work and engagement herein Page 515 Some directions Page 518 Marks of the prayer of faith as first negatively if we walk not as children we cannot call God Father Page 519 Secondly positively 1. enlargement in prayer 2. frequency 3. calmness and composure of spirit after prayer 4. watching for an answer 5. thankfulness though the particular be not given 6. some intimation of love made to the heart Page 521 We have reason to be humbled for our unbelief Page 529 What faith did Adam in the state of innocency act in prayer and whether he then knew the mystery of incarnation Page 530 If we suppose the Saints in glory to pray whether may they be said to pray in faith Page 531 Whether the unbelief of the promises or of the threatnings be the greater sin Page 533 CHAP. III. Some consequent conditions of prayer first after prayer we must wait and look up to God for an answer Page 535 Secondly we must watch and look in to our selves Page 539 Thirdly we must renew our requests and continue instant at the throne of grace adding prayer to prayer Page 541 Fourthly we must use the means for obtaining what we ask from God our prayers ought not be pretended as a cloak for idleness ibid. Fifthly when the Lord answers our prayers we must return the sacrifice of praise Page 544 What our praise and thanksgiving importeth Page 545 Whether all these qualifications which should go before accompany and follow our prayers be essentially necessary to its acceptance and audience and what be more what less necessary Page 547 Some grounds of encouragement to weak Saints with the concurring testimony of some practical Divines Page 549 PART III. Some practical cases What cases belong to this place Page 552 CHAP. I. How we should in prayer conceive of God and of the persons of the glorious Trinity Page 553 Sect. I. How we should conceive of God when we draw nigh to him Page 553 Humility and reverence necessary here ibid. Concl. 1. Beware of mental idols for representing Gods infinit nature Page 555 Concl. 2. It s no small part of our knowledge to know what God is not ibid. Concl. 3. Yet he calls us to behold his positive perfections Page 556 Concl. 4. In prayer we may select and make choice of such divine attributes and perfections as are most sutable to our condition Page 557 Concl. 5. We may not draw nigh to God but in Christs name Page 558 Concl. 6. But in Christ we may draw nigh with confidence as children to a father able and ready to hear and answer Page 559 It s not presumption but a duty to call God Father ibid. What if we be not assured of our adoption Page 560 Is it not a mocking of God to call him Father when he is not and while we are not in the state of adoption Page 562 Some evidences of adoption ibid. Though we be children yet if we know not our state whether may we in truth and without a a lye call God Father Page 564 Five bonds whereby a child of light walking in darkness may lay hold upon God as a Father ibid. Sect. II. After what maner and order should we direct our prayers to the persons of the glorious Trinity Page 566 The Trinity a great mystery yet clearly revealed as to the thing it self though not as to the maner Page 567 Concl. 1. There is a natural order among the persons of the Trinity Page 568 Concl. 2. There are not three first causes and principal agents but one Page 569 Concl. 3. There is an appropriation of works and attributes but not exclusive ibid. Only in the work of redemption there be something peculiar to the Son Page 571 Concl. 4. We must not so direct our prayers to any one person as to exclude the other two Page 572 Concl. 5. Yet we may so direct our prayers to one as not actually to meditate on the other two Page 573 Concl. 6. In singling out any one of those glorious persons we may reflect upon and improve the appropriation of works and attributes ibid. Concl. 7. Yet we are not so limited thereto as that upon occasion fix upon any one ibid. Whether as we may put up several petitions to several persons So also one and the same petition to several persons Page 574 Concl. 8. Yet usually Christians address themselves to the Father Page 575 Concl. 9. That noble way of conveighing all good to the Sants from the Father through the Son and by the holy Ghost doth not by any natural result flow from that original order that is among those glorious persons Page 577 A voluntary covenant the ground of this dispensation Page 578 The School-distinction of mission not full it wants the most usefull member Page 581 Concl. 10. We are not so oblieged to conceive of God under these personal relations that we may not worship him absolutely as the alone Jehovah ibid. A word of warning caution and exhortation Page 582 CHAP. II. Of the with-drawing of the Spirit deadness wandering thoughts c. Page 586 Sect. I. Of the with-drawing of the Spirit Page 587 How far the Spirit may withdraw from the Saints ibid. Whether the Spirit alwayes worketh as to the conservation of grace so also to it's operations increase and growth Page 588 There may be a total suspension of gracious influences as to prayer and other particular performances Page 589 This suspension may fall under a two-fold consideration 1. as our tryal 2. as our correction and punishment Page 589 The Lord doth not alwayes with-draw for sin but sometimes for c. Page 590 And thus the suspension of grace is either 1. medicinal or 2. monitory or 3. probatory or 4. castigatory Page 591 Yet it is alwayes our duty to examine our hearts and wayes lest c. Page 592 We would distinguish between the comforting and the quickening or assisting presence of the Spirit Page 593 The Spirit may be provoked to depart either more directly and immediatly or more mediatly and indirectly ibid. How the Scriptures express the more direct affronts and indignities offered to the Spirit Page 594 The Spirit may be said to be quenched either positively or negatively by commission or omission ibid. Negatively 1. by not yielding to his motions 2. by not welcoming him nor prising his presence 3. by a decay of love respect reverence c. Page 594 Positively 1. when we prostitute his gifts to our carnal ends 2. when we undervalue and entertain base low thoughts of them 3. when we contemne his Authority and obey Sathan and welcom his temptations notwithstanding the contrary motions and warnings of the Spirit 4. so much of illumination and light so much of conviction and conscience as is choaked so far the Spirit is dishonoured and provoked Page 566 How the Spirit is provoked by every reigning sin Page 597 A word of exhortation Page 598 The Saints danger when the Spirit with-draweth Page 599 How we may
not pray for the measure of grace after that maner we pray for temporals Page 222 A third evasion confuted Page 223 Whether grace may be abused and become a snare ibid. And yet the adequat cause why temporals should not be askt absolutely is not because they may do us hurt and become snares Page 225 As to spirituals we may ask the thing and the condition though we may not ask conditionally Page 226 Whether we should submit and be content with a small measure of grace Page 227 We are not straitned in the promise but in our own bowels Page 230 How we should desire spiritual and how temporal mercies Page 231 Sect. III. For whom should we pray Page 232 Why we should pray for others ibid. We should not pray for the dead the popish Doctrine confuted Page 233 The blasphemy against the holy Ghost unpardonable the Rhemists confuted Page 240 Whether we may pray for such as have thus sinned unto death Page 239 249 Whether we may pray for reprobats as such Page 241 Whether in our prayers for others we may add this proviso if they belong to the election of God Page 242 268 Whether in praying for the salvation of others we may add this clause especially for believers Page 244 If the decree of reprobation were made known to us whether we might pray for such as we knew to be included in it Page 246 Whether the reprobat upon supposition that they knew the Lords decree and purpose never to show mercy unto them were notwithstanding oblieged to pray for themselves and to use the means Page 247 Whether a prohibition added to a known decree should lay a restraint upon us Page 249 There is a great difference as to the object of our prayers between those who are already cast into hell and such as are yet in the land of the living and under the means though they be reprobat Page 254 Whether we may pray for such in faith Page 255 Some distinctions for preventing objections with a brief recapitulation Page 257 Whether we may love those whom the Lord hateth Page 259 Ve must pray for all men Page 260 Distinctions brought by some Divines examined and rejected ibid. Some arguments for this conclusion with an answer to objections Page 262 We know not but the Lord may show mercy to all this generation Page 264 272 How the care of all the Churches lyeth upon every Saint Page 264 Whether we may pray for incorrigible enemies Page 268 Objections answered Page 269 Whether the holy Spirit will dictat a prayer for a reprobat and whether Christ while on earth prayed for such Page 269 Whether we may ask any mercy in Christs name for those for whom Christ died not Page 271 An exhortation to pray for enemies Page 272 We are in a special manner oblieged to pray for our relations for the Church of Christ for Kings and Rulers for the Kingdom and place of our abode for and with our families Page 274 Especially for such of those as are of the houshold of faith Page 277 As Pastors must pray for their flocks so they for Pastors and because too few do minde their duty it is pressed by several motives Page 279 The general point with it's several branches pressed by way of exhortation Page 286 The Saints prayers the Church-treasury Page 295 If thou pray not for thy self the prayers of others will not profit thee Page 296 CHAP. VIII We must pray in Christs name Page 298 We lye under a two-fold incapacity of drawing nigh to God and Christ hath removed both Page 299 Three grounds of the prevalency of prayer Page 300 Though we must pray in the holy Ghost yet not in the name of the holy Ghost but only in Christs Page 301 What it is to ask in Christs name ibid. Why we must ask in Christs name Page 304 How Gospel mysteries were known to the Jews Page 308 A confused knowledge is a medium between ignorance and perfect knowledge Page 309 What was the least measure of saving knowledge which was then necessary Page 310 The Gentiles not left without a testimony concerning the Messiah Page 312 The consent of the Popish School-men Page 313 Of their blind and implicit faith with four degrees of explicit faith from Suarez ibid. De necessitate praecepti medii Page 315 Whether any obtain for Christs sake who do not know his name nor ask for his sake Page 316 Whether the Jews did tender up their prayers in Christs name Page 318 Whether the Disciples did expresly pray in Christs name before his death Page 320 Whether we may be said to ask in his name in respect of the habitual intention of the heart Page 321 Whether temporals must be askt in his name ibid. A word of exhortation and reproof Christ our Altar and Priest his work constant and equal Page 329 CHAP. IX Of the help of the Spirit Page 328 Prayer the ladder that reacheth the heavens Page 329 The necessity of the help of the Spirit Page 330 Whether those who are not led by the spirit of Christ dwelling in them viz. such as are yet but under some legal preparations and on the way to conversion may meet with acceptance Page 332 How the Spirit helpeth us to pray Page 333 Mr. Baxter interpreted Page 336 The actual assistance of the Spirit is 1. to actuat 2. to strengthen 3. to direct 4. to encourage Page 337 There be many impediments both from within and without Page 338 The Spirit helpeth 1. to make choice of fit objects 2. to propose right ends 3. to pray aright as to the maner c. Page 340 Our confidence and boldness admitteth a latitude between the full assurance of faith and a probable expectation there is a middle hope Page 345 A word of rebuke 1. to the presuming Justitiary 2. to the blasphemous Atheist Page 346 A word 1. of encouragement 2. of exhortation to the Saints Page 348 Whether Sathan worketh immediatly or only mediatly on the mind and will Page 351 Arguments for an immediat impression Page 352 How Sathan representeth objects to the mind Page 353 Whether Sathan knoweth the secrets of the heart or hath power over it to bow and turn it Page 355 What is that vail the Lord hath drawn over the heart Page 356 Sathans immediat access to the heart needs not discourage the Saints Page 360 We are not enough sensible of the Lords bounty and tender care towards us in keeping this roaring Lyon in iron-chains ibid. Yet Sathans power and malice must not be made a cloack to excuse or extenuat our sins Page 361 Whether all sins flow from Sathans temptation Page 362 And whether all good proceedeth from the suggestion of good Angels Page 367 The consideration of Sathans power and malice should make us first humble secondly sober and watchfull thirdly to live in a continual dependance upon God fourthly frequent in prayer fifthly thankfull Page 564 It is not our fault that Sathan
know when the Spirit with-draweth his help from supplicants Page 600 Sect. II. A two-fold deadness and indisposition one privative by the departure of the quickening and strengthening influence of the Spirit another positive into which we are casten by the opiat of sin Page 602 Divers kinds of causes of this evil Page 603 Among externals Sathan is the chief Page 604 But the root of the matter is within us hereditary sin a mother sin Page 605 To which some gross pollution or conscience-wasting sin being super-added the heart must be very much straitned in it's approaches to God Page 606 What are these sins against which the Saints should especially guard Page 607 What be these sins which more formally and efficiently straiten the heart and occasion deadness and wandering thoughts Page 607 1. Earthly-mindedness 2. irreverence and want of fear 3. hypocrisie 4. want of feeling 5. distrust and unbelief 6. excess and surfeiting either bodily or spiritual 7. wantonness and a spirit of lust 8. discontent with our condition family-contention and whatsoever distemper of the passions anger grief c. 9. not watching the heart 10. nor guarding the outward senses 11. taking unseasonable times for performing these duties 12. disuse omission and want of frequency 13. a giving way to a slight and superficial way of performance 14. ill company ibid. Positive directions and remedies 1. strengthen and fortifie the heart with the cordial of love 2. let us rouse up and awaken our sleepy hearts 3. let us beg the quickening presence of the Spirit of Christ bewailing more the want thereof then the want of his consolations 4. let us diligently mark and observe when the Spirit draweth nigh and when he with-draweth 5. when we set upon any duty let us renew our resolutions to hold our hearts fixed at the work 6. in the intervals of prayer let us give our selves unto holiness 1. do not stint thy self to such a measure of holiness 2. imitat the best examples 3. converse much with the Saints 4. frequent the Ordinances diligently and 5. be diligent in thy particular calling 7. arrest thy heart at the present exercise and work 8. remember 1. the greatness and excellency 2. the goodness and bounty 3. the presence and all seeing eye and 4. the holiness justice and terrors of him with whom we have to do 9. use such a gesture as may be most helpfull to raise the heart 10. thou mayest while indisposed have recourse to a set form and then 11. let frequency supply the want of continuance and enlargement 12. whatever success thou meetest with yet leave not off but still follow on to seek the Lord in his Ordinances till thou find him do not faint nor weary for c. Page 620 Sect. III. Whether our deadness and indisposition will excuse our negligence and omission of duty Page 637 Six or seven reasons for the negative ibid. Our deadness should rather send us to then hold us from the throne of grace Page 640 Motives to stir us up to shake off our laziness indisposition negligence c. Page 640 What copy should we set before our eyes as to our diligence and activity for eternal life Page 643 When and what wandering thoughts do nullifie our prayers and hinder their success Page 644 The testimony of some Divines Page 645 Deadnesse and wandering thoughts a grievous burden to the Saints Page 646 Whether we may be too much inlarged in prayer or meditation Page 648 Of the Popish mystical Theology Enthusiasme c. ibid. Whether the Saints be alwayes precisely limited to the present work in which they are imployed Page 650 Whether sincere supplicants use to be be more inlarged in private or publick ibid. Whether it be a mercy to have our prayers answered when we are cold and formal Page 651 CHAP. III. Whether we may pray for any evil either of sin or suffering Page 652 Some distinctions Page 653 We may not pray for any evil either absolutely or relatively ibid. Five arguments Page 654 Objections answered Page 657 Far less may we pray and wish evil to our brethren Page 663 A word concerning the evil of sin ibid. CHAP. IV. Whether it be lawfull to imprecat the question propounded and limited Page 664 It is certain we may 1. pray against the sins and 2. against the plots of the wicked and 3. that we may complain of their cruelty and 4. that we may pray the Lord to break their snare of success and prosperity and 5. that justice may be executed upon malefactors ibid. But we must not curse 1. without a cause nor 2. for our own cause nor 3. our relations Page 665 The question answered negatively and objections obviated Page 666 CHAP. V. What it is to pray alwayes Page 668 The Euchits confuted Page 669 Whether Pelagians taught that it was needless to pray Page 670 Six conjectures rejected Page 671 The exhortation to pray alwayes and without ceasing supposeth a spiritual disposition Page 674 It answereth the question when should we pray ibid. It importeth assiduity and frequency ibid. It requireth 1. constancy and 2. universality 1. in respect of the object 2. in respect of the seasons time and opportunities whether set or occasional Page 676 An omission cannot be imputed to us unless we be called and oblieged to do Page 677 The least that can be allowed for a set course of prayer is twice a day Page 678 What time of the day fittest Page 679 Scripture-instances with some variety Page 680 How we may discern the occasional season of prayer Page 681 What is done in it's season whether set or occasional is said in Scripture to be done alwayes Page 683 There ought also to be an universality in respect of the subject Page 684 Lastly it importeth perseverance Page 684 How much time should be spent and how long should we continue at prayer Page 685 Whether it be lawfull to use repetitions and what repetitions in prayer Page 687 A word concerning ejaculatory prayer Page 691 The Saints have continued for a considerable time at prayer Page 692 An exhoration to frequency Page 693 A word of caution take heed lest custom and frequency make us customary and superficial in prayer Page 695 PART IV. Of the return of prayer CHAP. I. Of the success of prayer Page 695 Sect. I. The Christian is the only worthy and invincible man Page 696 Prayers and tears the arms of the Church Page 697 How the holy Spirit expresseth the power and prevalency of prayer Page 698 Sect. II. The Atheists great objection all things come alike to all answered Page 701 What the Lords hearing of prayer importeth Page 703 Hence several arguments proving that the wicked receive nothing in answer to their prayers Page 704 Why then doth the Lord bestow mercies upon them Ans Page 706 Four wayes of the Lords hearing the prayers of his servants Page 710 A delay to give or denial of the particular askt may be a gracious answer of
sentence against him and the Lord would not accept their payers till Job whom they had accounted a very hypocrite did interceed for them if then thou hast injured thy brother if he hath ought against thee leave thy gift before the Altar go thy way first be reconciled to him and then come and offer thy gift Mat. 3.23 24. But offer not alone let thy brother joyn with thee in the sacrifice it may be thy acceptance depends upon his concurrence but especially if he be a Saint whom thou hast wronged if thou hast been uncharitable to him and dealt hardly with him go to him and confess thy fault and beg the help of his prayers and thus ye may mutually conspire and lay a mighty siege to heaven and continuing thus to (p) Rom. 15.30 wrestle together ye must prevail Such professors as are proud disdainfull censorious envious and living at variance with their brethren if their graces be weak their enlargement little and their consolations rare let them consider where the blame lyeth 3. Job was one whom the Lord had grievously afflicted The terrours of God did as he (q) Job 6.4 complaineth set themselves in aray against him the arrows of the almighty were within him (r) Job 10.6 the Lord hunted him as a fierce Lyon and (Å¿) Job 7.20 set him up as a mark at wâââ ãâã did shoot he (t) Job 9.17 multiplied his wounds and he did breââ ãâã with a sore tempest his (u) Job 13.24 25 26 27. feet were casten in the stocks and he was broken as a leaf driven to and fro and pursued like dry stubble the Lord did write bitter things against him as if he had held him for his enemy c. And should not to him that is afflicted pity be (x) Job 6.14 shown by his friends but they (y) Job 6.15 dealt deceitfully with him He was wounded in the (z) Zech. 13.6 house of his friends They proved miserable comforters and (a) Job 13.4 physicians of no value therefore the Lord did break them with a grievous wound putting the plaister that only could cure them into Jobs hand As a tender parent takes special notice of the sick child so the Lord of the afflicted Saints and most severely punisheth the injuries done to them See Obad. 10 11 12 13 24. c. And the prayers of the afflicted are very powerfull and prevailing the sick child must not be refused If then thou (b) Obad. 22. hast spoken proudly in the day of distress recommend thy self to the prayers of the afflicted least (c) Job 42 8. the Lord deal with you according to your folly Thus I have insisted a while in discovering this treasury of the Church far more precious excellent and usefull then that of gold and rubies not that popish treasure filled with the fictitious merits and (d) Quarum alioquin nullus esser usus nec enim quae semel applicatae fuere redire possunt sed ipso usu consumuntur pereunt adeoque papistae ut bene observat Chamierus candem ponunt divinae liberalitati legem quam severitati ut nec bis vindicet in id ipsum nec bis idem remuneret Dan. Cha. panst tom 3. lib. 24. cap. 3. superfluous as Cajetan speaketh satisfaction of the Saints departed but the treasure of the living Saints intercession the Dispensation whereof belongeth not to the Pope but to every Saint all who have an interest in this treasure have a key and may open it when they will for the relief of themselves and all their brethren And this treasure viz. the common stock of the Saints prayers if we would speak properly is rather the key then the true treasure it self which is only Christs satisfaction and intercession but yet in that the other is the porch whereat we must enter and the messenger which bringeth from thence a supply for all our wants and maladies it may metonymically be called a treasure and rather then that anti-scriptural and irrational popish dream of Saint-satisfaction As for these who as (e) Job 15.4 Eliphaz unjustly charged Job cast off fear and restrain prayer what good can the prayers of all the Saints do to such ãâã albeit through their prayers the Spirit of prayer and supplication may be poured out upon thee who wast as a (f) Jer. 31.18 bullock unaccustomed to the yoke yet unlesse at length thou put in thy neck and joyn in the duty the prayers of others cannot profit thee It s the character of a gracelesse heart when Gods hand is stretched out against it to imploy others to interceed but not to lift up a voyce for it self as we may see in Pharaoh Exod. 10.17 Jeroboam 2 King 13.6 Simon the Sorcerer Act. 8.24 Yet you will say Moses was heard for Pharaoh Obj. and the man of God for Jeroboam Ans As the Lord out of a common providence Ans may bestow many outward mercies and deliverances to the wicked for his peoples sake with whom they are incorporated so they may meet with some special dispensations as to these outward things upon the prayers of the Saints The Lord to evidence the greatness of his love towards his chosen ones will thus hear them while they interceed for the wicked as that (g) Vid. hist aepud Euseb lib. 5. cap. 5. Magdeburg cen 2 Luc. Osiand cenâ 2. lib. 3. cap. 12. c. legio fulminatrix obtained water to refresh and a notable victory unto the host of the pagan-persecuting Emperour Marcus Aurelius Antonnius But these mercies though never so great and singular yet wanted the marrow and substance and in the issue proved through their abuse rather cursings then blessings And as for spiritual mercies which only deserve the name no prayerlesse soul did ever âast of these But you will say who is he that doth not pray Ans But I would rather ask who is he that doth pray That which is currant and passeth for good coyn amongst men God will reject as (f) Jer. 6.30 reprobare silver the prayer of the wicked is an abomination rather then devotion Prov. 28.9 Prov. 2.27 The Lord doth not regard the prayer of him who regardeth iniquity in his heare Ps 66.18 O then cast off and break asunder the cords of sin and call upon God with the whol heart that he may bear thee when thou cryest and may fulfill the desires of others for thee And if the prayers of the Saints for prayer-lesse wretches prove unsuccessefull and can do those misers no good what shall we think of their prayers for others who make not conscience to pray for themselves O! how should it vex our souls to hear that cursed crue of vagabond beggars who have no other rhetorick but their counterfeit prayers and flattering praises to interpose the name of the great God for every morsel of bread they ask and to take his dreadfull name in vain in their frequent prayers promiscuously poured
