please him to enable me to speak both of him the thing that is right and to men to his servants that which may be sound and satisfying The Question propounded affordeth matter for four Queries or it offereth four things to be distinctly considered and resolved 1. Whether there be any Example of this vis Gods hiding himself from his peoples prayers grounded upon his Promises and his seeming by his Providences to answer the prayers which are contrary thereunto 2. How or in what sence God may be said so to do 3. What may be the Reason of his so doing 4. What Vse should be made of it CHAP. II. THe first Query answered viz. Whether Gods hiding himself from his peoples prayers grounded upon his Promises and seeming by his Providences to answer the prayers which are contrary thereunto can be parallel'd with any Example SECT I. The Question affirmed and divided into Parts THis first Query is to be answered Affirmatively It is a thing that may be Exemplified there is no new thing in it Yea we are not without many Presidents of it going before us In producing the Examples required I will divide the matter to be patterned into its two Parts and shew the Examples 1. Of Gods hiding himself from his peoples prayers grounded upon his Promises 2. Of his seeming by his Providences to answer the prayers which are contrary thereunto SECT II. Examples of Gods Hiding himself from his Peoples Prayers FIrst Of the former viz. Gods hiding himself from his peoples prayers grounded upon his Promises there is great store of notable Examples of this I will set them down in this order 1. The Acknowledgments or Complaints of this in the mouths of the people of God 2. The Declarations of God himself to this purpose 3. Historical Observations of the thing I. First Of this the Saints or people of God have made their Acknowledgment or Complaint in Scripture And this is observable 1. Either of the prayers of particular persons 2. Or of the prayers of the Community or multitude of Gods people that is of the Church First For Personal Prayers Single persons have found themselves in this condition And this may be noted touching their prayers 1. For others 2. For themselves 3. For Gods own Cause 1. Let us hear their Testimonies in relation to their prayers for others Holy David telleth us He clothed himself with sackcloth Psa 35 13 and humbled his Soul with fasting for his Enemies and Persecutors Saul and his party and his prayer returned into his own bosom that is it proved ineffectual as for them He also solemnly fasted and besought God for his sick child but it availed not on the seventh day the child dyed Moses prayed earnestly for them of Israel who had set up and worshiped the golden Calf Yet now if thou wilt forgive their sin and if not blot me I pray thee out of thy Book Exod. 32.32 33 34 35. which thou hast written But what answer had he to this pathetick prayer And the Lord said unto Moses Whosoever hath sinned against me him will I blot out of my Book therefore now go lead the people unto the place of which I have spoken unto thee behold mine Angel shall go before thee Nevertheless in the day when I visit I will visit their sin upon them And the Lord plagued the people because they made the Calf which Aaron made The Prophet Isaiah professeth his uncessantness in prayer for Zions and Jerusalems glorious Restauration For Zions sake will I not hold my peace and for Jerusalems sake I will not rest Isai 62.1 6 7. 63.11 15. 64.7 until the Righteousness thereof go forth as brightness and the Salvation thereof as a Lamp that burneth And he enjoyneth the same instancy in prayer to all other praying persons Ye that make mention of the Lord keep not silence and give him no rest till he establish and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the Earth Yet in the two following Chapters he in his own and their persons expostulateth and bemoaneth the Lords withdrawing and withholding himself from them and his people notwithstanding their prayers Where is he that brought them up out of the Sea with the Shepherd of his flock where is he that put his holy Spirit within him where is thy zeal and thy strength the sounding of thy bowels and of thy mercies towards me are they restrained And this his hiding himself is set out to be so dismal and long that they were even grown weary of prayer And there is none that calleth upon thy Name that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee for thou hast hid thy face from us and hast consumed us because of our iniquities The Prophet Jeremiah prayeth most tenderly for Judah and Zion Jer. 14.19 21. 15.1 Hast thou utterly rejected Judah hath thy Soul lothed Zion Why hast thou smitten us and there is no healing for us We looked for peace but there is no good and for the time of healing and behold trouble Do not abhor us for thy Names sake do not disgrace the throne of thy glory remember break not thy Covenant with us c. And what is the Lords return unto this Then said the Lord unto me Though Moses and Samuel stood before me yet my mind could not be toward this people cast them out of my sight and let them go forth King Josiah upon his hearing read the words of the Book of the Law and understanding by it the great wrath of the Lord which was kindled against him and his people 2 K ng 23.25 26. he besought the Lord with extraordinary humiliation zeal and diligence His heart was tender he humbled himself before the Lord he rent his clothes and wept before God he sent to enquire of the Lord for himself and all Judah by the Prophetess Hâ—ld ah e assembled the people published the Book of the Law made and imposed on the people a Covenant before the Lord to yield obedience to it He rooted up Idolatry and Sorcery He restored the Temple and true Worship of God He was in all these a peerless King Like unto him was there no King before him that turned to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might according to all the Law of Moses neither after him arose there any like him But all this would not appease Gods anger nor avert his Judgments unto desolation from Judah Notwithstanding the Lord turned not from the fierceness of his great wrath wherewith his anger was kindled against Judah c. The Prophet Habakkuk gives us to understand how speedless he was in prayer beginning his Prophesie with this complaint unto God Hab. 1.2 O Lord how long shall I cry and thou wilt not hear even cry out unto thee of violence and thou wilt not save And going yet a second time unto God by prayer in expectation and hope of a better answer I will
with wicked men in their obtaining of their evil desires 7. Let no man insult over the cross events that come upon the pious prayers of the people of God to rejoyce thereat to turn the disappointments slâ—ps or delays of such mens prayers into derision and triumph Psa 13.2 4 38.16 35.15 69.10 11. Mic. 7.8 is the character of the wickedest persons and the enemies of God but Rejoyce not against me O mine enemy c. These are the Miscarriages to be shunned SECT II. The Graces or Duties to be exercised in the Case above mentioned THe Graces or Duties which in this condition are specially seasonablâ— and necessary to be put in practise are these 1. Lay the case to heart and be duly affected with it They that know any thing of the use of prayer and the worth of Gods face and attentive ear need no perswading to this What should dejâ—ct us if not this While the Ark the sign of Gods presence was a stranger to Israel and captive with the Philistins 2 Sam. 7.2 all the house of Israel mourned after the Lord. This absence of God was David's dayly sorrow of heart yea it was as death unto him For this he made his tears his meat day and night He poured out his Soul in him Psal 42.3 4 10. and his upbraidings by his enemies with this were as a sword in his bones Nay it was this which was as the splitting of the heart of our Saviour upon the Cross when he cryed with a loud voyce Mat. 27.46 My God my God why hast thou forsaken me The 22 Psalm whence the wordâ— were taken pitch them upon a dereliction in prayer Tâ—is withdrawing of God is an Inlâ—t to a muâ— itude if not all miseries and mischiefs a Deut. 31 17. Psal 10.1 c. It is an â—v l for which there is no remedy or compâ—nsation but the ceasing of it b Jâ—b 3â— 29 See Diâ—in Annot. and to the mourner under it is the promise of restoring made c Isai 57. â—5 18. 