them either from Satan as an enemy suggesting fears to them even from their Fathers righteously judging them or on other accounts or from the world persecuting them the assured hope of Gods salvation or the salvation of God Gods sure protection and defence of them here and his bringing or delivering them out in his due time as set before them by way of promise in the Gospel and so an object and matter of hope to be looked for by them And then They have 6. The Sword of the Spirit the Word of God as a two-edged Weapon fit and forcible to do them service both by way of defence to themselves and by way of offence to their enemies so as that thereby they may both be preserved from the lyes of Satan and his Instruments and from all his lying and wicked suggestions and they may beat them away and drive them from them yea and cause the enemies of Christ and of their faith by their powerful convincements thereof to fall before them so Christ kept himself from the wicked one that he touched him not by any of his temptations Matth. 4. and so both he and his Servants have confounded their Adversaries and convinced and converted many of them And then lastly They have free access to God through Jesus Christ by Prayer and supplication to make known their needs and requests to him either for supplyes and help to themselves and one another or for rebuking taking off or weakening their Adversaries and Exercises And they have through Christ the Spirit of grace and supplication to instruct and help them to pray and direct their desires and petitions for them and Christ himself with God as their Mediator High-Priest and Advocate to make their Prayers acceptable to God and this is a marvellous powerful and effectual Weapon being filled with Faith to obtain any thing from Heaven needful for their defence and safety and to batter down the Forts and Strengths of their Adversaries by pulling down judgments from Heaven upon them This is as the Christians Bullets of Ordnance that he storms Heaven by as it were and takes it by force and that being shot up towards Heaven from a fervent faithful heart falls down again upon the wicked Adversaries and doth great execution and slaughter upon them so we may see how the Prayers of the Saints being offered up by the Angel who had many sweet odours to make them acceptable Revel 8.3 4 5. procured fire to be cast upon the earth with voyces thundrings lightnings and a great earthquake whereby the judgments of God upon the Adversaries were implyed and signified Now all these things being considered it will evidently appear that it is very possible for the Believer to be kept in the love of God nay that it is certain he shall be so if he be not greatly neglective of the means of his safety and preservation so many and so effectual for that purpose yea indeed a man might marvail these things for the Believers defence being well weighed how it should possibly be that he should fail of the Grace of God fall out of his love and favour and perish from his presence by any means but that we have seen the possibility and danger too thereof before asserted which also may further as to the reason of it be made manifest in the next consideration wherein it is further noted as implyed that he being so strongly and well fortified and furnished for his safe keeping in the love of God Point 4. It is expected from him and in some sense lyes upon him as his work to keep himself and each Believer to keep his Brother therein Though as he did not bring himself into Christ and so into the love and favour of God by his wisdom will power or goodness but he was called into him and made in him of God so neither is it his work in his own power wisdom and strength to keep himself there or defend himself from what would intice him or force him out Yet as it was his act in and by the Grace of God in Christ to believe and come to Christ and so into the love and favour of God So it is his act also subordinately in and by the same Grace to keep himself in Christ and so in the love of God whence our Saviour so often requires it of his Disciples Abide in me and let my words abide in you continue ye in my love Joh. 15.4.9 Hold fast what thou hast let no man take away thy Crown Rev. 3.11 with which agrees many passages of the Apostles to stand fast quit themselves like men let that they have received abide abide in Christ and the like as also that assertion in 1 John 5.18 He that is born of God keepeth himself that the wicked one toucheth him not In which keeping a mans self in the love of God is signified as to the act of it 1. That the Believer be and abide in that state and way he is already in through the Grace of God not departing voluntarily leaving or going out therefrom keep himself well while he is well being content with Christ confident and well assured of his well doing and happiness in so continuing to that purpose are those phrases of abiding continuing not departing or withdrawing from the living God as in John 8.32 and 15.4 5 6 7. Col. 1.23 1 John 2.24 28. Heb. 3.12 and 10.35 38 39. as implying that no man heartily believing in Christ can miscarry but through a voluntary neglect of or departure from him It is no violence done to him can force him but by his own consent The case of a Believer as we shewed before is like the condition of a man that though very weak and unable of himself to resist or stand against the power of his enemies yet hath a strong Castle or Tower in which he is so strongly fortified and so every way unattachable by either storming undermining or starving of him that there is certain safety for him in abiding in it and no possibility for his enemies catching of him unless he voluntarily go out of it Such is the Believers condition being in Christ and God nothing can come upon him to harm him none can pluck or take him by force out of it unless he willingly sin and depart from God and Christ after the knowledge of the Truth received against which departing and drawing back from and forsaking God and so their own mercies the Spirit of God therefore by his Servants is diligently provoking and exhorting them as Take heed Brethren least there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God and let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering for he is faithful that hath promised Cast not away your confidence c Heb. 3.12 and 10.23 35. 2. That because Satan by himself and Instruments is crafty subtle and vigilant to intice allure and tempt Believers to make a voluntary