ingenuity left there whether it were not a righteous thing with God to deal with thee according to thy folly 2. God doth not so much value our work and performance as the (g) Mentem offerentis non oblationem attendit glos iuterlin in Gen. 4 4. fountain and principle from which it doth flow and the end and scope at which we aim but untill thy heart be renewed thou canst not act from a principle of love nor make his will and command thy motive nor honestly aim at his glory but thy motives must be carnal and thy end self-interest thou canst not act spiritually nor bring out fruit to God till thou be ingraffed into the true and lively vine the Lord Jesus Joh. 15.5 And therefore thy prayers and performances though never so specious must be an abomination to him self being thy idol before which thou fallest down in every act of worship thou seekest nor God for himself but for thine own base carnal ends which if thou couldest otherwise obtain thou couldst with all thy heart bid farewell to God his worship and service he should hear no more of thy prayers and supplications And thus as the supplicant is not the same not a son but a stranger so the supplication is not alike there is a great difference and inequality in the work it self the Saints pour out other kind of prayers unto God then the unregenerate and therefore no wonder the successe be not the same albeit there may be much art and eloquence and great variety of pertinent expressions yet till the heart be renewed our censer's in stead of incense must be filled with such loathsome filth as must make our sacrifice abominable The old root doth continually send out and communicate so much venom to all its branches that no fruit can be gathered from thence but what is full of deadly poyson a polluted heart will so pollute and infect all our actions and performances that they must be naught in Gods account hence 1 Kings 8.38 this leprosy because of it infection is called the plague of the heart But though these two be very considerable 1. the state of the person for what father will not hearken more to the cry of his son and child then to the voice of a stranger and enemy 2. the quality of the work for who would lay brass in the ballance with gold Yet these are not the main grounds of discrimination and difference as to the present case concerning the acceptance and audience of the one and not the other but that must be brought from another root which now we shall only name as being already more fully opened viz. 1. the assistance and concurrence of the Spirit 2. the merit and intercession of Christ Hence A third reason of the point may be this we cannot pray acceptably without the help and assistance of the Spirit unless he enable us to speak and teach us what to say ah what can we plead upon the account of any though never so eminent work as coming from us Hence saith a (h) Mr. Fenner Sacrif of the faith pag. 6. and pag. 52. reverend Divine God no more respects the prayers of the wicked as being offered up by themselves without the concurrence of the Spirit then he respects the lowing of Oxen or the gruntling of Hogs None have the spirit of supplication but such as have the spirit of adoption and therefore we cannot be assured of the success of our prayers till our son-ship and adoption be cleared and sealed to us See Part 1. chap. 9.4 All the promises are yea and amen in Christ and therefore whatever the Lord out of his general bounty and pity and by the hand of a common providence may bestow upon an Ahab fasting and humbling himself and upon an Ishmael crying and weeping yet they had no covenant right to what they did receive nor could they lay claim unto or plead a (i) Nay Sua rez though a Jesuit and a great patron of the merit of congruity yet granteth ora tionem non esse impetratoriam ex vi promissionis nisi ex fide procedat quia promissio non fit orationi nisi procedat ex fide Suar ubi supra cap. 24. sect 1 2. promise in prayer and therefore though at a venture they might pray and God out of his soveraignty and by way of prerogative might answer their desires yet they could not promise to themselves as not having an interest in the promises that their prayers would prove successefull Christ is the alone way to the Father and he is our altar and therefore untill we be united to him we have not access to the throne and can offer up no acceptable sacrifice Nay saith (k) Zeal Christ pag. ult reverend Mr. Love God is as well pleased with the barking of a dog as with the prayers of a Christlesse man See Part 1. chap. 8. Vse 1. Use 1. Whenever then thou goest to Gods door to knock and cry for an asmes expect to meet with this question who art thou that calls whether art thou a friend or an enemy what is thy plea who brought thee hither what interest hast thou in the place canst thou produce the Kings bond did his Spirit fetch thee hast thou any claim to the purchase of his Son c. It s too ordinary not to consider or regard what prayers we offer up to God but to rest on the opus operatum the work done however it be performed but yet it is more ordinary not to enquire after the person his state and condition many care not what they offer as all gross hypocrits but even amongst the Saints there are not a few who seldom ask who art thou who takest upon thee to sacrifice to the Lord It is indeed an evidence of love respect to provide the best of the flock and not dare to bring the halt and the lame but that 's not enough thou must also take heed in whose hands thou put'st it under the law none durst offer but the Priests who were consecrated to that office and there is a Priest-hood under the Gospel by which only acceptable sacrifices can be offered 1 Pet. 2.5 Rev. 1.6 If thou durst appear before the throne of Justice and wert able to carry thy cause in point of law and equity then thou mightest order thy cause and not fear (l) Gen. 18.25 the juage of all the earth would do right But since we have nothing of our own to hold out but sin and misery indigence and wretchedness and like beggars our sores and manifold infirmities we might be the more hopefull to carry our suit if we could plead our relation to the place Supplicants do not prevail with God as an orator with the hearers but as children with their father the sigh and groan of the (m) Videmus vulgo parcutes magis delectari balbutienti infantia infantium quam universa eloquentra hominum eloquentissimorum âpatâr
if notwithstanding all thy diligence and endeavours thou hast not yet attained to such a measure of assurance that thou canst say I know I am in Christ yet of thou seriously desire to be found in him and if thou continue in that diligence to make thy election sure if thou love him and carefully abstain from every thing that may displease him and hast respect to all his commandments thou needst not be afraid or ashamed Ps 119 6. thou mayest draw nigh in faith and confidently plead the promises thy child-like affection is ground enough to beget this child-like confidence and boldness Thou who hast the love and heart of a Son needst not fear while thou drawest nigh to thy kind Father O! but thou wilt say I dare not call him Father Ans We shall speak to this weighty question Part. 3. Chap. 1. But now let me ask if he be not thy Father who hath wrought these filial affections in thee unless thou hadst received the Spirit of adoption thou couldst not have the heart and love of a Son such fruit will not of it self arise and spring up in our barren desert and wilderness Herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us He is the first lover and suiter thou couldst not love him unless he had prevented thee with his free love We love him because he first loved us 1 Joh. 4.10 19. why then is there fear in thy love and why doth not thy love cast out fear ver 18. 4. If thy fear and jealousie yet continue I have one word more unto thee albeit I cannot excuse and desire not to extenuat thy fault for thus harbouring so long such thoughts of distrust yet I must not conceal the bowels and loving kindnese of the Lord If this thy unbelief doth only arise from a mis-apprehension of thine own state and condition as it doth not null thy interest in the promise so neither will it hinder its performance and accomplishment to thee albeit the Child in the fit of a fever will not acknowledge his Father but will perhaps deny that he hath any interest in him will the Father therefore disinherit such a Son or will not his tender bowels the rather stir towards the Child to pity and commpassionat him the more while he seeth him into such a condition And ah what is the state of desertion and such darkness but a feverish distemper of the soul refusing to acknowledge its heavenly Father and will he therefore forget or disown his Saints in such a forlorn case Nay though we thus beleeve not yet he abideth faithfull he cannot deny himself his word and truth his promises and watchfull providence and that relation under which he standeth towards such 2 Tim. 2.13 He hath still the heart of a Father tam (z) Tertull. de paenit pius nemo tam-pater nemo and he will not cast off his paternal care he will hear when thou cryest to him albeit thou be jealous of his love and of thy interest in him Indeed if thou didst distrust his truth mercy and power the case were altered but since thou darst not once doubt of these but thy fear proceedeth only from thine own bowels because thou thinkest that thou art not such a one nor so qualified as to have an interest in the promise and to be an obiect of Gods mercy and love (a) We may here apply what is spoken of another kind of unbelief Rom. 3.3 shall thy unbelief make the faith and promise of God without effect Thus thou shalt not want necessaries albeit several things that may contribute for thy comfort may for a while be suspended because of thy distrust and jealousie You will say and is it not sad that our God should frown and as it were hide his face for a season and shut out our prayers Ans But where must the blame be laid If ye will be suspicious and fear without ground may not the Lord answer you according to your fear and give you ground to complain but not of his word or (b) As if these were to be blamed work but of your own heart and its distrust and unbelief if the Child will reject those medicines the Father hath provided for curing his distemper he may justly chide with and hide his face from such a Son But who dare limit the Lord either as to time when how long or how often or as to the maner and measure how far and what way he will hide his face and by what dispensations he will manifest his displeasure he may when he will disappoint thy fear and do beyond what thou couldst expect and thereby melt thy heart cure thy distemper and banish thy fear It would go ill with the Saints if the Lord did alwayes deal with them according to their fears even as to their comforts and the accomodations of the outward man 2. Obj. There are such difficulties and debates concerning the extent and meaning of temporal promises 2. Obj. that it can hardly be expected that weak beleevers and such as have not attained to a considerable measure of knowledge should be able to extricate themselves out of such a labyrinth and certainly beleeve the performance of that bond the contents and tenor whereof they are ignorant of Ans Albeit there may be some controversie and difficulty concerning the meaning of some particular promises considered singly and by themselves yet there is no good thing thou canst desire that is not clearly held forth or comprehended in some one or moe promises as hath been shown Part 1. Chap. 7. Sect. 2. And 2. we do not affirm that our faith should lay hold on the particular held forth in the promise absolutely and peremptorily but only disjunctively that God will either give the particular in kind or the equivalent but better to us at such a time and season as hath been there also shown And that there is no ground for any to question such a disjunction alternative may appear from what hath been here said But yet we do not require such an explicit particular and determinat knowledge of both parts of the disjunction as we have now for explication described but if in our addresses to God there be these two which seem to be so essential and necessary to the least measure of faith viz. 1. a believing that God is and 2. that he is a rewarder of them that seek him Heb. 11.6 If we confidently expect a reward though we cannot peremptorily determine what or when it shall be given nor whether it shall be in reference to the present exigence I dare not affirm that such a prayer will be shut out or such a supplicant sent away empty Albeit it be mater of sad regrate that we do not more clearly and particularly know what we may expect from God he having so fully revealed his mind thereanent vet those weak and less-knowing Christians need not fear if 1. they have that
and answer before they speak Isa 65.24 Ps 32.5 Many a time hath our suit been dispatched before we have presented it the Lord in his providence hath met us in our way to the throne and filled our mouth with songs of praise instead of prayers and complaints and hath given us not only what we would ask and desire but (o) Thus to Solomon asking only wisdom the Lord did give riches and honour in great abundance 1 Kings 3.9.13 and to Hannah asking one Son 1 Sam. 1.11 the Lord did give three Sons and two Daughters moe Ch. â 21 to Jacob asking only food and rayment Gen. 28.20 he gave two bands and companies Gen. 32.10 c. abundantly more the Lord can do unto us and for us above what we can think or ask and who dare limit or set bounds to his Majesty 5. If we consider what persons and prayers have met with success it will seem very unreasonable once to doubt of the prevalency of the fervent prayer of the righteous 1. for persons we may for our encouragment call to mind that the eyes of all things wait upon him and that accordingly he giveth them their meat in due season that he heareth the moaning of brute beasts and satisfieth the very natural and and sensitive desire of every living thing Ps 145.15 16. c. Hence we may well argue with our blessed Master if God thus feed the Ravens and cloath and aray the lillies and grass of the field if he thus care for brutes and satisfie the natural inclination and desire of these inferiour creatures will he not far rather hear the cry and answer the desire of his own children Luk. 12.24 27 28. 1 Cor. 9.9 But 2. as the Lord thus heareth the natural and sensitive voice of brutes so also out of his generall bounty he pitieth brutish sensual men and often answereth them in the day of their trouble and extremity thus he hearkened to the voice of Hagar and Ishmael Gen 21.17 of Rehoboam 2 Chr. 12.7 of Jâhâahaz 2. King 13.4 of Ahab 1 King 21.29 of formerly vile though then repenting Manasseh 2 Chr. 33.13 of heathnish Niniveh Jonah 3.10 of Pagan Marriners Ps 107.28 of the proud tyrant Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 4.34 of dissembling and hypocritical Professors Ps 78.34 38. c. Thus the Lord would testifie that high account he hath of the fervent prayer of his honest supplicants in regarding the very picture and shadow of that ordinance so far as to remunerat the same with the benefits of a common providence which will be yet more apparent if 3. we remember what kind of prayers have not only met with a (p) Viz. some fruit of a common and general providence bountifull return but also have been graciously accepted and have obtained a blessing indeed yea and not only when there hath been much weakness in the performance but also some present distemper in the supplicant thus he answered the desire of quarelling Moses Exod. 6.1 Exod. 5.22.23 of passionate Jonah Jon. 2.10 7. of David changing his behaviour as if he had been mad Ps 34.4 of Abraham denying his wife and exposing her to so great a temptation c. And then for infirmities and weakness as to the work it self did not the Lord hearken to Hezekiah his chattering like a Crane and mourning like a Dove Isa 38.5 14. to the Psalmist his crying and broken language when his spirit was so overwhelmed that he could not speak Ps 77.1 4. to the prisoners groans Ps 102.20 to the sighs of the needy Ps 12.5 to the publicans short ejaculation Luk. 18.14 If the Lord will hear the cry of weak ones who cannot speak will he then reject thee whose mouth he hath opened to pour out thy complaint before him But let none abuse this fatherly condescension of our God as to imagine that it is enough and acceptable service to God if we can speak some few words in a dead formal way without all life and sense which is the mad conceit of carnal and hypocritical professors for though the Lord pity his sick children and hear the sighs and groans of a broken and contrite heart yet he will in his wrath break those stony-hearted hypocrits who dare thus mock his infinit majesty with such superficial performances and it would be remembered that though there was no spiritual life and heat in those natural as I may call them sacrifices of Ahab Nebuchadnezzar c. yet there was a proportionable and suitable fervour tenderness and affection in their supplications and complaints in respect of which they had the advantage of formal hypocrits whose hearts such as they are do not joyn in the work and who do not express so much as a natural affection and desire especially while they are asking heavenly and spiritual mercies 6. Let us consider the experience of all the Saints and (q) Da mihi Christianum scit quid dico carnal hearts are not fit judges in a matter which as yet doth not belong to them and therefore no wonder though they have no experience of Gods fulfilling the promises to themselves they not having an interest in them the Scriptures and ecclesiastical history hold out many instances of (r) Hence reverend Mr. Bolton Just for right conf affl sect 1. part 1. âh 2. having given several instances of its prevalency addeth These are saith he registrated to represent unto us to the worlds end the almighty and wonder-working power of prayer that precious and almost if not altogether omnipotent grace and citeth a passage from Chrysostom De orando Deum lib. 1. Deprecatio armatura est inexpugnalis ac tutissimum nec nunquam fallens muni mentum pari facilitate vel unum repellens militem vel innumerabilia hostium millia remarkable providences in return to their prayers and as for particulars he who would undertake to give a catalogue of them might first go number the sand on the Sea-shore yea there never was one Saint though never so mean and weak who hath observed the works of God and the several steps of providence towards himself but will put to his seal to this truth that the Lord is the hearer of prayers and such as converse with the godly will hear them from time to time admire Gods bounty and care for them and to proclaim his fidelity in answering their prayers though mixed with much weakness and dross and though sometimes through ignorance and impatience they have with Zion Isa 49.14 complained that God had forgotten them yet ere long they became sensible of their mistake and have been forced to confess and bewail their folly and unbelief and to say as there ver 15 16. that though a tender mother could forget her sucking child yet the Lord could not forget his people they being graven upon the palms of his hands As we have the Word of him who is truth it self and cannot lie that he will alwaies hear and give a gracious return to
since we come not in our own name but in his and ask not for our own worth goodness but for his sake who hath paid our debt and purchased our peace and acceptance through his own blood and who doth concur with us in our supplications why should we fear the Father alwayes heareth him Joh. 11.42 and therefore must also hear us with whom he alwayes joyneth the Father cannot reject us and our prayers unless he also hide his face from the Son of his love which since he will not and cannot do we may rest confident and secure but as the Father hath promised and freely disponed and the Sun purchased all the good things we can ask So 3. the holy Ghost doth enable fit and prepare us both to ask and receive he draweth and helpeth weak ones to ascend to the throne and putteth words in their mouth and teacheth them what to say Rom. 8.26 27. Joh. 14.16 17. And will the Lord reject those prayers that are breathed into us by his Spirit but as the Spirit doth thus help us to pray so to pray in faith as he helpeth our infirmities by enlarging the heart and filling it with spiritual affections so also by working in us a child-like confidence and making us cry not only with the mouth which were no great matter but with the heart having made an impression and sense of it there Abba Father Rom. 8.16 As he leadeth the Saints into all truth and putteth to his seal to the whole Word of God Joh. 16.13 Joh. 14.26 so particularly to the promises concerning the success of their prayers that if they knock it shall be opened if they seek they shall find c. Oh! what a blasphemy were it once to imagine that God could lie and would not perform these promises or that the Spirit of truth would put to his seal to an untruth The Lord pity and pardon our unbelief that having to do with such a compassionat and condescending Lord who hath stoopt so low and come so nigh to us who hath held forth himself to us under the nearest most amiable and engaging relations and who hath taken upon him so many bonds to do us good we notwithstanding will yet doubt of his good will and of his faithfulness in performing his promises Oh! 1. what a dishonour do we offer to our kind Master thus to question his love care and fidelity 2. what a shame to our holy profession 3. what a base return do we make for the many mercies we still receive and 4. what loss and damage do we bring to our selves we expect little and receive little we will not trust God and he will not satisfie our desires Jam. 1.6 7. Are ye now convinced of your folly and guiltiness in thus distrusting the Lord and is it the desire of your soul to have this evil cured O! then 1. ponder frequently and seriously these and such like considerations if this were the matter of your daily meditation if these things did sink down into your hearts and did abide upon your spirits they might prove a notable preservative against your unbelief doubtings and jealousies 2. Let us exercise our selves in the Scriptures especially laying hold on such promises as are most pertinent and sutable to our condition faith must have a word of promise whereon it must rest and the more express and particular that it be our faith will proportionably cleave to it the more firmly O! but what atheisme must there lodge in that heart that dare doubt where it hath this warrand thus saith the Lord 3. Labour to know more of God his love mercy power fidelity c. Ignorance of God his nature and attributes is the mother of jealousie and infidelity but they who know his name will put their trust in him Ps 9.10 With what zeal and success did Moses plead from Gods attributes Numb 14.17 18 19.4 Since sensible demonstrations are so concludent and prevail so much with us who live too much upon sensible objects let us observe and keep a register of the gracious returns from time to time made to the prayers of Gods people and honest servants 1. Our own experiences would be kept on record he who can say with David the Lord hath delivered me out of the paw of the Lyon and of the Bear will be able the more confidently to say with him the Lord will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine 1 Sam. 17.37 experience begetteth confidence But 2. we should also observe the dispensations of providence towards others the Saints experiences are recorded in Scripture for our instruction comfort and encouragment Rom. 15.4 If God regard the prayer of the destitute this must be written for the generations to come Psa 102.17 18. the success that others have met with will encourage vs to follow the like course 5 Let us be exact and circumspect in our walk if our conscience condemn us we will fear the Judge every blot in our life doth darken and obscure the promise and dazle the eye of faith when the Saints fall their faith doth shake guiltiness is the mother of jealousie when we do ill we become suspicious and are ready to question his love and kindness to us when we prove ungrate and come short of our duty to him O! but if we would believe without staggering let us not halt in our walking let us be conscienciously diligent in every point of duty and (z) 1 Pet 1.14 holy in all manner of conversation if we would plead the promise and ask in (a) Jam. 1.6 faith nothing wavering Hence for trial this will be a good negative mark whereby we may know who cannot pray in faith if we do not walk as children we cannot call God Father nor with confidence expect that he will hear us What son will not be afraid and ashamed to look his father in the face after he hath dishonoured him and how will he blush to mention that relation and to call him Father to whom he hath not paid the debt of love reverence and obedience And if any perfidious and rebellious son should be so impudent as with (b) Herod having given to his son Antipater his Authority as he speaketh his favour his secrets his heart and crown in a will signed with his hand yet that unnatural monster could not stay a little till his fathers death but laboured by all means to prevent nature particularly by sedueing and perswading Pheroras to poyson the King yet having the boldness to offer to kiss his father after he was informed of his conspiracy though the traitor knew not that his conspiracy was discovered met with this terrible repulse Avaunt thou murderer of brethren and father the kiss of a father was not instituted for thee Behold Quintilius thy Judge c. Nich. Caussin holy court part 1. lib 4. pag. 133. Antipater to offer to salute and kiss his father he might expect such a welcom and reward as he met
