on the way which we may not perform with or for them after they are cast into hell for so long as they live in this world they are under the (o) Nunc enim propterea orat Ecclesia pro iis quos in genere humano habet inimices quia tempus est paenitentiae fructuosae Aug. de civit Dei lib. 21. cap. 24. means though these shall do them no good their day is not yet come to an end and though they were excommunicated and thus in part shut from publick ordinances they are not as yet actually stated into an unalterable condition and therefore they may well be an object of prayer pity and Christian compassion though the malefactor be sentenced and condemned yet we may deal with the King for a pardon O! but when the sentence is once executed there is no remedy after the repobats are cast into hell and come to their everlasting home after their day is spent and they removed from the ordinances and means of grace to what purpose should we pray for them after the ship is broken sails cables and anchors will not profit if life be gone no medecine can do any good when the night hath surprised them so that they can no more work for themselves we must not imagine that we can help them with our hands But some may yet reply we cannot in faith pray for such as we know to be reprobats or to have committed that unpardonable sin we cannot have the least hope or expectation of success and dare we pray and not in faith and such a prayer must be performed as a meer task and if I might call that which we grant is not commanded a duty It cannot not be a mean for good to them and why may we not thus pray for those that are in hell Ans Certainly we should not ask what we may not ask in faith only the prayer of faith is an acceptable sacrifice but the faith that is required in prayer hath not alwayes one and the same object as shall more fully be shown Part 2. Ch. 2. And if we know that God will accept of such prayers as a testimony of our love and commpassion towards our neighb urs and of our zeal to his glory in their conversion then we may know our labour shall not be lost what though they for whom we pray reap no benefit thereby The Popish dream of Falconilla and Trâ—jâ—ns deliverance out of bell by the prayers of Theela and Gregory is fabulous and ridiculous As also that of Augustine though an eminent Ancient Neque enim de quibusdam veraciter dâ—ceretur quod non eis râ—mitratur neque in hoc seculo neque in futur Mat. 12.23 nisi â—ssent quibus etsi non in isto tamen remitteretur in futuro Aug. de civit Dei lib. 21. cap. 24. yet if our prayers as Davids for his enemies return into our own bosome with a message of peace we have no cause to
unprofitable task and too high for us and will not have such new wine put into our old bottels till they be renewed lest they break Mat. 9.17.5 Sathan as a cruel exacter may press thee to deal inhumanely and too rigourously either towards thy self or others and though such a work may seem to have much piety and zeal in it yet Sathan doth blow the bellows Thus if tender Christians should find a mighty impulse upon their spirits to pray and fast so long and so frequently as to hazard their health and to neglect their calling and not provide for their family ah how rare a case is this but though multitudes do spare and pamper their bodies to the neglect and ruine of their soul yet some have failed on the other hand and then certainly Sathan is not idle it is he that helpeth forward this cruel zeal Thus he stirred up the Jews in (x) But the command given to him was only for trial there being a ram provided for the sacrifice Gen. 22.13 but they could pretend no kind of command Jer. 7.31 Nay the Lord will rather have no sacrifice then a work of mercy should be omitted far more then cruelty should be exercised Mat. 11.7 imitation as it would appear of faithfull Abraham to offer up their children the Lord commanded them to sacrifice their beasts but Sathan taught them in a mad fit of zeal thus to super-erogat and to sacrifice their sons and daughters which oblations are said to be offered up to devils as for other reasons so haply for this because Sathan did prescribe require and stir them up thereunto Psa 106.37 Thus also he moved Baal's Priests to cut themselves with knives and lancets till the blood gushed out 1 King 18.28 Thus also he driveth blind Papists to afflict and scourge themselves c. and yet this sort of cruelty is far more tolerable then the fury of Anabaptists and other Sectaries who are mercifull to themselves but mad against all others in their zeal for God they could embrue their hands in their neighbours blood and cut off all others that they might enjoy their possessions that they might live as Kings there being no man to say to them (y) Eccl. 8.4 What do ye 6. Sathan moves tumultuously and confusedly holy motions having no dependance one upon another and tending to distract the heart in the present work whether that be prayer hearing the word c. must come from him who likes not the work and who laboureth by all means and that his hand may not be discerned maketh choice of the most fair and specious as being at such a season most probable to mar the work in hand but the Lord prepareth strengthueth fixeth and enlargeth the heart and inclineth it to perform His Statutes and establisheth our goings Psa 10.17 Psa 27.14 Psa 40.2 c. He will not raise but rather expell those storms and mist of confusion that dis-inableth us in His work 7. Sathan will suggest and stir us up to good divisively and partially Sathan when he moveth us to do good being out of his own element his motion cannot be equal and uniform if to some good not to all yea to some for this very purpose that we may be stayed from following some other haply of more concernment However he knoweth that he who is guilty of offending in one point is guilty of all and that God will accept of none of our works unless we have respect to all His commandments Psa 119.6 Jam. 2.10 and therefore if he can set