they might have in their prayers We should therefore chuse the fittest seasons for prayer It is said of Luther by Vitus Theodorus who was present with him at Coburge and many times heard him at his private prayers in a letter of his to Melanchthon That there was no day passed over his head wherein Luther did not spend three hours at the least in prayers and those not hours that he could best spare unseasonable hours but such hours as were the fittest for his study And that was a reason that Luther was very importunate in his prayers as the same Author informs us Good God with how much reverence did I hear him pray With how much boldnesse and confidence c. And on the contrary one reason why men have so little of this holy importunity is for want of taking fit seasons for the work 4. Another reason of the want of this holy importunity is the difuse and neglect of prayer in your Christian course Many there are that pray sometimes and leave off praying again now this doth very much dull mens affections in prayer There is a Proverb Use makes perfectness I am sure it is so in the duty of prayer let a Christian pray often and he will come to pray well and to pray with much enlargednesse of heart and let him leave off prayer and he will finde his heart exceedingly streightned Take a Key if you use it frequently it will be bright but if you lay it aside it will soon grow rusty thus will it be with a mans heart use prayer much keep it close to the performance of duty it is the way to have thy heart bright Let this Key of prayer which doth open heaven be used it will be kept bright and thy prayer will enter into heaven but let this Key of prayer be laid aside and do not thou often use it and it will quickly grow rusty again thy prayers and performances will not be able to enter neaven and thou wilt not be able to perform duty in that manner that God expecteth If thou dost not watch unto prayer with all carefulnesse thou wilt loose thy zeal and servent affection and thy holy desires after God in duty As it is with a Pump use it every day and water will come but if you forbear the use of it two or three dayes water will neither come so easily nor so plentifully If you do not pump out your holy desires every day they will quickly flag and grow remisse Physitians observe concerning the teeth that that side of the teeth that is not used is most subject to rheumes and distillations That heart that is not inured to prayer and holy duties is most subject to Satans instillations and suggestions This is the fourth reason Reas 5 The fifth reason why this importunity is wanting is this because men tye themselves to prescript forms of prayer I do not say that it is unlawful to use set forms of prayer we finde that Jesus Christ himself used a form Matt. 26. 39. Christ went and said Father if it be possible let this cup pass from me Vers 42. He went again the second time and prayed saying O my Father if this cup may not passe from me thy will be done Vers 44. He went away again and prayed saying the same words To shew that it is lawful 〈…〉 forms of prayer but not alwaies You are to strive for the spirit of prayer A man that will use his crutches constantly shall go â—ame all the dayes of his life 〈…〉 live in an age wherein Religion is 〈◊〉 professed and the Gospel is fully 〈◊〉 known Do not content your selves 〈◊〉 forms labour for the spirit of prayer 〈…〉 you may go to God and spread 〈…〉 him your wants and necessities and 〈◊〉 those mercies that are most sutable to 〈◊〉 wants and exigences Forms indâ—ed will teach you to beg pardon for sin in general but you must beg pardon for particular sins You must not onely beg mercy in general but you must also beg 〈◊〉 particular mercies that are most 〈…〉 you And this set forms are 〈…〉 which yet is the main work in prayer He that tyes himself alwaies to another mans form will not be able to pray alone but weakly and coldly and formally This is the fifth reason 6. Another ground of this importunity is a giving way to an accustomed continuance in a sleight and carelesse performance of duties this enervates the affections and emasculates the spirits what men are accustomed to that they get an habit of so that they cannot do the contrary As a Carriers horse that is used to a dull and slow pace cannot go out of it The lessening of Acts makes Habits more remisse That is the last reason And so much shall suffice for answer to the sixth Question LUKE 11. 8. Though he will not rise and give him because he is his friend yet because of his importunity he will give unto him c. THE Fourth paticular is this By wat helps may a man attain to this holy importunity in prayer For answer I shall lay down six or seven Theological helps by which a man may come to attain this holy importunity 1. Possesse thine heart with an lawful fear of the Almighty God This was the ground of Davids importunity as you may see Psal 5. vers 3. he saith My voice shalt thou hear in the morning And in the 7 verse you will finde this holy fear did lye at the bottom Lut as for me I will come into thine house in the multitude of thy mercy and in thy fear will I worship towards thine holy temple David came to duty with a strong 〈◊〉 of Gods greatness and dreadfulness So it is the advice of the Apostle that if we would serve God acceptably we must do it with reverence and godly fear Heb. 12. 28. That fore-cited Author Vitus Theodorus writes concerning Luther That he prayed with so much confidence as if he had been speaking with his friend and familiar and yet with so much reverence as one that considered the great distance between God and him I may allude to that place Isal 60. 5. though the words are spoken to another purpose Thy heart shall fear and be enlarged An holy fear breeds an holy care If a man once comes to this that he is fearlesse of God he will quickly be carelesse in prayer Job 15. 4. Yea thou castest off fear and restrainest prayer before God A man that doth cast off the fear of God doth soon cease to pray unto God He that fears God most that man will certainly pray to God best That is the first help Help 2 2 Another help or meanes to get this holy importunity is this To recollect thy thoughts by holy meditation before thou comest to this weighty duty of prayer to God And upon this ground we finde meditation and prayer to be put together Psal 5. 1 2. Give eare to my words O Lord