2. Persevere in prayer give not over the pursuit of your petitions for this cause It behoves us to hold on in duty what ever be the issue Pray we must speed or speed not When the Cloud the token of Gods appearance and conduct unto his Israel in the wilderness was taken up from the Tabernacle Num. 9.21 whether it was by day or by night the people journeyed Whether we be in the light of his presence in this effect of prayer hearing or in the darksom night of his absence we must travel on in our prayers after God Doth God hold his peace we must nevertheless Psa 109 4 yea the rather with David give our selves to prayer Quest But how long must the people of God pray is there no time to give over Answ Those things for which we have a general and indefinite Precept to pray being Temporals for about Spirituals we may pray and must while we live we must continue our requests for until God do either accomplish them for us or take us off and discharge us from the prosecution of them This latter he hath 1. Sometimes done by express word as he did to Moses Deut. 3.26 and to Samuel 1 Sam. 16.1 2. Sometimes he doth it by Providence so he did to David when he fasted and prayed for his child that was struck with sickness 2 Sam. 12.15 16. the Lord took him off from his praying by the death of the child vers 22.23 When the Lord layeth upon the thing prayed for an impossibility in Nature that it should come to pass as he did upon that childs recovery by its death then unless there be a special promise that the thing shall be though it be above Nature as there is of the Resurrection of the body we are to surcease prayer But if the impossibility be but moral that is when it amounts but unto a great unlikelyhood such was that of Zech. 8.6 the flourishing of Ierusalem after the captivity that is no supersedeas unto prayer We find the servants of God have interposed their prayers when the Lords sentence hath been out against the subject of their prayers Deut. 9.25 2 Sam. 12.14 16 Isai 38.1 2. Ion. 3.4 c. Nay when unto their prayers God hath answered them with a plain denyal yet they have persisted to pray Iudg. 10.13 15. Nay further when the Lord hath not only declared that he would not hear them but hath forbldden them to pray yet they have continued praying Ier. 7.16 11.14 with Chap. 14.11 19. That which God hath denounced he may revoke again that which he hath begun to execute he may give over and undo again Ier. 18.7 8. Ezek. 33.8 10 11. Amos 7.2 3 4 5 6. He threateneth under express or implicite conditions He acteth with divers and unknown intents But one condition one intent which he hath made known to us is that we seek unto him unto which his menaces and his judicial proceedings are rather a spur then a discharge As the promises and predictions of God for the coming to pass of a thing are no release from the duty of prayer but rather an invitation and a tye unto it * Ezek. 36.37 so neither are denunciations to the contrary of our prayers any discharge from pâ—ayer no neither are contrary providences or disposings of God which do not reach to an utter or natural impossibility Wherefore lift we up and keep we up our languishing hands and hearts and reinforce our strivings in prayer There are many Considerations to induce it 1. God straitly injoyns it He commandeth not only that we call upon him in our wants and troubles but that we persevere and be importunate therein See Luk. 18.1 c. Rom. 12.12 Ephes 6.18 Col. 4.2 Psal 62.8 Isai 62.6 7. 2. Continuance and instancy in prayer hath its special promises Christ our Saviour in those two passages of Luke 11.5 c. and 18.2 c. hath fully assured us by promise of the prevalency of perseverance in prayer confirming it with a treble comparison taken from the efficacy of persistency in prayer with men with evil men as with a friâ—nd with a father with an unjust Judg how much more then shall it be forcible with God 3. The servants of God have gon this way to work and have left us on record the example of their practise and of the happy succâ—ss of it at length for our imitation and encourag ment In the darkest desertions they have prayed most cryed loudest and wrestled hardest Psal 21.1 2 11 19. 13.1 c. 42.7 8 9. 43.2 3. 44.23 24 26. 61.2 80.4 7 â—4 19 141.7 8. 143.4 6. Isai 5â— 9 62.1 63.15 64.7 8. Lam. 3.18 41 44 54 55. Ion. 2.4 Hab. 1.2 3. with 2 1. 3.1 4. To cease praying would add to our sin increase our misery undo the prayers we have put up
to hide himself from his people in these late troubles was in their divisions and breaches among themselves in opinions practises and party-makings and it is probable the Lord will have them first to be at one again among themselves ere he manifest himself among them Then for simplicity and truth take only that speech of the Lord in the Prophet Isaiah Isai 63.8 For he said Surely they are my people children that will not lye so he was their Saviour with that of the Psalmist Mercy and Truth are met together Truth shall spring out of the Earth and Righteousness shall look down from Heaven Psal 85.10 11. So necessary and neerly alyed is sincerity and veracity unto the recovery of Gods presence aspect and audience 3. The third and last Direction for the Cure of this evil is Let our satisfaction be placed and sought in God himself When the stream or rivelet is cut off or dryed up the way to help that is to go to the fountain it self Doth the Lord withhold from us this or that blessing which we ask of him our best remedy for that is to seek the fruition of God himself his presence and favor and to satisfie our selves and make up all defects therewith Whatsoever wants we lie under in respect of externals yea or internals Habet omnia qui habet habentem omnia Augustin all the particulars we lack are equivalently yea eminently and transcendently to be had in the enjoyment of God if we have him we have them and more God communicateth himself unto his creature two ways Either as an Agent or as an End either effectively or objectively either by way of operation or by way of rest and complacency Though we have not his operative or effective communications in the production of every of those works and events which we think behoveful for us yet if we have the objective or terminative communications of him as our end rest or chiefest portion and good it is enough Nay this participation of God is far above the other He communicateth himself in his acts and operations to all his creatures but as an end of rest and complacency only to his blessed Angels and Saints That communication is more remote this immediate that more earthly this is heavenly that more reserved and limited this is full and satisfying There is a staying upon God by faith the vertue whereof is to give us the thing we beg for in prayer before it be given us and whether ever it be brought forth in rerum naturâ or in a providential course or under a sensitive enjoyment yea or no. Faith giveth us that acquiescence in God and such an assurance of the performance of the petitions we ask of him either in kind or equivalently and such a clear foresight of what is to come as that however there be a great distance and many impediments and delays betwixt as and our prayers yet there is a kind of presence and possession of them unto us Joh. 8.56 By it Abraham saw Christs day with rejoycing By it he and the other Patriarchs before the obtaining of the earthly or heavenly Canaan Heb. 11.13 saw afar off and embraced them in their promises By it Davids eye saw his desire upon his enemies Psa 54.3 7 when as yet they were up against him and in pursuit of his Soul By vertue of it we have this confidence that if we ask any thing according to his Will 1 Joh. 5.14 15 he heareth us and if we know that he hear us whatsoever we ask we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him He saith not we know that we shall have the petitions but we know