one table of the Law or any one commandment against another he will not withdraw his help for enabling thee to bear that part of the burthen thou hast chosen Thus some seem to be very zealous and diligent in religious performances who neglect their relative duties as they are parents masters servants neighbours c. not unlike to those who were taught of the Pharisees to be liberal in their contributions for pious uses and undutifull to their indigent parents Mat. 15.5.6 But there are others and these not a few who place all their Religion in the duties of the second Table and they have no other charter to happiness but that they are good neighbours they deal justly they wrong no man c. and that Sathan may foster their delusion he will allow them to be very strict and exact in their carriage towards men Ah! what a monstrous kind of Religion must that be to wrong men in nothing and to rob God of all his service and worship except perhaps some outward performances without life and heat to give to man all his due and to God none of his O! but the Spirit teacheth and helpeth us to walk uniformly and to (z) Act. 24.16 exercise our selves alwayes to keep a good conscience both towards God and man 4. As to the rule if there be a mistake as to it if a false rule be set up Sathan will stir us up to be very active for it and zealous in our conformity to it if he can get our zeal wrong placed he will blow up the coal it was he that stirred up Paul to be (a) Act. 26.11 exceedingly mad against the Saints and violently to (b) Act. 22.3 4. persecute them he did cherish that blind zeal in the Jews who Rom. 10.2 3. laboured to establish blish their own righteousness he did kindle that zeal in those false brethren who Gal. 4.17 sought to seduce and draw away the Galatians from the simplicity of the Gospel and he it is who ruleth in Schismaticks Hereticks and all kind of persecutors making them mad against the truth and the sincere Professors of it Nay every motion though upon the matter never so good which tendeth to justifie any sinfull course to harden our heart therein and to feed any distempered passion and lust must come from the evil one and from him it also proceedeth that men are more zealous for their own inventions and superstitious customs then for the commands of God O! but the Spirit teacheth us to be (c) Gal. 4.18 zealously affected alwayes in a good thing to follow the direct on of the word and with (d) Job 23.12 Job to esteem his commandments and the words of his mouth more then our necessary food but every anti-scriptural and erroneous motion is a satanical suggestion proceeding not from the spirit of truth but from the father of lies who can cite Scripture and pretend divine Authority as he did to Christ Mat. 4.6 to back his temptations 5. As to the time 1. Sathan may move us to pray by fits and starts but the Spirit only can make us (e) Rom. 12.12 continue instant in prayer we cannot pray alwayes unless we pray in the Spirit Eph. 6.18 carnal men will not constantly call on God Job 27.10 2. Sathan can move thee to pray unseasonably as while a Judge is sitting on the Bench and God calls him and his place calls him to minister
many a time and casten such bones to these dogs while they drew nigh their masters table and looked up to him 6. The example of others who have followed the like course the successe that weary and loaden sinners have alwaies met with may be though thou hadst no more encouragement enough for going about this sweet and promising duty There is none in hell to day who dare say that they took them to this course and constantly pursued it with such diligence and enlargement of heart and affections as they might and according to that measure of strength they had and yet were no better when they had done what in them lay they could not help the mater there was no remedy but they must perish nay nay but their consciences can testifie against them that they were slothful and did neglect the means that they would not present their request to God and constantly pursue their suit and so they did perish not in the use of the means but because they would not further use the means God had appointed for obtaining of mercy and salvation You will say Obj. till men believe they cannot ask in faith nothing wavering for they cannot lay hold on a promise and therefore they need not think they shall receive any thing of the Lord Jam. 1.6 7. Ans Ans The Apostle speaketh not there of the faith whereby we are justified though it be true he supposeth it to be in the subject but of the faith of (c) Which yeâ— is not a distinct faith but a different consideration of one and the same principle a reference to another kind of act flowing from it audience whereby we certainly expect a return of our prayers as (d) Vid. part 2. afterwards shall appear And he speaketh to beleevers exciting them to exercise their faith as to that particular act which reacheth the successe of prayer and certifieth the supplicant that his labour shall not be lost so this place doth not concern the unregenerat And yet while they are minding a change and looking up to God for help there may be in them some shaddow of this faith as of that mentioned Heb. 11.6 which importeth one and the same thing with this he may in some measure believe that God is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him he may upon the former and such like grounds draw nigh to God in some sort of confidence and expectation of success which if it serve to stir him up and hold him at his work if it keep him from wearying and fainting in his addresses to God may be supposed to be sufficient for that state and condition You will say may not wicked men lay hold on a (e) We purpose to speak to this question in another place if the Lord will and therefore will not now digresse to speak to it at any longâ—h promise for audience and successe Ans 1. Though the wicked may not claim a right to any qualified and conditional promise since