and consider my meditation give eare unto my prayer oh God and my King for unto thee will I pray Davids prayer you see is usherd in with meditation The same word in the Hebrew signifies both to meditate and to pray You finde concerniag Isaac Gen. 24. 26. Isaac went out into the fields to meditate some read it to pray others translate It is likely he did both first meditate and then pray Be much imployed in the worke of meditation if you would have your hearts much enlarged in prayer Meditate in to whose presence you come what a glorious God he is before whom you are to appeare 2. Meditate in whose name you are to come and to pray by whom you must have accesse to the throne of grace 3. Meditate what chiefe mercies you want and are to beg what grace you would have strengthned what lusts you would have quelled what doubts you would have satisfied what sins you would have pardoned in a word what blessings you would have God to bestow upon you The meditation of these things must needs give a man more scope and stirre up a mans affections in prayer Help 3 3. If you would get this holy importunity you must recall your thoughts from worldly and distracting cares when you come to prayer The Apostle therefore doth exhort the Corinthians 1 Cor. 7. to fâ—â—e themselves from and rid their hands of the cares of the world and he gives this as a reason that they may attend upon the Lord without distraction The cares of the world will eat out that good that is in the hearts of men will rob a man of that freedome and enlargement that otherwise he might have in prayer Anselme as he was walking in the fields saw a shepheards boy tie a stone to a birds legg and as the bird sought to flie up ever and anon the stone pulled it down again The spirituall interpretation that he partly made and that we may make is this when the soule would mount aloft in prayer and grow fervent the cares of the world pluck it down and coole it And therefore you must labour to free your selves from these incombrances You must doe as Abraham did when he went to sacrifice he left his servants and cattell at the bottome of the hill So when you goe to offer to God the sacrifices of prayer you must get above the impediments and distractions of this present life That is the third help Help 4 Another way to get this holy importunitie is to watch the heart in prayer Colos 4. 2. Continue in prayer and watch in the same with thanksgiving There is a watching to prayer and a watching in praying A watching to prayer is when a man watcheth his heart and sees that he doth not omit duties and there is a watching in prayer of which I am now speaking Now there are foure enemies that a man must watch against in prayer 1. Watch against drowsinesse of body This is agreat impediment of prayer and we have great need to watch against it 2. Watch against a deadnesse and dulnesse of spirit against a flat and low temper that is a great hinderance of importunitie 3. Watch against Satanicall suggestions Satan is alwayes ready to assault thee he watcheth to disturbe and molest you in your prayers you had need watch to counterworke him 4. You must watch from secular distractions All these adversaries you must watch against and that is the way to get this holy importunitie into your hearts Help 5 5. If you would get this holy importunity you must labour to stirre up all your affections when you come to pray This you finde was the practise of holy David Psal 103. 1. Blesse the Lord O my soule and all that is within mee praise his holy name See how this good man doth muster together all the faculties of his soule how he calls up al his strength all that he is or can doe to set forth the name of God So the Apostle Peter in his first epistle chap. 1. ver 13. exhorts those to whom he writes to gird up the loynes of their mindes A Christian going towards heaven is compared to a man that is going a journey now a man that is going a journey he girts up his cloathes together about his loynes that nothing may hinder him in his journie To this the Apostle alludes when he bids them gird up their loines So the like you have Luke 17. 8. Gird up thy selfe and serve me It is an expression of a master to his servant God is our master we are his servants we are to doe his worke while we be in the world To that end let us gird up our loines let us gather our affections together that we may be the more fit for and the more vigorous in the worke A discinct and ungirt minde is not fit for prayer in ancient times at the first assemblings and Church-meetings the Deacons cryed Let us pray let us attend There are many that pray and doe not attend to prayer many pray as if they prayed not if therefore we would pray indeeed we must attend to it we must stirre up all that is within us to call upon the name of the Lord. Help 6 6. If you would get this holy importunitie then you must store your hearts with fulnesse of matter when thou goest to prayer It is emptinesse of Spirit that causeth deadnesse of heart Help 7 7. If you would get this holy importunitie bemoane the deadnesse and dulnesse of thy heart This was the course that holy David tooke Psal 38. 9. My desires oh Lord are before thee and my groaning is not hid from thee So it was the practise of the Church Isa 63. 17. O Lord why hast thou made us to erre from thy wayes and hardened our hearts from thy feare So it was the way that Ephraim went in Jer. 31. 18. I have heard Ephraim bemoaning himselfe Thou hast chastised mee and I was chastised as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke Ver. 19. Surely after that I was turned I repented and after that I was instructed I smote upon my thigh I was ashamed yea even confounded because I did heare the reproach of my youth God doth love to heare his people mourning over and bewailing their wants and weaknesses and that is one necessary requisite in an acceptable prayer Bewaile therefore thy dulnesse consider that prayer without this holy importunity is like a messenger without legs as an arrow without feathers an advocate without a tongue St Jerome complained very much of his distractions and dulnesse in prayer and chid himselfe thus What doest thou thinke that Jonah prayed thus when he was in the whales belly or Daniel when he was among the Lions or the thiefe when he was upon the crosse Bemoane your want of importunity if you would get this importunitie And so much shall suffice for the helps or meanes to get importunitie And so
forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father So that till you be sons you cannot have the Spirit And so much for the reasons I come now to the application If this be so that a man must be in a state of friendship before his prayers can be accepted Hence learn That all that ever thou dost before that estate is odious to God Not onely thy sinful actions but even thy civil thy natural yea thy religious actions Not that they are so in themselves or in regard of God but in regard of the doer of it Psal 109. 7. let his prayer be turned into sin Thou makest a prayer against sin God will turn thy prayers into sin Many prayers cannot then one sin into a grace but one sin wilfully and resolutely continued in can turn all thy prayers into sin Prov. 21. 27. The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord how much more when he bringeth it with a wicked minde A diseased body turns that food into corrupt humors which an healthful body doth into sound nourishment I have read of a precious stone that had excellent vertue in it but lost all its efficacy if it was put into a dead mans mouth Prayer is an Ordinance of great excellency of great efficacy but if it be in a dead mans mouth if it come out of the heart of one that is dead in trespasses and sins it looseth all its virtue water that in pure in the fountain is corrupted in the channel Use 2 2. This doctrine overthrowes one main pillar of the Romish religion justification by works If God accepteth of the person before he accepts the work how can any person be justified by works Unlesse thy person be justified unlesse thou art reconciled thy works are wicked works and can wicked works justifie Good works make not a man good but a good man makes a work good and shall a work that a man made good return again and make the man good Iâ— we had no other reason against justification by works saith â—erkins but this it were sufficient Use 3 3. For this teach you not onely to look to the fitnesse and disposednesse of your hearts in prayer but also to make inquiry what thou art that prayest It is our duty and it is very good to look to the qualification of the heart in prayer to look to the qualification of the duty but the main work is to look after the qualification of the person and to see whether thou art in a state of favour and reconciliation with God for if the person be not in favour with God you may be confident the petitions will not be heard nor accepted but God looks upon it as the corrupt breathings of thy sinful and corrupt heart You are to look therefore in the performance of duty whether you can go to God in prayer as a Father There are many that look after the qualification of their duty but few look after the qualification of the person to see whether they be justified or no whether God be their friend or not But we should mainly look to this for let the heart of a man be never so well disposed let us suppose it for indeed no unreconciled men can be well disposed to speak properly yet if thy person be not justified thy prayer cannot be accepted God cares not for the Rhetorick of prayers how eloquent they are nor for the Arithmetick of prayers how many they are nor for the Logick of them how rational and methodical they are nor for the Musick of them what an harmony and melody of words thou hast but he looks at the divinity of prayers which is from the qualification of a person from a justified person and in a sanctified manner It is good to enquire Is my heart right Is my mind composed Are my affections raised kindled in prayer But chiefly enquiâ—e is my person accepted of God Vse 4 4. Let me give a caution here Take heed you do not mistake this Doctrine Let no man think that because God accepts no prayer except the person be justified therefore wicked men are excused from prayer for though God doth not accept of every mans prayer yet every man in the world ought to pray For 1. They must pray as creatures that stand in need of their Creator The Ravens cry and God giveth them meat 2. The Lord blames wicked men for not praying to him Jer. 10. 25. Pour out thy wrath upon the Heathen that know then not and upon the families that call not upon thy Name Rom. 3. 11. There is none that understandeth there is none that seeketh after God 3. They are commanded to pray Acts 8. 22 23. Peter said to Simon Magus Repent therefore of this thy wickednesse and pray God if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee for I perceive thou art in the gall of bitterness and bonds of iniquity LUKE 11. 8. Though he will not give him because he is his friend c. AND thus much for the first Doctrine and first part of the Text the relation between him that prayes and him to whom prayers are made I come now to the second part which is the condition upon which the prayer was heard and that I told you was set down two wayes 1. Negatively 2. Positively 3. Negatively Not because he is his friend The observation thence is this Doct. 2 That a state of friendship or reconciliation with God is not sufficient to assure a man that God will give returnes to his prayers Although a man must be brought into a state of friendship and favour with God before his prayers can be heard yet it is not a sufficient ground for a man to believe that God will give him an answer of all his prayers He will give unto him not because he is friend So that a godly man may make many prayers and yet God may not give any answer to his prayers In the handling of this Doctrine I shall do three things 1. Shew the reasons of the Doctrine 2. I shall shew in what cases God may refuse to give his own people the things that they pray for 3. I shall shew how we may know when God denies to hear our prayers whether the denial be in mercie Reas The first particular is the reason why God may and doth sometimes deny to hear the prayers of his friends And that is this Because God hath tied returns of prayer not onely to the qualification of the person but also to the qualification of the dutie that the dutie be performed not onely by a fit person but also in a right way in a right manner to a right end God doth not say Let a godly man pray how he will I will hear his prayers that were the way to make him to be carelesse and remiss in the performance of duties Therefore the Lord expects qualification of the dutie as well as of