that we have them that is because either we are as sure of them as if we had them in our hands already or we have them in the fountain or myne in having interest in and u ition of God David when he would still and quiet all murmuring and impatient thoughts in the hearts of the righteous at the delay of their deliverance and the flourishing of wicked men and prosperous success of their evil courses he prescribeth this medicine Delight thy self also in the Lord Psal 37.4 and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart If they be disanimated by the aforesaid dealings of divine Providence so that they know not how to go on against such discouragements in trusting in the Lord and doing good the things immediately before exhorted unto he delivereth them this as a cordial Delight thy self in the Lord. All the discomforts from present crosses and wants may be sweetened and swallowed up by this the satiating solace that is to be had in God And if the mind be impatiently bent to have its desires fulfilled this is the way to have them and that out of hand if he do not effect them in created events he will supply them in affording himself if he do not perform them in providences he will bless them in blissâ—ul consolations to thy Soul and as Elkanah said to Hannah 1 Sam. 1.8 Am not I better to thee then ten sons Is not God better to thee then ten thousand prayers When Esau and Jacob met by Peniel and were in their strains of courtesie about Jacobs present Gâ—â— 33.9 11. Esau having a good earthly estate in Mount Seir told Jacob I have enough my brother and Jacob said to him again I have enough Interpreters observe the word which Esau useth translated enough signifieth much and the word for Jacob's enough signifieth all Esau hath much but Jacob hath all And the reason of Jacob's fuller expression well may be because though his estate in worldly possessions was probably far less then Esau's yet he was Israel a Prince with God he had God for his portion to him he had continual recourse by prayer and if he got not by that means every thing he might ask or not instantly yet he had God himself his presence and favor and so he had all And that reason himself might imply when together with his profession to have enough or all he saith because God hath dealt graciously with me There is in God a full store-house and well-spring of comforts to make up the defects of whatsoever other things we fail of If the Lord hide himself from us in things subsidiary or subservient or the means conducing to the end and not in the main matter or ultimate end it self to wit his favor Spirit and Kingdom we may well satisfie our selves What we are short of in those intermediate and accessive things we may find and enjoy in God David when all was taken and gone at Ziklag 1 Sam. 30.6 encouraged himself in the Lord his God The Penman of Psal 73. Psal 73.25 26 when all went on the wicked mans side and against the people of God finds a rock for his heart and an everlasting portion of God and him he sets up as his only and
miscarried were solemnly again sought for of God by Fasting and Prayer and yet this Army lost and lost in a week of Fasting and Prayer And in the prosecution of his Subject enquiring after the Cause of this Disaster he saith I will tell you what we may not think it to be we may not must not think that the ground and cause of the War is unjust and sinful because of this disaster no more then Joshua's here Josh 7. or the Benjamites he meant Israel against the Benjamites Judg. 20. No though God should frown yet further upon us and break us with breach upon breach This was sound and acceptable Doctrine then and if any man upon the Change of Successes now speak contradictorily who then assented to it he is with the Apostles Heretick to be rejected and he sinneth Tit. 3.10.11 being condemned of himself So much of the former part of the matter to be presidented viz. The Lords hiding himself from his Peoples Prayers grounded upon his Promises In the insisting of it I have thought it superfluous to point out the Promises upon which the prayers in each Example respectively may be grounded there being many general Promises in Scripture easie to be called to mind for instance Psal 50.15 Call upon me in the day of trouble c. upon which every one of those mentioned prayers may have ground And whereas some few of the Examples produced are of the prayers of such as the Scripture brandeth for hypocrisie and other gross sins let the Reader consider that these notions of Gods people and of the grounding of prayers upon the promises of God are sometimes of a stricter sometimes of a larger acception as well shall see hereafter and a community of people unto which both those terms and the question in hand have some relation is of a mixt nature and contains a better and a worser sort and therefore it was suitable that some Examples of each sort should be remembered SECT III. Examples of the Lords seeming by his Providences to answer the Prayers which are contrary to his Peoples I Proceed to the latter part viz. The Lords seeming by his Providences to answer the Prayers which are contrary thereunto In this I will be shorter Two things are in this 1. That sometimes there are prayers against prayers or that men in evil ways and in those designs which are opposite to the prayers of Gods people do pray and call upon God for his ayd and blessing 2. That in their so doing the Lord seemeth by his providences sometimes to answer such prayers 1. Men in bad ways and designs contrary to the prayers of the people of God do pray and invocate the Name of God for his ayd and blessing Balaam sacrificed Numb 23. and went to enquire of God when he so earnestly and often endevored to curse Israel 2 Sam. 15.7.8.11 12 Absalom went to Hebron to pay his Vow unto the Lord and to serve him and there he offered sacrifices when he was going in hand with his Conspiracy against King David his Father Foord in Psal 3 2â— and it is conceived that thereby he seduced those two hundred men that went out of Jerusalem in their simplicity and knew not any thing of the Treason David in his song of praise for all the Lords deliverances of him from all his Enemies saith of them that they cryed even unto the Lord. The degenerate and corrupt Psâ— 18.41 but prevalent party in Judah that hated and cast out those that trembled at Gods Word and that for his Names sake said Isai 66.5 Let the Lord be glorified that is they professed to seek and pray for the advancement of the way will and honor of God The malicious and persecuting Pharisees of our Saviours time fasted and prayed often Luk. 5 35. Mat. 9.14 The unbelieving Jews that opposed Christianity instantly served God day and night and they were devout men that persecuted Paul and Barnabas from Antioch I read of the Jews of these latter times Acts 26.7 Buxtorf Synag c. 3 apud Ellis on Obad. 20 Cambd. Britan. of Irel. p. 144 Pulchra laverna da mihi fallare da justum sanctumque videri noctem peccatis fraudibus objice nubem Juven Illa sibi intrâ—rsum sub lingua immurmurat O si ebullit patrui praclarum funuâ— O si sub castro crepet argenti mihi seria dextro Hercule pupullumve uti nam quem proximus baeres impello expungam Pers saty 2. that they expect and dayly pray for the subversion of the Christian Empire as that which must antecede the coming of their yet expected Messiah The Law and Light of Nature hath taught all Nations the most Heathen as to acknowledg a God so to pray to him and to implore his assistance in all their needs and important undertakings and they whose Consci nces are so licentious as to give them way to act wicked and unjust designs yet they are withall so religious as to oblige them to crave divine help and benediction thereupon Cambden in his Britannia observes of the wilde Irish When they go to rob they pour out their prayers to God that they may meet with a booty and they suppose that a cheat or booty is sent unto them from God as his gift neither are they perswaded that either violence or rapine or man-slaughter displeaseth God for in no wise would he present unto them the opportuniy if it were