faint not Gal. 6.9 they that wait upon the Lord they shall mount up with wings as eagles they shall run and not be weary and they shall walk and not faint Isa 40.31 O! then wouldst thou have strength and be kept from fainting wait upon the Lord in the use of the means and though for a short moment the trial continue yet be not discouraged hearken to the exhortation and promise Psa 27.14 Wait on the Lord be of good courage and he shall strengthen thy heart wait I say on the Lord Isa 41.10 fear thou not for I am with thee be not dismaid for I am thy God I will strengthen thee yea I will help thee yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness saith the Lord. O! do not then quench the Spirit by thy dejection and negligence do not sit down and mourn when thou art called to work but stir (h) 2 Tim. 1.6 up the grace of God that is in thee blow up the coals there is heat within and the help of the Spirit may be at hand though thou do not discern it the wind bloweth when and where it listeth Joh. 3.8 But we must press this point a little more fully in the following Section Sect. 3. Whether our deadness doth excuse our negligence and whether we should pray when we are unfit and indisposed and what will be the issue and success of those prayers that want life and fervency and which are pestred with wandring thoughts Isa 64.7 There is none that calleth upon thy name that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee c. 2 Cor. 8.12 If there be a willing mind it is accepted according to that a man hath c. WE would not think it worth the while to confute those dreaming Sectaries who plead that we should not draw nigh to God till he send out his Spirit and till we sensibly find some impression from heaven drawing and inviting us to come to the throne but since weak Christians may meet with the like temptations we shall labour briefly to take out of their way that stumbling block and to shew them that their very deadness and indisposition is ground enough for them to draw nigh to the Physitian that they may be healed so far is it from being an obstruction and impediment or a plea for our negligence and omission of duty 1. Because one sin cannot be a plea for another now our deadness and indisposition is our sin and therefore must not be alledged as a reason for our neglect of prayer which is our duty as well as our priviledge 2. This were the ready way to Atheism and to cast behind us all the ordinances of life and to abandon them for ever for if thou be unfit to day and upon that account liest by thou will readily be more unfit to morrow and so from time to time the longer thou stayest away from God the distance will be the greater till at length it become an easie and tolerable burden to continue in that state omission of duty will prove a bad preparation for it but thus thou wilt contract an habit of idleness which thou wilt not easily cast off 3. If thou do not resolve to mock God and slight his work but wilt stir up the little strength thou hast waiting upon the breathings and assistance of his Spirit though thou wert never so weak and indisposed thy oblation coming from a willing mind and according to what thou hast it will be accepted in Christ who pittieth thy weakness and will not reject thy supplication upon the account of thy bewailed infirmities and thou needest not doubt whether such a prayer be more acceptable then no prayer nor ask whether it were better not to pray then to pray no better For it is granted on all hands that the very moral vertues of Pagans were more acceptable then the want of them and that those workers of moral righteousness were less guilty then those other Pagans who omitted them Hence we may well argue from (a) A pari the like that thy performance of duty must be more acceptable then the omission of it especially since there must be some life in thy work if a Saint though weak while there was none in theirs and thou being in Christ through whom thy imperfections will be pardoned and done away 4. The Spirit may draw insensibly he may be present effectively where he is not feelingly he may be stirring up the heart to the duty though thou dost not discern his motion and his help and assistance may be at hand when thou art ready to apprehend he is farthest off and have not the Saints many a time brought a heavy dejected and complaining spirit to the throne and yet have gone away rejoycing and triumphing over their fears and unbelief As the book of Psalms can afford many instances The way of the Lord is strength to the upright Prov. 10.29 The Lord useth to meet them that work righteousness and remember him in their waies Isa 64.5 When we are following our duty and improving the ordinances we lie in Christs way and he will not shut his eyes but will at length pity and heal such weak and impotent ones I may then say unto thee concerning the use of prayer and other ordinances as David did to Solomon in reference to the building of the Temple 1 Chr. 22.16 Arise therefore and be doing and the Lord be with thee 5. Ah! where shall the sick go but to the Physitian What should a troubled spirit do if it may not draw nigh to God for healing comfort and life The Lord commands us to call upon him in the day of trouble and hath promised to hear and deliver us Psa 50.15 and who is he that dare forbid us and threaten wrath while he thus promiseth to pity and show mercy and what trouble is there that is comparable to soul-trouble and what weakness and infirmity is like to a wounded spirit labouring under the fetters bondage captivity under which it hath cast it self by its folly sin and negligence and shall it be to no purpose for such a one to lay out his straits and weakness to God 6. The Lord complaineth when we will not call on him and stir up our selves to lay hold on him Isa 64.4 and will he chide and challenge us when we stir up our hearts to close with him and look up to the throne of mercy (k) Metaphera qua Paulus utitur sumpta est ab igne exiguo vel qui paulatim extingueretur nisi flabellum subiude admovendo lignum novum ingerendo vires resumeret ac flammam proinde meminerimus in usum applicanda esse dona Dei nerubiginem oâlosa suppressa contrahaut Calvin in loc and do not say thou wantst the Spirit to help thee as if thou durst not go when thou art not sure of his assistance for he hath promised to give his Spirit to them that ask him
to do (b) As in the preceding conclusion hath been shown Quest Ans alwaies what we do not often and frequently and can he be said to pray often or frequently who doth not at least keep a constant course of praying twice a day But if it be askt what time of the day is fittest Ans Though we will not be peremptory in fixing upon any part of time yet it would appear that evening and morning were the fittest seasons is it not equal that we begin and end the day in Gods worship and service and how dare we sleep untill we commend our selves and all that is ours to the care and custody of our Father and how dare we put our hands to any work in the morning till we praise him for our preservation in the night past and beg his blessing on the works of that day and thus both our need and the honour of our Master call for this for what we highly prize and love dearly will get the first and last of our thoughts it will as it were sleep and awake with us and shall not the Lord have that room in our heart is there any better object to fill it and can the first and last of our time be better employed The Jewish daily sacrifice was appointed to be offered in the morning and evening Exod. 29.39 and these are fit seasons for the Christian sacrifice and accordingly the Saints from time to time have observed those seasons though with some variety But I should think that as the morning and evening So the first of the morning and the last at night were due to the Lord and if our calling or some occasional diversion do hinder the family from meeting together every one should then go to their closet and pour out their soul before the Lord till the family may most conveniently meet together to joyn in that exercise But ye may yet ask what warrant we have from the Scriptures to press this Ans We did not say Quest Ans that this was all which the Scripture doth require but that this was The least which from thence could be allowed and established The Lord in his Word requireth that we should pray alway and without ceasing but doth not determine how oft that albeit we should set some bounds and limits to our losse vain idle hearts which otherwise would be ready upon any trifling occasion to slight and omit that duty yet that we should not rest as to private converse with God upon any number nor thus stint and limite our selves though we should have our constant course of prayer morning and evening at least yet as to the occasional seasons of prayer we should be liberal and free still labouring to enlarge our selves more and more in this sweet and heavenly exercise resolving with the Psalmist in the point of praising God Psa 71.14 still to pray more and more and here the Lord would leave some liberty and latitude according to the variety of our callings and employments in the world and according to the occasions and opportunities which in his providence he would offer for as some in respect of their calling and condition have more some less time to spare So one and the same Saint may now meet with moe occasions and motives then at another time and as thus there is a great variety as to the nature of the thing and occurring circumstances and no rule in the Word that doth precisely limit and determine how oft So neither is there any equality as to this among the examples recorded in the Word neither is it usual there to condescend upon any number for as occasions are thus so variable So accordingly hath the carriage and practice of the Saints been but as to their set and constant course we will find some few instances and yet with some variety Thus the servant of God David though a King upon whom so much care and business did lye yet professeth that (c) Septies i. e. pluries Musc in loc See also Diod. and others but though we did grant that here there is a definite number put for an indefinite yet it will not follow that the greater is put for the less but rather on the contrary that the less is put for the greater seven times a day he praised and who will doubt whether then also he prayed to God Psa 119.164 And Daniel though a Ruler and much employed at Court yet would not neglect to pray three times a day Dan. 6.10 and the Psalmist I think determines what these times were while he promiseth to call upon God evening and morning and at noon Psa 55.17 And of the Elect it is indefinitely said that they cry to God day and night Luk. 18.7 c And so much of a constant course of prayer to be performed at set fixed and appointed times Now come we 2. to speak of occasional seasons of prayer it is not (d) Nec tantum statutis horis praefinitis sed quovis tempore c. Theophil in Eph. 6.18 enough to fix and observe set times for prayer but we must be alwaies ready and from time to time watch and discern such opportunities as the Lord occasionally in his wise providence offereth that we may improve them we must not only publikly with the family and privately in our closet keep a constant course of prayer but we must also lay hold on every occasion invitation and message from heaven and it must be a grievous provocation to slight such an opportunity when the King is upon the throne and sends a messenger to invite thee to come when he openeth the door and holds forth the golden scepter to thee assuring thee of acceptation and audidence if thou do not answer when he thus calleth to thee may he not justly suffer thee to knock and cry and not hear nor answer according to the threatning Prov. 1.28 and therefore if the Lord put such a (e) Prov. 17.16 prince in thy hand and thou wilt not improve it that is an evidence of thy folly for what knoweth thou O man but this may be the acceptable time in which the Lord may be found and if thou let it pass what knowest thou if ever thou meet with such a season Now there be several times and seasons in which the Lord useth to visit and draw near to his people and it were our wisdom as it is our duty to call upon him while he is so near Isa 55.6 it s a fit time to offer our supplication to the King when he comes and makes a visit to us You will say but how shall we know when the Lord draweth nigh to us and whereby shall we discern his approach Ans The Lord in the Scriptures is said to visit his children several waies which as to our purpose may be referred to these three general heads he visits us 1. by his mercies and benefits 2. by his rods and judgments and 3. by the inward
upon such a sure foundation though (g) Habak 3.17 18. heaven and earth should pass away though the mountains should melt as wax and all the host of heaven be dissolved and fall down as the leaf falleth off from the vine yet the Lord will own his (h) Isa 34.3 4. Psa 97.5 Word and will fulfill all his Promises the least jot or title whereof shall not cannot fail Mat. 5.18 Luke 16 17. And doth he not solemnly protest that though he commandeth inviteth and intreateth us to come unto him and pour out our desires before him and proclaimeth his fury and indignation to all persons and families that call not upon his Name yet he never said seek ye me in vain Isa 45.19 Who is the man that dare challenge the God of truth and can say that ever he sought him in vain if in truth and with the whole heart Sect. II. The great prejudice and stumbling block of prayerless souls their mistake discovered what the Lords hearing doth import that the Lord doth not alwayes answer prayer after one and the same maner and what are these different wayes that he never heareth the wicked and wherefore notwithstanding he will satisfie their desire and that he alwayes heareth his servants when they call upon him in truth Prov. 15.8 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord but the prayer of the upright is his delight Joh. 9.31 We know that God heareth not sinners but if any man be a worshiper of God and doth his will him he heareth THere is one great objection against the success of prayer which proveth a neck-break to carnal hearts and may sometimes be the (a) Psa 73â 2. c. Jerem. 12.1 2. Job 21.7 c. Obj. trial of and a sad temptation to the Saints and it is this Obj. Do not all things come alike to all is there not one event to the righteous and to the wicked and did not the wisest of men observe and preach this truth Eccl. 9.2 Do not the wicked who (b) Job 15.4 cast off fear and restrain prayer prosper as well as they that fear the Lord and who in (c) Phil. 4.6 all things make their requests known unto him And therefore those who are accounted Atheists are unjustly taxed for asking What is the Almighty that we should serve him and what profit should we have if we pray unto him Job 21.15 And the Prophet had no reason to complain of those men who said that it was in vain to serve God to keep his Ordinances and walk mournfully before him Mal. 3.14 Doth not experience that is the best master clearly show that godliness is no gain and that there is no good nor advantage that can be reaped by prayer and that all the promises of audience and all that can be said concerning the success and return of prayer are but empty words having no truth nor reality in them Was not Esau honourable and rich as well as Jacob was not Ahab a King as well as Josiah and were they not alike in their deaths Nay did it not go well with the Jewes so long as they served the Queen of heaven but so soon as they returned to worship the God of heaven they were consumed by famine and the sword Ier. 44.17 18. And therefore they had reason to resolve and say to Ieremiah what they said v. 16. As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the Lord we will not hearken unto thee Ans Though few be so impudent as to speak thus with their mouth yet alas it is the heart-language of too many else they durst not cast off fear and restrain prayer before God But that we may encounter with this Goliah who thus defieth and insulteth over the armies of Israel saying in the name of all Atheists as he in the name of the Philistines 1 Sam. 17.9 10. If there be among you a man that is able to fight with me and kill me then we will submit and all of us become tributaries to the God of Israel and pay him the revenue of daily prayer Let us with little David come forth against this Champion in the name of the Lord of hosts whose Truth and Name is blasphemed and whose Worship and Ordinances reproached and in his strength we may confidently say with him v. 46. This day will the Lord deliver thee into my hand and I will smite thee and take thine head from thee for the battel is the Lords and he will give thee into our hands and we may not only be encouraged with David v. 37. from former experiences in other cases as hard and difficult but also from the experience of all Saints in the same case while they have been called out to wrestle with this strong temptation And O that the Lord were pleased to furnish us with a word that may be helpfull to those who shall hereafter meet with the same conflict and that in his strength we may so encounter this Hydra that after one head is cut off two others do not arise and grow up in its place but that it may be utterly overthrown and destroyed the battel is the Lords and his honest servants after they have fought a while with his enemy have alwayes at length found his help and by the following or such-like considerations as so many weapons of proof have prevailed and carried the day and cut off the head of this mighty adversary and enemy of the faith and peace of Gods children For answer we will speak to the two branches of the objection severally and ãâã to that which concerneth the wicked their success and prosperity applying that point more particularly to those who live in the visible Church that being our case who have some form of godliness though they deny the power of it and never knew what it was to call upon God in truth and thus their prayers being no prayers in Gods account and yet followed with success their case may well come under the former objection and in answer both d to the one and the other we will 1. show what Gods hearing of prayer doth import 2. that the wicked though they pray yet receive nothing in answer to their prayers and 3. that whether they pray or not they receive nothing in mercy and love or for their good but for other holy ends which we shall briefly name and thus all their blessings must be cursed and their prosperity and success their ruine and snare As to the first the Lords hearing of prayer doth import 1. his approbation of the mater and object of our desires for if we ask what he doth not approve if we ask any sinfull and unlawfull thing we cannot ask according to his will and therefore must not think that he will hear 1 Ioh. 5.14 2 ãâã importeth an admission reception and the acceptance of the prayer it self it having those qualifications which the promise of audience doth
and thou wilt say with Paul in a like case 1 Cor. 15.8.9 I was as one born out of due time I am the least of all Saints that am not meet to be called a Saint because I c. And thus thou wilt also resolve with him ver 10. by the grace of God to labour more abundantly then others and thou wilt often put up this question to thy soul ah what shall I render to the Lord for his marverllous loving kindness toward me ah what shall I do and what can I suffer for the honour of his great Name whom I have so much dishonoured and that I may become a good example to those whom I have so much and so oft scandalized thou must after that be in some sort a non-such if thou be such as thou ought'st to be Thus we may see that the present point though most dreadfull and terrible yet doth not exclude any mourning penitent from pardon But lastly that no obstruction may seem to lye in the way of such we will speak a word for clearing that place Prov 1.26 27 28. c. where the Lord threatneth to reject all their tears prayers and endeavours Ans 1. some perhaps may think to elude the present difficulty by affirming the meaning of that threatning not to be absolute but conditional so that we may not from thence conclude that any who was in such a case ever did or shall cordially pray to God and that he will refuse to answer their effectual fervent prayers since only by way of supposition it is said though they should call yet he would not answer nor regard their complaint as the offer of salvation made to the reprobat if they believe and repent doth not import that any such ever did or shall repent and be saved So on the other hand neither doth this threatning imply that any who fall under it should in truth call upon the Lord and he hide his face from their prayers and therefore if the Lord pour out the Spirit of prayer upon thee this threatning needs not discourage thee but thou mayst be confident that either thy name is taken out of that threatning or that it was never included in it But this answer seemeth not to be satisfactory 1. because its contrary 1. to all the invitations and promises made to the penitent what ever have been their former provocations and course of life 2. those general propositions so frequently held forth in the Gospel viz. (q) Act. 2.21 whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord Jesus shall be saved (r) Mat. 11.28 all that labour and are heavy loaden may come to Christ and he will give them rest c. Hence orthodox Divines do not scruple to yield to the Arminians these hypotheticks if Iudas had repented and come to Christ for rest he should have been saved if (Å¿) Gen. 4.16 Cain when he went out from the presence of the Lord had poured out his soul before the Lord he would not have been rejected c. and there is good reason for such an hypothesis since it may be reduced to an universal categorick and absolute enunciation viz. All true penitents and sincere supplicants Paul Peter c. were saved but that hypothetick for which this answer doth plead cannot be resolved in any categorick that is true nay it hath not so much as one instance or particular whereupon it might be built for no man did ever seek after the Lord and call upon him in truth who did not meet with an answer of peace But 2. if that hypothesis were true then every door of hope must be shut against such penitents for though they should mourn and cry to God yet he would not hear nor answer to what purpose then should we exhort such to repent and call upon the Lord there is not a word of command or exhortation in the Word that hath not a promise by way of motive and encouragment annexed to it and we need not run to those Scriptures in which the Lord universally promiseth that whensoever a sinner shall return from the evil of his doings and seek his face he will receive him graciously since the words immediatly both going before and following viz. ver 23. and 33 do hold forth with the exhortation to such as were lying under that sad threatning to turn and seek the Lord a promise and intimation of mercy if they should answer his call and invitation and therefore though this threatning be most peremptory yet it doth not exclude a condition exception and limitation for the manifestation of the riches of free grace as hath been shown 2. Then as to the scope and sense of these words Prov. 1.26 We Ans the Lord there threatneth to reject not such a prayer as we have described and can plead a promise and to which we did exhort but such a prayer as may be in hell it being nothing else but a brutish howling because of some outward rod and calamity and though such a complaint be directed to the Lord as the words ver 28. do imply yet the motives being carnal and their ends selfish it s no prayer in God's account though it get the name and such cryers may be said to call upon the Lord yet it is not such a prayer as may lay claim to a promise albeit the Lord sometimes out of his general bounty may answer such a cry and give to such supplicants their request when he sends leanness into their soul Psal (t) I deny not that in such publick mercies aud deliveranees as the Psalmist there mentioneth the Lord may have respect to his Saints and their prayers and for their sake do good to a multitude 106.15 43 44. c. But though thus he may pity his creatures in misery and answer their carnal desires yet for such as are lying under that sad threatning Prov. 1. he will (u) Yet neither thus is that threatning so absolute but it may as in Ahab c. admit a condition and exception in reference to some holy end and design at which the Lord may aim at in such a dispensation laugh at their calamity and while they thus call upon him he will not answer we have a parallel Scripture Hos 7.13 14. whereas he threatneth to destroy them notwithstanding such carnal devotion so he tells them that their prayers deserved not the name as not proceeding from an humble and sincere heart We unto them for they have fled from me destruction unto them because they have transgressed against me and they have not cryed unto me with their heart when they howled upon their beds they assemble themselves for corn and wine and they rebell against me But though the Lord reject such carnall prayers yet this needs not discourage thee who offerest up to him a broken and contrit heart a sacrifice which he never did nor will despise Ps 51.17 Ps 34.18 But since the Saints are ready here to stumble a