had said O woman great is thy faith be it unto thee even as thou wilt vers 28. Denials are to the Saints as water to the Smiths-forge when it is sprinkled upon it it is so far from cooling or quenching it that it makes it burn with the greater heat So the denials and discouragements Gods people meet with they serve for bellowes to blow up those sparks that are in them into a flame to make their desires stronger their affections to burn the hotter But now to an hypocrite denials and discouragements do take off the wheels of his affections and make them to move slowly and heavily Job 21. 15. What is the Almighty that we should serve him and what profit should we have if we pray unto him We get no good by it the mercies we ask are not yet in our hands Now this argues a sinful impatiency and a want of holy importunity 7. Holy importunity is kindled in the heart by the motions and operations of Gods blessed Spirit Gal. 4. 6. Because you are sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Sonne into your hearts crying Abba father In the time of the law those sacrifices that were accepted were burnt with fire from heaven Levit. 9. 24. There came fire out from before the Lord and consumed upon the altar the burnt-offering And so in Elijahs time 1 King 18. 38. When Elijah had laid his sacrifice upon the altar of the Lord Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt-sacrifice and the wood So the Heathens vestal-flames were kindled with sun-beams The true importunity is from above it is a fire kindled by God himself in the hearts of his people But there is another importunity that comes from natural principles from natural abilities a strong memory a profound judgement a ready wit a fluent tongue and these are very advantagious to the duty There is the gift of prayer as well as the grace of prayer Some are importunate in prayer out of flâ—thly respects Now this is but a counterfeit importunity And thus much for the fourth particular the difference between holy and natural importunity LUKE 11. 8. Though he will not rise and give him because he is his friend yet because of his importunity he will rise and give THe fift particular is this What are the reasons why Gods people must labour for this holy importunity in their prayers Reas 1 I answer 1. Because God hath tied and promised returnes not to the persons praying but to the qualifications of their prayers And when the Scripture makes mention of this duty of prayer it doth also make mention of severall concomitants that must goe along with it to make it acceptable To instance there are diverse concomitants which the Scripture holds forth to be necessary for the acceptance of our prayers 1. We must pray beleevingly Heb. 11. 6. He that cometh to God must beleeve Mar. 11. 24. Therefore I say unto you â—aith Christ what things soever yee desire when ye pray beleeve that yee receive them and yee shall have them He doth not say pray how you will you shall have them but pray in such and such manner pray beleevingly and then you shall receive very much to this purpose is 1 James 5. If any man want wisdome let him ask it of God Ver. 6. But let him ask in faith nothing wavering for he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the winde and tossed So that you see God lookes to the manner as well as to the matter of a performance 2. You must pray regularly according to the will of God 3. Dependingly resting upon Christs intercession 4. Waitingly 5. Preparedly but these I shall passe by because they doe not so properly concerne the Point in hand 6. We are commanded to pray earnestly and fervently and importunately So David did Psal 55. 17. I will pray and cry aloud and he shall heare my voyce A full place to this purpose is Rom. 15. 30. Now I beseech you brethren for the Lord Jesus Christs sake and for the love of the Spirit that yee stâ—ive together with me in your prayers to God for mee The word in the Greek is very emphaticall it is the same word that is applyed to Christ when he was in an agony when he sweat drops of blood He beseecheth them to contend and strive in their prayers we are to be as it were in an agony when we are in prayer Prayer is not a little booke labour it is not a lip labour onely but it is a raising up and putting forth the heart and affections in the worke So Rom. 12. 12. Bee continuing instant in prayer It is a metaphor taken from dogs A dog of all creatures is the best able to endure hunger he will run from place to place and never leave till he hath got his prey so you are to hunger after God and after mercy and not to rest satisfied till God doth grant the mercy you stand in need of pray and pray and pray againe and fight till you overcome pray till you get an answer Another place is Jam. 5. 16. The effectuall fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much The word in the originall is significant Some expound it a working prayer It may be interpreted a prayer well wrought in the heart and so a prayer that comes from the heart A prayer wrought in us by the Spirit and carried on by faith Another place to the same purpose is Acts 26. 7. Unto which promise our twelve Tribes instantly serving God The word is rendered by some continually daily constantly but it signifies most properly a serving of God with the utmost of ones strength to be as a man upon a rack to use the very all of their power or it may be it is borrowed from one that runs a race wherein men stretch out their limbs to the utmost The word is the same here that is used Acts 12. 5. Prayer was made without ceasing or as it is in the margin of your booke and more agreeably to the Originall instant and earnest prayer was made for Peter The prayers of Gods people were so earnest that they opened the prison doores for him So Colos 4. 12. Epaphras who is one of you a servant of Christ saluteth you alwayes labouring fervently for you in prayers So that you see it is not every prayer that God is satisfied with no nor Gods people neither it is not every prayer that shall prevaile with God There must be importunity in it So much for the first reason 2. We must have this holy importunitie in prayer because there is much strength and importunity against thee when ever thou goest upon thy knees There is strength against you both from without and from within 1. From without There are the powers of darknesse that stand against you and resist you As it was