a sin nay a sin it were if they did not lay hold upon the said opportunity In all the warlike enterprizes that have been nothing hath been more generally observable then this that both sides have made their addresses and supplications to the God whom they respectively acknowledged for â—afety and victory Who knoweth not that in the Wars of Christendom the Protestants and the Papists the just Defendants and the unjust Invaders the lawful Powers and the lawless Rebels each have from time to time had recourse to God by prayer in and for their Martial Adventures The blackest Treasons that ever have been brooded have been accompanyed with the solemn devotions of the Conspirators so was the Powder-plot and at the beginning of the stirs and breaches betwixt the late King and his Parliament there was a discovery made and oft mentioned of an appointment of the Romish Priests and Papists the first movers without doubt of those stirs by Fast-days and Prayer to recommend their Intentions to divine help and questionless as their devotion and activity hath gone along in all these late Revolutions so whatsoever hath fallen out to the advantge of their cause and to the crossing of the sincere Protestants intentions and endevors as divers things have they apprehend and as much hug themselves at it as the supposed return of their prayers as others do more openly in relation to theirs And I may add as such men in such ways are wont to pray so when they speed they return thanksgivings unto
God Those oppressing Tyrants that made a prey of the people of God in or after Zechâ—â—iah the Prophets time they were endued with this kind of cruel Religion as appears by their character thus given Whose possessors slay them Zech. 11.5 and hold themselves not guilty and they that sell them say Blessed be the Lord for I am rich When those horrible villanies of that most bloody Massacre in France on Saint Bartholomews day were acted See Mr Fox vol. 3 pag. 1024 and continuation pa. 60. the Authors and Abettors thereof the Guisians the King and the Parliament of Paris appointed general Processions to be made throughout the City of Paris by way of thanksgiving unto God with Bonefires singing and ringing And at Rome solemn Masses were sung with Te Deum and Procession yea in honor of that Butchery a Jubilee was commanded by the Pope with great indulgence such may be the mistaken devotion of blood-guilty persecutors 2. The second thing is As men in evil ways and in opposition to the lawful desires and prayers of the people of God do pray so the Lord doth seem sometimes by his providences to answer them David in the apprehension hereof entreats thus against his Enemies Grant not Psa 140 8 Psal 73 7 O Lord the desires of the wicked further not his wicked device lest they exalt themselves In vain should the holy King pray thus for the preventing of the desires of his Enemies against him if the accomplishment of such mens bad petitions were a thing that never came to pass Sometimes then the Lord grants the desires of the wicked Yea elsewhere the Psalmist observes of such persons that they have more then their hearts desire Let us single out of many a few remarkable examples The Prophet Jeremiah notes and complains of the wicked and very treacherous dealers to wit those his Kinsmen and Brethren the men of Anathoth that sought his life That their way prospered they were all happy Thou hast planted them saith he further unto God yea Jer. 12.1 2 they have taken root they grow yea they bring forth fruit thou art neer in their mouth but far from their reins See how their impious piety and flourishing prosperity went along together You may note here these four things 1. These men in their unrighteous and perfidious ways they were praying men thou art neer in their mouth 2. They were successful in so doing their way prospereth they are happy that deal very treacherously 3. Who made them so to be even the Lord Thou hast planted them c. 4. How many degrees of success and answer of their prayers they attain to 1. Thou hast planted them 2. Yea they have taken root 3. They grow 4. Yea they bring forth fruit In sum they have a pleasant Spring and a long Summ r even to the full and ripe Harvest Let this example among others be taken notice of by us in these stumbling times Though these degenerate Brethren of the Prophet take unjust and perfidious courses yet they pray and though they pray in such courses yet they prosper Divine providence speeds them and speeds them to a high rise with a long tract of successes In the mean time how fares it on the other hand with the Prophet himself their Antagonist why to this expostulation about them he subjoyneth his prayer for himself and against them in the next words following But thou O Lord knowest me thou hast seen me c. and the Answer which he receives to this is in effect thus That in stead of those footmen with which he was now matched and was wearyed he must look to be charged with horsemen and in stead of that Land of peace wherein then he expected good but found wearying the swelling of Jordan was coming in upon him that is he was yet to wait and arm for a continuance yea a further accumulation of adversities Here then we have a dishonest and false-dealing party praying and prospering and an upright-hearted faithful and zealous Prophet praying and persecuted yea and pursued still with growing indignities and pressures Those stout-speaking Jews in the Prophet Malachi who had so long fasted and prayed fruitlâ—sly that they conclude it a vain and profitless thing to serve God Mal. 3.13 14 15. and walk mournfully before the Lord of Hoasts although we may by no means admit of their conclusion yet in their narration of the state of the wicked and godless whom they grudged at there is no reason why we may not credit them In it they tell us They that work wickedness are set up yea they that tempt God are even delivered What was this their tempt ng of God To tempt God is to make an unwarranted experiment of God or to ask his assistance or manifestation of himself otherwise then he hath allowed us to require it The Israelites in the Wilderness are said to tempt God and to that their tempting him our margent and other Bibles and Commentaries refer us upon this place when they desired of God that provision or conduct which he had not warranted them to ask as in that their discontented petitioning for flesh to eat of which the Psalmist saith They tempted God in their heart Psâ— 78.18 by asking meat for their lust and when at Massah they quarrelled at Moses for lack of water to drink the Text saith Exod. 17.7 They tempted the Lord saying Is the Lord amongst us or not When men presume without Commission from God to expect and move him to discover his Power Presence Providence Justice approving Will or other perfection of his this is to tempt God Suitably these persons in this place of the Prophet tempted God in some one or other of these particulars They implored his appearance to them unallowedly it 's probable they might entreat his assistance to some unlawful undertaking for their tempting God is joyned to their working wickedness or happily they would refer the Justice of a cause in Controversie to divine decision by the event of an encounter as some do in duels Vide Amâ—s medulâ—a l. 2. c. 12. S. 20. and others in more general engagements of war which way soever they did it we see they that tempted God that is unwarrantably invocated him to manifest himself they are delivered God answereth their desires in the thing even as Israel asking flesh the Lord sent them Quails and when they tempted him at Massah he gave them water Thus sped these tempters of God whilest we find in the same place they that kept his Ordinances and walked mournfully before the Lord of Hoasts were unanswered and no present profit appeared of their seeking God That so it was with such may appear not only by what these murmurers take occasion to utter vers 14. but by what the Lord himself declareth touching those that feared the Lord and thought upon his Name Mal. 3.16 17 18. and 4â— 1 2. in the subsequent Verses viz. That