Spirit instructs and moves them they do surely receive it of God as Christ hath promised saying Whatsoever ye ask the Father in my name I will do it that the Father may be glorified in the Son If ye shall ask any thing in my name I will do it John 14.13 14. and again If ye abide in me and my words abide in you ask what ye will it shall be done to you John 15.7 and again Verily verily I say unto you whatsoever ye ask the Father in my name he will give it you Ask and ye shall receive that your joy may be full John 16.23 24. And thus the Apostle Paul implies of the prayers of the faithful put forth in the Spirit of God when he speaking of the Spirit it self making Intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered adds And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth which may signifie also approveth what is the mind of the Spirit because he maketh Intercession for us according to the will of God Rom. 8.26 27. Now this is one main thing that the Holy Spirit instructs and leads such as be led by him in their prayers to desire and pray for That they may be more confirmed rooted and built up on their most holy Faith and â—o be preserved in the Grace of Christ and love of God and that such Spiritual mercies and blessings may be extended to them as may further them therein So that the praying in the Holy Ghost as it springs from the being on the most holy Faith or rather from that faith abiding iâ— us and exercising the heart thereto wherein the love of God is certainly enjoyed So it also obtains of God through Christ a further rootedness therein and growing up thereon and so by consequence an abiding in yea an encrease of this grace and favour of God upon them 3. Thereby also is obtained of God through Christ power and grace to withstand the assaults of Satan and deceits of all his Instruments and Engines imployed by him to draw men out of the most holy Faith and so out from the grace and love of God toward them and therefore as we see before this praying with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit is mentioned as the last piece of the whole Armour commended to us by the Apostle as of main use or force to preserve us in the evil day or time of temptation from being overcome of Satan and turned aside from the truth of Christ and love of God Ephes 6.18 according to that of David in Psal 18.3 I will call upon the Lord who is worthy to be praised so shall I be saved from mine enemies and the practices and experiences of the servants of God often mentioned in the Scriptures as Psal 22.4 5 24. 34.3 4 5. for the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much with God the God that hath stiled himself a God hearing prayers both for himself and others Let no man therefore as also Bernard saith despise prayer for if it be in faith and in the Holy Ghost it is heard and recorded in heaven as soon as if not before it proceed out of thy mouth here And one of these two things saith he we may assuredly expect namely either â—â—at God will give us what we we ask or what he knows to be better for us and more profitable than what we ask Vse What we have considered about these means of keeping our selves in the love of God viz. The building up our selves on the most holy faith and praying in the Holy Ghost might be diversly useful I shall onely hint at some uses of it 1. It may reprove and tax the too great sloathfulness and negligence found with us and many Believers in every place in not minding to build up our selves on our most holy faith and to that purpose to exercise our selves to the mindfulness of that faith and oft speaking one to another and thinking on the Name and Doctrine of God exhorting and furthering the faith of one another therein and conformity thereto There is too much minding other things mean time in us the present world our own names honors ease lusts wills c. and too great aptness to let those things as noxious roots spring up and â—hoak the good seed in us so as that it brings not forth in us fruit to perfection Thence a too great aptness to forsake the assembly of our selves unto such purposes as to exhort and edifie our selves a fault reproved Heb. 10.25 as also the abuse of such liberties to assemble together to edifie our selves which is too general or common when Believers coming together come not for the better and for edification or do not so improve their assemblings but rather for hearing and telling news if not which is worse for contention and strife and what tends to destruction A fault reproved 1 Cor. 11.17 18. 2. In not stirring up our selves to call upon Godâ— and be much in prayer to him both in private for our selves and others and publickly or altogether as was practised by the Apostles and Believers Acts 1.13 14. 2.41 6.4 12.5 12. 13.2 There is too great an hanging down of the hands every where among Believers instead of a diligent lifting up pure hands in the name of the Lord without wrath and doubting as we are exhorted 1 Tim. 2 8. a fault reproved Isa 64.7 There is none that calleth upon thy name or that stirreth up himself to take hold on thee and bewailed by Daniel Chap 9.13 All this evil is come upon us as we may see and say much evil is come upon us yet made we not our prayer before the Lord our God that we might turn from our iniquities and understand the truth Too great a fault in restraining prayer are we guilty of and that also much hinders our edification and profiting in the most holy faith and deprives of much experience of the love of God and lays us open to vanity and many assaults and snares of sin and Satan to the procuring wrath and displeasure from God upon us 3. It may also reprove and fault the formality and faultiness of our prayings and exercises of our selves in our assemblings together as praying here may be put for all exercises of seeking the Lord as praying and seeking him be put together Zech. 8.21 22. that we pray so much in our own spirits and so little in the Holy Spirit so much with an unholy frame and temper of spirit as holding fast iniquity corruption and deceit and refusing to return from it taking the name of God in vain or seeking perishing meat to our selves in our pretensions to follow after Christ as seeking therein a name and honor or followers to our selves or the colouring over our love of vanity with an appearance of piety or thinking to bribe Gods justice and our own consciences for our lusts and iniquities by multiplying prayers and professions or praying out of strife vain-glory
of the flesh to be honoured of God or will of this or that man hath any thing to do in or makes any difference in All that are in Christ being born thereto and therein of God and reckoned after Christ in whom they are as Gal. 3.28 29. with John 1 13. signifies and then from and as a consequent to this 4. God so loves them as to give them the Spirit of the Son both his Spirit to open the knowledge of Christ his Son to them and the disposition liberty boldness towards and affection to and affiance in him in some measure The same Spirit that dwelt in and yet dwells in Christ and led him as man in the dayes of his flesh to have confidence in and boldness towards his Father and so to go to him upon all occasions as to his Father he gives also to the believer in him to let him know Gods Fatherly love to and care of him upon the account of Christ and to lead him in hope and confidence to depend on and call upon him as also to guide instruct comfort strengthen and help him on all occasions To this purpose is that in Gal. 4.5 6. Because ye are Sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father and so many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God and the Spirit it self helps our infirmities c. Rom. 8.15 16 26 27. and this he gives both as a pledge of his love and acceptance and as an earnest of the Inheritance Ephes 1.13 14. 