he hath not as yet though he be in the way for we do not now speak of swine wallowing in the mire to obtain these qualifications and conditions which the promise doth suppose in him to whom it is made yet who knows that he is not under the absolute promises God hath promised to quicken the dead to give a new heart and to write his law in the heart of some men and who dare say he is not the man and certainly all these to whom these promâ—ses do belong shall in due time have them accomplished in them and this looks to be the very time when thou art panting after the Lord and wrestling at the Throne and therefore if thou do not faint thou must prevail 2. The promises for the most part are conceived in such general terms without any qualification as Mat. 7.7 Luk. 11.9 Isa 55.2 3. c. that thou shouldst not question and dispute away thy interest in them and through thy diffidence turn thy back on thy duty and thus exclude thy self from the promise annexed to it thou shouldst not then so much perplex thy self concerning Gods purpose to pitty thee and his promise to hear thee for as yet these may be hid from thee as thou shouldst be diligent in going about thy duty thou needst not doubt of that what needst thou then linger and delay O! cast away all such discouragements and follow thy duty and thus in the use of the means cast thy self over upon the promises and ere it be long thou mayest find that there was room enough there left for thee to write in thy name and then come to know what was Gods purpose towards thee 3. Gods call and invitation hath much of a promise in it he is serious in his offers he doth not complement with thee when he inviteth thee to come to him Isa 55.1 Rev. 22.17 c. When he inviteth to open to him Rev. 3.20 c. if thou wilt come he will make thee welcome And then 4. The command of God hath half a promise in the bosome of it and certainly all the commandments do belong to thee as well as to the most holy men on earth for what hath made thee a Libertine and exempted thee from duty O! then be of good courage I tell thee as they did Bartimeus for his comfort he calleth thee yea and commandeth thee to come Ah! what mean ye thus to doubt debate and dispute away the market-day and let the golâ—en opportunity slip If such a voice were heard in hell if these wretches were once more invited to make their requests to God would they thus dispute and question would they refuse to labour in Gods vineyard without a bond for their hire nay it would be a glad voice to thâ—m and they would seek after no other security and warrant then his call and invitation O! then while it s called to day hearken to his voice that it be not your case for ever to weep and wail for loosing such an opportunity O! then cast away as Bartimeus did his garments when Christ called him all impediments and hinderances cast off these garments of sin your lusts and these (f) Heb. 12.1 weights that so easily beset you and run to the Scriptures for light fall on your knees run to the Throne run to the father and say I am not worthy to be called thy son and when he seeth thee yet (g) Luk. 15.20 afar off he will meet thee and fall on thy neck and kiss thee thus he hath dealt with such prodigals and why will he nâ—t also thus welcome thee Is their any in hell or on earth that can give an instance to the contrary and say I am the man who thus came to God and yet was rejected It may be indeed that some being awakened by some outward or inward rod have now and then fallen into some good fits and moods but that early dew hath been quickly dryed
and who will condemn (g) 2 Sam. 12.14 16. David his fasting and praying that his child might recover notwithstanding the Prophet Nathan had revealed unto him that he should die which message he might have looked upon as a peremptory sentence and not as a conditionall threatning Since then we are obliged to pray for our selves notwithstanding of whatsoever decree though known to us why may we not also pray for others whatever be the decree of God concerning their everlasting estate I grant there is some difference we being far more necessarily and indispensably bound to our great master and Lord then to our fellow-servants there is nothing can be imagined so long as he giveth us leave to work in his vine-yard and casteth us not out that can liberat us from that duty we ow to him the subordination being essentiall the bond and ty must be indissolvable but love being the measure and as it were rule of our duty to men when we know our labour will be in vain though we may in testimony of our love appear for them yet we will hardly find a ground whereupon to build an obligation thereunto and therefore a revealed decree though it doth not make our endeavours for the good of our brethren unlawfull yet it may liberat us of that obligation under which otherwise we did ly it must alwayes be our duty to pray for our selves but to pray for others only then when we can look upon our prayers as a mean for their good You will say if it be not our duty then we must supererogat and walk without rule when we pray for these whom we know to be in a hopelesse condition Ans Albeit there arise no obligation from the generall command to pray for all which is the rule that falleth under the present disquisition yet there may so much obligation arise from other grounds as may warrant our practice and will have the force of a Law to him who is prest to act upon such a motive Thus our Divines disputing against the Popish supererogation do maintain that what they call evangelical counsels hath the strength of a law when some speciall circumstances do concur invite yea and engage him who obsolutely and abstracting from such a state and condition is not obliged so to act thus saith (h) Davenant determin 32. vitam ducere virginalem in genere res consilii est non praecepti atque sic videtis ca quaconfilia haud incommode dicuntur si operis speciem consideremus fieri tamen posse praecepta aliquando si