they are put into a book of remembrance and a day is to come of differencing betwixt them and others by consuming Judgments upon the proud and the wicked and the Sun of righteousness arising with healing and satisfying mercies unto the fearers of his Name To this example I will further observe That the practice of Sorcery and Enchantment in which in a sort men do call upon God and the Vulgar think they only go to him and that religiously it is one of the grossest ways of tempting God that is yet this sometimes takes place and attaineth its expected end and that even in opposition to the prayers of the people of God There is a time indeed when there is no Enchantment against Jacob nor Divination against Israel Numb 23 23 but thus it always is not When Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon was upon his expedition against several Syrian Countries in the which he destroyed Jerusalem and carryed Judah away captive for seventy years he fell to his Enchantment the Text saith Ezek. 21.21 22 Jer. 14.19 cap. 18.20 Ezek. 9.8 Jer. 36.6 9 The King of Babylon stood at the parting of the way at the head of the two ways to use Divination he made his arrows bright he consulted with Images he looked in the Liver at his right hand was the Divination for Jerusalem c. There were at this time those faithful ones in Judah who did earnestly pray for that people of God to have saved them from the Babylonian So did the Prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel and doubtlâ—ss many others yea there is no question but the people universally sought unto God in that strait and in this case they of Judah thought that as Nebuchadnezzars course was impious so his successes would be unprosperous And it shall be unto them as a false Divination in their sight Ezek. 21.23 to them that have sworn Oaths but he shall call to remembrance their iniquity that they may be taken Yet nevertheless the event was Nebuchadnezzar carryed the enterprise and Judah fell miserably into his hand I above noted 〈◊〉 devoutness of the persecuting Pharisees and unbelieving Jews we may here reflect upon their success as they were devout towards God so were they bitter adversaries to Christ his Disciples and Doctrine they reckoned their persecutions of them among their services done to God Under this their enmity On the one side Christ Joh. 16.2 and his Apostles and other Disciples as the History of the Gospel and the Acts fully manifest prayed much and in prayer commended their cause to God On the other side those Pharisees and Jews prayed often and no question as their counsels and other proceedings so their prayers were bent against Christ Psal 109.17 18 20.28 and Christians These two parties thus oppositely praying it is well known how thâ— success went Indeed in spiritual efficacy and progress our Saviour and his Disciples had the better the Gospel spred and the Church of Christ encreased but in outward and earthly power and prevalency which is the matter now stumbled at it went quite contrary Christ himself even immediately after he had shut up his ardent and reiterated prayer poured out with sweat and blood in the Garden Luk. 22.44 to the 48. John 18.3 and whilest he was exhorting his Disciples to arm themselves with prayer was apprehended and led away to his passion by the band of men and officers sent from the chief Priests and Pharisees and when they had crucified him they insult over him his prayers and confidence in God as being in their own eyes masters of theiâ—â—espiteful desires Matth. 27.41 c. Psa 69.10 22.1 2. while he himself and his prayers in his own present apprehension are relinquished of God After his Ascension his Disciples are persecuted by the Pharisees and being layd hold on inhibited and threatned by them they unanimously set to prayer their prayers indeed are followed with a fulness of the Spirit Acts 4 24 5.18.33 40 and heavenly courage against all opposition but they escape not the molestations of their persecutors these yet return and grow upon them At their next appearing in publique they are taken put in prison and designed to slaughter Acts 7.58 8.1 3.9.1 26.10 11 Gal. 1.13 Acts 12.1 c. and hardly come off with scourging Shortly after one of their company is stoned to death then followed a general persecution by prison Synagogue-censures dispersion and death which stayed not at Jerusalem but pursued them thence to strange Cities A while after Herods hand the Jews instigating him riseth up to the vexing of certain of the Church and Martyrdom of James and almost of Peter his designation to death went on very far even during the incessant prayers of the Church unto God for him he was brought out of prison by the Angel but that very night before he should have been brought forth by Herod to his death but though he survived yet persecution stayed not The Jewish rage against Christianity still proceeded and as the Church of Christ grew so their persecutions multiplyed and were more intense witness the Envy Conspiracies Tumults Expulsions Stonings Imprisonings Beatings Accusations unto Authority Scourgings Capital Tryals and Judgments which the blindly zealous and religious Jews procured against Paul Barnabas Silas and others mentioned in the Acts besides the rest of the Persecutions and Martyrdoms they brought upon them other Christians related in Ecclesiastical Story In sum He that shall look over those Evangelical Records and view the outward conditions and successes of these two opposite parties viz. Christ and his followers on the one side and the unbelieving Jews on the other he cannot but acknowledg that Providence seemed to answer the desires and prayers of the then greatest adversaries to Christianity and to overlook the prayers of his people I mean for a time and as to temporal Interest In the Insurrection of Absalom against David we find them both having recourse to God As David prayed and penned one Psalm of prayer on that occasion Psal 3.2 2 Sam. 15.12 so Absalom as was even now observed offered Sacrifices at Hebron when he was carrying on his Conspiracy and mark what followed how strong did Absalom grow how far did he go on and prevail immediately it 's said the Conspiracy was strong the people encreased continually with Absalom And David cries out Lord how are they encreased that trouble me many are they that rise up against me All this while David flies before him in a sad posture leaving the City and the Ark of the Covenant of God and the Priests behind him to the Enemy he flyeth his Friends bewailing his Foes cursing his chief Counseller conspiring and advising against him his Rebel-Son seizing on the City his House and Wives all the people all Israel choosing and following Absalom David not only gives ground a little but he and they that were with him lest they should be swallowed up by the Enemy are fain
sometimes God doth hear his servants for others not so qualified but assurance that his prayer shall be heard to the good of the other person he hath none that I know of unless the other be so qualified For instance The promise in the Apostle James his Epistle is The prayer of Faith shall save the sick Jam. 5.15 and the Lord shall raise him up and if he have committed sins they shall be forgiven him This must be as I apprehend understood as well of the sick's Faith who is to call for the Elders of the Church to pray over him as of the Elders Faith Forgiveness of sins is not promis'd nor given that I know but upon the Faith of the person forgiven We cannot think to have others receive corporal or spiritual good by our prayers upon easier terms then we our selves can or that we may be prevailed for by others praying repenting believing without our own I observe when the man sick of the Palsie was brought to Christ by his friends When Jesus saw their Faith Mark 2.3 Luk. 5.18 he said to the sick of the Palsie Son thy sins be forgiven thee Their Faith that is the sick mans and his friends for he was born of four and they that brought him to Christ uncovered the roof of his house and let him down through the Tiling before Christ all their Faiths both the parties and theirs that thus moved for him concurred Again our Saviour directing his seventy Disciples at his emission of them into whatsoever house they enter to say Peace be to this house he tells them withall If the son of peace be there your peace shall rest upon it if not it shall turn to you again their prayer could be only effectual to true Believers Psa 35.13 David praying and fasting for his wicked and persecuting Enemies his prayer returned into his own bosom Exo. 32.27 33. 