2 Cor. 1.22 5. Yea and as he gives them the priviledge of Sons and the Spirit of his Son so also the respect of Sons so as that as he heard and helped Christ his only begotten Son in the dayes of his flesh in all that he called upon him for and took care of him to provide for and protect him so doth he also to those that believe in his Son The eyes of the Lord are open upon the righteous and his ears are open unto their cryes and his face is set against the wicked that hate and oppress them 1 Peter 3.12 13. He is nigh unto his people in all that they call upon him for as our Saviour also promises John 15.7 Abide in me and let my words abide in you and ask what ye will it shall be given you and that as a testimony of his great love to them in which he imbraceth them in Christ his beloved one in whom they are accepted Ephes 1.16 See also John 14.13 14. Psal 145.17 18 19. as our Saviour testifies John 16.27 saying In that day ye shall ask the Father in my Name namely when they had received the promise of the holy Spirit to be a Spirit of grace and supplication in them and I do not say that I will pray the Father for you for the Father himself loveth you because ye have loved me and have believed that I came out from God Yea 6. In his love he teacheth them by his holy Spirit and leads them into all truth as is good and needful for them John 14.17 26. Prov. 1.23 teacheth them how to walk and how to pray guides and leads them in the way that they should go makes known his words shews them his mind the Mysteries of his Kingdom c. So Psal 25 8 9 12 14. Good and upright is the Lord therefore will he teach sinners the way the meek will he guide in judgment the meek will he teach his way i. e. those that being convinced of their own poverty and emptiness do meekly receive his words The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him and he will shew them his Covenant And Matth. 13.11 To you sayes Christ to his Disciples it is given to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God and I have called you not Servants but Friends for all things that I have heard of my Father have I made known to you He takes care of them that they may not wander out of the way of life and righteousness yea he shews them those delights and pleasures of his wayes and gives them a glimpse too of the glory of the end of it even of the glory of his Kingdom so as that they are thereby made to love his way and walk in it comfortably and with great delight Prov. 3.17 Psal 119 32 165. 7. In love also he nurtures them as his Children giving them chastisement as he sees needful and good for them not leaving them to their own counsels wayes and wills as he doth those that coutemn his counsels and submit not to him He is faithfully reproving and warning them and timely châ—stening them with his afflictions that he might teach them his Law and they might keep his Statutes Psal 94 12. and 119 67 71. as a Father that loves his Child and therefore spares not his Rod Prov. 13.24 for he knows that a Child left to himself comes to misery and shame nor yet doth he in afflicting smite them as he smites these that smite them and are his and their enemies but as a Father chastens the Son in whom he delighteth Prov. 3.11 12 Isai 27.7 8. that is he doth it in measure and judgment not in fury so as he sees they may bear and as may be for their profit Isai 27.8 9. Heb. 12.10 He is faithful and will not suffer them to be tempted above what they are able but with the temptation or tryal will give an issue that they may be able to bear it 1 Cor. 10 12. For he pities them as a Father pities his Child knowing their mold and temper and that they are but dust and therefore doth not deal with them after their sins nor reward them according to their iniquities but punisheth them less than they deserve is slow to wrath toward them and abundant in goodness and truth and doth not chide them alwayes nor retain his anger for ever Psal 103.9 10 11 12 13. yea and with his chastisements affords his supports and consolations to refresh their hearts Psal 94.18 19 yea and turns again and hath compassion according to the multitude of his tender mercies Lam. 3.32 Yea 8. He takes pleasure in them in them that fear him and in them that hope in his mercy Psal â—47 11 The Lord takes pleasure in his people Psal 49.4 It 's his design and delight to make them happy and to beautifie them with his Salvation to make them as a Crown of Glory and as a royal Diadem in his hand therefore he calls them Hepâ—zibah that is my delight or pleasure is in her owning them together in Christ as his royal Spouse and Consort as Isai 54 5. with 62 2 3 4. it rejoyceth his heart to see them thrive and prosper for he hath pleasure in the prosperity of his Servants Psal 35.27 Yea and though they have their failings weaknesses and spots that might render them unlovely yet having given Christ to
this life support and help under or freedom and deliverance from the troubles of it and from the plots and malice of wicked men in the world against us as be necessary for us for our subsistence while here continued or for our serving and glorifying God and usefulness amongst men as Prov. 30.8 Feed me with food convenient for me Matth. 6.11 Give us this day our dayly bread O deliver me not into the will of mine enemies Psal 27.14 Deliver me O Lord from the evil man and preserve me from the wicked man which imagine michief in their hearts c. Psal 140.1 2. Pray that your flight be not in the winter nor on the Sabbath-day Matth 24.20 and the like for others as for our selves 2 Thess 3.1 2. 5. In particular wants exercises and temptations for such things as the Holy Spirit knows to be most profitable for us and others and most agreeable with Gods will in which we know not usually what to pray for but the Holy Spirit that God gives to his servants and worshippers doth and that helps their infirmities and makes intercession for them with groans that cannot be uttered Rom. 8.26 and leads his people in such cases to pray according to Gods will as Abraham for Ishmaels life O that Ishmael might live before thee Gen. 17.18 20. Isaac for children Gen. 25.21 Elijah for the life of the widow of Sarephaths child be restored 1 King 17. and so Elisha for the Shunamite 2 King 4 and many the like obvious in the Scriptures In a word the Holy Ghost shews what things are agreeable to the will and holiness of God and conduces to the promoting his Glory and our own and others good and directs us to pray for them as they be wanting and blesseâ— God for them as granted to us 2. As to the manner of praying both 1. As to the way of approaching to God that it be not in our own righteousness name or goodness as if we deserved any mercy of him to our selves or were worthy upon the account of our righteousness to obtain any thing but in the name and upon the account of Christ and so through and by him his Sacrifice and Priestly intercession for us the new and living way to God Heb. 10.19 20. and so in Gods goodness mercy and righteousness through him So David praying to God goes not in his goodness but in Gods Psal 5.7 As for me I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercies c. and in Psal 25.6 According to thy mercy think thou upon me for thy goodness-sake O Lord and Daniel Chap. 9.17 18. For the Lords sake and we do not present our supplications before thee for our own righteousness but for thy great mercies So the Holy Spirit instructs and directs us to come unto God by Christ as in Heb. 7.25 and in his Name to make our prayers and petitions John 14.12 13 14. and 16.23 27. 