the season of prayer Page 681 c. When we deprecat sin we must prevail as to the particular askt Page 484 How a pardoned sin may be said to obstruct prayer Page 742 Sinâeâity necessary in prayer and why c. Page 441 How the Spirit is said to inâerceed for the Saints Page 29 How the holy Spirit helpeth us to pray as we ought Page 328 As the Spirit alwayes abideth so he alwayes worketh though not as to the growth of grace Page 587 588 How far the Spirit with-draweth his influence in reference to prayer and why Page 589 How and wherefore the Spirit is quenched c. see the first Table Page 593 c. Spiritual mercies alwayes given when askt Page 486 The state of the supplicant considerable Page 401 Three grounds of the success and prevalency of prayer Page 300 Several grounds for supporting our faith Page 500 T We should pray for temporal mercies and how Page 182 Arminians and Jesuits cannot tell what they ask when they pray for temporals Page 187 Whether temporals should be asked in Christ's name Page 321 When do temporals become absolutely good according to Aquinas his conjecture Page 425 Whether we may pray for temporals with importunity Page 452 How should our prayers for temporals be resolved Page 712 We may not be anxious about temporals though we should ask them importunatly Page 719 The testimony of some practicall Divines in reference to the qualifications of prayer Page 549 The popish mystical Theology Page 645 Whether thanksgiving be a part of prayer Page 19 Thanksgiving in case of a seeming denyal an evidence of faith Page 526 Thanksgiving after the Lord hath heard our prayers necessary what it importeth c. Page 544 What things may we ask in prayer Page 179 How much time should be spent in prayer Page 685 The Saints prayers the Church treasure Page 295 After what order should we direct our prayers to the persons of the glorious Trinity Page 566 c. Truth and sincerity necessary in supplicants Page 441 The Lords truth and fidelity a ground of faith vindicated from Medina his impious gloss Page 503 U What is that vail the Lord hath drawn over the heart for hiding it from Sathan Page 356 Saints praying for the unconverted may plead the promise Page 486 Some causes of our unfitness to pray with some remedies Page 602 c. Unfitness excuseth not our negligence and omission of duty Page 637 The blasphemy against the holy Ghost unpardonable Page 239 W After prayer we must wait for an answer Page 535 Wandring thoughts their cause cure c. Page 602 When and what wandring thoughts hinder and marre the success of prayer Page 644 c. We must have a warrant to draw nigh to God and for what we ask from him Page 141 We must watch in prayer and after prayer Page 453 539 The Saints weary in but not of prayer Page 457 The wicked ought to pray Page 86 Some assertions concerning the wicked's obligation and ability to pray Page 88 Whether the wicked may ask in faith and plead any promise as having a right thereto Page 99 100 Prayer an act of the will Page 21 Witches say the Lords prayer backwards Page 452 Whether the Lord now worketh any wonders or miracles Page 508 Words required in prayer and how Page 20 Whether Christ now in prayer uttereth words Page 61 The Word of God how tasted by the unconverted Page 388 How the works of the unconverted may be said to please God Page 94 Whether in every act of worship we must conceive of God under the personal relations so that we may not conceive of him absolutely as the alone Jehovah first Being and Cause Page 581 Who is the true worthy and invincible man Page 696 Z Zeal required in prayer Page 442 Much zeal expressed by Pagans in their worship Page 449 A TABLE of such places of Scripture as are occasionally explained vindicated or illustrated in this TREATISE Ch. ver Page Genesis 1.26 588 2.7 64 3.6 612 15. 311 4.4 402 6.3 747 12.11 12. 600 15.1 2 24.14 172 32 25. 347 698 42.15 617 48.16 117 Exod. 3.14 556 10.17 297 20.7 641 9. 675 23.21 318 Â 396 28.36 38. 397 29.39 679 31.17 665 32.10 698 32. 229 Â 258 33.20 23. 554 34.6 7. 501 Levit. 9.24 332 10.3 641 17.4 5. 325 Numb 11.15 600 14.17 18 19. 518 Deut. 3.26 742 6.4 583 8.16 648 27.14 c. 666 30.15 19. 830 32.47 631 Judg. 5.12 621 31. 666 6.37 166 18.24 598 1 Sam. 1.15 18. 525 13.9 375 14 9 10. 172 16.1 250 252 17.9 10. 702 37. 519 2 Sam. 15 7. 371 31. 664 1 King 8.39 355 11.7 624. 8. 690 12 13 14. 742 21.39 707 24.10 13. 742 2 King 2.12 508 6.30 33. 610 655 19.34 319 1 Chron. 21.17 662 22.16 543 2 Chron. 6.30 355 26.16 19. 375 30.19 26. 415 36.15 16. 765 Nehem. 6.3 630 9.1 c. 690 3. 693 4. 693 Esth 4.16 17. 693 Job 1.8 590 2.15 671 3.3 600 5 23 677 6 8 9 662 9 11 710 11 7 8 9 553 15 11 623 21 15 830 23 13 823 27 9 10 407 541 Â 685 31 1 613 34 32 592 38 41 793 42 5 6 440 8 293 Psalm 2 8 59 264 5 1 412 5 751 6 4 319 7 9 664 9 10 518 10 17 410 11 6 721 16 6 2 18 41 744 21 8 763 22 1 563 25 10 715 11 318 27 8 805 13 526 32 6 744 34 9 10 715 35 13 490 37 15 709 16 425 40 11 319 45 1 413 50 15 639 16.17 22. 406 Â 564 51.3 8 10 11 12 Â 598 12 15 589 17 789 55 17 680 57 7 625 59 2 747 63 4 15 65 2 510 66 18 408 Â 521 738 19 722 68 28 685 69 3. 445 Â 693 22 708 71 14 680 73 22 718 77 4 612 78 29 31 732 79 6 809 80 10 11 595 81 10 521 83 16 665 84 11 479 Â 715 85 8 408 Â 535 87 17 174 91 11 12 365 95 3 742 102 1 c. 690 17 18 519 106.15 43 44 789 111 10 718 119 71 75 658 Â 478 122 319 164 680 132 10 319 138 6 607 140 8 665 145 16 14 19 793 Prov. 1 26 27 28 743 Â 744 787 32 708 3.31 34 765 710 6 2 618 7 14 15 372 10 22 201 13 4 618 15 8 401 Â 701 803 820 19 21 826 21 1 360 26 2 665 27 17 628 28 9 332 29 1 745 30 4 553 Eccles 3 1 11 677 5 2 400 Â 432 13 705 7 16 755 10 1 645 11 3 233 Song 1 4 337 6 439 2 13 14 682 Â 803 820 4 16 622 5.2 3 5 6 394 Â 594 7 5 6 682 Isa 6 9 10 777 11 9 264 26.3 480 29 13 14 432 38 14 319 40 31 636 43 11 557 24 417 45 19 242 Â 467 698 11 12 22 14 Â 699 49 14 15 563 55 6 681
would pitty such a fool in his misery And yet who doth lay to heart that he is the man and that this is his own case and condition while we are in the (r) 2 Cor. 5. vers 1. earthly house of this Tabernacle we are Pilgrims and Strangers Heb. 11. vers 13. We are far from home but our father is not unmindfull of us He lets us not want Bonds and Bills of Exchange under the broad Seal of Heaven and so cannot be lost they are registred in the sacred Volume and we may have an extract when we will We have the credit and fidelity of the great King morgaged as it were for our security and that He who gives which is singular will also answer these credential Letters only they are as so many black Bonds and thou canst lay no claim to them till thy name be inserted And our kind Father from time to time doth warn us entreating that we would fill up the blank that we would become willing and content to be happy and rich that we would pray for an heart to prize the heavenly Treasure and for an hand to write-in our name in these evidences to write it with a pen of Iron and the point of a Diamond there to abide for ever And then that we would ask a tongue wherewith we may plead at the mercy seat the performance of these promises and that God would answer his owne bills And thus Prayer is that Manna on which the true Israelite can live and use it for all kind of food The Rabbins imagine that whatsoever kind of meat the Jewes desired and longed for their Manna while they did eat it did perfectly rellish the same Certainly this our Manna will suite with can answer and satisfie all sorts of appetits nay it will serve not only for meat but also for medicine in every case and condition for every bussines and in all things Prayer is usefull Phil. 4. ver 6. It is that true money far more excellent and profitable then what the preacher speaketh of Eccles 10. ver 19. That only answereth all things vendible and can purchase the commodities for this work and help for every purpose What is said of the whole of holines in generall 1. Tim. 4. ver 8. may fitly be applyed to Prayer in particular it is profitable for all things it is that faithfull and happy messenger which alwaies returnes with an answer of peace But that we may stay no longer in the porch in handling this most weighty point which may be called the marrow and sum of practicall divinity we purpose in the Lords strength to follow this method 1. We will enquire after the nature of Prayer and endeavour to shew what it is 2. We will name the qualifications and requisits of an acceptable and prevailing Prayer where we will more fully speake of that faith which is so necessary to the audience and acceptation but little minded in the performance of this duty 3. We will propone some cases and questions which may occur concerning the practice of Prayer 4. We will proceed to the returne of Prayer and enquire after the severall wayes God observes in answering our Pâayers and of the certainty of successe notwithstanding of the many atheisticall cavills of Prayerlesse souls closing all with a word of exhortation containing diverse motives to stirre us up to the diligent and constant practice of this promising exercise with an answer to objections PART 1. Of the Nature of Prayer IN opening the nature of Prayer we will 1. speak of the diverse notions and considerations under which Prayer may fall 2. Of the Names given to it in the Word 3. We will describe it 4. We will enquire to what faculty of the soul it belongs and in what act it consists 5. We will speak to its subject and of the Persons on whom this duty doth ly 6. Of its object and to whom we should direct our Prayers 7. Of the matter of Prayer for whom and for what it should be poured out where we will take a view of the ground warrand and foundation of Prayer and inquire after the meaning and extent of the promises 8. Of the author of Prayer and the help of the spirit 9. Of the altar whereon this sacrifice must be offered CHAP. I. Prayer considered under diverse respects as a Gift as a Grace as a Duty and as a Mean Psal 12.5 For the sighing of the needy now will I arise saith the Lord Mic. 3.4 Then shall they cry unto the Lord but he will not hear them Hos 7.14 And they have not cried unto me with their heart when they houled upon their beds THere be too many theaters in the world who with their counterfeit money deceive the simple yet there are moe who with such coyn would carry on a trade with heaven and who dare offer to him from whose eyes nothing is hid such trash and refuse but he cannot be mockt he will not owne or accept what hath not the stamp of his spirit Carnal desires though vehement and fervent must not be called Prayers they deserve not the name of crying unto him and though they flow from the heart and carry alongst with them some kind of performance of duty yet they shall not prevail he who pities the sighs and broken words of his honest supplicants and will arise for their help will not regard the tears and cryes of these hypocrits and it s no small part of our task to find out a touch-stone whereby we may try the money wherewith we trafficke for eternity Mal. 1.8.14 and to discover the halt and the lame that we may not dare to offer such corrupt things to the great King whose name is dreadfull in all the earth least he spread upon our faces the dung of our sacrifices Mal. 2.2 3. And now in the entrance we would observe that Prayer may fall under a fourfold notion and consideration 1. As a Gift 2. As a Grace 3. As a Duty 4. As a mean appointed of God for obtaining the good things he hath promised 1. Wicked men as they may be eminent for parts and other gifts so also as to the gift of Prayer they may tender up an excellent supplication both for matter and expression to the delight and edification of the hearers and to the emolument and good of those who joyn with them but with another heart Gifts abused though they profit not the receiver but exceedingly aggravate his guiltiness yet they may tend to the spiritual advantage of others why might not these work-men who built an ark for Noah and his family perish in the deluge But 2. As many gracelesse souls may have the gift of Prayer So many precious ones may want that gift as to any eminent measure and degree they may poure out their souls before the Lord with much affection and tenderness who being of small parts have not this gift for the edification refreshing and stirring up the
affections of others yet I have known not a few who as for naturall parts have been reputed weak and simple and who have had no great dexterity in worldly affairs yet have been eminent not only for grace but also in the gift of Prayer the Spirit according to the Word Rom. 8.26 helping their infirmities and enabling them to pray as they ought not only by enlarging their hearts with holy desires but also ordering these desires and supplying fit and pertinent words for expressing of them to the admiration of the hearers yet it is too evident that many of the saints want this Gift as to any considerable measure who albeit upon this account they may be humbled and with submisson complain to God because of this infirmity yet need not be too much discouraged though the Lord hath not bestowed on them such a measure of knowledge and utterance as upon some others yet he hath not with-held from them the Spirit of grace and supplication What though thou canst but sigh with the needy Psal 12.5 and groan with the Prisoners Psal 102.20 What though thou canst but chatter as a cran and mourn as a dove Is 38.14.5 The Lord can read and understand that hand-writting he knows the meaning of abrupt and broken words proceeding from a broken and contrite spirit and will perform the desire of such disconsolat ones As for the two latter considerations there is an usuall mistake on both hands carnall hearts who make little conscience of duty look on Prayer as a mean and the Saints who dar not omit their duty too often forget the reward these who ask amisse and cannot lay claim to the promise yet will use Prayer as a charm and spel they fear no evill because they say their Prayers every day and the true Israelits who may draw nigh to God as a father in confidence to be heard so trade with heaven as if a storm did alwayes follow them when they went to sea and as if their vessell could not escape the Pirats and thus though they will not be idle but must hazard and send many Packs to sea yet they expect not ever to hear of them again and though the Lord pitty such and will not deal with them according to their fears yet often he hideth his face for a while and maketh them meet with many contrair blasts because of their diffidence that though their Ship come safe to shoar at length yet the voyage proveth uncomfortable and dangerous and a considerable time may interveen before they hear of their return Thus we may speak of Prayer under all these four respects But O! if the Lord would be pleased so to blesse these weak endeavours that they may prove helpfull for preventing a divorce where the Lord requires an union that all of us may have such a measure of the spirit of grace poured out upon us and may 2. be furnished with such gifts and abilities for ordering expressing our desires And may 3. be so inabled to make conscience of our duty As that 4. We may go about the performance of it with cheerfulness and confidence knowing that we shall not seek his face in vain that thus grace may sanctifie our gifts and successe may accompany our work that albeit to our apprehension there must still be a distinction yet there may be no more a separation but that in all our supplications these may joyn hand in hand and may be really united so that we shall not need to prosecute the difference any further only as occasion shall offer we will adde a word by way of remedy for curing or preventing what may be found wanting or amisse in our Prayers as to any of these respects and considerations looking up to Him who only can (a) Rom. 8.26.27 help our infirmities and teach us to Pray as we ought and according to the will of God CHAP. II. Prayer held forth under several Scripture expressions Paralleled for preventing mistakes Math. 7.7 8. Ask and c. for every one that asketh receiveth and he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall be opened Jam. 1.6 Ask in faith nothing wavering And 5.16 The effâctuall fervent Prayer of a righteous man availeth much Eph. 6.18 Praying alwayes and watching thereunto with all perseverance c. DIvers names and expressions if the difference be not meerly literal and grammatical must contribute not a little for clearing of the nature of the thing it self it will not then be impertinent for us here to ponder a little the different wayes whereby the subject of our present enquiry is expressed in Scripture especially since such a view in the porch some brief observations for explication being intermixed may help to prevent a double mistake the one of carnall hearts who because they find Prayer some times held forth under words that seem to import no great difficulty seriousness and diligence as to ask seek call cry knock c. are ready to apprehend that it is an easie task to pray and that they need no further trouble themselves if they can utter some few words in a formall way and on the other hand the Godly hearing of such importunity in Prayer such fervency watchfulnesse perseverance wrestling weeping c. are in hazard to draw hard conclusions against themselves as if they never had yet prayed acceptably Albeit now we may not speak at any length to these material cases it being one of the main designs of the practicall part of this treatise to give some clearing to these yet for the present we may set before both the presuming Atheist and the tender Christian what through the blessing of God may prove a remedy to both if they will be at the pains to compare these Scriptures together and thus seek after the sense Carnall men may see that there is difficulty in the work and that lip-labour is no Prayer and the Godly who offer up the desire of their heart to God need not be discouraged though at all times they have not such enlarged affections zeal and continuance as some of Gods children upon speciall occasions have had And as this parallel may now be helpfull to that purpose So it may give some light when we come to speak of these cases more fully in the qualifications of Prayer and to what we are to say concerning the nature of it here Chap. 4. 1. We will begin with such expressions as seem to import no great difficulty And thus to pray 1. Is but to ask Mat. 7.7 O! but stay a little fond atheist and remember not every one who saith Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heaven except he be a doer of the will of God v. 21. Thou must then be a doer as well as an asker and thou must ask in faith nothing wavering and with an honest and single mind Ja. 1.6 8. And thy end must be pure and holy for many ask and receive not because they ask amisse Ja. 4.3
what we propounded from our Catechism where Prayer is said to be an offering up of our desires to God For though there may be carnal and selfish desires in the inferiour and sensitive appetite which is common to us with the bruits yet spiritual desires which are the only fit materials of an acceptable Prayer are proper to the will and rational faculty It is true we may pray for our daily bread but our motives and ends which specifie and denominat our desires must be heavenly and spiritual and we must ask from God which is beyond the sphere of the material appetite which cannot look up so high it being limited to sensitive objects upon suteable principles and motives And therefore it must be proper to the will to (m) 1. Pet. 2.5 spiritualize our sacrifices that they may become acceptable to God To the Question propounded Then we Ans That albeit in Prayer we should employ and stir up all that is within us to look towards God and to contribute it's assistance and help as that holy Man who was well acquainted with this exercise while he goes to praise and blesse God calls to his soul and all that is within him to joyn in the work Ps 103.1 1. The mind and understanding should bring in provision and matter for enflaming the heart with holy Desires 2. Our memories should present these Items and Bills of receipt from and Debts owing to God it should offer to the meditation a perfect list and catalogue of Sins and Mercies 3. The sensitive appetite should give in a Bond of Peace that it shall not disturb and raise tumults nor frame and give in a treacherous (n) Old Adam a vile Protester the sensitive appetite his factor and agent and the will byassed to his party and faction Libel and Remonstrance against such holy motions as the heart doth travel with and is in the way to endite and breath out before the Lord. 4. The outward senses should covenant not to offer to the affections such baits and allurements nor to cast in their way such golden apples as may interrupt and impede them in their motion towards the Throne and may call them back from heaven to earth 5. The will it self the main agent and leader must be set a work by spiritual aimes and intentions if the end and scope be base and naught the motion is lost though never so swift and vigorous and both will and understanding should be most serious in their attention 1. To the matter of their petitions 2. To the object to which they are to present them as having to do with Him who is the searcher of hearts 3. To the frame of the Soul the spring and rise of it's actings their fervency vigour and zeal c. But though thus we should call to all that is within us to help us a lift while we are to rouse and draw up our dead lumpish and rocky hearts with us to the Moââât yet only the will draws âigh to the King and presents it's Bills of complaint our supplications and requests The heart is that vessel of honour 2. Tim. 2.21 fitted if sanctified and seasoned with grace and prepared for the Masters use It is the best room of the soul reserved to welcom and entertain it's King and Lord and while He maketh His abode there His host becomes a great minion Now he hath the Kings ear and may ask what he will it shall be given him And thus whatever attendants be employed to wait upon and serve tâââ King yet the Host is master of the feast and whatever befalls the rest his Bills must be satisfied his Suit dispatched and his Requests granted And thus Prayer doth formally and primarily consist in an act of the will and it is an offering up of our desires to God it is not the simple act of desiring For then to desire and to pray were all one and carnal voluptuous ambitious and avaritious men who have said to the Lord with these miscreants Job 21.14 depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes and what profit should we have if we pray unto him even those men who are so great strangers and enemies to Prayer are big with desires having as many desire as lusts Every desire then is not a Prayer but a desire so and so qualified a desire directed and offered up to God But we must not imagine that our heart stands in need of a messenger to carry and present its desires before the Throne it hath a tongue to speak for it self Ps 27.8 And God understands and hearkens to its voice and will give a return Ps 145.19 Ps 10.17 Nay but saith (o) Thom. 2.2 quaest 83. art 2. ad 1. petitio quae ad rationem pertinet est quodammodo desiderii interpres Pet. a S. Joseph Id. Theo. Mor. lIb 4. cap. 2. depsecatio ordinationem quandam denotat ordinatio autem ut loquitur Tho dispositio ad rationem pertinet Aquinas our desires need an interpreter who must order and present them to God and that must be the mind and understanding and thus Prayer directly importing this ordering and offering up of our desires must be an act of the intellective faââây Ans With (p) Scot. in 2. dist 6. quaest 1. dist 38. quaest 1. sic loquitur utendo nutem sive ordinando ferre unum âmabile ad aliud est vâluntatis sicut enim voluntas est reflexiva quia immaterialiââ ita collâtiva Scotus that it doth no lesse agree to the will to order and dispose the means for the end then to the mind to deliberate about the means yea (q) Thom. 1. quast 107. art 1. in corp per voluntatem conceptus mentis ordinatur ad alterum puta vel ad agendum vel ad manifestandum alteri c. vid. loc Thomas himself speaking of the locution of Angels grants that it belongs to the will to present order (r) Ibid. ad 1. and referr yea and to expresse and manifest the thoughts of the heart for he (s) Sic Cajet ad loc cit alii non pauci Thomistae praeceptorem suum interpretantur will have the speech of angels to consist in this directing and willing their thoughts to be known to others and yet âere he will have the will to be blind and full of confusion as if it were sharp sighted when it looked abroad but otherwise did see nothing at home and within doors But that wee may not insist on such speculations I would ask to what purpose shall the heart call for such an Interpreter For 1. is not the heart well enough (t) Nolumus jam examini subjicire figmentum Philosophorum qui statuunt voluntatemesse caecam non nisi oculis risum teneatis amici alienis videre acquaint with its own desires if it be a stranger to its owne actings who will make their acquaintance Or 2. Doth the Lord stand in need