4 Josh 7.6 c. Moses at one time and Josuah with the Elders at another praying turned away Gods wrath from Israel but it was when Israel repented humbled themselves and reformed the offence Otherwise I think the case is plain particular men though they must pray yet they cannot confidently look to remove Gods Judgments from a Nation unless the Nation repent and amend * See Jer. 15. â— Ezek. 14 13 c. So that when we would obtain the deliverance or prosperity of a people the ready way is to pray for and endevor their repentance True it is we are not able to discern infallibly these qualifications in another person or people and therefore we cannot attain an infallible certainty of prevailing for them but it sufficeth to the making of our prayer that we have a precept to pray for them that we have any hope or possibility of the thing that the parties in our eye have not sinned the sin unto death Joel 2 14 Amos 5.15 Jonah 4.9 that we have Joels Who knoweth if he will return Amos his It may be and Jonah's Who can tell and that however it be it will be to our own good God will accept of and reward the Petitioner They shall prosper Psa 112â— 75 1â— that pray for and love Jerusalem Their prayer that pray for others shall return not to the ground but into their own bosom And it must suffice that in relation to others we have a conditional assurance if they have the requisites and conditions in them suitable to the promises they shall have the benefit of those our prayers that are grounded on them Our prayers for others proceeding upon these terms it will behove us to look more at our duty then any infallible certainty of the particular issue to them to be more pressing in our desires then peremptory in our resolves and if we resolve on any things it may be this That if we seek God aright we shall not seek him in vain Let the Reader observe in this Proposition the case being not much handled by any that I meet with I give my Judgment and Grounds for it under submission SECT III. Of Gods answering and of his hiding himself from Prayers THe third clause in the Query to be unfolded now follows viz. Gods answering of or hiding from Prayers For the helping of the unclean in this particular I shall propound and insist on two things 1. The variety of the ways or behavior of God towards the prayers of men 2. The diversity of the grounds or impulsives whereupon he walketh in â—hat diversity of ways The unfolding of these two will I hope serve much for the clearing of this subject First Of the diversity of the ways or behavior of God towards the prayers of men The supposition that the carriage or way of God towards mens prayers is various I need not labor to prove it will be confest The matter to be stood on is What that Variety is It hath two parts in the general very obvious to apprehension to wit 1. His inclining appearing to prayer 2. His declining hiding from prayer But besides there is a great diversity under each of these God doth many ways appear to and many ways hide from prayers his appearing is of divers sorts his hiding is of several kinds I will begin with the former Gods appearing to prayer and therein consider the several ways of his inclining or appearing to prayers or to persons praying These are to be comprehended under two heads The first is in hearing or receiving the prayer The second is in making a return or giving answer to prayer Both these the Psalmist exemplifies to us together I sought the Lord and he heard me and delivered me from all my fears And again This poor man cryed and the Lord heard him Psa 34.4 6 and saved him out of all his troubles There is first hearing and secondly delivering first hearing the prayer or cry then delivering or saving the person First God inclines or appears to prayer when he receives or hears it when he gives it admission or audience this is at the putting up or presenting of the prayer Whiles they are yet speaking I will hear It 's said unto Daniel Isai 65.24 From the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand Dan. 10.12 and to cast thy self before thy God thy words were heard This act of reception of prayer though in some sort it be more largely extended as will after be shewed is propâ—rly taken an act of special grace and paternal favor which God appropriateth and exerciseth to those persons and prayers that are good in his sight and well-pleasing to him The Word of God setteth forth the Lords entertainment and acceptance of prayers with great variety of expressions and those very savory and sweet as if it studyed to point it out as an act of very great worth and a thing very notable and affective when it is thus the Scripture saith of prayers They come and ascend up before God Neh. 8.4 Acts
me early but they shall not find me And so it was with Davids adversaries They cryed but there was none to save them even unto the Lord but he answered them not And this obstruction of prayer may be 1. In respect of Obsignation when there is no evidence to the Soul of audience As 1. When there is no sign of favor Blessed be God saith David that hath not turned away my prayer Psa 66.21 nor his mercy from me It was a token to him that his prayer was not turned away from God because Gods mercy was not turned away from him Of the Hypocrite it 's said Job 27.9 Will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him will he delight himself in the Almighty It is an argument God hears not him because he finds no delight in God 2. When there is no animating no drop of comfort to the spirit In the day of my trouble the Psalmist complains I sought the Lord Psal 77.2 my Soul refused to be comforted I remembred God and was troubled I complained and my spirit was overwhelmed 3. When there is a declining or drooping in the spirit of prayer Job 27.10 Will the Hypocrite always call upon God saith Job It was so in the Prophets time even with Gods people Isai 64.7 And there is none that calleth upon thy Name that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee for thou hast hid thy face from us and hast consumed us because of our iniquities And it was so in part with David sometimes I am weary of my crying my throat is dryed Psa 69.3 mine eyes fail while I wait for my God 4. When there is no discovery of Gods intent or resolution concerning our prayers This was the Churches case as she expresseth it We see not our signs there is no more any Prophet Psa 74.9 neither is there any among us that knoweth how long 2. In respect of performance so the people of Judah were frustrate Behold the voyce of the cry of the daughter of my people because of them that dwell in a far Country Is not the Lord in Zion is not her King in her The Harvest is past the Summer is ended and we are not saved Is there no balm in Gilead is there no Physician there why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered 3. In respect of exchange or any consideration in lieu of the thing So they say in the Prophet It is in vain to serve God Mal. 3.14 and what profit is it that we have kept his Ordinances and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of Hoasts No advantage no return comes by prayer and fasting any way God may be said to hide himself from prayer all these ways But I must further add a distinction or two that I may not leave this matter too indifferent and promiscuous First We may observe that Gods hiding from prayer is 1. Sometimes real and so in deed 2. Sometimes only in appearance or in the apprehension of men 1. It is sometimes real as in all those places of Scripture where the Lord threatens or owns it so to be and often gives the reason from mens provocation why it is so As for instance in