2. As to the expressions not studying quaint and elegant words and expressions as if God delighted in them but to utter our needs and desires in such words and expressions as the Holy Spirit leading us to minde the greatness and goodness of God the declarations of his â—inde and and will our own vileness and meanness and wants helps us with as knowing it is the faith and fervencie of the heart and the rightness of the frame of Spirit in our prayers that sounds best in Gods eare A braken or contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise He that studies quaint words to please men prays rather to men for their applause than to God for his Grace and blessing and so it leads not to use vain repetitions as placing holiness goodnes or the acceptableness of our prayers in such so often reiterated expressions or as thinking to be heard for or in our much speaking Mat. 6 7. though the Holy Spirit lets us see sometime ground and need for praying longer and sometime shorter as our cases may be as Christ was in prayer all night sometime Luc. 6.12 before he chose his Apostles and yet sometime was very short as when he raised up Lazarus John 11.41.42 3. As to the earnestness in praying The Holy Spirit leads to be chiefly earnest for those things that are of greatest concernment more earnest for what tends to promote Gods Kingdom and righteousness and to his Glory than for things in which our libâ—rty ease health or the like are onely concerned and to be most indifferent for those things in which Gods Name Kingdom or Glory are least concerned â— As to the incouragements and motives to pray To pray in the Holy Ghost is to pray in the incouragements motives and motions which the Holy Spirit giveth And they be such as the Gospel and Doctrine of Christ presents unto us as 1. The gracious goodness of God testified towards us in Christ Jesus in whom he hath declared and manifested himself a lover of us as his Creatures as mankinde yea though sinners and while so in that he was pleased to appoint and send him even his onely begotten Son into the world for us that we might live through him even through him as made and become the propitiation for our sins as in 1 John 4.9 10. Having not spared his Son but delivered him up to the Death for us all the Holy Spirit incourages us thereupon to hope and in that hope to expect that he will also with him freely give us all things and in such incouragement and upon such ground moves us to ask of him what is needful and good for us Rom. 8.26 27 28. 2. The compleatness of Christ as our Mediator and High Priest with God for obtaining Grace and mercy of him for us and to that purpose making intercession and of his Authority with God to dispense and hand unto us as well as of wisdom to discern and see whatever may be good and needful for us Heb. 4.14 Having such a great High Priest Jesus the Son of God passed into the Heavens for us let us go boldly to the Throne of Grace So Heb. 10.19 20 21 22 Seeing we have boldness or liberty to the Holy of Holies by the blood of Jesus that is by such a compleat full and perfect Sacrifice as that he hath offered for us such as infinitely goeth beyond all the Sacrifices under the Law as the foregoing part of that Chapter had largely shewed such as in which is perfection for the sanctified for ever ver 14. plenteousnes of Redemption forgivenes of sins and a powerful voice to speak for our acceptance Col. 1.14 Heb. 12.24 by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the vail his flesh and having an High Priest over the House of God such a one namely as Christ is who is holy harmless undefiled separated from sinners made higher than the Heavens a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedeck a King and Priest and that too the
his being power goodness c. 5. To incite us to a more love and thankfulness to him as we have more acquaintance and familiarity with him and experience of his kindness to us and so also to forgive and doe good to one another as knowing that we do often need and receive forgiveness from him and manifold benefits and favours upon our asking yea oft-times above what we either ask or think 6. To provoke us to more humble and lowly demeanour of our selves before him and towards one another while we are always as beggars acknowledging our own wants and weaknesses and insufficiencie of our selves and our dependance for all good things upon him and have often experience of the distempers of our own hearts occasion of confessing and bewailing them that we might not bear up our selves as Lords that need to be beholding to God in nothing 7. That we might have more proof and experience of the vertuousness of Christs Sacrifice and Mediation for us in making our prayers acceptable and procuring Grace and blessing for us and gracious answers to us for these and the like reasons God will be sought unto by us which was the third thing implied in that phrase 4. Here is also further implied and signified to us that of and by our selves though we have need to pray to God continually yet we know not how to pray as we ought but are apt to offend and goe wrong therein to vent forth our passions or our corrupt and carnal desires and affections ambition pride revenge covetousness distrustfulness murmurings or the like and therefore need the directions and helpfulness of another wiser and holier than our selves even the Holy Ghost the breath and Spirit of God to infuse light and truth into us and direct and guide us thereby and frame our hearts aright therein that we may pray acceptably to God by Jesus Christ our Lord and noâ— loose our labour in praying or procure a curse to our selves in stead of a blessing 5. That God hath not left us nor doth leave us unto our own wisdom parts and abilities to guide us in our prayers and frame our prayers and desires for us nor yet leave us to prescribed formes and external directions and impositions of others to supply our weaknesses and inabilities to pray but gives his holy Spirit to those that believe in him and obey him to help them in their prayers to him that they may offer up spiritual Sacrifices in him acceptable to God by Jesus Christ Act. 5.31 32. Joh. 7.37 38. Rom. 8.26 27. 1 Pet. 2.5 which Holy Spirit being in and with God in Christ and proceeding thence is acquainted with the minde of God Rom. 8 26 27. 