of a trench-man shall he who searcheth the heart and trieth the reins he who knoweth what is in man and needeth not that any should testifie of man Jer. 17.10 go to another and ask what are the purposes and desires of the heart Though then we deny not the concurrence of the understanding but wish that all that is within us may joyn and were imployed in this spiritual and solemn exercise yet all the faculties of the soul are as so many attendants to wait upon the heart till it draw nigh direct it's desires and present it's supplications to the great King But let none mistake as if we thought that the will by a new act did reflect upon it's desires and thereby did order and offer them to God 1. Such a reflexion will be found contrary to experience if any will descend into his own heart and look back upon his own actings he will not find it there or that he stood in need of any such new act And 2. it will be hard to shew what such a reflex act did import and to what kind of volition it should be referred The will then by one and the same act and in the same instant of time desireth and desireth from God as one and the same act is 1. the desire of the soul and 2. the desire of such an object So 3. from such an hand and fountain Yea some with (u) Scal. exercit 317. desiderium quasi de sideribus quod res desiderata expectetur de caelo Scaliger for which he is unjustly reprehended by (x) Theop. Raynand mor. discip dist 3. quaest 2. art 3. § 183. Raynandus do think this last respect to have occasioned the word so that according to the Etymon of it a desire is that which is expected from the starres which Pagans did think to be and worshiped as Gods from which conceit as some think did also arise the greek word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Thus one and the same act of the will is extended of necessitie for it must have some matter about which it must converse 1. To its object 2. Directed to God And 3. referred to such and such an end And only to our apprehension and for distinctions sake these severall respects and formalities are differenced as to Prayer where they should be really united in one and the same act but yet there is ground for such a distinction and precision since every desire is not directed towards God nor doth aime at a right end And thus for explications sake we may affirm that in Prayer there is a kind of (y) no immaterial thing such as the will and its actings is capable of any proper and quantitative dimension and extension Extension and enlarging of desires 1. to the right fountain for a supply and 2. to the right end and marke And 3. to the right rule for bounding and limiting of it both as to matter and manner so that Prayer formally and as such doth import not the desire it self which is as it were the materiale and in it self considered is indifferent and determinable otherwise but this Offering and directing of our desires to God for thereby desires acted and powred out by way of Prayer are distinguished from all other desires which want this qualification and deserve not the name of Prayer But alwayes it would be remembred that this Christian sacrifice is not like the material and Leviticall oblations for every one as being a preist to God Rev. 1.6 may offer up his own sacrifice Christ indeed must be our Altar and high Priest and the holy Spirit must bring fire and incense but the heart it self must offer up its own desires it needs not run to another Priest nor employ the mind and understanding to take its offering and present it to God These things being premised for explication let us now collect from Scripture some few reasons not so much to stop the mouths of subtile disputers as to convince negligent worshipers of their sin and to minde them of that which is the life and main ingredient of this solemn performance Argument 1 Reas 1. That which God doth especially require and look for in these that draw nigh unto Him that must be the chief and principal part of Prayer whereby in a special manner we approach to Him But it 's the heart that God mainly requires and looks after in all those Jer. 12.2 Ps 34.18 Prov. 23.26 Argument 2 2. That must be the chief part of our worship for the want whereof the Lord is most provoked and specially complaineth But God is most provoked when our heart doth not joyn in the duty when we draw nigh to Him with our mouth and honour Him with our lips and keep our heart far from Him Is 29.13 Matth. 15.8 Argument 3 3. That without which our prayers are no prayers they deserve not the name that must be the prime of the duty But without the heart there may be a voice much crying and howling and yet no Prayer in Gods account Hos 7.14 If our heart be not right God will not value our requests Ps 66.18 Argument 4 4. That which answereth Gods call and invitation and promiseth to seek His face that must be the main agent and pleader at the Throne But the heart as the Master of the house undertakes in name of the rest offers to welcome Him invites Him to come in and tells Him that it will look up to Him and seek His face and how I would ask if not by Prayer and Praises Ps 27.8 Argument 5 5. That which God heareth and answereth that must be Prayer But it is the voice and cry of the heart its panting longing and desiring that He heareth and will satisfie Ps 10.17 and 145.19 Argument 6 6. That which mainly knits and unites us to God must be the main and principal thing in Prayer whereby in a special and solemn manner we ascend unto God close (z) Gen. 32.24.26 with Him and will not let him go till He blesse us But it is the heart and affections that especially do unite and knit us to God He regardeth not other bonds if these be wanting the distance still continueth so long as the heart is removed from Him Mark 7.6 Matth. 15.8 Argument 7 7. There may be much light in the understanding a great measure of knowledge of the promises and a great dexteritie to plead them with much eloquence and yet nothing of the life of Prayer nothing but the carcass or rather the picture and shadow of Prayer which God will not regard more then the cry of these foolish virgins who very pathetically and in much anguish of spirit said Lord Lord open to us not having had their hearts prepared to meet him while he came unto them Mat. 25.11 12 8. And on the other hand if the heart of a needy simple one can but sigh or groan if it can but chatter as a cran and mourn as a dove the
Lord will encline his ear he will hearken and give an answer of peace Ps 12.5 Is .. 38.5.14 Argument 8 8. That summary and comprehensive abridgement that brief re-capitulation and conclusion of Prayer Amen as it doth expresse our confidence so also the desire of the heart It is an adverb of wishing and hath the same sense saith (a) Edw. Leigh Cri. sac nov Test verb. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã dictum per modum orationis seu precis Pagu in rad ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Leigh with utinam fiat Mat. 6.13 Rev. 22.20 21. And by us it is indifferently used for and hath the same signification with So be it And therefore since the abrigement and close of Prayer doth thus import the wishing and desire of the heart we must judge the same of the whole unlesse we will make Prayer become like that monster described by the (b) Horatius de arte Poet. humano capiti cervicem pictor equinam c. Poet whose members were so disproportioned unlike and dissimilar that they could not except it were by Poets and Painters who have liberty to feign and devise what they will be joyned together Argument 9 9. If we will rest on the apostle Paul his exegesis and exposition Rom. 10.1 If by Prayer we understand the same thing which he did we must affirm that the hearts desire and Prayer are as synonyma holding out one and the same thing or I would rather think that these words contain a description of Prayer that it is the hearts desire poured out to God But what need we disput while the Lord Himself so clearly and in terminis resolves the question and tells us what he who well knows how to give things their right names calls and will acknowledge to be Prayer Jer. 29.12 13. Then shall ye call unto me and ye shall go and pray unto me and I will hearken unto you and ye shall seek me and find me when and never till then ye shall search for me with all your heart O! then take heed when thou approachest the Throne that thy heart be not to seek that it be not gadding abroad after this or that trifle while thou art speaking to the King if thou bring not thy heart with thee thou hast not a tongue thou canst not speak if the heart be absent if it be silent there can be no voyce that He will hear and answer and therefore as at all times so specially when thou art praying thou shouldst keep thy heart with all diligence that what comes out of it may prove the issues of life Prov. 4.23 CHAP. V. Of the subject of Prayer Who should and who may not pray Jam 1.6 If any of you lack let him ask of God who giveth to all men c. Is 45.22 (a) look with the eye of faith with tears in your eyes and your eyes and your supplications in your hand Look unto me and be ye saved all the ends of the earth THis question may be extended to three ranks of persons 1. To these who are altogether uncapable of this exercise 2. To these who once were capable but now are not And 3. to those who now are but e're it belong shall no more be called to the performance of this duty And accordingly this Chapter may be divided in three parts Sect. 1. Who may not be said to Pray How (b) Heb. 7.25 Christ and the holy (c) Rom. 8.26 Spirit are said to interceed for us Each of these three members may be sub-divided into other two As to the first one may be said to be uncapable of this exercise either because it is below him or because it is above him thus it is below God to pray and it is above the reach and sphere of unreasonable creatures to pray 1. Then it were not worth the while to confute the foolish (d) Figmentum anile Turcarum Judaeorum qui nugantur Deum certas habere precum formulas quas certis horis singulis diebuâ recitet Gerhard har cap. 179. pag. mihi 1116. damnamus Thalmudistas Mahumedanes qui affirmant Deum ipsum quotidie orare Tilen disp 49. Thes 52. conceit of those dreamers who imagined that God had set forms of Prayer which he rehearsed so often every day But I would ask to whom and for what should God pray hath He any Superior or equall whom He should supplicat and can He be said to want any thing Himself being the only fountain of all good and happinesse But here it may be objected that the holy Ghost doth pray and interceed for the saints Rom. 8.26.27 And thus he is called their Advocat (e) Which while applyed to Christ 1. Ioh. 2. â is rendred Advocat and why not also here ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Ioh. 14.16 And Ioh. 26.7 Ans The learned Gerhard having called it a ridiculous fancy to imagine that God doth pray harm Evang. Cap. 179. yet Cap. 176. affirms that the holy Ghost whom he acknowledgeth to be God equall with the Father doth interceed and pray for us yea with groans Postulare (f) Gerh harm Evang. cap. 176 pag. mihi 930. gemitus suos pro nobis interponere albeit we cannot think that he would so far mistake as properly and truly to ascribe to the Spirit groans and sighs that were blasphemous yet he doth so fully and plainly expresse himself as to the praying and intercession of the Spirit that there is no ground left for doubting of his judgement in that particular But 1. I would ask whether that intercession be an act of worship or not It were blasphemous to imagine that one person of the blessed Trinity doth worship another and yet it cannot well be conceived how this intercession can be performed without a religious adoration 2. If the Spirit interceed for us it must be by some act of his blessed will he must offer some (g) according to the definition of Prayer Ch. 3. desire to the Father and thus since there is one will and the same acts of the will in the Father Son and holy Ghost that intercession may as truly be ascribed to the Father as to the Spirit and so the Father must pray to himself 3. If the Spirit be a supplicant he cannot be said to hear and grant there must be a difference between the asker and the giver can one be said to ask from himself 4. If the holy Ghost doth interceed for us then he must be first pacified and reconciled with us he must be more compassionate and tender hearted then the Father and he must be willing and (h) not that prayer can change him who is in one mind Job 23 13. yet it is something previous a mean for obtaining a grant to Gods hearing and answering which is some actuall emanation and result of Gods eternal purpose See conclusion of this Tract desirous we should have before the Father yeeld there must be some bowells and tendernesse some
Saviour But that desire to have the cup of his sufferings to passe from him had been thus contrary to c. 5. Christ did most earnestly thirst after this cup. With (n) It s an Hebrew manner of Speech expressing his carnest and longing desire to fulfill the will of his Father c. English Divines on the place Nam qui vult antecedens vult etiam consequens desire he desired it Luke 22.15 He was as it were straitned and pained till he drank it such a longing desire had he after it Luke 12.50 And how resolutely doth he encounter and meet it Mat. 26.46 Iohn 18.4 And would he then pray contrary to the desire of his own heart and thus act contrary to what he prayed for 6. Whatever men who know not the mind of God nor what is good and expedient hic nunc may do or pray in reference to their sufferings yet to say that our blessed Lord who knew that he must (o) Luke 24.26 suffer and then enter into his glory would pray against his suffering is not very probable 7. Will any wise man ask a thing upon a condition that he knoweth to be impossible and is it not all one as to ask a thing that is in it self impossible It were no lesse ridiculous to desire that we might flee if we had wings then to desire wings whereby we may flee And if any man to shew his affection to such a thing did make use of such words as might import a present desire yet there is none but would allow to him so much candor as to interpret his words as expressing what he would do viz. if the condition were placed or possible at least and would not think him to be so foolish as to ask upon a condition he knows to be impossible Yea 8. Supposing that both these (p) Non fuisse in Christo contrarietatem voluntatum conatur Thom. ostendere 3. part quaest 18. art 6. sed ratio quam adfert frivolaest juxtaeam enim sequitur non esse contrarietatem voluntatum in nobis rectius Dionys Carthus hune nodum solvit in 3. sent dist 17. quaest 1. quem vide desires were expressed by way of prayer and petition yet it may appear from what we are to say part 4. concerning the sense of conditional petitions that Christ did truly and properly desire that he might drink that cup and that he did not either desire or pray that that cup might passe from him and thus we may conceive the meaning of the words to be this O Father if it were possible if it might stand with thy glory and the salvation of man for he is not speaking in reference to Gods power or of the possibility of the thing simply considered I wouldà desire to be freed from this cup which innocent nature according to it 's innate propension and sinless appetite after self-being and preservation so much abhorreth and must needs abominat But yet since I know that it is not thus possible but that thy glory in the salvation of man doth call for my suffering this is it that I do desire and do pray for that thy will may be done and that I may drink this bitter cup And can we imagine that the thoughts and desires of Christs heart were not the same then which they were a little after Ioh. 18.11 O! How pathetically there doth he reject such a desire For saith he the cup which my Father hath given me shall I not drink it And how doth he abominat such a desire flowing from Peter and how smartly doth he take him up Get thee behind me Sathan Mat. 16.22 23. And can we think that Christ would harbour such a (n) Musculus in Joh. 12.27 Petitionem carnis Dominus ipse confestim corrigit servato me exbâc horâ est vox carnis non spiritus Calvin in loc dicit Christum votum illud subitò sibielapsum statimcorrigere castigare Nolo cum Bellarm haec verba nimium exagitare modus tamen loquendi mihi non placet quamvis Paraeus pharmacum adhibeat distinguendo inter correctionem Logitam Ethicam Rhetoricam vid. Par. in Mat. 26. Udalricum apud Dion Carthus loc cit ubi etiam de ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Christi desire in himself and offer it up in prayer which in Peter he calleth Sathans motion But you will say doth not Christ in his prayer propound this desire Ans Every thing spoken in Prayer is not askt neither doth it belong to the matter and object of petition but may be brought by way of narration meditation motive c. 9. What if it were said that the first words of this prayer as that of the afflicted Ps 102. from v 3. to 12. do rather contain a complaint then a petition as if he had said O Father how doth nature abhor this cup and if I would give way to it's complaint and did not reflect on the glorious ends of my suffering I could not but desire that this cup might pass from me but I will not entertain such a motion for I heartily acquiesce in thy will and holy appointment and this is it that I do indeed desire and pray for that thy will may be done 10. But we have too long digressed in speaking to the matter of this prayer by way of enquiry for we purpose not we need not now peremptorily determine let us only add some two or three words 1. Some may perhaps think that Christ looking upon his sufferings in themselves and abstractively without reference to the end he could not but (o) Desiderium voluntaetis naturalis non deliberativae dici poterit ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã vid. hanc dist apud Tho. 3. part quast 181. art 3. abhor them and why might he not give way to such an apprehension that rhe bitterness thereof might be a part of his suffering and thus put up a conditional prayer against them not that absolutely all things being considered or relatively as they were a mean to such a glorious end he did not desire them but meerly to shew the reality and greatness of his sufferings in themselves and to leave an (p) Ratio quae petitionem proposuit nolebat ut boc impleretur sed ad instructionem nostram volebat demonstrare nobis suam voluntatem naturalem motum sensualitatis quem sicut hom o habebat Thom. 3. part quaest 21. art 4. ad 1. example to us how we should carry under our tryals viz. that though we may be sensible of them and may complain of them yet with submission and a perfect resignation of our selves to Gods will and disposing especially since it is certain that Christ did many things for to be our copy and example Thus he did (q) Not only to be au evidence that he was sent of God and did that miracle in his strength but also to teach the Apostlesto praise God when he
deal with him as he did Adonijah he will not tear thy supplication and make it a dittay against thee for taking away thy life only beware of Adonijah his heart do not design treason as its thought he did while thou presents thy desire tâ the King if then thou wouldst ask what course thou shouldst take that thou mightest be saved I would tender thee no better advice then Peter did to Simon the Sorcerer while he was yet in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity Act. 8.23 22. repent of thy wickedness and pray God if perhaps the thoughts of thy heart may be forgiven thee And to presse this so necessary advice and exhortation let us brieflly by way of motive and encouragement hold forth some grounds which may serve as so many arguments to vindicate the point from the Antimonian dream 1. What ground hast thou to entertain the least scruple concerning thy duty to pray to God and bemoan thy condition to him to perform this part of worship which not only thy indigence but also his honour calls for at thy hands what seest thou what do Antimonians hold forth unto thee for taking off the tye and obligation which thy condition and dependance thy wants and fears and Gods law written in thy heart and in the Scriptures doth lay upon thee Can thy former wickedness make thee now a Libertine can it pull out thy shoulders from under the yoke 2. Thou being convinced of thy duty wilt thou ask whether thou mayest perform it or not There can hardly be a clearer contradiction imagined then to say its my duty to pray and yet I may not I ought not to pray I am infinitly obliged to do and yet I should not do for what call ye duty but that which we are obliged to do Was there ever such a subtile notion as to abstract duty from the obligation to do Or can there be a more unreasonable fancy then to say that these who are under the means may not use them true it is that after death the case is altered thou art no more under the means neither doth the King call and invite thee to come but yet even then if he would hold forth the golden Scepter to the damned as now he doth to the unconverted they were obliged to draw nigh the Throne 3. Art thou not convinced that grace is lovely and desirable and from whom canst thou desire it but from God and that 's to pray for what is prayer but an offering up of our desires to God 4. For thy warrant thou hast the command of God again and again repeated in the Word 5. Many sad threatnings denounced against kingdoms families and persons that will not call upon God 6. Thou hast seen heard and mayest read of many judgments temporal and spiritual poured out upon such as did not call upon him 7. We may with the Apostle in another case 1 Cor. 11.14 appeal to nature it self doth it not teach him that is in misery to cry to him who is able to help and relieve and to intreat him whom he hath wronged and off nded to pardon and forgive Thus the light of nature discovereth this duty to Pagans and as with a double cord bindeth it unto thee who also hast the light of the Word pointing out that way to thy feet 8. Several talents bestowed on thee for this effect do call to thee to improve them What hast thou not some natural power and ability to desire and expresse though not in a spititual and saving way thy desires to God 9. Doth not thy conscience draw thee to the Throne Doth it not accuse and challenge thee when thou omittest this necessary and as I may call it natural duty 10. Hast thou not many wants fears c. and what do all these say unto thee but O! run to the Throne for a supply and remedy 11. The greatness of the priviledge that thou mayest approach the great King doth call upon thee to impâove it together with the great benefits which thereby may be purchased Yea 12. though there were no other income then the present effect which usually it hath on the heart to enlarge fit and in some measure dispose it for becoming a temple for the holy Ghost and to be a fit room to receive and welcome the King with all his train of attendant graces which are the harbingers of glory nay it is not only a disposition but a beginning of the saving work prayer if serious is a turning of the heart to God it s a spiritual and converting motion of the soul it s the first breathing of the new creature desire of grace say Divines is grace Certainly if it be effectual and resolute it must be so and desire is the life of prayer and without it there is no prayer so that such as forbid the unregenerate to pray do disswade them to be converted and turn to God or begin the saving work of grace prayer is not only a converting ordinance but also the first breathing of the converted not only a mean but also a part and the first fruit of conversion 13. The doleful and sad consequents that must follow the contempt of this promising remedy the King ere it be long will tear these proud rebels in pieces who would not submit and supplicate him for a pardon 14. The great advantage that may be expected that probability if not certainty of successe that God will fulfill thy desire may as a strong cord draw thee nigh to God thou hast not one but many encouragements to excite and set thee a work 1. Gods bowels opened in the Ordinances and his arms stretched forth to embrace thee 2. His call and invitation his counsel entreaties requests expostulations c. together with his solemn protestation that he delights not in the sinners ruine but rather that he would draw nigh to him that he might live while the King inviteth the traitor to come and seek his pardon what should discourage him 3. His Ordinance and appointment in making prayer a mean for that end they who teach that sinners cannot expect a blessing on their offering up their desires to God do say yea though we did abstract from his fidelity in fulfilling his promises that God hath appointed that Ordinance in vain 4. His stirring up the heart and filling it though by a common work of the spirit with such desires and purposes as are fit materials of prayer do say that if we will improve that season the Lord purposeth not to send us away empty he will not be wanting to promove what good he begins to work in us till we resist his spirit and first draw off and lye by and thus stifle the new birth in its conception 5. God's satisfying the natural appetite of inanimate creatures and fulfilling the sensual desires of the brutes and brutish requests of sensual men when selfish Ahabs have opened their mouths for outward mercies and deliverances he hath filled them