with Abraham Gen. 15 11. When Abraham was sacrificing fowles came downe upon the sacrifice but Abraham drove them away Deodate saith this is a signe that the Devills those infernall spirits labour to disturbe us in holy duties as the good Angels behold us in our assemblies and rejoyce to see our order so the wicked Angells labour to disturbe us and molest us 2. There is strength against us from within There is that in thy heart that will carry thee more violently from God then the good motions in thee can bring thee to God there is a forcible withdrawing of the heart from God James 1. 14. Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed When you have no will to doe good even then you have a will to doe evill nay there are wills of the flesh and lusts of the flesh shall we not have halfe a will for God when we have many wills for sin You see therefore it is not without good reason that we should be thus importunate in prayer And so much for the fifth particular The sixt particular is this What are the reasons why so many people doe want this holy importunity that so many pray and so few pray with that earnestnesse and eagernesse of heart and affection that is required I answer that comes to passe for many reasons Reas 1 1. This comes to passe from the injections and instigations of Satan The Devill acts not onely powerfully but also subtilly and craftily he will endeavour to divert you from the performance of duty he will perswade you to neglect it if he can But it may be thou wilt say thou wilt direct thy prayer unto God and thou wilt have thine eye fixed upon God Why now Sathan will fall in with you he will jogge your arme he will take off your eye from the marke that you shall not be able to hit it Thus he dealt with Abraham as you heard before Thus he dealt Job 1. 6. Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord and Sathan came also among them I am not ignorant that many Interpreters by the sons of God doe understand the Angells because the Angells are called the sons of God Job 38. 7. but it cannot be so taken here I will give but one reason to prove it because the place where the Angells are is in heaven and if so then the Devill must be in heaven which is by all denyed he never was in heaven since he was cast out of it And therefore Bolducius saith that this day was the Lords day and by the Sons of God are meant the godly men that lived in the time and place where Jobâ—ived â—ived the posterity of Seth. And you hall finde in Scripture this very appella tion given to them Gen. 6. 2. The sons of God saw the daughters of men These sons of God must needs be men and not Angells And so they are to be understood in this place in Job the people of God met together and came before the Lord and Sathan came also among them he came to hinder them and disturbe them So it was Zach. 3. 1 2. And be shewed me Joshua the high Priest standing before the Angell of the Lord and Sathan standing at his right hand to resist him And the Lord said unto Sathan The Lord rebuke thee O Sathan even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee is not this a firebrand pluckd out of the fire You see how Sathan laboured to divert the thoughts and distract the heart of the high Priest in the performance of religious duties That is the first reason 2. This importunity is wanting in our prayers when we know and allow our selves in any one sin and let it lie upon our hearts unrepented of Hildersham gathers from the 51 Psalme that all the while that David did lie in that sin of adulterie all the time that sin was unrepented of the heart of David was shut up that he could not pray as he was wont to doe before and as he did after he had repented of that sin at which time he writ that penitentiall Psalme You had need looke to your hearts that there doe not lie there any sin incouraged and unrepented of for be sure of this if thy prayer doe not make thee leave sinning thy sin will make thee leave praying That is the second reason of the want of importunity 3. Another reason is this because many take unfit seasons for the performance of dutie It is the judgement of that learned and reverend man of God Mr Bolton that the taking of unfit seasons for the performance of prayer doth more obstruct and hinder this holy importunity in prayer then all the suggestions and instigations of Sathan Now there are three unfit seasons for the performance of this duty 1. When the body is sleepy and fit for nothing but to take its rest A sleepy and sluggish temper is a canker to eat out many sweet affections Cant. 3. 1. By night upon my bed I sought him but I found him not Some Inter preters take occasion hence to speak against late prayers 2. Another unfit season is when the heart is filled with worldly care and distractions and the incumbrances of this present life many men are guilty of this they will so â—log themselves with the cares of this life that they cannot have a praying time free from them Some men will be down upon their knees before the things of this world are out of their minds and so they have no time to consider or meditate or to put the heart into a fit frame for that work You know we are to attend upon the Lord without distraction 1 Cor. 7. 35. It was the fault of those Jews in hearing that when they came to hear the word their hearts did go out after their covetousnesse Ezek. 33. 31. That is another season unfit for prayer 3. Another season is when we are under passionate distempers When tumultuous passions are up holy affections are down 1 Tim. 2. 8. I will that men pray every where lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting to shew that where there is wrath the duty of prayer cannot be performed in an acceptable manner And of the same mind was the Apostle Peter who therefore gives this counsel 1 Pet. 3. 7. Likewise ye husbands dwel with them according to knowledg giving honour unto the wife as unto the weaker vessel and as being heirs together of the grace of life that your prayers be not hindered The Apostle wisely fore-saw that if man and wife lived in discontent and trouble then their prayers would be hindred and therefore he adviseth them to prevent the hinderance of their prayers by avoiding occasions of discontent And that is the third season wherein people are are unfit for prayer so they are diverted from that servency and importunity