1 Cor. 2.10 and discovers to the believer what the minde and will of God is in those things that concern him to pray for so far at least as to direct to pray acceptably thereabout to him he being a Spirit of wisdom and Revelation in the knowledge of Christ Ephes 1.17 18. and frames the heart according to the minde and will of God in praying and begets longing desires and groans that cannot be uttered in them So that he that hath blessings to bestow on us and hath revealed it to be his mind that we should seek them of him and hath opened a way for us in and by his Son for approaching to him and pouring out our hearts before him pitying our ignorances and inabilities hath provided promised and faithfully affords his own holy Spirit in the teachings operations and efficacie of it to inable us to pray to him in that way and for those things that he hath prepared for us and set before us and for such spiritual Sacrifices or prayers Christ is appointed also the High-Priest to take away the iniquities that cleave to them as there is in them any thing of our ignorance error and mistake and to make them acceptable to him 1 Pet. 2.5 6. That God having done all this for us and affording such help to us as is suitable to his holiness and our needs requires of us not to neglect this his Grace not to worship in the oldness of the Letter in form and fashion and outside onely or in our own wit parts and wills c. but in Spirit and truth in all things watching unto and in prayer that we pray in and according to the light and direction that he gives us in the Gospel asking onely such things and in such way and manner as the Gospel instructs us and in such a frame of Spirit as the Holy Ghost therein begets and nourishes in us in attending to the Grace of Christ as therein set before us and keeping that which is the ministration of the holy Spirit the very air as it were in which it breaths in our hearts and mindes to direct and lead us They therefore do evilly that neglect the Gospel and the holy Ghost as breathing therethrough in us and take up other ways and helps in stead thereof and especially such as would tie up men to other helps as forms and impositions of words frames as if God gave not his holy Spirit now to help his servants And it may be observed that since the giving of the holy Spirit to those that believe in Christ we finde no formes of prayer invented proposed or imposed by Christ or his Apostles upon men as there were before he was given so to them and received by them Though in case of the ignorance and insufficiencie of the Ministry which yet the Bishops ought not to suffer but provide and put in such as are sufficient and well qualified according to those rules in 1 Tim. 3. and Tit. 1 or to prevent mens disorderly prayings that some good and unexceptionable forms may be prescribed for publike Assemblies I do not utterly deny that in Matth. 6. â— upon some such accounts it may seem that Christ prescribed 7. That possibly men may yea believers also and too often doe neglect the help of the Holy Spirit yea and may too often neglect prayer it self restraining prayer before God and not pouring out their hearts therein to him but seek by other means to defend and keep themselves against the assaults of enemies and that if they do pray yet they may not pray in the holy Ghost in what light and instruction he gives them in and by the Doctrine of Christ and in his operations therethrough in their hearts and so in such faith love charity humility resignation of themselves to the will of God earnestness and for vencie as becomes them and as the Grace of God and his Gospel instructs to and his holy Spirit therethrough believed and minded uses to work in men and frame their hearts to but may possibly as too often they doe rest in some forms or if not so yet pray in their own selfish ignorant carnal spirit asking those things that suite their wills and humours and lusts their own advancement glory ease c
devour yet God who loves us is stronger than he and none can pluck the sheep or followers of Christ out of his hand Yea Christ our Shepherd is the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah and he hath spoiled Principallities and Powers and triumphed over them openly in his Cross He is stronger to defend us than Sathan to devour us and he was manifested on purpose to destroy his cursed works 1 Pet. 5.8 John 10.29 30. Col. 2.14.15 1 John 3.8 hold we fast by him and Sathan cannot harm us however much he malice us Christ both can and will surely defend and save us from his rage and malice Doth the world frown upon us hate reproach threaten and abuse us Be of good courage saith our Lord I have overcome the world and stronger is he that is in or amongst us than he that is in the world John 16.33.1 John 4.4 5. Nor can any hardship that may here befal us tribulation or distres persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword cause God and Christ to cease to love us Rom. 8.35 He is a sheild and sure defence against all these enemies His truth abides that in us shall be shield and Buckler to us so that what is therein Earth or Hell that may discourage or affright us Psal 91.3 He is such a place of defence to every one that uprightly cleaveth to him that nothing can pierce through him to annoy or harm him as in Isa 33 6â— He shall dwel on high so high as none can overtop him to storm him his place of defence shall be the munition of Rocks so that no undermining him or blowing him up oh but perhaps we may be starved or famished out for wants No not so for it follows bread shall be given him his waters shall not fail Ah but perhaps such a strong Castle and well victualled may be so close and scant of air or other delightful accommodations as to force a man to yeild to get breath or air No it follows that there is both pleasant sight fair prospects to delight for v. 17. thine eyes shall behold the King in his beauty and thou shalt see the Land that is very far off So then neither need we fear evil will befal us to harm us oâ— that good will be wanting to us to supply and satisfie us For if the Lord be our Shepheard how can we want any good thing He is a Sun sheild and will give Grace glory and no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly with him Psal 84.11 and 23.1 He will supply our inward wants Give his Holy Spirit to them that ask him Luk 11.13 to lead them into his truth fill them with hope and peace and comfort them in all their troubles and afflictions teach them also to pray and therein and otherwise help their infirmities subdue their corruptions and sanctifie them throughout in Body Soul and Spirit c. John 16.13 Rom. 8.26 27. and 15.13 1 Thess 5.23 24. And he will supply all our outward wants so far as is good and needful for us Seeking first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness all those things shall be added to us The Lyons shall lack and suffer hunger but they that fear the Lord are sure to want no good thing Matth. 