not been able to produce one testimony or to make a reply that deserveth consideration we may upon this ground together with positive evidences from the most learned judicious and most approven Fathers affirm that albeit 1. In the dayes of Nazianzen there were several ground-stores brought for this work to wit the rhetorical Dialogues and apostrophes to the defunct which 2. were afterwards laid by some foolish builders yet with much doubting and haesitation and 3. though some did call to the martyrs yet they did not invocat them they were as (m) Usher loc cit pog 444. and Geo. Cassand a moderate Papist thinks it yet sufficient only to present our wishes and desires to them and not to pray to them satis est si dicamus per modum desiderri eas interpellationes explicari posse c. oper pag. 1109. vid. Uss one speaketh only vocati not invocati they were desired as we do the living to pray with us but were not prayed unto 4. Though some did call upon them yet with some moderation not pleading their merits and only in their private devotion Yet 5. till after the death of Epiphanius and Augustine these two great opposers of this idolatrous invention it came not to its height but after a little while it fell into the hands of some (n) Such as Prudentius Paulinus Fortunatus c. Poets who without all modesty used a licentious liberty to passe all bounds and by a strange kind of metamotphosis to make new gods and mediators of holy men and martyrs but all this time it was kept as it were within doors in the private or domestick worship till about the year six hundred For albeit Gnapheus before that time essayed to have insert it into the publick Liturgies yet he and his motion were rejected that great work being reserved for Gregory the great who for that and his other superstitious conceits may well be called the grand innovator and father of superstition and then lastly Adrian the third about the year eight hundred eighty five did put on the cop-stone claiming to himself and his successors the power of Canonization and making Gods of men We need not stay long in confuting this dream yea one of its patrons the learned Swarez doth furnish us with an argument confirmed by the authority of their master Thomas in which we may rest viz. No (o) Religionis virtus circa solum Deum versatur sed oratio est proprius actus religionis c. Swar loc cit cap. 9. sect 2. religious act can without idolatry be terminated in the creature But must only be directed to God But prayer is a religious act Ergo. And before he brings this he tells us that the conclusion of it must be supponed as certain You will then say the controversie is at an end O! but hearken and ye shall hear a limitation its certain saith he that prayer under some consideration as it belongeth to their cultus latriae doth only belong to God but as it falls under cultum duliae so it may be tendred to Saints We will not now meddle with these strange terms but in a word he grants that prayer as it is a religious (p) Ibid. cap. 7. 8. act cannot be made to any creature without grosse impiety and thus he hath hit right for their idolatrous Saint-invocation being a most impious and idolatrous abomination can be no religious performance nor savour of piety and devotion 1. We may argue thus we must not call on him in whom we do not believe Rom. 10.14 But wo to him that believeth or trusteth in any meer creature and makes it his arme and citty of refuge Jer. 17.5 Ergo. O saith Bellarmine the Prophet Jeremy must be mistaken for otherwise Saint-invocation must be disclaimed for (q) Non potest sanctos invocare qui'suo modo in eos non credit in iis non sperat Bell. de sanct beat lib. 2. cap. 20. sect ad primum none can be said to call upon the Saints who doth not in his own way trust and hope in them But thus saith the Lord cursed be the man that trusteth in man under what pretence soever for his heart must depart from the Lord If any thing of it thus be let out towards the creatures He will accept of none of it He dow not away with a corrival You will say they give God the first place and they acknowledge him to be the first (r) Primito auctor bonorum Bell. ibid. author Reply Instruments and means must not share with the first author in what is due to him alone while we use the creature we must only confide and trust in God Whatever we make an object of our faith confidence or hope must be either an Idol or God and the most vile Pagan idolater might run to this popish plea for though they worshiped many inferiour gods yet they acknowledged only one viz. their great Jupiter to be the first and chief author of all As for the two texts Bellarmine citeth the first viz. Gen. 48.16 It is most impertinently alledged and it is as impertinently applied viz. not to the present point of trusting in but of calling upon the Saints and thus also he contradicteth himself while he grants that the Saints were not invocated under the old Testament and the text speaks only of the adoption of Manasseh and Ephraim to be accounted as Jacobs sons and thus to become heads of two distinct Tribes and now Jacob by these words of his blessing performs what he said ver 5. As for the other place we remit him to their own (Å¿) Cajet in Philem. Cajetan who hath so much modesty as to blush at the popish glosse and will not have the Saints there viz. Philem. ver 5. to be named as the object but as the (t) Fides refertur in sanctos tanquam consertes fidei subject of faith so that Philemon there is commended for that faith which he had with all Saints and not which he had in the Saints but as to the genuine sense of the words we rather close with Theodoret viz. that the Apostle having named faith and love doth assign to each of these its proper object so that (u) Yet here there is an inversion of order vid. Calv in loc faith must be terminated in the Lord Jesus and love in the Saints 2. These who teach for doctrines the commandments of men do in vain worship God Mat. 15.9 Wo to such presumptuous fools what plea will they be able to bring when it will be said to them as it was said to that people Isa 1.12 who required these things at your hand But the Scriptures hold out 1. no warrant or command as we shall hear the Papists anon confesse 2. No promise or reward to such a performance and 3. no threatning or punishment for neglecting and slighting it and 4. No example of holy men who have performed it with successe and
of superstition and idolatry to be a cloak to cover their apostasie yea in the preface to that disput he grants that Saint-invocation is eximium adorationis genus And (f) Azor instit moral tom 1. lib. 9. cap. 10. Azorius saith that the Saints are to be worshiped Divinô cultu honore qui est relligionis actus And did ever any pagan go a greater length What can be given more to God then they allow to the poor creature for what use then serveth their distinction of Dulia and Latria Arg. 7 7. While Papists look on these Scriptures Lev. 17.7 Deut. 32.17 Ps 106.37 1 Cor. 10.20 How should they tremble be amazed and confounded at their creature-worship and invocation We do not read in all the Scriptures that the Israelits at any time professedly and purposely did worship the devil yea there were but a few of the Gentiles and these most rude and barbarous so far demented O! but faith the Lord in the places cited both of the Jewes and of all the Gentiles the most sober and intelligent who did worship and other but God they worshiped and sacrificed to devils If thou make an idol of the creature whatever that creature be in it self though very good and excellent yet it becometh a devil unto thee though the Jewes and Gentils might have made use of the same plea which Papists run to we have seen how Pagans take them to that same city of refuge and that the idolatrous Israelits did cover themselves with the same mantle we need not question while they worshiped the host of Heaven and sacrificed to the Queen of Heaven yet they did not forget the King of Heaven Thus after they had chosen new Gods and Aaron had said of the golden calf These be thy Gods O Israel yet he immediatly subjoyneth to morrow is a feast to the Lord Exod. 32.5 though Jeroboam said of the calves he had made Behold thy Gods O Israel 1 King 12.28 yet he still acknowledged the true and great God therefore he desired the man of God to pray to God for him Ch. 13.6 and sent to Ahijah the Prophet of the true God Ch. 14.2 But why do ãâã insist on particulars we have the maner of worship of all Idolaters whether Pagans or Israelites set down 2 King 17.33.41 c. They fear the Lord and serve their own gods they would give to the great God the first place and mainly fear and reverence him though they would allow to their inferiour gods and patrons some inferiour piece of service and worship But both they and Papists are in a grosse mistake while they estimate prayer to be an inferiour part of worship yea it is such an eminent part of it that sometimes to shew its excellency it s put for the whole worship of God as Gen. 4.26 Ps 79.6 Jer. 10.25 Isa 64.7 and thus also the place of Gods worship is called the house of prayer Isa 56.7 Mat. 21.13 Yea (g) Thom. 22. quaest 83. art 3. conclus art manifestum est quod est prepriae religionis actus Thomas granteth that its most certain that prayer is a religious act and all the (h) Vid. Thom. ibid. quast 81. art 1 2 3. School-men confesse that Religion hath God only for its object to which it must be directed And I would ask of Papists 1. where they do read any description of prayer in any Divine till these last and idolatrous dayes in which there is mention of any other object of invocation but God alone And 2. I would know what are these affections which they exercise and pour out in their prayers to God which they do not imploy yea as to the measure and degree in their prayers to the Saints Nay we shall hear how they do more reverence and religiously worship the creatures then the infinit Creator And (i) Est eximium adorationis genuâ Bell. ord disp de âeat Canoniz vid. Azor. inââât moral tom 1. lib 9. cap. 10. Bellarmine notwithstanding of all the fig-leaves he gathereth to cover the nakedness of the whorish Church yet is forced to confess in the very Porch to the dispute that Saint-invocation is a notable and eminent kind of worship And must it not then be as evident as the Sun to shine that Papists are egregious idolaters And then 7. Prayer according to the Scripture phrase Mat. 1.11 Ps 141.2 Rev. 8.3 4. by Divines Arg. 7 aâââ and modern is called a Sacrifice and the Apostle giveth it a distinguishing epithet for discriminating it from the Levitical Oblation while he calls it a spiritual sacrifice 1 Pet. 2.5 And so it must be more noble and excellent then these outward and material offerings It is not saith (k) Sacrificium verum non est quod ex arcâ sed quod ex corde profertur nec quod manu sed quod mente libatur Lactant. de opif. Dei cap. 2. one a true sacrifice which is brought from the coffer or herd but which proceedeth from the heart not that which is offered by the hand but by the mind and soul But it was alwayes unlawful to offer sacrifice unto any but to the true and living God and therefore it must be unlawful to pray to any but to him And (l) Thom. 22. quaest 83. art 3 orando tradit homo mentem suam De quam ei per reverentiam subjicit quodamodo praesentat And yet he makes it the subject of the following article to shew that we should pray to the Saints Thomas well proveth that it must be so because in prayer we offer up our heart and soul and professe our reverence and subjection to him to whom we pray But it were vile idolatry to offer up our heart and to professe the subjection of our souls to any creature and therefore it must be a strange abomination to pray to any creature Arg 8 8. O! that blind Papists would remember that we have an advocate with the Father who stands not in need of deputies under him or of agents to put him in mind of his clients plea 1 Joh. 2.1 Heb. 7.25 He cannot be so diverted or taken up with the multitude of clients and causes as to forget or slight thee he will not send thee to another he cannot he will not reject any who come unto him he hath such bowels towards his supplicants and is so touched with the feeling of their infirmities that they need not fear their cause shall miscarry in his hands Joh. 6.37 Heb. 4.15 O! let us then hearken to the exhortation ver 16. Let us in him come boldly to the throne of grace And wo to those deluded creatures who run to other advocates and patrons is he not as ready to undertake for thee as when he invited (m) Mat. 11 28. all those who were heavy loaden and weary to come unto him Can he weary of employment who is the same yesterday to day and for ever Heb. 13.8 and who ever
further perfection of grace Some do (h) Theâ Gloss confuted Ans because the measure and degree of grace is not absolutely necessary to salvation But I would ask if a further measure of grace be not necessary that we may bring forth more fruit that we may glorisie God more that we may be the more able to stand in the hour of temptation c. and if it be thus necessary unlesse our desires be carnall and selfish they should be no lesse but rather much more peremptory and absolute for such a measure of grace then for what is meerly necessary for our Salvation and happinesse though we may dispense with our own comforts enlargement in duty gracious manifestations and heart-melting in ordinances peace joy assurance and all the consolations of the Almighty as they are sweet and pleasant to our taste and be content to go mourning to Zion if it seem good to the Lord and if thereby his name may be magnified yet we must not be slack and remisse in our desires concerning that which may promove his service and whereby we may glorifie him more we must not be easily put off and satisfied nor bargain and compone for a little or any thing whatsoever in stead of that 2. It is (i) The second evasion confuted answered that such or such a measure of grace is not absolutely promised Repl. 1 would know what such do mean by an absolute promise It is true such a measure of grace is not promised to all and every one but thus grace it self must not be absolutely promised if by an absolute promise be understood a promise that doth belong to every one yea there should be no absolute promise in all the word of God because there is no promise there that doth belong and hath been performed to all and every one though then it be a very usual yet it is a very gross mistake to confound an absolute and universal promise as if to be promised absolutely were nothing else but to be promised universally and to all You will perhaps say though no promises belong to all and every one yet some promises belong to all believers and so have a limited kind of universality and accordingly some sort of absoluteness Ans If a limited universality will make a promise absolute that is not wanting in this case for all those whom the Lord hath appointed to be tall Cedars in his Lebanon and to be strong men in his house must have the promise of encrease performed unto them such shall be strong in grace But 2. if believers be the rule and object of absolute promises so that these do belong unto and shall be performed towards them when they in faith do plead their accomplâshment even thus there shall be no absolute promise For what promises they thus call absolute do nor cannot belong to believers but to the unconverted elect before they believe before the heart of stone be removed and the seeds of grace sown in the heart for when this change is wrought the promise is fulfilled so that after conversion we cannot except upon a mistake of our estate and condition pray for grace as to it's being and existence nor plead those absolute promises at the Throne nay but we should rather praise God for what he hath done for and to our souls and say not that we may be (k) Joh. 15.1 2. ingâeâted in the true vine but that being in him we may bring forth fruit abundantly And then 2. since unbelievers have not faith they cannot pray in faith and so thus cannot pray absolutely for faith but some will yet say though believers be not the object to which those promises belong yet the Elect and all the Elect have an interest in them Ans 1. Yet the Elect before their conversion cannot in faith which they have not as yet plead these promises and so they cannot be said to pray absolutely for what is held forth in these promises and therefore the consideration of their election must be impertinent for clearing the present question But 2. I cannot see in what propriety of speech or according to what ground or reason the absoluteness of the promises or of our petitions can be explained by this kind of universality and what light can be brought from thence for determining this controversie You will then say but what call you an absolute promise For ans we would distinguish between the promise and the object of the promise not the object to which but whereabout it is conversant viz. the thing promised albeit it be gross to confound these two yet the present debate appeareth to be occasioned in great part by that mistake 1 then as to the promise it selfe that must be accounted absolute which as to the performance of it doth not depend upon any condition required on our part and thus an absolute promise is opposed to a conditionall promise and so these which we called Promises of Grace must be absolute because they do not suppose any gracious disposion in the subject that they may have their accomplishment And these which we called promises to grace must be conditionall because they require and suppose some qualification and condition on our part that they may be performed to us but then 2. the thing promised may be said to be absolute not because it abstracteth from any condition to be performed by us but because it abstracteth from the circumstances of person time place c. as to its goodnesse and conveniency and that it may be the object of a promise and this kind of absolutenesse must be measured in reference to the promise it selfe and not in reference to the way and manner of its performance and accomplishment and such a thing may be said to be absolutely promised because it doth not depend upon any other thing that it may become a fit materiall of a Divine promise and a fit object for our prayers and desires that it doth not borrow its goodnesse from without nor depend upon any extrinsecall and variable circumstances nor upon any end for the obtaining of which it may be conducible so that it is intrinsecally and of it selfe and thus absolutely and indispensably good and desireable and thus such a thing may be said to be absolutely promised because it is absolutely good albeit the performance of such a promise depend upon some condition and qualification in him to whom the promise is made and such a promise may thus viz. objectively be called absolute and thus grace with every degree and further measure of it both as to its being and graduall perfection may be said to be absolutly promised albeit upon another consideration and if we have reference unto the way and manner of performance grace it self may be said to be absolutely promised and the encrease of it conditionally But you will then say since the promise is the rule of prayer and the measure of grace may be said to be conditionally promised