that of the Prophet Behold the Lords hand is not shortened that it cannot save Isa 59.1 2 neither is his ear heavy that it cannot save but your iniquities have separated between you and your God and your sins have hid his face from you that he will not hear Here the hiding and distance from prayer is real on Gods part 2. It is at other times but in appearance only and in humane apprehension God hears sometimes yea and answers when he seemeth not so to do or when men do think and believe that he doth not and in this case the defect is in mans sense and perception Now God is accounted not to hear his servants prayers when indeed he doth 1. Either in the judgment of others Thus David relateth often the conclusion which his Enemies or the spectators of his condition made of him that he was rejected and disowned of God as in the rebellion of Absalom whiles David was in his flight and prayer there were divers that stood looking on and censuring him as an abject from God There be many which say of my Soul there is no help for him in God Psal 3.2 42 3. c. 71.11 And in his Exile through Sauls persecution when he was panting and craving after Gods presence in his house his adversaries upbraided him saying Where is now thy God and this filled him with tears continually and pierced him like a sword And in another Psalm penned as is thought during Absaloms insurrection his Enemies speak again him and consult saying God hath forsaken him persecute and take him for there is none to deliver him but this is not so strange that others in their malignant judgments so apprehend it 2. Or in the sense or conceit of them that pray Even the people of God themselves when they pray and God hears them they may deem themselves unheard unanswered they may take themselves to be denyed of God when he graciously receives their prayer Sometimes God harkens to and answereth them but they hear not him they are deaf to their answer We are ordinarily better acquainted with our own prayers then with Gods performances and are more sensible in asking then in receiving or discerning our success As sometimes Gods promises or predictions are fulfilled yea and we are actors in the fulfilling of them but we see it not thus was it with the Jews in relation to Christs death Acts 3.17 18.13.27 Joh. 12.14 yea it was so with the Disciples themselves in some circumstances concerning Christ so are our prayers grounded on the promises How often do we find David in the same Psalm one while complaining Lord how long Psa 6.3 10.1 13.1 22.1 43.2 how long wilt thou hide thy face from me How long wilt thou hide me for ever Why standest thou afar off why hidest thou thy face in times of trouble why art thou so far from helping me and from the words of my roaring O my God I cry in the day time and thou hearest not c. Why dost thou cast me off why go I mourning because of the oppression of the Enemy and using the like expostulations and by and by ere he breaketh off his speech he correcteth himself he seeth and is satisfied that the Lord hath heard him Psa 6.8 10.17 13.6 22.24 43.5 and declareth The Lord hath heard the voyce of my weeping the Lord hath heard my supplication the Lord hath delt bountifully with me Lord thou hast heard the desire of the humble he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted neither hath he hid his face from him but when he cryed unto him he heard Why art thou cast down O my Soul c. I shall yet
informed him concerning the counsel of God delivering to him that revelation of the seventy weeks And it deserves to be well taken notice of Isai 54.8 9 11 Jer. 33.34 Heb 8.11 12 that in the New Covenant the benefit of being taught of God and of the abounding of the knowledg of God is joyned with the removal of Gods wrath and the forgiveness of sins and iniquities Let it be our first care then to seek and obtain reconciliation with God and expiation of sins 2. Let us go unto God by Prayer and make this a special petition unto him that he would disclose his mind and give us wisdom in this particular Doth the Lord hide himself from our prayers set we our selves to prayer so much the more closely It is recorded of our blessed Saviour Luk. 22.41 44. that when he was in the garden and at prayer being in an agony he prayed more earnestly And let us for this in particular seek unto God to know the reason of his hiding of himself that reason I mean which it behoveth us to know and he would have us seek after David in his exile and want of God Psal 42.9 saith I will say unto God My Rock why hast thou forgotten me why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy Thus Elihu adviseth Job Job 34.31 32 Surely it is meet to be said unto God I have born chastisement I will not offend any more that which I see not teach thou me And this Job himself had done when he said unto God Chap. 10.2 Shew me wherefore thou contendest with me And again where he faith How many are mine iniquities and sins Chap. 13.23 24 Make me to know my transgression and sin Wherefore hidest thou thy face and holdest me for thine enemy Let that be our course in this doubt which was the course of Daniel and the three children for the finding out of Nebuchadnezzars dream namely Dan. 2.18 19 to desire mercies of the God of Heaven concerning this secret This way succeeded with them for then was the secret revealed to Daniel in a night vision And we may hope the like success though not by the same means may be unto us Solomon tells us Prov. 28 5 Evil men understand not judgment but they that seek the Lord understand all things This is the way directed unto by the Apostle James and unto it he gives us a promise Jam. 1 5. If any of you lack wisdâ—â— let him ask of God and it shall be given him The Prophet Daniel confesseth the neglect of this as both the sin and the prejudice of his people then in captivity in this regard All this evil is come upon us Dan. 9 13. yet made we not our prayer before the Lord our God that we might turn from our iniquities and understand thy Truth To understand Gods Truth here I conceive intendeth the practical and particular understanding of the congruity of Gods dealings then in Judgment with them with his Word in the threatenings pronounced by Moses and the Prophets and the applicative knowledg or acknowledgment of the verification of those denunciations upon them together with an attributing of their desolations to these evil ways of theirs against which the Prophets had before declared them And the reason why they had not understood this truth of God was they had not made their prayer unto God that they might turn from their iniquities and understand this truth Where by the way you may note the necessity of that which I insisted on before in the Rules given to wit turning from our iniquities to the end we may know Gods truth manifested in his dealings with us The people of the Jews had made their prayer after their manner both before and during the seventy years captivity but they had not made their prayer with a returning from their iniquities and therefore they had not attained to understand the aforesaid truth in this behalf But to conclude this particular if God do hide himself from our prayers we are to pray to him that the reason of it may not be hidden from us and that if it seemeth good unto him for a time to make a stop of our other prayers yet he would not deny us in this but herein discover his intention to us that so we may both the more contentedly stay and make the better use of his delaying or denying of us in the other 3. Attend diligently to the written Word We have before shewed the Scripture to be now the only ordinary means of understanding the reason of these ways of God towards us and that the common or main difficulty that is obvious to us on the part of this means is whereas God revealeth to men in his Word variety of Reasons for this according to the variety of Cases how to know or pitch upon that which in special concerns us and our condition and that in order to the clearing our selves of this difficulty we are to get into terms of peace and reconciliation with God we are particularly to pray for