6.33 Psal 34.9 10. He giveth food to them that fear him he will ever be mindful of his Covenant Psal 111.5 And he will every way do what is good for us till he have fitted us for and bring us to the eternal inheritance So that here we have everlasting consolation and good hope through Grace 2 Thes 2.16 2. It 's useful also by way of instruction and exhortation to diverse duties that this great grace and love of God towards us doth challenge of us and afford good ground for as 1. To love him again that hath so loved us and yet so loves us as Psal 31.23 Oh Love the Lord ye his Saintsâ— for he preserveth the faithful those that believe in him and are constant in cleaving to and serving him It is but a meet return to him love for love that we love him because he loved us first 1 John 4.19 to delight our selves in him whose delight is in his people and accepts us in his Beloved One and will give unto us in so doing the desire or satisfaction of our Souls Psal 37.4 we cannot set our loves and affections upon either a more deserving or a more lovely object None there is to whom we are so much ingaged or hath so much in it to content satisfie and save us we may be sure not to loose our loves by loving him for he is not only infinitely before hand with us but also keeps mercy and Covenant for ever to them that love him and keep his Commandments we may loose our loves in loving any thing else besides him but not in loving him 2. To hope and trust in him for seeing he loves us so who is so strong and mighty to save us a Great King above all Gods in whose hands are all the corners of the Earth and the strength of the hills is his also The Sea is his and so all troubles and afflictions and he hath made it and his hands have prepared the dry land a stable port and safe haven of refuge we may be confident that he will not suffer any harm to befal us if we stay upon him and his Grace to save us yea though he may correct and nurture us yet he will take care of us to support and save us Oh trust in him then at all times ye people especially ye his people and inheritance pour out your hearts to him he is a refuge for us Psal 62.8 Yea trust in him at all times for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength Isa 26.4 especially too seeing in his great love he hath made great and precious promises to us both for this life the life that is to come hath confirmed them in the blood of the Lord Jesus his only begotten Son and appointed him to be the Mediator of them for us to take away the sin and unworthiness that might hinder us of them and to obtain a dispensation of them to us Surely we have in Christ great ground and cause of hopeing and trusting in God seeing God did therefore raise him from the dead and give him glory that our faith and hope might be in God 1 Pet. 1.21 and seeing through him his favour doth compass about the righteous as a shield from what might harm them Psalm 5.12 as it is also a Sun to give light and all refreshing influences to us even Grace and Glory and all good things to those that walk uprightly with him Psal 84.11 whence also that Counsel Philip. 4.6 7. In nothing be careful but in all things make known your requests to God by prayer and supplications with thanksgiving and the peace of God that passeth all understanding shall guard
of Faith so also of patient waiting that being a fruit of faith He that believeth maketh not haste Isa 28.16 Such is the praying in the holy Ghost not to mention any other particulars And that 's the second thing inquired 3. The third is what is implied in exhorting believers so to pray And that is divers things as 1. That believers are not able or sufficient of themselves as of themselves to keep themselves in the love of God or to that purpose to edifie or build up themselves on their most holy faith They need the help and furtherance of God and his Grace thereunto In all their minding his Grace exercise of their gifts walking in Charity c. they need to look to God for direction and guidance and for his strength and assistance they need him to build them up in their building up themselves and to keep watch over them in all keeping themselves and watching over themselves and one another Except the Lord build the house in this sense too they labour but in vain that build it And except the Lord watch over the City the watchman watcheth but in vain Psal 127.1 2. their strength being so small and their enemies so many and so great 2. That there is sufficient Grace in God and Christ for their helpfulness therein and that also communicable to them by him by which they may be built up and so be kept in his love all the oppositions from without them or from within them notwithstanding If they had sufficiencie in and of themselves or in what they have already received then need they not cry unto God continually for more from him or if there were none in him for them to be afforded to them than no ground or incouragement for their crying to him however much they might want but in willing them to pray in their building up themselves both are implied we need like the builders of the wall in Nehemiahs time to fight with one hand and to build with the other and the former by praying to and calling upon God for so shall we be saved from our enemies Psal 18.3 for we are not led to pray to a God that cannot save but to him who is mighty in power able to save us one that can perform all things for us as being Almighty able to doe all things and hath made ready in Christ all supplies of Grace and Blessing for us all things are ready that may conduce unto our protection and preservation in his Grace and the edifying our selves in our most holy faith as well as for bringing us at first thereunto 3. That yet God will be sought unto and depended on for the supplies of his Grace to us he will have us in that way exercise our faith in him in calling upon him though he could give us without our asking and doth give us and doe much for us before we ask to move and incourage us to look to him and ask of him for more yet he will have us accustome our selves in that exercise of prayer to him to that purpose are many passages in Scripture as Call upon me in the time of trouble and I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie me Psal 50.15 so in Jer. 33.3 Call unto me and I will answer thee and shew thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not Ezek. 36 37. God having promised to do great things for Israel yet says For this he will yet be inquired of by them And our Saviour bids ask seek knock and so they should receive find and have it opened to them Matth. 7.7 8. And this God will have his people do 1. That they might therein exercise and shew forth their faith in him and dependance on him for his Grace while they goe to him for all things as a child to his Father or as a wife to her Husband Therefore it is noted in Scripture as a fruit and consequent of faith with the heart man believeth unto righteousness and then with the mouth confession is made to Salvation for whosoever calleth upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved Rom. 10.10 11 12 13. 