supplicant and favourit of the great King though thou hast not purchased their mercies with thy mony Ah! what hath the poor begger to give for an almes yet thy request hath prevailed and thy prayers have gotten a gracious return though the Lord hath blasted all means we essayed for our deliverance from the oppression of usurping Sectaries yet the Saints by their prayers have had a hand in it and who ever take to themselves the glory of the work yet the Lord knoweth that Scotish men and women who with fasting and supplications were wrestling with him did obtain this mercy as a return of their prayers And the hand of the Lord may evidently be seen in it he bowed the hearts of some and turned the hands of others employing them against their heart to hold the sword for the terror of those who were in armes or might rise to oppose the work which they themselves did as much hate whatever was the design of some of the chief leaders of the English army who went from Scotland in that service yet it is well enough known that the generality of instruments deserved little thanks as going about a work they neither loved nor intended O then let all and every one of us pray that this mercy may be improven for the glory of the giver the honour of the King and the good of those who did wrestle at the th one of grace till they obtained a grant And as the Saints are thus great adventurers for others and send many packs to sea in their name so there be many that are imployed in their business and who agent their cause as they are great Factors so they are great Merchants as they adventure for many so many for them The care of all the Saints lyeth upon every Saint And how pressing a motive should that be for thee O (m) Heb. 6.17 heir of the promise to pray for others while thou considerest that thy trade is going on while thou art a sleep and in as many places cities and families as call upon the name of our Lord Jesus and how should thy heart rejoyce when thou lookest upon such a town and incorporation such a house and family and canst say that 's my shop there they are treading for me there some are praying and wrestling at the Thron for some one mercy or other to be bestowed on me And how should the consideration hereof stir us up to be more and more free in opening up our condition one to another that we may know what in particular to ask for one another the (n) I shall now offer to your consideration a motion made by a judicious Divine with his regrate that few or none make conscience to seek after that promising remedy held forth by him there In such a case viz. of Spirituall desertion Commend saith he thy condition to the publick ' prayers of the Church especially upon dayes of solemn seeking God if persons be sick and in danger of death then a Minister shall have a bill handed to him to pray for their bodily health but I wonder that amongst all our bills there are no complaints of soul-sickness Oh! beloved It would do a Ministers heart good as we say to receive a score or two of bills upon a sabbath day to this purpose one that hath a hard heart that hath been often heated and is grown cold again one that hath been long under conviction and finds no gracious issue of it one that cries aloud after God and can have no answer one that is assaulted with fearfull temptations that cannot get any evidence of Gods love and goes heavily all the day long c. desires their prayers It may be God expects ye should thus make many friends to speak to him that thanks may be rendred by many on your behalf as the Apostle expresseth himself in a like case 2 Cor. 1.11 c. Sym. Ford Spirit of bond and Adopt 2. Treat Ch. 15. Pag. 30. if the Saints do thus need the publick prayers of the congregation must not ignorant secure hard-hearted sinners stand in far greater need of this help with what seriousnesse and fervency should they commend their condition to the prayers of the Church but alas many will rather perish then complain of their case and danger want of this liberty and freedom is in great part I dare say the cause why many walk so uncomfortably many are weak faint and disquieted and are ashamed to tell what alleth them and God punisheth their pride with desertion and suffereth them to (o) Psal 68â3 ly amongst the pots till they call for help from their brethren I have sometimes reflected on Job 42.8 to know why the Lord did commend Eliphaz Bildad and Zophar unto Jobs prayers adding a threatning if they should presume to offer up a sacrifice to him till Job did pray for them though they were holy men and had pleaded zealously for the Lord yet for their mistake and want of charity towards Job though they should pray God would hide his face till Job joyned in the work but we may to good purpose apply that place to this case it may be a pardon is sealed in heaven but the sense of it is withheld till some one or other Job do pray for thee the Lord may make choice of thy brothers prayer rather then thine own as the messenger by whom he will send the mercy thou longest for now consider who this Job was 1. He was an eminent Saint a great favourit of heaven Noah Daniel and Iob Ezek. 14.14 as Moses and Samuel Jer. 15.1 are recorded amongst the worthies of the great King and that rather because of their power with him then over men and the case was rare such as that there mentioned in which they could not prevail and obtain what they askt what meanest thou O Saint thus to mourn and complain is there not a Saint on earth to whom thou mayest commend thy case and if thou be living under the charge of a faithfull Minister whââ can be more fit to minister comfort and be an instrument of good to thy soul The Lord will bless his own Ordinance and he will have thee to run to it but what ever good may be expected from thence thou mayest imploy the help of others the mo joyn in the work and the more eminent they are for holiness their prayers will be the more prevalent when two or three are met together and when they agree in the mater of their supplication though they be in different places they may expect a special blessing Mat. 18.19 20. Faithfull Abraham could have obtained mercy for the abominable Sodomits if there had been ten righteous ones amongst them Gen. 18.32 and meek Moses was heard and did prevail for an idolatrous stubborn and most ungrate people Exod. 32. Exod. 33. 2. Job was one whom those his friends had wronged they added affliction to the afflicted and pronounced a rash and uncharitable
would shadow and hold forth to us his tender bowels to all those who fled for refuge to his Son Jesus Christ and flying for refuge to Admetus King of the Molossians whom he had mocked and exceedingly irritated while he had power in the Athenian commonwealth and therefore fearing least Admetus should revenge that old quarrel he ran to the sanctuary with the Kings Son in his armes and thus supplicated the provoked King which kind of entreaty did alwayes saith Plutarch prevail with the Molossians yea then when all other means did prove ineffectual Ah! could the Pagan King refuse them nothing who came with his Son in their armes and shall the King of the Saints reject such as come to him with his Son in their heart Oh! what needs then discourage thee O disconsolat Saint Ask whatsoever thou wilt the King can refuse thee nothing thou who hast fled in to his Son and askest in his name what can thou ask if good that will be withheld Joh. 14.13 14. what hast thou many infirmities he is touched and affected therewith he sympathizeth with thee Heb. 4.15 what is thy condition hopeless and desperate it is thy unbelief that makes thee think so for he is able to save to the utmost all that come to God by him Heb. 7.25 what art thou poor blind naked what is thy malady canst thou tell what aileth thee Hearken to glad-tidings and (y) Though they be of an old date for the Gospel was preacht in Paradice Gen. 3.5 yet they are to this day as sweet ravishing and refreshing as at the first they alwayes make anew impression upon the heart and affections and so are still news to the longing soul news that may revive thy fainting soul thy Redeemer liveth for ever he is able and willing to save ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã he will heal all thy diseases Ah! will the poor sinner say but my desires are faint and remiss my prayers cold and formall and my adresses few and rare and while I am at work I make litle progresse I meet with many sad interruptions many wandring thoughts and diversions and thus my hopes are cut off for what good can be expected by the hands of such a lazy and unfaithfull messenger Ans But though it be thus with thee though there be much drosse mixed with thy gold and much inequality in thy work yet Christs gold is pure and without mixture and thou must trade with his money thou hast neither price nor money peny nor peny-worth of thine own though thou must buy thou hast nothing of thine own to give the christian merchandize is a paradox to the world there was never such a market proclaimed by men as that Isa 55.1 Rev. 22.17 c. where money-lesse men are invited to come and buy freely and the indigent may have a supply of all his wants though he hath no money to give yet he may get what he will yea the poor may there buy gold that he may be enriched Rev. 3.18 What though thou faint by the way and when thou comest to the well thou hast nothing as thou thinkest to draw with yet if thy thirst continue thou wilt not be sent away empty though thou hast not a hand to bring in yet thou hast a mouth ready to receive What though thy walk and work be unequall yet Christs work for thee is constant and equall without change and interruption and he makes continuall intercession for thee Heb. 7.25 what should then discourage thee if he interceed must he not prevaile hath he not moyen and money enough to lay out for all thy wants shall thy weaknesse and infirmities but take heed lest rebellions and reigning sins be accounted such marre his work and out-cry his blood he prayeth and interceedeth as effectually for thee when thou art weak and sick as when thou art stronger and then lendeth as it were a better lift and will not suffer the work to miscarry for want of thy help but thou must not mak this a plea for thee to lye by thou must joyn and concur his incense must not be offred up alone but with the prayers of the Saints Rev. 8.3 CHAP. IX Of the help and assistance of the holy Spirit of its necessity and how it may be known and differenced from Satanicall suggestions and from that activity and fervency which may flow from the light and conviction of a naturall conscience sense of wants c. Jud. v. 20. praying in the holy Ghost Rom. 8. v. 26. Likewise the spirit also helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the spirit it self (a) Viz. efficien ter causaliter by enabling us to interceed and pray with such fervency as useth to be accompanied with sighs and groanings as hath been shown Ch 5. sect 1 maketh intercession for us c. IT 's a strange word which we read Phil. 3.20 carnall hearts will not beleeve it they do not know how those who constantly abide on earth can be said to have their conversation in heaven and O! may the trembling sinner say would to God I might (b) The word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Phil. â 20 may well he renared city-converse or commerce we behave our selves as free denizens of the city of heaven having free commerce and trading with the place see Leigh Critie Sac. trade with that place but Ah! the distance is great and the way unpassable where shall I find a ladder that will reach the heavens I cannot move one foot nor ascend one step towards the Jerusalem that is above and who will take me by the hand who can help what can the weak creature though willing and ready do for my assistance what though I stood upon its shoulders and though all the power in nature were combined and united together it could not elevat a sinner above the earth Nay but though thou be weak and infirm and very unfit for such a journey yet thou hast help at hand the Spirit is ready to help thy infirmities and to inable thee to pray and thus to keep correspondence with and have thy conversation in heaven unto thee O Lord do I lift up my soul You will say O noble designe and resolution but where shall David find a chariot to carry his half dead and heavy heart so far and by what wingâ shall he ascend and mount so high Nay but hearken and he will teach thee the way he takes the right course he doth not debate nor dispute the question but by prayer approacheth the Throne and quickly as with wings ascends to heaven and gets accesse and presents his supplication to the King Psal 25.1 2. c. Psal 86.1 2 3 4 5 6. But yet if David had been left alone he would have found the distance too great and his legs too weak for such a ââr voyage after his fall he missed his guid and with what importunity did he pray the Lord to uphold
God to purifie our hearts by faith and love 1 Tim. 1.14 Eph. 6.23 and to sprinkle them from an evil conscience by the blood of Christ (e) See Diodat on the place Heb. 10 21. As to that which more properly and principally is called and should be the last and ultimat end of all our prayers and performances viz. the glory of God it is above the reach of corrupt nature to aim at such a noble mark but every one while in that state must with them Phil. 2.21 seek their own and not the things of Christ Ah! our ease honours pleasures and wealth naturally are our idols these are our great end and we cannot desire or ask any thing from God unlesse with a design to (f) Jam. 4.3 consume what we receive upon our lusts and thus we are too apt to desire God to help us to sin against him to put a weapon in our hand whereby we might fight against him and to provide fewel for our lustâ (g) Jam. 3.6 which are set on fire of hell Nay self is the last and great aim of our most refined desires of grace and glory untill the Spirit purifie our affections and elevate them to a more high and noble end and enable us to obey the exhortation 1 Cor 10 31. and honestly to seek the glory of God and to propose it as our scope in all our actions and performances doing whatsoever we go about heartily as to the Lord and not to men whether our selves or others Col. 3.23 3. As to the manner what 1. reverence 2. tenderness 3. importunity 4. fervency 5. watchfulness 6 sincerity c. is in our prayers must (h) Quia autem persunctorie vulgo oramus addit in spiritu ac si diceret tantum esse pigritiaâ tantum que srigus carnis nostrae ut rite orare nemo queat nisi spiritu Dei exâ citatus nam hinc solicitudo hinc ârdor vehementia hinc alactitas hinc fiducia c. Calvin in Jud. 20. come from above our barren ground cannot yield such fruit what cold and dead performances what loathsom and abominable sacrifices have we to offer to the Lord untill the Spirit of Christ who is our life Col. 3.4 breath in some life and heat into our (i) When the Spirit comes it is a time of life the Christians affections spring iâ his besome at bis voice as the babe in Elizabeth aâ the salutation of the Virgin Mary or as he strings under the musiciâns hand stir and speak harmoniously so do all the Saints affectionâ at the secret touch of the Spirit Gurn. spir arm part 3. pag. 580. affections those who have the naked gift but want the Spirit of prayer though they may have matter enough and plenty of words yet they want a heavenly desire which is the soul of prayer there is meat enough before them but they want an appetice there are bullocks and rams enough for sacrifice but where is the fire a lifeless carrion is not such an object of pity as a dead formal prayer I do not deny that (k) Numb 23.10 Balaam may (l) Every desire of grace is not spiritual and saving nor an evidence of grace desire to dye the death of the righteous carnal men may have some velleities and wouldings some lazy languishing and selfish desires after grace and happiness but no man ever did or is able without the help of the Spirit to come to the length of 1. a permanent and habituall 2. an operative efficacious and prevailing over corruption vigorous and restlesse till it be satisfied and 3. a pure and spirituall desire of grace and holynesse of Christ for himself because of his excellency of a crucified and persecuted of a naked and despised Christ of holynesse because of its beauty and conformity to the Law and will of God Nay but there was so much drosse in the best refined desires and prayers of the most Saint-like formalist as did not only obscure but consume the Gold so that the most expert artist was never able from thence to extract the least grain that could abide the triall though alas there be too many mountebanks and boasting chymists who therewith are deluded and would cozen the world with such brasse and counterfeit mettall with the shadow in stead of the substance condemning all these as too precise who do not think such coyn good enough for carrying on a trade with heaven and for eternity Thus the blessed Spirit worketh sutably to his name and maketh us in some measure (m) Rom. 8.29 conformable to his own image he Spiritualizeth our carnall earthly and selfish desires or rather in stead of these doth (n) Coloss 3.10 Eph. 10. creat in us new and heavenly affections which being offered up to God are our spirituall Sacrifice and therefore (o) 1 Pet. 2.5 acceptable to God through Jesus Christ they are spirituall not only in respect of the principall efficient the holy spirit and 2. in respect of the subject a renewed spirit put in us but also 3. in respect of the object 4. in respect of the motive principle and end and 5. in respect of the maner of performance Now we come to third act of the Spirit whereby he enlightneth the blind eye and regulats directs and pointeth out the right object of our desires ah we know not what to ask we are ready to ask a stone instead of bread till the Spirit come with his help and teach us to ask what is good and expedient for us and agreable to the will of God Rom. 8.26 27. Unlesse the Spirit 1. anoint our eyes that they may behold and discerne 2. present the object 3. manifest and discover its beauty andexcellency and 4. stay our wandâing eye and hold it to the object nor suffering it to stray and slip we will not think on spirituall things nor are we able to contemplat their excellency and so they will not become amiable and desirable to us and though we get a flight view of them yet we soon weary in beholding such an Object till the Spirit stay our unstable spirits and maââ us ponder more seriously and still presse the honey-comb till it drop sweetness unlesse the Lord be our pilot and guid unlesse he direct and order our thoughts we neither know what to desire nor how to ask What need have we then with the Apostle 2 Thes 3.5 to pray that the Lord would direct our hearts not only unto the love of God which is one of the particulars there instanced but also to the love and desire of every thing whereby our communion with God may be promoved and our happinesse in enjoying of him for our portion may be secured and evidenced to our hearts 4. The Spirit filles the heart with reverentiall boldness and confidence in its adresses to God the sense of guilt may make the holiest Saint on earth with p Adam be afraid of God and tremble at his
what is cast into it And thus some though but a (a) Viz Pet. A. S. Jose ãâã I de theol spec lib. 3. cap 4 Hurtad metaph disp 12 sect 4. few give this as the only reason why Angels do not know the secrets of the heart viz. because the Lord will not concur with any creature for knowing the thoughts and secrets of its fellow-creature till the party himself consent that such or such a one should know and be made privy to his thoughts and that then the Lord only concurreth to the knowing of so much and by such only as the party concerned willeth and consenteth should be imparted and made known And thus angel-speech must import no more ex parte loquentis but a willing and consenting that others whether one or moe should know such and such a thought or desire and purpose of his heart I know none who of purpose hath disputed against this modern opinion concerning the speech of Angels only I find in M. Becan speaking to (b) M. Becan disputing against Scotus his assertion who thinketh that there may be species intelligibiles in the understanding without cognition vid. Bec. theo schol part 1. tract 3. cap. 1. quaest 10. another purpose two reasons that may be urged against it 1. it s miraculous for the Lord to deny his general and ordinary help and concurrence to the creature when it requireth it and is ready to work if not thus impeded and hindred 2. But if God would concur an Angel might thus search the heart and know what is in man which is Gods incommunicable property Ans 1. What is ordinary and constant ought not to be called miraculous especially when a publick good requireth it as here the good of man his preservation from Sathan that roaring Lyon that there may be some society amongst spirits c. Thus the earth and the water make one globe for the commodity of living creatures which is contrary to the natural inclination of these elements the waters naturally propending to be above and cover the earth but no such contrariety to any natural inclination can be alledged to be in the present case 2. To imagine an equal constant and uniform concurrence to be due to free and morall agents and that at all times and occasions is contrary to reason and experience and to the limitation Jam. 4.15 If the Lord will should the creature say we shall do thâs or that That debt and obligation which Jesuits and Arminians will have the Lord to ly under so that he must concur with second causes as they shall require and alwayes answer their beck and nodd is a most intolerable limitation of the most high and lofty one to the will and appointment of the poor weak ignorant foolish (c) Orthedoxi theologi nihilominus cum Thoma fatentur Deum quocies cum causis secundis concurrit non nisi congruenter naturis genio dispositioni ipsarum operari vid doctiss Twist de sci med lib 3. pag 434. Ubi optime expli cat quo modo Deus pro suo beneplacito possit immutare voluntatem homini lib. 1. pag. 170. concedit in Deo âsse decretum quoddam generale de ciendis creaturis suis ad suos motus congruenter naturis ipsarum creature 3. I would ask whether it be not granted on all hands that one Angel cannot know the thoughts of another without his consent but that consent doth not add any light or strength to the intellective faculty of the other whereby he becometh more able to know what formerly he could not and therefore all must needs here acknowledge some special dispensation of providence whether it should be called miraculous or not we will not further enquire neither doth it concern us more then others As to the second the question is not whether an Angel might be so assisted as that he might search the heart which our famous Countrey-man Jo. (d) Nihil est in mente operatio scil quaecunque intellectus vel voluntatis vel quaecunque proprietas vel conditio realiâ husus vel âstius quin totum ita pateat angelo praeseuti non impedito sicut animae apparet albedo prasens per sensus Illud ergo dictum solus Deus novit abscondita cordium verum est universaliter ex propria persectione ita quod impossibile sit per aliquid impediens sibi lateat ãâã at Angeli muitos tales motus non noverunt propter defectum debitae presentiae mali angeli multa talia etiam praesentia non noverunt Deo impediente c. Scot. in 4. sent dist 45. quaest 4. sect ad 2. dico pag. mihi 472. Scotus long since taught with some limitations and in a qualified sense and know the thoughts but whether or not the Lord doth allow to him such a measure of light and assistance and doth remove all impediments so that he doth actually know and may at his pleasure search the heart of his fellow-creature And all here agree in denying that it is so neither will it follow from Sathans immediat influence which we affirm to have place only them when the Lord is pleased to remove the vail and permit him to look in And yet in the former case and supposiâg that there were no covering spread over the heart yet the understanding of Angels whether good or bad being of a limited and finite capacity could not 1. comprehend all the thoughts nor throughly and perfectly search the heart far less 2. the hearts of all men especally 3. when they do not advert and look in and 4. if the distance be too great and 5. when they are not viz. either before they arise in the heart or after that they are past O! but the infinit eye of God doth perfectly and independently search the heart he doth not need the assistance of any nor can any thing escape his knowledge so that he must know 1 all the thoughts 2. of all men 3. at whatsoever distance and 4. a fare off while they have no being and after they are past and before they have a being or did arise in the heart or could fall under the view of any creature and thus before we could know our own thoughts Ps 139.2 The Lord from all eternity did appoint and foresee what thoughts and purposes should be in the hearts of men and angells unto all eternity And so much concerning Sathans knowing and searching As to the other branch of the difficulty propounded at the beginning viz. concerning his power over the heart We Ans Albeit Sathan when the Lord permitteth him hath an immediate accesse to our most secret chamber and cabin and thus may cast his fiery darts not only towards but also up and down the house yet he cannot set it on fire though he may parly with the will and suggest his temptations yet he cannot (e) Latrare potest sollicitare potest mordere omnino non potest nisi volentem non