speciales circumstantias penfitemus Davenant to live in perpetull virginity in the generall is the matter of counsell and not of precept there being no generall command obliging all to continue in that state yet Paul having the gift of continency c. found himself obliged by the authority of God to continue in that condition and as to our case if we would reflect upon the decree we may forbear to pray for those whom we know to be cast-awayes yet if we will abstract from that sentence which we are not obliged to reflect upon though it be revealed to us the Lord not having made it our rule and would consider them as our brethren there is no restraint lying upon us why we may not put up a prayer for them yea and by thus abstracting from the decree which only gives to us a supersedeas it would appear that we bring our selves under the obligation of the general precept pray for all men and althâ—ugh we would suppose that command in the present case viz. of a known decree still to be expired yet there may as to some men arise an obligation from their special relations unto them Though the Lord did reveal to Parents and Pastors c. that their Children and people c. were reprobates yet its hard to affirm that they might not pray for their salvation not as if they might pray the Lord to alter his decrees but abstracting from these though revealed to them that they might intreat that the object of that decree might be altered and that their dear relations might be taken out of a stare not of reprobation from which we do suppose they do abstract but out of a state of sin and misery and put into a state of grace and happiness and though some from thence might infer that they thus prayed the Lord to change his eternal purpose yet as they should abstract from the antecedent so from such a consequence and consequent and absolutely pray for that to our near interests which in it self and to them is good and desirable Thus we should rather play the part of a Metaphysician then Logician And that we may make such a kind of Theological abstraction seemeth to be certain from what hath been said Art 1. And the former consequence is as valid in the case of Peters avouching and adhereing to his master as in this case for Peters denyal was revealed unto him yea the same argument may as well be framed against Christ his praying that the cup might passe from him while he knew that it was decreed that he should drink it Nay though a prohibition were added to a revealed decree yet it would appear from the practice of eminent Saints that our hands were not bound up for albeit the Lord had revealed to Samuel his purpose to reject Saul 1 Sam. 15.11 26. adding a prohibition upon the account that he was rejected not to pray any more for him Ch. 16.1 yet it would appear that this restraint was rather a relaxation of the command and a permission granted to Samuel not to pray any more for Saul though his King then a peremptory prohibition for albeit Samuel came no more to see Saul till the day of his death yet he left not off to mourn and who can imagine then that he left off to pray for Saul Ch. 15 35. So the Prophet Jeremiah though he knew that the Lord had purposed to cast that people out of his sight and thereupon had received as would appear a peremptory prohibition to pray no more for them Ch. 7.14 15 16. yet forbeareth not to pray for them though the Lord had told him that he would not hear him though he did cry ver 16. yet he would cry until he met with a second prohibition having the former reason annexed to it Ch. 11.14 yea he would not yet cease so that the command is renewed the third time Ch. 14.11.12 and notwithstanding of all these prohibitions he still prayeth as it would appear from the rest of that prophesie that he continued a supplicant for Israel untill the day of his death the book of the Lamentations clearly shew Thus also Moses continues to pray for a stubborn people after the Lord had said to him Let me alone Exod. 32.10 A prohibition seemeth to have more in it then a revealed decree and yet it did not bind Moses Samuel and Jeremiah would not be
as do evil that under them we may lead a quiet and peaceable in all godlinesse and honesty 1 Timoth. 2.2 Rom. 13.3 Isa 49.23 Psa 105 22. Amos. 5.2 Prayer is the best tribute ye can pay to them and the best (p) Vid. August contr liter Petiliani lib. 2. cap. 23.86 92. in Evan. Joan tract 2. office ye can perform to your neighbors and fellow-subjects whatever be the judgment of the world or its reward yet the best Christians will be found to be the best subjects and the best neighbors Sed bonus vir Cajus Seius tantum malus quod Christianus 3. Who will ask whether he should pray for the Kingdom city an place of his abod and nativity 1 Because of severall relations we stand under towards our countrey-men as being fellow-subjects compatriots brethren being neerer in kin to many of them then to strangers and companions we are obliged in a speciall manner to pray for them Psa 122.8 Rom. 9.2 3. Secondly because our peace and welfare consists in theirs Jer. 29.7 And 3. thus we should not only pray for temporals to them but also for grace and spiritual mercies we cannot live securely where the fear of God is not least like the fish in the sea the greater devour and make a prey of the lesser Gen. 20.11 O! then pray for them if thou wouldst not have them make a (q) Isa 59.15 prey of thee Did Abraham so importunatly interceed for (r) Gen. 18. Sodom though he was not concerned in their misery and wilt not thou plead for the place of thy habitation with whom thou must share in their prosperity or adversity It s the Saints priviledge that they may be a blessing in the midst of the land Isa 19.24 and bear up the pillars of a sinking sinfull world Psa 75.3 were there not a Saint on earth how quickly might the earth and all its inhabitants be dissolved Behold the difference between the upright and the wicked the one is a blessing and the other a curse to the