2. That they may have more acquaintance and intercourse with God and not live as strangers from him but by calling often upon him and receiving answers of Grace from him have a holy familiarity and communion with him as persons dayly resorting to the Court and speaking to the King and presenting Petitions to him and receiving answers from him thereby get more knowledge of him and acquaintance with him and so are fitted the better for going out and publishing to others the manner of his entertainment of mens suits and the vertues and goodness they discern in him Children that scarce ever come and speak to their Father grow strange to him and so do men that make little use of this priviledge of coming nigh unto God whereas such as come dayly to him to ask favours of him gather good acquaintance and proof of his love and faithfulness to them David implies this in saying Oh taste and see that the Lord is good Psal 34.8 and Eliphaz in saying to Job Acquaint or accustome thy self now with God Job 22.21 3. To keep them in a more reverend awe of him lest they should offend him and so put a barr against their own petitions to him for as Children that have often occasion to come before their Parents will be more careful of dirtying or soyling their cloathes or tearing and renting them or of doing any thing unbecoming them if they know their parents cannot like to see them in such a case whereas they that seldome come into then sight grow more loose and careless dirtied and torn c. even so God foresees that if we did not come often to him we would be little careful of our conversation before him whereas seeing we call upon the Father who without respect of persons judgeth every man righteously according to his works therefore it behoves us to pass the time of our sojourning here in fear and take heed that we regard not iniquity in our hearts because that wil provoke God to hide himself from us not hear our prayers That he might make us therefore stand in awe of him and be perfect with him he makes us to be often waiting upon him in his presence and begging at his door for Grace and Mercy to help us in our needs 1 Pet. 1.17 Psal 66.18 4. To give us more experience of his care over us and notice taking of us and so of his love to us in that he hears our prayers and helps us Did we not pray unto him we should not have that experience that his eyes are open upon us and his eares attentive to our prayers we should look upon mercies as proceeding from some other causes be more obnoxious to atheistical principles whereas the experience of his nighness to us gives us a more full proof of his care over us and so of
that he is able in calling us to him to inliven and quicken us from the dead make us hear his voice perceive the truth goodness of his instructions and close with him and his grace able and authorized as the great High Priest over the House of God and furnished with the Spirit of power and might all the fulness of the Godhead dwelling in him bodily to subdue all our enemies and save us confer upon us the blessings he obtains for us yea to keep off dangers and mischiefs from us support us under tryals and sufferings raise us out of troubles and death both bodily and spiritually and advance us to glory and happiness None of these things have we to do or prepare for our selves The foundation a sure and firm foundation is laid for â— to our hands no nor yet have we it put upon â— to bring our selves to and lay our selves upon that foundation that also is Gods work to make us in Christ Jesus and thaâ— he hath done inasmuch as he hath brought us to know and believe in him through his Gospel preached to us and by his Spirit effectually in some measure woâ—king in and upon us but onely to build up our selves on that foundation on which he hath in some measure laid us Yea and also 4. This we have to encourage us therein that he hath not onely in and through the most holy saith given us some furniture of gifts understanding c. for the edifying our selves and one another thereon but also stands ready in and through his blessed Son further to assist direct and help us and to carry on the building in and for us by his own grace and power supplied to us Which we may also have and receive from him according to our needs upon seeking it of him and calling upon him by prayer and supplication for it according as our Lord hath said Ask and ye shall receive seek and ye shall find knock and it shall be opened to you for every one that asketh receiveth and he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall be opened Matth. 7.7 8. And if ye that are evil know how to give good gifts to your children how much more will your heavenly Father give the holy Spirit to them that ask him Luke 11.13 5. Yea and whereas we are foolish and bruitish in and of our selves and not onely want ability to build up our selves of our selves but also skill to pray unto God for his help and holy Spirit as we ought he to help us there also in and through the foundation we are upon even the most holy faith gives us the Holy Ghost to help our infirmities and teach us how â—o pray yea and to make Intercessions in and for us according to the will of God with sighs and groans that cannot be uttered Rom. 8.26 27. So that as we have him in his gifts and operations and vertues in us to inable us to build up our selves on our most holy faith so we have him also to help us to look unto and call upon God for further Dispensations of him and his assistance and help by him for building up our selves thereon and for blessing strengthning and confirming what we build So that what remains but that we up and be doing building up our selves on our most holy faith praying in the Holy Ghost and to keep our selves in the love of God To which the Apostle adds in the next place The manner how we are to do all this or the posture we are therein to stand in and that is waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto Eternal life In a waiting posture for further mercy even the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto Eternal life Where we have 1. The Posture it self Waiting 2. The Object to be waited for Mercy Which is further declared what it is by 1. The Author of it or Fountain of it whose and whence it is viz. The mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ 2. The Tendency issue and end of it Vnto Eternal life 1. In that it is said Waiting it is implied and signified 1. That Believers so edifying themselves on their most holy faith praying in the Holy Ghost may and should hope and look for the further grace mercy and helpfulness of Christ and God in Christ for waiting for a thing implies hoping for it as Rom. 8.24 25. If we hope for what we see not then do we with patience wait for it Believers are under the hope of good for Good is always the object of hope and waiting something that the soul looks upon as good for it and it is real good that the soul is instructed of God to look after and wait for Now hoping also implies 1. That what the soul waits for is not yet accomplished The soul hath not an enjoyment of all that is good for it though it be in the love of God the fountain of all good and mercy yet it hath not an actual enjoyment or possession of all the good that flows forth from that fountain Hope is of things future not yet seen or enjoyed for that that is seen is not hope for what a man seeth why doth he yet hope for Rom. 8 15. The Believer though in the love of God and his favour yet is not fully built up as we see before and therefore is not possessed all that he is building up for or that is intended to him when built up We are saved now by hope not by actual sight and enjoyment The hope of further good is that that bears up the soul against and under the sight feeling of present evils The condition of the Believer here is not to be above or beyond hope but to be in hope a lively or living hope by or through the Resurrection of Christ as 1 Pet. 1.3 not a dead empty hope that puts no activity into the soul Hope is the anchor of the soul that enters into the Mercy-seat and Glory within the vail that stays the soul now up from sinking under any discouragements in the building time from enemies within or without that oppose and threaten it or from any tryals or pressures that may lie upon it 2. It implies an apprehension of some good ground of the expectation of the good that it yet hath not but waits for and so it believes that good will come to it that it yet hath not And indeed the most holy faith affords it good ground for such an expectation of good for faith is the evidence of things not seen and the ground of things hoped for Hebr. 11.1 Therefore being on that ground it must needs see reason and cause to hope For therein is discovered and declared 1. That God so loved and pitied them while in and of the world as that he sent his onely begotten Son and delivered him up to death for us all even while ungodly sinners and enemies against him to the end that believing in