THE ZEALOVS CHRISTIAN Taking Heaven BY HOLY VIOLENCE In severall SERMONS Tending to direct men How To hear with Zeal To pray with importunity Preached by that faithfull servant of JESUS CHRIST Mr. CHRISTOPHER LOVE Late Minister of Laurence Jury LONDON The violent take it by force Mat. 11. 12. London Printed by R. and W. Leybourn for John Rothwell at the Sun and Fountain in Pauls-Church-yard 1653. TO THE CHRISTIAN READER Reader THE good acceptance which this Authors Treatises already published by us have found and the good successe they have had among the people of God together with the importunate desires of many godly persons that were 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 SERMONS have put us upon recommending them to the World The subject of those Sermons is not only Pipus but Seasonable Euery thing saith Solomon i◠beautifull in its season Eccles 3. 11. The times wherein we live are famous for a Ferm of godlinesse and no lesse infamous for the want of the Power of it Nothing is more common then for men to hear and pray and perform the outside-outside-duties of Religion Nothing more rare then for man to do these things as becomes the Gospel Men have so inured themselves to disputes about the Circumstantials of Worship that Substantials are lost in the scuffle And therefore it is commendable in a Minister to reduce the thoughts and hearts of people from needlesse controversies to the practicals of Christianity As Socrates was commended for bringing down Philosophie from high and sublime speculation to use and practice It was the case of this Reverend Author not so much to gratifie the fancies of men as to work upon their affections and to direct them in the ordering of their conversation and that the father because he observed most men had more heat in their Brains then in their Hearts That zeal that once appeared in the Professours of this Nation is evaporated That violence that sometimes was in the people of this Nation after Sermons and all Ordinances is now abated and grown remisse nay in some the hatred wherewith they hate the Ordinances and people of God is greater then ever was the love wherewith they loved them That praying Spirit that not long ago was shed abroad in the hearts of Gods people is now as it were departed It is therefore high time to be speak this carelesse Nation or rahter the Professors of this Nation with that message which GOD sent to the Church of Ephesus Remember from whence thou art fallen and repent and do thy first works or else I will come against thee quickly and remove thy Candlestick out of his place And oh may these ensuing Sermons be usefull to revive those sparks of zeal and importunity that lie as it were under the ashes That was the end which the Author aimed at when he preached them to his Congregation and that is a main end that we look to and hope for in the publication of them The times wherein we live are times of much hypocrisie There are many among us that say they are Jews and are not that have a name to live and are dead yea there are many that seeme to be religious and yet not only deceive others but also deceive their own selves And therefore it is time for every man to search and trie if there be any way of wickednesse in him All is not gold that glisters nor are all Saints that so call themselves or are so called by others Here then is a Touch-stone by which you may examine your selves Here is a Balance of the Sanctuary wherein you may weigh your graces and see whether they be light or no. It is one of the vainest and most foolish things in the world for men to cheat themselves of eternall happinesse We count it folly for a man to suffer himself to be cheated in a bargain and yet what is lost in one bargain may be regained in another But here he that is cheated is cheated irrecoverably The losse of the soul is irreparable Precious is the redemption of souls and it ceaseth for ever And yet there is a strange stupidity among the sons of men whereby they are willing to be deceived and jugled out of their soul-happinesse They are willing to rest themselves upon any groundlesse presumption though it be so weak that they dare not put it to triall in their own hearts themselves being Judges O all you poor deluded souls How long will you love vanity and follow after lies When you may go a sure way why will you run a hazard Awake therefore O thou that sleepest and seriously betake thy self to this weighty necessary and profitable duty of examination and in this work we hope this Treatise will be usefull and acceptable which if it be done and the other branch not left undone the Authors desire in preaching is satisfied and our expectation in publishing answered and that both those ends may be obtained is the earnest desire of Those that seek not yours but you EDMUND CALAMY SIMEON ASHE JER WHITAKER WIL. TAYLOR MATTHEW POOL MAT THEW 11. 12. And from the dayes of John the Baptist untill now the Kingdom of heaven suffereth violence and the violent take it by force THis Text is part of the largecommendation that Christ gives of the person and Ministery of John the Baptist John was a crier in the wildernesse to publish the glory of Christ and Christ an Herauld to proclaim the praise of John And this he doth 1 For his constancy in the doctrine of Religion vers 7. What went you out to see a read shaken with the winde a light fickle and inconstant Preacher that like a reed turnes with every winde of doctrine John was no such man not like a reed to yield to the stream or blast of every winde but like the oake or cedar that stands unmoveably in the midst of the greatest stormes 2 For his holinesse and high measure of mortification vers 8. What went you out to see A man cloathed in soft raiment John was no such man He was not at all addicted to the garbe and pompe of the Court but He had a raiment of camels hair and a leathern girdle about his loines Matth. 3. 4. 3 By comparing him with the former Prophets with those Teachers that went before him vers 9. What went you out to see a Prophet Yea I say to you and more then a Prophet v. 11. Verily I say unto you Amongst them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater then John the Baptist He gives him the precedency above all his predecessours not in regard of the dignity of his office but in respect of the perspicuity of his doctrine Yet lest he might be proud himselfe or others too much admire him it is added by way of qualification in the end of the 11 verse He that is least in the Kingdome of heaven is greater then he Those Disciples and Apostles that should