place Prov. 11.11 and prayer is that messenger the Saints employ to fetch home the blessing to themselves and others 4. This duty in a speciall maner lieth on them who live together in one family as being yet more neerly concerned in the good or evil of one another It s true this duty doth in a speciall manner lie upon the master of the Family who must with good (Å¿) Josh 24.15 Joshua undertake for himself and all within his house He must be a King to rule there a Prophet to teach and instruct them and a Priest to offer up daily sacrifices with them and for them none are exempted from this duty David though a King on whom the care of the whole nation did ly yet did not forget his family after he had been employed in the publike worship of God it is said of him to his commendation that he returned to blesse his houshold 2 Sam. 6.20 If Cornelius be a devour man his religion must not be confined within his own breast and therefore it s observed that he feared God with all his house and prayed to God allway Act. 10.2 But albeit this duty especially as to the performance of it with the whole family as being their mouth and minister doth ly upon the master of the house yet none in the family are exempted from a private and personal communion with God in prayer what though the head of the house neglect his duty and were a gracelesse man wilt thou go to hell because thy Father and master doth run thither Ah! rather with holy David lament and say Wo is me that I sojourn in Mesech and dwell in the tents (t) Not that David ever was in those countreyes but he called those so amongst whom he was by reason of their fierce barbarousnesse and wickednesse Diodat on the place of Kedar Psa 120.5 and thou shouldst the rather be busie thy self if the rest of the family be negligent that thou mayest get thy name out of the curse that is denounced against prayerlesse families Ier. 10.25 and what knowest thou but thy prayers may procure a blessing to the whole family (u) Gen. 30.30 Labans house and estate was blessed for Iacobs sake and (x) Gen. 39.5 Potiphars house yea and all (y) Gen. 41. Egypt for Ioseph And then if others make conscience of their duty what a shame is it for thee to be singular in evil and that thou alone shalt be pluckt out of the family and cast into hell Ah! be no longer a devil to tempt the Saints by thy wicked example Thou wicked son or servant what wilt thou say and with what horror and confusion wilt thou behold thy Father and master in Glory whilst thou art cast out Oh! said dying (z) Sam. Clerk in his life Mr. Bolton to his children I Verily beleeve that none of you dar think to meet me at the great Tribunal of Christ in an unregenerat state Yet 5 this duty doth ly more forcibly upon those who are of the Houshold of a faith (b) Sicuti in aliis charitatis officiis ita in precibus prima debet esse cura sanctorum Calvin in Eph. 6.18 though the members of that family be far scattered through many nations yet they are more firmly united then those of any other incorporation we have seven ligaments and bonds of union held sorth in one Scripture Eph. 4.4 5 6. which are brought as so many motives to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace v. 3. and may serve as so many arguments to stir us up to make conscience of this duty to pray one for another 1. All the Saints are members of One Body 2. All are animated by One and the same Spirit 3 All are called in one hope and are joynt heirs of the same Crown and Kingdom 4. They all serve the same Lord and master 5. All have one and the same Faith and profession one task and work all are walking in the same way and travelling to the same home and all must lodge together unto all eternity 6. One Baptisme all have the same badge and wear the same livery 7. All have one God and Father in Christ Jesus all are of a noble descent and of the blood Royall as to their regeneration and new birth Is there then any relation like to that which is amongst the Saints Is there any union which is so intimat and strong and yet alas in this jangling and contending age self-love as a canker consumeth and eateth our true love to the brethren now are the dayes foretold by our Lord Jesus in which the love of many should wax cold Mat. 24 12. where there is not true love there cannot be a cordiall desire of their good and no prayer for them that God will accept O but its a sad character thou art no son who dost not mind thy brethren and if thou hast no Sympathy
King of kings And thus we may see what good may be gotten and how great and excellent things may be obtained by prayer though the particular be not granted But 3. as prayer hath thus something in hand and meat as it were in the mouth so it is a seed which though it seem for a time to lie dead in the ground yet it will revive and ere it be long we shall reap in joy in the day of general retribution when it shall be (f) Rom. 2 6. rendred to every man according to his deeds all our prayers shall get a second hearing and new reward and the King will then say as he in the case of (g) Esth 6.3 6. Mordecay what honour and dignity hath been done to those mine honest subjects who would not joyn with rebels nor conceal the conspiracy of false friends what have those favourits of heaven who have lyen so long at the gate and have waited for an answer to their many prayers and supplications though in the mean time some crums have been let fall to them yet what have they gotten answerable to the large and full promises I have made unto them and to their expectation from such a great and bountifull Lord and Master and then they shall receive what they can desire and more that is the great day of audience when all our tears and prayers and complaints shall be brought to remembrance And thus though we got nothing in hand yet we might say with him Isa 49.4 Surely my judgment is with the Lord and my (h) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 opus vel operis merces Buxtorf opus laborando