in Christ and that mercy of Christ that is needful to bring us thereunto and so that we be not slothful nor take up content and satisfaction in what 's already attained as if we had enough and needed no more Laodicea-like but with our Souls be desiring after God and with our very spirits longing for him till he satisfie our souls with his goodness as was Davids posture of waiting for God expressed Psal 130.5 6. I wait for the Lord yea my Soul doth wait and in his word doe I hope My Soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning I say more than they that watch for the morning a waiting in which is also a watching for what is waited for yea a most diligent and desirous watching such as that is of those that being benighted and bewildred for want of light do long for the morning light And indeed such a waiting for Gods mercy becomes those that are building up themselves on their most holy faith and praying in the holy Ghost for men may pray formally or put their life and Religion in saying over prayers and yet have their hearts dead and void of any living desires of Gods presence and favour but the praying in the Holy Ghost cannot stand without it as may appear in what we have said thereabout yea this waiting may have in it further 4. A waiting upon God in Christ as well as a waiting for him or for something from him a patient attending to him and following after him whithersoever he goes and to be ordered and directed by him in what ever he requires as Psal 123.1 2. Vnto thee lift I up my eyes O thou that dwellest in the Heavens Behold as the eyes of servants are upon the hands of their Masters and the eye of the maiden unto the hand of her Mistress namely to be at their appointment and see and mind which way they direct them to run as well as to minde what they will give them so our eyes wait or are upon the Lord our God till he have mercy upon us in such a sense as that phrase in Prov. 27.18 He that waiteth upon his Master shall be honoured He that attends upon him to know his pleasure and to doe him service and this may be included also in this waiting for his mercy and in that seeking is therein implied though the other things seem to be more properly and directly signified 2. Now the Object to be waited for is expressed to be the Mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto Eternal life Eternal life is the end but necessary thereto as the way to bring us to it is the Mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ Mercy But not any or every kind of mercy There are the tender mercies of the wicked that are cruel Prov. 12.10 and there is the mercy or kindness of men that are not wicked but the best of men are but servants to this Lord whose mercy is to be expected It is the mercy of the Lord whose mercy will reach to more profit than those of a servant but yet it s not the mercy of every Lord neither but of him who is the Lord of Lords and King of Kings the Lord Jesus Christ the anointed Saviour the only begotten Son of God whom he sent into the world for us made of a woman made under the Law that he might redeem us who were under the Law that we by the faith of him might receive the adoption of Sons who being anointed with the Holy Ghost and power went about doing good and obeyed his Father to the death the death of the Cross and therefore is again highly exalted and hath a Name an Authority and power given him far above every Name or power that at his Name every knee should bow both of things in Heaven and things in Earth c. and that every tongue should confess that he is Lord to the Glory of God the Father Philip 2.10 11. The Lord of all Act. 10 36. The Lord of men even of the dead and of the living by vertue of his Death Resurrection and living again Rom. 14.9 and the Lord of Angels for Angels and Principallities are made subject to him 1 Pet. 3.22 the Lord of Life and Glory Act. 3.15 1 Cor. 2.8 as having the Soveraign Power in and with his Father to quicken and give life to whom and as he pleases John 5.20 21 22. being upon the right hand of Majesty in the Highest filled with all the fulness of the Godhead bodily Col. 2.9 the fulness the immeasurable fulness of the Holy Ghost being resting and dwelling upon him and so anointing him and furnishing him with power and sufficiencie of wisdom understanding counsel strength c. for the managing the Government and Kingdom of God over men and over all Creatures so as in a way of saving mankinde from sin death devil and destruction being the Saviour of all men able willing and ready to save all of them upon submission to him yea and actually so saving them from manifold evils both within and without so that they are ingaged to and might submit to him but especially the Saviour of them that believe It is the mercy of this great Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ who being one with the Father and glorified with the Fathers own self upon the account of his obedience to his Father and love to and sufferings for us men is often joyned with the Father in the Object of the Apostles prayers foâ— and so in the dispensations of Grace and Mercy unto men as may be seen in the Salutations of the Churches in their Epistles to them Grace be to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 1.7 1 Cor. 1.3 2 Cor. 1.2 Gal. 1.3 Ephes 1.2 Philip. 1.2 Coll. 1.2 1 Thes 1.1 2 Thes 1.2 Philem. 1.3 or Grace mercy and peace from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord 1 Tim. 1.2 or Christ Iesus our Lord 2 Tim. 1.2 or the Lord Iesus Christ our Saviour Tit. 1.4 and surely his mercy must needs be of exceeding great concernement unto us above all things for it is the mercy of God so as that where he hath and exerciseth mercy God also even the Father exercises mercy in and by him And where he shews not mercy neither doth God the Father shew mercy nor can the pity and mercy of men be they never so great or mighty or many advantage a man any thing in comparison hereof the Sovereign power of life and death yea of everlasting life or death being in and with him So that whom he saves and blesses they are and shall be saved and blessed and whom he destroys or rejects from his mercy they shall perish everlastingly for his judgment is true and righteous and takes place and stands fast for ever His Mercy therefore is worthy the waiting for and most earnestly to be sought after as without which there is no salvation or happiness