it may be it is in temporall favours but not in spirituall mercies God gives thee a temporall mercie but he denies thee spirituall mercies It may be thou hast begged riches and God hath granted thee this request to make thee rich in the world It may be thou hast desired honour and thou art raised to places of honour But remember thou doest beg Christ thou dost beg grace and glory if God doth not give thee these thou shalt never see the face of God and consider what will all these doe thee good They will but feed thee sat for the day of slaughter and make thee a sweet morsell for wormes and Devills Now consider what benefit this will be to thee to have riches pleasures and worldly contentments and they prove a snare to thee So then it is no just ground for a man to conclude that he hath prayed aright because God hath answered him That is the third ground A fourth ground of mens presumption of the goodnesse and acceptablenesse of their prayers is this they pray by heart and not by booke they use not set formes they pray ex tempore But this also is but a false ground as appeares by these considerations 1. It is possible and usuall too for men to pray without booke and yet without heart too A man may pray a third way he may pray and yet neither pray with books nor with heart he may pray by the strength of naturall parts as I told you even now 2. A man may pray without a forme and yet make but a formall prayer A formall prayer is not to use a forme of words for that Jesus Christ did he prayed three times saying the same words A man may possibly use a forme of words and yet not be formall And on the other a man may be formall and yet not use a forme of words that is he may pray and yet not have his heart and affections wrought upon in that prayer 3. Prayer is not a worke of the memory invention or expression but a worke of the heart Prayer doth not consist in varietie of phrases or change of the method and expression used in prayer but a worke on the affections God doth not account that to be a prayer that doth not come from the heart and is not accompanied with the heart And therefore you finde this expression concerning the Saints prayers formerly Hannah poured out her soule before the Lord and so the Psalmist he is said to poure out his heart and the Israelites are said to poure out their hearts like water before the Lord. So that this proves to be a false bottome And so much for the first use of Caution LUKE 11. 8. I say unto you though he will not rise and give him because he is his friend yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth 2. THis may be for caution to the godly to prevent the mistakes of those that have this importunitie and thinke they have not Yet here also they have some seeming reasons I shall name them and withall answer them Their first reason is this Others pray better then I saith a godly man Others performe duties with more inlargednesse Now this reasoning is not good For 1. It may be those that thou apprehendest to pray better then thou are of longer standing and larger experience in the wayes of God then thou art God doth not expect any more from a man but according to that measure of grace that he gives the man and according to his growth and standing in grace Paul was not at all discouraged because Epinetus was the first fruits of Achaia unto Christ Rom. 16. 5. nor at Andronicus and Junia that were of note among the Apostles and in Christ before him verse 7. And if Paul was not discouraged why shouldest thou be discouraged to see other Christians outstrip thee it may be they are of longer standing then thou 2. It may be thou doest judge and compare they selfe with others at a great disadvantage As first it may be thou dost compare thy selfe and thy praying in secret with the praying of others in publick Now this is very disadvantageous for in publick men have not onely inward but also outward incouragements and so thorough the corruption that is in all our hearts they are more drawne forth at that time then in secret 2. It may be thou dost compare their expression with thine affection it may be there is more in thy affections then in all the multitude of their expressions Thou are not to compare thy affections with the multitude of other mens words 3. Iâ— may be thou dost compare thy 〈◊〉 with others when they are at the best and highest and thou at the worst and lowest There is a great difference betwixt a man and himselfe at severall times now you judge unequally if you compare your selfe in that manner 3. In some cases this may be no discouragement to thee as 1. If thou art weaker in naturall gifts Though good affections flow from grace yet good expressions proceed from the goodnesse of naturall abilities 2. In case thou art not of as long standing in religion 3. It thou hast lesser time and opportunities for prayer by reason of necessary cares and encumbring employments When Jonah was entered into the ship there was a great storme in so much that the ship was ready to sinke now all the Mariners were at prayer every man cryed to his God but Jonah was fast aslâ—â—p now one would have thought that Jonah had been a most stupid man but the reason was the greatnesse of his journey a little before which caused him to be so heavie to sleep It may be a man that hath lesse grace then thou may pray better then thou because he is not troubled with these worldly incumbrances that thou art necessarily ingaged in 4. God doth not distribute gifts and graces to all alike God hath not appointed that all men should grow in grace alike To this purpose I may apply Nehem. 11. 17. Mattaniah the son of Micha the son of Zabdi the son of Asaph was the principall to begin the thanksgiving in prayer and Bakbukiah the second among his brethren and Abda the son of Shammuz the third God doth not intend that all should be alike in grace or gifts God hath his first second and third one may fall short of another and yet all have truth of grace yea all have some growth in grace Another may pray better and yet thou pray well Another may pray more affectionately and yet thou pray as acceptably in the sight of God so much for Answer to the first reason 2. Many a poore soule may say I can remember since I could pray better and more largely Now if I could pray better formerly then now I am now grown remisse and want this holy importunity But this is no sound reason for 1. It may be