productum Mr. Leigh crit sac reward with my God And we may with them 1 Cor. 15.58 know that our labour is not in vain in the Lord. And though we had no cause to complain albeit we were thus put to wait all this short day of our life and till the evening when the Master will call all the labourers in his vineyard and give to every man his penny and will make a recompence for all the delayes and disappointments his honest supplicants did meet with here in this their pilgrimage since none will have cause to grudge and murmure then or to say that he hath received too little or waited too long Yet 4. our kind Master will not put us off to so long a day though as to the crown and great inheritance we must patiently wait and be expectants till then yet in the mean time he will give something in hand he will give so much as may encourage us to follow our duty without fainting and which may be esteemed a present answer and return to our prayers And that it must be so may appear 1. because he hath appointed prayer to be a mean for obtaining the blessing not in a general way for thus every duty may be called a mean for obtaining the great end and a step forward in the way to happiness but prayer is appointed as a special mean in reference to such a particular end viz. for obtaining such a particular suit and to have such and such desires satisfied and thus there are special promises made to prayer in reference to this particular end which no other duty can lay claim to the Lord hath not only promised to reward our prayers as other good works but the hath specified a particular reward and hath promised to give whatsoever and whensoever we shall ask and therefore there must be some particular answer and return made to every prayer we offer up to God Otherwise 2. It must be granted that we might in our several straits and difficulties as well go about any other duty as prayer at least whensoever and that falls out very often the particular we ask is not given and thus in such a case prayer will be no more sutable and pertinent to the afflicted then any other Christian exercise And 3. prayer could bring no ease nor relief to perplexed and disconsolated souls and the Apostles inference Phil. 4.6 7. must be groundless and unwarrantable for if no good in reference to our present exigence and difficulty may be expected from prayer how can peace quietness and contentment follow thereupon prayer must open some door of hope and must bring some olive leaf in its mouth else the waters would not be abated nor the storm calmed You will say what is that answer which we may alwayes and in every case confidently and infallibly expect For answer to this which we suppose to be the main difficulty we offer this twelfth Concl. Coucl 12. Albeit we have no ground to imagine that God will alwayes given the very particular we ask yet faith can assure the soul that God will do that which is best for us in the present business and particular exigence albeit the captive may not peremtorily conclude that upon his praying he shall be set at liberty nor the sick that he shall be restored to health yet the may and should believe that God will do what is best for them and is most for his own glory albeit the cannot determine whether liberty or captivity sickness or health be best for them in such a case and such a time allthough their natural appetite and sensitive desire did close with a sutable object and made choice of what seemed fittest and most convenient for it yet they may be perswaded that as the omniscient and wise God knoweth what is best for them so as a loving Father he will do what is best to them and that though they relying upon his wisdom do mistake and with submission do desire and ask a serpent supposing it to be convenient food yet he will not give it nor satisfie their foolish desires but he will do what is better he will sanctifie the tryal and thereby promove their everlasting happiness if he let the burthen ly on he will strengthen our shoulders to bear and say to us as he did to Paul my grace shall be sufficient for you 2 Cor. 12.9 Hence may arise that peace promised to every sincere supplicant Phil. 4.7 For having thus commended our case to God we may securely rest upon his care and providence who knoweth how to do us good by such a dispensation and who would not thus put us to the trial unless he minded thereby to procure our profit and advantage And that the Lord doth thus answer every prayer put up to him in truth viz. either giving the mercy in kind and the very particular that was askt or else giving what was better and that not only 1. by withholding what would hurt which though it may seem to be a meer negative yet should be acknowledge to be no small part of the return and answer of prayer and a fruit of the fatherly care and watchfull providence of our kind Lord towards us in thus fulfilling his (i) Ps 121.7 Prov. 12.21 Eccles 8.5 Job 5.19 c. promise to suffer no
circumstances and thus those sins that are most grievous hell-like and conscience-wasting must especially provoke the Lord and mainly obstruct the acceptance and audience of prayer yet I know no sin that doth not deserve and may not procure this sad judgment But we would here take notice of the Gospel-condescension to the weakness and infirmity of the Saints for though the Law still abideth in force not only as a rule and as to its direction but also as a command and in reference to its obligation so that the least breach of the law doth no less now then while man continued in innocency and was able perfectly to fulfill and obey it deserve the curse and make us liable to the wrath of God Gal. 3.10 yet as to the acceptance of the person and performances there is a sweet mitigation in the new covenant that covenant of grace made with sinners in a Mediator and the tenor of the Gospel runneth thus If thou shouldst mark iniquities O Lord who shall stand but there is forgiveness with thee that thou mayst be feared Psa 130.3 4. when