special information herein of God Now unto these we must thirdly add a close and cordial inspection into the Word Conscience must here awaken come in and diligently do its office and that is not only to open and acquaint us with the whole rule or dictate of Scripture but to make use application or deduction from it to our selves and this consists mainly if not only in taking a distinct and right view of our case or in bringing in a true and full account evidence or judgment of the matter of fact This matter of fact hath two parts 1. Gods dealing with us 2. Our own ways towards him 1. A strict and narrow insight into a serious consideration of Gods dealing with us must be had Come behold the works of the Lord Psal 46.8 what desolations he hath made in the Earth Every Providence of God especially his more notable acts hath a reason written upon it Eze. 14.23 could mans eye read it And the due eying of the ways of God is a great means to bring to light that reason The contemplation of Gods proceedings is hereunto apt in two respects 1. By vertue of that similitude or proportion which often there is especially in crosses betwixt Gods dealings with men and their dealings afore with him And this is particularly to be found in Gods walking towards us in relation to prayer As Solomon hath it in his prayer at the dedication of the Temple 1 Kings 8.39 Then hear thou in Heaven thy dwelling place and forgive and do and give to every man according to his ways whose heart thou knowest Take one instance of this proportion of Gods ways to mens as to the matter of prayer O the hope of Israel the Saviour thereof in time of trouble Why shouldst thou be as a stranger in the Land Jer. 14 8 9 10 and as a wayfaring man that turneth
odors Their sweet odors were an emblem of prayer and the time of their Incense-offering was their time of prayer * Psa 141 2 Luk. 1.10 so that it is as much as if he had said I will not accept your prayers This the Prophet Daniel renders as the reason of the accomplishing of the seventy years captivity and of the Lords hiding so long in that particular from his people and their prayers All this evil is come upon us Dan. 9.13 yet made we not our prayers before the Lord our God that we might turn from our iniquities The people before and all along during the captivity did pray as I have before noted but they did not so pray as withall to turn from their iniquities and therefore hath the Lord watched upon the evil saith he in the next words or as some render Therefore hath the Lord been diligent Rolloc in loc and persevering in that evil which he hath brought upon us that is therefore he hath gone on in judgment against us and would not be entreated We may note it in all experience a course of prayer and a course of sin cannot stand together I mean they cannot both stand in force together but either prayer will beat down sin or sin will keep down and enervate prayer neither do they ordinarily stand together for any time in regard of practice but either prayer will break off the course of sin or sin will break off the custom of prayer What the Apostle saith of the Spirit and the flesh that they mutually lust against one another Gal. 5.17 the same may be said of prayer and sin they combate and conflict each against other and that until the one be brought down We have thus seen what sins in special are causes of Gods hiding from prayers and we have had them distinguished in three ranks namely sins against piety sins against the second Table and sins in or about prayer and under each of these have been mustered up divers particulars The fourth thing propounded to consideration was certain circumstances in sin which help forward this effect and move God the rather to it These are 1. Incorrigibleness in sin or a going on in sin notwithstanding and in contradiction unto special means applyed for reformation as when the Word of the Lord is sent out and published unto a person or people for a direct conviction and rebuke of the sin or sins committed and lived in and for the calling of men to repentance of and recovery from them or when the Judgments of God have come and lien upon men personally domestically or nationally in any kind as a witness against and correction for the sin or any other means hath been used and yet nevertheless men persist and obstinately persevere in their evil ways This was Israels and Judahs aggravation of their sin and it added weight to and furthered the Lords hiding from their prayers But they refused to harken Zech. 7.11 12 13. and pulled away the shoulder and stopped their ears that they should not hear yea they made their hearts as an adamant stone lest they should hear the Law and the words which the Lord of Hoasts hath sent in his Spirit by the former Prophets Therefore came a great wrath from the Lord of Hoasts Therefore it came to pass that as he cryed and they would not hear so they cryed and I would not hear saith the Lord of Hoasts When the Lord declared to Israel Hos 5.15 by the Prophet Hosea that he would go and return to his place that is that he would withdraw his presence and audience to a great distance from them this was one thing which brought it on They have done so and so Verse 2. though I have been a rebuker of them all And the same is alledged against that people in the Prophet Isaiah as concurring to this effect I hid me Isai 57.17 and was wroth and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart or as the late Annotations because he went on frowardly Divines Annot. 2 Edit c. And so their froward and obstinate running on in their sin was not the consequent but the antecedent and reason why God was wroth and being angry hid himself from them 2. Presumption or an adventuring to do an act or run a course against the express and particular prohibition or warning of God by his Messengers against the doing thereof As when Israel in the wilderness would needs go up to fight with the Amorites Moses relating it to them afterward saith And the Lord said unto me Say unto them Go not up neither fight Deut. 1 42 c. for I am not among you lest ye be smitten before your enemies So I spake unto you and ye would not hear but rebelled against the Commandment of the Lord and went presumptuously up into the hill c. and ye returned and wept before the Lord but the Lord would not harken to your voyce nor give ear unto you 3. Scandalous sinning David when the Lord had struck the child that Vriahs wife bare unto him with sickness besought God for the child and fasted and lay all night upon the Earth but nevertheless the child dyed and the special reason why the Lord was so inexorable to him in this particular Nathan the Prophet had before given him Howbeit because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme the child also that is born unto thee shall surely dye * David was not heard because it stood not with the rule of divine justice that so scandalous a sin which made the enemies of God to blaspheme should not have an exemplary punishment Mr Mede Diatrib part 2 pag. 298. Those sins of the people of God which do open the mouths of the professed Adversaries of Religion to reproach the Name of God are more then ordinarily obstructive of prayer It is time for God upon the remittance of such by them to manifest his special dis-favour in such an effect that so he may vindicate that Name of his which his people call upon from the aspersion of their sin As God upon this ground refused to hear David so did he for the like cause deny the petition of another as eminent for nearness to and favor with him as he to wit Moses He besought the Lord very pathetically for leave to go into and see the Land of Canaan but the Lord would not harken unto him in it but he must dye beyond Jordan and what was the reason the Lord tells it Aaron and him Because ye beleeved me not Numb 20.12 27.14 to sanctifie me in the eyes of the children of Israel By his sin at the waters of strife a scandal was given unto the people reflecting upon God himself and therefore when mention is afterward made of this sin and the sentence of God upon it as it is often noted in the sacred