commanded them and the Lord accepted Job It may be there be times when you can not pray or when God will not heare your prayers but remember you have a stock of prayers going for you And thus much shall suffice by way of answer to this objection I now come to make application LUKE 11. 8. Though he will not rise and give him because he is his friend yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him c. IN the first place let me draw some Inferences or Corollaries from what hath been insisted upon Corol ∣ lary 1 1. Returnes to prayer are not given for the works sake but for the persons sake Though the matter of thy prayer may be good yet if thou art not a good man thou shalt not be accepted God had respect first to Abel then to his offering Psal 34. 17. The righteous cry and the Lord heareth The person must be in a state of favour before the dutie can be accepted Corol. 2 2. Though prayers are not returned for the work yet they are not returned without the work God expects the worke and the worke you must doe though God will not have you to look for acceptance for the workes sake Corol. 3 3. Nor are returnes of prayer made to a person singly considered but a member of Christ as one that hath a share in his intercession Joh. 15. 7. If yee abide in mee yee shall aske what you will and it shall be given you So Joh. 16. 23. Whatsoever ye aske the Father in my Name that he will give to you All our prayers are but Cyphers till Christs intercession be added Cyphers in Arithmetick stand for nothing till a figure be added Coroll 4 4. The longer and the more thou hast prayed the more affectionate shouldest thou be in prayer Mat. 6. 7. Aske and yee shall have seeke and yee shall finde knock and it shall be opened unto you Observe the gradation in these words Aske but you must not stay there you must seeke nor yet must you rest satisfied there you must knock Your affections should be every day more eager and earnest you should pray more fervently as it is said of Christ Luk. 22. 44. Corol. 5 5. He can never pray importunately that doth not pray daily Intermission of dutie will quickly cause an interruption in thine affections you must therefore pray in secret pray fervently pray morning and evening And to stirre you up to and incourage you in this worke Consider 1. The example of those holy men of God who have done thus Nehemiah 1 6. Let thine eare now be attentive and thine yet open that thou maiest heare the prayer of thy servant which I pray before thee day and night So you have the example of Daniel Dan. 6. 10. hee kneeled upon his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thankes before his God as he did before time It was a custome that he had observed of former time Though he was a great Courtier and a man full of great imployment yet he would not neglect prayer Nor was this an extraordinary fit but his ordinary course So in David Psal 5. 3. My voyce shall thou heare in the morning and in the evening will I direct my prayer unto thee and will looke up So Psal 88. 13. But unto thee have I cryed O Lord and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee So Psal 119. 147. I prevented the dawning of the morning and cryed unto the Lord. Psal 55. 17. Evening and morning and at noone will I pray and cry aloud 2. You have the example of Jesus Christ himselfe Mark 1. 35. In the morning rising up a great while before day he went out and departed into a solitary place and there prayed and so at evening Mat. 14. 23. He went unto a mountaine to pray and when the evening was come he was there also And least you should thinke this was onely upon extraordinary occasion it is said Luk. 22. 3. He came to the mount of Olives as he was went Joh. 18. 2. Jesus resorted thither with his Disciples 3. Consider you have the very examples of of Heathens in this The Heathens sacrificed to Heroules morning and evening upon the great Altar at Rome 4. Consider that in the Lords Prayer we are taught to pray every day Christ did not bid us pray for bread or things necessary for a moneth or a yeare but day by day 5. This was prefigured in the Law there was a daily offering to be given to God a lambe at morning and a lambe at night as you may see Exod. 29. 38 39. Yea extraordinary sacrifices did not abolish this number there was a burnt offering for the Sabbath besides the continuall burnt offering and the burnt offering at the beginning of the moneth and the Passe over and yet though these extraordinary workes were to be done yet the ordinary were not to be left undone 80 that you see here is good ground and encouragement for then to be-frequent in these religious duties And somuch for the 〈…〉 Use 2 Caution â— This may be usefull for the instruction of those to whom God hath given returnes of prayers to whom God hath out of his bounty given more then they did â—â—ke To such I must give first Sâ—â—ne negative cautions secondly Some positive cautions Nega ∣ tive 1 â— Some 〈…〉 cautions and that in foure regards 1. Let not Gods returnes to thy prayers make thee remisse and carelesse in the performance of duty Beware of an empty heart when God brings in thy mercies with a full hand Merchant adventurers iâ— they have good returnes are incouraged to adventure their Ships to Sea againe Our hearts are so base and disingenuous that wee are apt when we have what we seeke for to seeke no more O take heed of this let not Gods goodnesse make you worse 2. Another caution iâ— this Let not returnes to prayer make you conceited and proud of your gifts or of your graces Wee are too apt to reflect upon our selves our parts our graces our abilities and therefore we have more need to 〈…〉 of it Beware that thine heart be not lifted up in pride against God least God be provoked to lift up his hand against thee in judgement 3. Take heed that you doe not ascribe the returnes of prayer do your owne importunitie but 〈◊〉 to the freenesse of Gods grace Men are 〈◊〉 apt to 〈◊〉 to their owne 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 because to their owne drags Take â—eed o◠〈◊〉 God cannot endure to have his glory givs and another Say rather I have received mercy but alas there is nothing in mee that could deserve it all comes solely from the free grace of God 4. Take heed of returning againe to sin after God hath returned thy prayers into thy bosome Psal 85. 8. I will heare what the Lord God will speake for he will