we have respect to all he commandments though we do not exactly fulfill them we shall not be ashamed Psal 119.6 When in sincerity we apply our selves to obey God in all things and fulfill his will our kind Master will pardon and pass over our infirmities what the Apostle saith concerning our particular duty viz. giving of almes upon the same ground will hold in every case and may be lookt upon as a general rule whereby we may judge concerning the acceptance of all our duties and service viz. When there is a willing mind and a performance out of that which we have or according to our power and ability it is accepted according to what a man hath and not according to that a man hath not 2 Cor. 8.11 12. The Lord doth not exact impossibilities of his (a) The wicked who are yet under the covenant of works though they be not yet solvendo as having through their own fault spent that stock wherewith their master intrusted them yet are still liable to the law and are obliged to answer according to their intromission people he will not deal with them in justice but having accepted a ransom and satisfaction from their Cautioner and being through him reconciled with them he will as a loving Father accept their honest endeavours pity their weakness and pardon and cover their infirmities and thus sins of weakness humane frailty and daily incursion will not marre not hinder the acceptance and success of our prayers but sins of wilfulness and stubbornness and of continued and countenanced laziness and negligence will be as a thick (b) Lament 3.44 cloud through which our prayers will not be able to pierce such sins have a voice and they will out-cry our prayers and in stead of the desired mercy will bring down the deserved judgment when we sin willingly deliberatly and presumptuously when sin lodgeth in the heart and is welcomed or as the Psalmist speaketh is regarded there the Lord will not hear our prayers whatever the sin be whether in it self greater or less though there be no little sin every sin being committed against the great God it may provoke the Lord to hide himself from our prayers the Scriptures hold out many instances and brand a multitude of sins with this wofull effect which are at some length set down by Mr. Gee in the fore-mentioned (c) Mr. Gee treat of prayer and divine providence chap. 4. sect 5. Treatise lately and seasonably published to give some clearing to this material and grave case concerning prayer-obstruction And since its certain 1. that every sin regarded in the heart deserveth and may procure this sad stroke and since 2. its as uncertain what is the particular sin which now and then doth provoke the Lord to hide his face neither see I any reason why we should as to the procuring and meritorious cause put a difference between this and other judgments and therefore the best resolution of this quaeree as it relateth to those personal prayers put up for our selves though Mr. Gee especially propoundeth the case as relating to publick prayers put up for the Church and people of God must be brought from within let us then examine our own hearts and wayes impartially and seek light from heaven and thus we may discover and find out the accursed thing for what man knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of man which is in him 1 Cor. 2.11 And not only is this the best course for finding out the ground of the Lords controversie against every man in particular but also for knowing and removing the cause why he contendeth with a Church or Nation for albeit there may be publick common and scandalous sins which should be publickly acknowledged and repented of yet that is not sufficient but every one must descend to his own heart and ponder his own wayes and forsake the evil of his doings and here there will be found a great variety and almost as many different causes as persons yea and sometimes it may fall out that the sole ground of the present controversie against a people may be some secret gross sin committed by one or some few among them as Josh 7.11.12 And albeit then Joshua and the Elders of Israel could not tell why the Lords anger was kindled against that people yet Achan might easily have found out the cause he knew that he had taken and where he had laid the Babylonish garment and wedge of gold But though we need not come to particulars yet in the general it would be observed that prayer-obstruction may be procured either by sin in praying or in him who prayeth as for the 1. viz. sins in or about prayer it self let us reflect on the qualifications and requisits of prayer held forth Part 2. and from thence judge of the defects of prayer and thus it will appear that those prayers do carry in their bosom an evidence and witness against themselves and a counter-pleader in which or with which is 1. pride and self-worth 2. hypocrisie and unsoundness 3. formality and lip-devotion 4. anger malice and envy 5. unbelief and distrust 6. base carnal and selfish ends c. 2. As for the other rank of sins which have not such a dependence upon nor connexion with prayer and yet may hinder and obstruct its acceptance and success these are of such a general latitude and extent that we know no sin that needs be excluded and excepted and so we need name none only let us especially guard against such sins as are most gross crying conscience-wasting and defiling which have most of the will and of deliberation in them and in which is engraven the deepest impression of ingratitude and rebellion and where such sins are given way to there must either be a total abstinence and cessation from prayer or else but a superficial dead and formal way
of our silence and say Ah! why do ye thus hedge up and cast lets and impediments in the way by sinning against our Master and Lord and will not put to one hand to the work where is your longing and desiring will ye not do so much as cry a word with the King might do much ah know ye not that he will (u) Ps 145.19 fulfill the desire of his humble supplicants 4. The graces of the spirit as they call 1. by (x) Col. 1.9 10 11. enabling us to go they themselves being talents bestowed upon us for this very end and purpose So also 2. for preventing their decay and lest otherwise they be (y) Mat. 25.27 28 taken from us and we become unfit and unable to walk if thou restrain prayer the Lord will restrain the quickening and strengthening motions and influence of his spirit and then what deadness and coldness will seize upon the soul distempers will then creep on and lusts will begin ro reign and command O then if thou findest any fitness and disposition for the work any stirring and heat within fail while the wind bloweth if thou queâ—en the spirit by neglecting such an opportunity thou mayest be put to wait cry and (z) Cant. 5.6 complain before thou meet with such a gale again art thou indisposed findest thou much coldness and deadness to have seized upon thee O then cry for fire from heaven to fall upon thy sacrifice and beg that the spirit of life may breath upon thee do not then say I am weak and therefore must not venture to wrestle with the strong and mighty one thou knowest not well what thou sayest whilest thou wouldst make thy weakness a plea for running away from the rock of strength and defence art thou weak and is it not the Lord who must (a) Ps 80.18 quicken and (b) 1 Pet. 5.10 inable thee art thou (c) Mat. 9.12 sick and wilt thou not come to the Physician art thou (d) Ps 50.3 4.9.11 afraid and wilt thou not go where thou mayest be secure When thou walâ—est with God and art speaking to him he is engaged in thy quarrel who dare offer violence to any man while he is in the Kings presence the Saints are never so secure as while they are most fervent in prayer and the nearer access they get the more safe they are from Sathans temptations and though even then he may (e) Zech. 3.1 assault them yet he cannot hurt them nor work their ruine prayer is a main part of our spiritual armour whereby we are inabled to stand against the wiles of the devil Eph. 6.18.11 and is it not better to put on our armour then encounter temptations while we are weak and naked And thus neither our weakness nor strength neither our fitness nor indisposition may be pretended as a plea for lying by but both hold forth a strong motive and argument for drawing nigh to God Art thou strong and lively then thou art the more able and the more engaged to thy duty art thou weak and faint then draw nigh to the fountain of life and strength if conversing with the godly be a (f) See Part 3. Chap. 2. Sect. 2. mean for quickning our graces far more must fellowship with the Lord himself work this blessed effect and therefore prayer in which after a special manner we converse with God is held forth as the best mean of our edification and building up in the faith Jude 20. For as acquired habits are encreased by exercise So also the habits of grace and in prayer our faith and other graces are set a work and exercised and therefore must also be strengthned quickned and encreased 5. Our sins should send us to the throne of grace to beg pardon and mercy alas they (g) Gen. 4.10 cry for vengeance and judgements to be poured out upon us and O! should not the Echo of that dreadfull and lamentable voice alarm us to lift up our voice like a trumpet and cry mightily to the Lord to blot our our iniquities and to hide his face from their cry ah should we be silent while these bosom enemies night and day without ceasing make intercession against us and since of our selves we cannot out-cry them our voice being so weak that it cannot be heard by reason of their noise let us employ the Mediators help his blood can (h) Heb 11.24 speak and all the clamours of our sins cannot hinder the Lord from hearkning to what it saith 6. While Sathan (i) Mat. 26 41. tempteth us to restrain prayer this should provoke us to our duty when the enemy (k) 1 Pet. 5.8 9 10. goeth about like a roaring Lyon seeking to destroy us should not we flye to the city of refuge and ah whither should the child when pursued run but in to the fathers bosom 7. Our calling and holy profession our vows and manifold engagements to him in whom we live move and have our being do oblige us to walk with him depend upon him and in every (l) Phil. 4.6 thing by prayer supplication and thanksgiving to make our requests known unto him we are (m) Rev 1.6 Priests and therefore must daily offer up to our God this spiritual sacrifice 1 Pet. 2.5 we are his (n) Joh. 15.15 Ps 25.14 Friends and favourites to whom he manifests his secrets and shall we not lay out our condition to him and acquaint him with our purposes ah shall the Lord so often visit us by his Spirit by his Word and by his Works and shall he not hear from us is (o) 2 Sam. 16.17 this your kindness to your friend would you deal so with a man like your self and will ye thus (p) Deut. 32.6 requite the Lord 8. Our relation to God as our (q) Cor. 11.2 Husband (r) 2 Cor. 6.18 Father (Å¿) Joh. 13.13 Lord and Master c doth engage us to the frequent performance of this sweet and amiable duty what art thou a wife and delightest not in the presence and society of thy kind husband art thou a son (t) Hinc Academici nonnulli orbos illos utrisque carentes parentibus dicebant qui orationibus precibusque spretis ad superiorem dÃvinamque naturam converti negligebant Franc. Venet. cant 3. ton 6. cap. 15. and wilt thou not draw nigh to thy loving father what hast thou such a husband and father so great and excellent and yet so kind and condescending and dar'st thou thus undervalue his love hast thou such a master such a King and Lord to whom thou may'st thus approach and with whom converse so familiarly and wilt thou not improve this priviledge ah shall he stoop so low to thee and wilt thou despise thine own mercies 9. As our relation to God So also our relation to our brethren and fellow-servants doth oblige us to this the (u) Jer. 8.20 harvest is past and the summer is