enim cogendo sed suadendo nocet nec extorquet a nobis consensum sed petit Aug. serm 197. de tempore prope finem nos dia bolum non adjuvemus vincimus dat ille quidem consilium sed Deo auxiliante nostrum est vel eligere vel repudiare quod suggerit hom 12. ex 50. oper Tom. 10. fol. mihi 96. Sed tantum turbare potest fallere quantum _____ nos volumus _____ Prudent in hamartogenia _____ Angelus non sic est supra hominum quod sit causa voluntatis ejus nihil aliud potest esse causa voluntatis nisi iple Deus Angelus autem tantum objective movere potest voluntatem Thom. 1 2. quaest 9 art 6. force it to consent and welcome the temptation That Virgin cannot be ravished by him without her own voluntary choyce and consent and then it is not a rape but a free bargain and spoutaneous yeelding to him though he can counsel and allure and many wayes insinuate and labour to perswade yet he hath not power over the will to compell and draw it along he can blow at the fire within and cast in fuel but he cannot inflame the heart and affections he can with much art and subtilty suggest but he cannot force us to entertain his suggestions Only he who made the heart can bow and change it and turn it whethersoever he will Prou. 21.1 Prov. 16.1 9. Jer. 10.23 Jer. 32.39 Ezek. 11.19 Act. 16.14 c. You will say if the Saints did think that Sathan could come so near to them they would live in a continual fear this is ve y terrible and uncomfortable doctrine Ans Can it vex and grieve the Saints that they are in the hand of God and that they must live in a continuall dependance upon him Sathan is chained Iude v. 6. and he cannot advance one foot towards thee unlesse the Lord loose some links of that chain And though that Lyon roar never so fiercely yet he cannot make a prey of thee without thine own consent Therefore albeit the consideration of Sathans immediat approach should stir us up to watchfulness and circumspection in our walk yet it needs not in the least discourage the Saints Whatever be said as to the way and manner of his working upon the heart whether it be mediat or immediat if the Lord would permit him to do his worst and would leave us who are so weak foolish and corrupt to our selves how easily would we become a prey to his manifold and subtile temptations it were no difficult work for him to set on fire that powdertrain that is within us And doth not our life both natural and spiritual our estate all our comforts and accommodations depend upon God and will it grieve the child that he must look up to his kind father for protection and provision Use 1 Now a word of application 1. Let us magnifie and praise the Lord who keepeth this roaring Lyon in iron-chains and doth not permit him to do all the hurt and mischief he would and otherwise might do to us Though he may permit him to winnow and sift the Saints yet will never suder him to blow away the wheat though he may make them stagger and fall yet he shall never be able to make their faith fail Luk. 22.31 32. and without their own consent and concurrence he cannot draw and compell them to commit the least sin Hence Use 2 2. Beware that thou make not Sathans power and malice a cloak and excuse for thy sin all his prisoners are voluntiers none are taken captive by him as his (f) 2 Tim. 2.26 will ââthout their own will and consent To this purpose the âââous (g) Sed dicet aliquis ãâã gatus est quare adhuc tantum praevalet vetum est fratres charissimi quod mulium praevalet sed tepidis âc negligentibus Deum in veritate non ââmenâibus dominatur alligatus enim est tanquam innexus canis cateâis neminem potest mordere ni si eum quise illi mortifera securitate conjunxerit jam videte fratres quam stâltus est homo illâ quem canis in catena pofitus mordet tute illi per voluntates ââpâ dit atââââculi noli conjungere ille ad te non praesumit accedere latrare potest sââââitaââ pââest mordere omnino non potest nisi volentem non enim cogendo sed suadendo ãâã nec ââtorquet a nobis consensum sed petit August Serm. 197. de tempore Augustine speaketh notably well Sathan saith ãâã is a dog chained and can bite none but those who come within his reach and who by their stupid scourity cast themselves in his way He must be a mad man who is bitten by a chained dog Do not then by giving way to thy sensual and carnall delights and lusts cast thy self within the compass of his chain and though he may bark at thee yet he cannot bite though he may counsell and sollicit yet he cannot draw and compell He cannot bite or wound any man without his own will and consent And (h) Mulâi ââââssioâââ peccati sic faâinat ut ipsum satanaââ accusent c. vid. insigââââ ãâ¦ã ââuculerteâ ãâã âânstrat perperam homimâ celââibus surs ostendere vim a daemââââll atam Auâ hom 12. ex 50. elsewhere There is nothing saith he can delight the devil more then to hear sinners excuse themselves and cast the blame upon him knowing their condition to be desperat till they confess and take with their guiltiness but could Sathan force thee O man didst their not voluntarity go to work All that Satan could do was to counsell and sollicit but why didst thou not rathââ hearken to Gods counsell thou hadst a monitor on the right âand and on the lest and thou wast placed as it were in the middle why then didst thou rather hearken to Sathans Syren song on the left hand then to the voice from heaven on the right why didst then rather follow Sathan into everlasting perditiââ then Christ into eternall life did not God offer thee strength and wast thou not able in the power of his might to stand against the power and wiles of the devil Eph. 6.10.11 It s true Sathan doth obtestricate and playeth the mid-wife to the bringing forth of sin yea in some sense he is the father and concurreth to the conception of it but yet never without the mothers consent and as in the proper and natural generation though some of the learned do think that Sathan may have a hand in it as is commonly reported of the famous English Merlin that he was begotten of the devil and Lud. Vives (i) Ludov. Vives in August de civ Dei lib. 5. cap. 23. saith that some nations did most abominably glory that they did descend of the devils but whatever truth be in the thing it self yet it s granted on all hands that the devil is not the true and proper (k) Nonnulli affirmant
be once stopt and a trade rightly carried on for eternity he will raise what storms he can and send out many pyrats either âo surprize or draw it back again Many are the snares and temptations hinderances and impediments which the Saints do meet with in their way to heaven whereas hypocrits and formall professors go on in their course without opposition or difficulty But let none mistake as if hereby a pretence were ministred unto the laziness stoth and negligence of such as are in the right way certainly the zeal activity and diligence of those who are without shall stop thy mouth and make thee inexcusable in the great day if thou thus rest upon an orthodox profession and if thou be in Christ and art led by his Spirit (p) 1 Joh. 4.4 Stronger is he who is in thee then he who is in the world thou hast another kind of help and assistance for doing good then others O then let thy work be answerable If in any good motion we can discern one or moe of those wicked designs we may be jealous least Sathan have a hand in it and should guard against his devices which when espied may serve as so many marks and characters whereby we may know the print of his foot though he be disguised appearing in white rayment To which these few may be added 1. As to the matter If in prayer our desires be meerly or mainly selfish and natural Sathan may concur and blow up the coal of carnal heat within And thus there may be much enlargement of affections much fervency and importunity without the help of the Spirit as in that people Hos 7.14 when they assembled themselves and howled for corn wine Isa 26.16 and when they multiplied their prayers and sacrifices Isa 1.15 11. Esau may weep for want of an earthly blessing Gen. 27.34 though he undervalued and little minded the marrow of the blessing the love and favour of God But none can without the Spirit of God say with David one thing have I desired that will I seek after that I may behold the beauty of the Lord Ps 27.4 And with Asaph whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon earth I desire besides thee Ps 73.25 Who is able seriously to pray for help to pluck out the right eye and cut off the right hand and to part with his darling lusts and affections unless he be acted and strengthned by the Spirit of God Who can with Agar say give me not riches least they proven snare Prov. 30.8 9. unlesse the Lord breath into his heart such a desire Sathan will not help thee to (q) Mat. 6.33 seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness and in thy desires to prefer holiness to riches heaven to earth and Gods glory to thy own self-interest 2. As to the end Sathan may stir thee up to (r) Jam. 4.3 ask that thou mayest consume what thou gettest upon thy lusts but who doth desire any thing from God that he may be (s) Ps 35.27 magnified and that what he giveth may be employed for his honour unless he get help from heaven Only the Spirit of God can elevate our desires to so high and noble an (t) Of the ends of prayer Part. 2. ch 1. end and make us honestly obey the exhortation 1 Cor. 10.31 He who must do all must also pray to the glory of God and this of our selves we cannot do 3. As to the maner Sathan can stir us up to pour out absolute and peremptory desires for outward things and faint lazy moderate and submissive desires for grace Sathan makes us invert the right order and method he will not protest though thou ask mercy pardon of sins c. that conscience may be stilled and satisfied but thou must not be too earnest and anxious concerning those things and thy desires must not be boundless and illimited a little of grace saith he will do the turn and any kind of desire though never so âold and formall is sufficient 2. Sathan can move thee to ask the world for it self and to make self thy last end but the Spirit of God must enable us to deny our selves and to ask outward things in subordination and in relation to the great end If Sathan prescribe our lusts must reign and grace must be the hand-maid and be only so far sought as it is subservient to our carnall ends and for a quiet and peaceable fulfilling of our lusts 3. Sathan can beget in the heart a child-like expectation and confidence though thou be a stranger he can make thee expect the portion of a son he will not suffer thee once to question thy state and acceptance least if conscience were awakened thou shouldst seek after a change But it is the work of the Spirit to beget in us childlike affections and make us love God delight in a communion with him and be loath to grieve him and he only can enable us to call him in truth Abba Father Rom. 8.15.4 Sathan can move thee to what is good unorderly by making thee leave thy place and station and invade another mans office (u) 2 Sam. 15.4 Oh! that I were made Judge in the land said Absolom and mayest thou say prayer-wayes Thus also Saul would offer sacrifice 1 Sam. 13.9 and Vzziah burn incense 2 Chr. 26.16.19 They would go out of their own sphere and exercise the ministerial Function wherefore the Lord justly punished both the one and the other It was good and a commanded duty to offer sacrifice but it did not belong to Sauls office it was fit that supplication should be made to the Lord but it belonged not to Saul to do it in a publick and ministerial way as it would appear Saul then did v. 12 it was necessary that incense should be burnt before the Lord but it did not appertain to Vzziah as Azariah told him v. 18. but to the Priests the sons of Aaron who were consecrated to that office But the Spirit of Christ moveth orderly making us to contain within our own sphere and to abide in the same calling wherein we were called according to his commandment 1 Cor. 7.20.24 A heart acted by the Spirit can with David Psa 131.1 say when he maketh his supplication to God O Lord my heart is not haughty nor mine eyes lofty neither do I exercise my self in great maters or in things too high for me The Lord will have all things done decently and in order and is not the author of confusion 1 Cor. 14.40.43 and as he leadeth not his children out of the way So neither doth he bring them to dark and unpassable paths it is not from him that weak Christians especially these of the female Sex do meddle and vex themselves with dark questions and intricat disputes or that the most strong and learned do dive too curiously in things not revealed and in the secrets of the Almighty He knoweth that to be an
justice if then he find an impression upon his spirit to desert his duty and go to his closet and pray he may fear lest Sathan have a hand in it Thus while we are at (f) Thus he laboured to divert the people from attending to Christs Doctrine by a most specious but unseasonable confession that Christ was the holy one of God Luk 4.33 34. Thus also while Paul and those who were with him were at prayer he indeavoured to interrupt them by a fair testimony given to the Apostles and their doctrine by a possessed damsel Act. 16.16 17. If Sathan can steal away the heart from the present duty he careth not by what means prayer if we find some good motion suggested which doth distract and draw away our hearts from the present work if while we are hearing conscience press us to read if while we are attending our Masters business conscience call us to employ that time which is not our own in some religious exercise c. these and the like are unseasonable motions and cannot then proceed from him who hath appointed a season and fit time for every thing under the Sun and made every thing beautifull in its time Eccl. 3.1.11 But as he maketh his servants to reap in due season Gal. 6.8 9. he will also make them sow and bring forth fruit in the right season Psa 1.3 6. As to the effect Though satanical suggestions may be very violent and impetuous and forcibly press us to act yet they are fruitless they bring no provision for the work and for a right and spiritual way of performance they are like water poured out upon the rock not like the rain that falleth upon the valleys Sathans morsels do not feed the soul 1. Then it leaveth no heavenly and spiritual impression upon the heart it doth not enlarge and open it towards God nor stir up self-abasing and heavenly affections 2. Neither doth it give strength for doing the work to which it impelleth in an acceptable maner when the heart is thus stirred up to pray it will continue dead and cold in the performance for his motions often go no further then the imagination fleeting there and not descending to the heart to inflame it But 3. though they affect the heart as when they prevail they must do more or less they quickly evanish and do not abide though he would have us to work that he may ensnare us in the work of our own hands yet he would not have our heart too much fixed on any good work and therefore when we stretch forth our hands he with-draws his help and puts out his candle and the sparks he had blown up he is fitly in respect of his work compared to lightning Luk 10.18 it is an evanishing flash quickly gone which though it may awaken yet it doth not warm the traveller But 4. though it abide and all the while excite and press us forward yet it giveth no strength to do it is like a whip or spur that driveth the weary beast but addeth no help or assistance And though thus the work may be done yet the maner of performance must be dead and formal and as to the end and motives carnal and selfâish and is it any wonder to see Sathan have a hand in such good works But thus we see that Sathan dealeth with the Saints as Pharaoh and the Task-masters once dealt with the Israelites who urged them to work and make brick but would allow them no straw or materials for the work Exod. 5.6 7. But 5. far less doth Sathans impression fit and dispose the heart for doing hereafter a good work flowing from his breath is infectious it rather deadneth and indisposeth then quickneth the heart and rather begetteth a prejudice against holiness then true love to it because of its power which then is not felt and beauty which is not seen and perceived Far less 6. is Sathans motion influential on the life and conversation if it do not encline and dispose the heart for duties of the same kind and nature it can hardly be imagined that it will extend it self further if praying now thus will not make thee love that exercise the better and fit and dispose thee for praying hereafter then though the Lord in his wise providence and for ends known to himself should give what thou thus desiredst that mercy would not prove a mean to increase thy love to him neither wouldst thou labour to improve it for him and lay it out for his honour far less upon this account wouldst thou take heed to thy steps as being loath to offend him and say with him Psa 116.9.12.14 What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits I will pay my vows unto him and in my whole carriage walk before him unto all (g) Col. 1.10 well-pleasing being fruitfull in every good work O! but the influence of the Spirit is soul-strengthning and enlarging it is fruitfull like the warm showers upon the mowen grass Psa 72.6 and like that water poured upon the thirsty Isa 44.3 4. As he quickneth and stirreth us up to do So he enableth and helpeth our weakness and infirmities Rom. 8.26 His influence is not partial it extendeth to the whole life and conversation to strengthen and establish us in every good word and work 2 Thess 2.17 1. To do 2. To do well And 3. to do every thing that the Lord commandeth if the Spirit help us to pray he will help us to pray well and love well Now a word of application Use 1 1. Be not puffed up because of some lively as thou didst think impressions on thy heart driving thee to thy knees and drawing thee to the throne but ponder what hath been thy carriage while thou camest before the King how thy heart was then enlarged and what influence that duty had upon thy life and conversation if thou didst vow and pay to the Lord c. Sathan can transform himself and then he is most dangerous and mischievous to the Saints a white devil is an ill guest Use 2 2. O! but take heed that this be not pretended and made a cloak for thy resisting and grieving the Spirit of God Though Sathan at sometimes be permitted to blow the coal that we may see to work yet he is out of his own element when he stirreth us up to our duty and seldom doth he meet with an occasion and opportunity in which he may gain by our prayers and religious performances and therefore unless his hand be manifestly discerned let us follow and entertain such a motion let us embrace and cherish what is good in it not perplexing our selves by enquiring from what hand it did come and though he did suggest it yet if we could guard against his wiles and devices following what is good in it but not for the ill ends proposed by him nor suffering our selves to be ensnared thereby we might thus disappoint and befool him making him hold the
clamours and accusations of the judge within and for the most part a little will do the turn some few outward performances without life and affection the popish opus operatum if the work be done no matter how it be done from what principle upon what motives and to what end Thus Paul before his conversion was a great zealot conscience did press him to do many things upon the matter good and he verily thought with that Ruler Luk. 18.21 that he had perfectly kept the whole law and lacked nothing Act. 22.3 Gal. 1.14 Though then he was as afterwards when his eyes were opened he professeth a blasphemer a persecutor and injurious 1 Tim. 1.13 O! but the Spirit enlargeth the heart and makes us with him Ps 119.6 have respect unto all Gods commandments he moveth to good and to all good without any reservation or limitation and enableth us to do and to do well and especially to look to the inward frame and carriage of the heart as knowing that to be the first thing the Lord asks for and mainly regardeth Prov. 23.6 c. 3. Albeit sometimes there may be a flash of impetuous violence and fervency as in him who riding post for a kingdom said (p) 2 King 10.16 come and see my zeal for the Lord yet (q) Natural motions to good are 1. rare and not usual 2. they are weak and ãâã faint 3. they are transient and quickly gone ordinarily and habitually and when such fits which are but evanishing flashes are past the stirrings and motions of an unrenewed heart are faint weak and remiss a little blast will blow them away how small a temptation did make that great zealot embrace Jeroboams calves and turn aside from the law of the Lord ver 31. A little trouble and difficulty loss hazard or danger will out-cry a natural conscience and either stop its mouth or prevail against its clamours thus Pilat though convinced of Christs innocency and desirous to set him at liberty will rather deliver him to be crucified then lose the peoples favour his conscience soon yielded to their importunity the warning of a natural conscience is transient and soon choaked like to Ephraim and Judah their goodness which was (r) Hos 6.4 as the morning cloud and the early dew which at the approaching of the Sun will quickly vanish and pass away O! but the Spirit enableth us to stand fast and be constant and immovable in the day of temptation being in nothing terrified by our adversaries and to obey the exhortation Phil. 4.1 Phil. 1.27 28. 1 Cor. 16.13 c. A proof whereof we have in that cloud of witnesses who under cruel mockings scourgings bonds c. obtained a good report Heb. 11. The Spirit fills the heart with (Å¿) Heb. 6.18 strong consolations as an antidot against strong temptations and by the power of his might out of weakness we are made strong Heb. 11.34 2 Cor. 12.9 Yea when the quickning presence of the Spirit is withdrawn yet his assisting and supporting presence continueth without change and alteration except in some extraordinary cases procured by our pride sloth c. in which there is as it were deliquium gratiae the new man is cast in a sownd and yet if a discerning Physician did feel his pulse he would find some motion the man is not quite dead his soul is in him the fountain of life is not yet altogether stopt the seed of God yet remaineth in him 1 Joh. 3.9 But during that fit of lethargy the old man rageth and tyranizeth improving that advantage to the utmost and like that dumb devil Mark 9.17.20 22. he often teareth the man and casteth him into the fire and the water to destroy him but the Lord at length pitieth him and as Christ there ver 25. rebuketh the foul spirit and restores the captive to his former liberty but for ordinary the Lord doth not with-draw the assisting yea and in some measure quickning yea even when he doth with-hold the comforting sealing and witnessing influence of his Spirit therefore the Saints stand when others do fall away their leaves are alwayes green and they being planted in God's orchard and from time to time watered by his hand they constantly bring forth fruit in all seasons whileas brambles seeming to blosom for a season shall quickly wither and decay Psa 1.3 4. What though the Saints be not alwayes alike enlarged in duty and have not the same quickning comforting and ravishing manifestations and influences Yet alwayes they have what is necessary to life and motion and they are still advancing and going forward towards their home and it is an evidence the sails were filled with a kindly wind when the Vessel without interruption though not alwayes equally is carried on till at length it arrive at the desired haven But the whirle-wind that bloweth from a naturall conscience though it may impetuously fill the sails and drive the Vessel by a confused motion yet it carrieth it not on towards the harbour but after much tossing too and fro the ship may be as far from the port as before that blast did come and so though it may trouble and molest yet it doth not help the passenger but he seldom meeteth with such a storm which usually ariseth from some extraordinary occasion and when it cometh it is quickly over and gone 4 The motions of a natural conscience are ill seated and placed as strangers they are admitted to the utter court but they are not taken in to the parlor they may have some room as common trash in the house but they are not like the jewels laid up in the cabin as weeds they may grow without the hedge but they are not taken in to the garden they fleet in the understanding and get a candle set down before them there and are attended by the practical judgment and the sentence of the conscience but though they come to the heart and stand at the door and knock yet they cannot get entrance the will and affections take up arms against them and hold them at the door and thus though they come from within yet in some respect they may bâ called violent and unnatural the byass and inclination of the heart and will which is the great soveraign and sord of our microcosme is against them they are not unlike the faith of devils which maketh them tremble Jam. 2.19 For 1. as to their original and rise they do not proceed from a kindly principle but from slavish fear conviction and the challenges of conscience awakned by some outward rod or threatning c. As thus they come before they be sent for they rush in without the consent of the will Multitudâs are ready here to mistake and to esteem the light of conscience to be the choice and inclination of the will thinking that they love God and the beauty of holiness because the practical judgment doth dictate that God is the most lovely object and grace most
desirable the worst of men may have much light together with much hatred and enmity at what they know to be good and right and often they could wish that their light were darkness that they might with the greater liberty and freedom follow their course they could (t) Like to the siug gard who lying on his bed said O! si hoc esset laborare wish that sin were duty and evil good and then there should be no better Saints and Perfectionists then they they would become the greatest Puritans in the world But it is far otherwise with the children of God they wait upon the breathings of the Spirit and stir up the seed and habits of grace in the heart they love their duty and delight to do the will of God who hath not given unto them the spirit of fear but of power of love and a sound mind 2 Tim. 1.6 7. Sinners are students in evil and plot how they may do wickedly but good thoughts arise in their mind without study and meditation and therefore as it were casually and by chance as to their labour care and providence But the Saints study how to do that which is commanded and would be well-pleasing and acceptable to God and sinfull motions arise in them without their consent and contrary to the desire of their heart it is with them as it was with the Apostle when they would do good evil is present with them against their will Rom. 7.21 2. As to their welcom and entertainment as good motions do thus come to carnal hearts before they be sent for So they are hardly used when they come they are unwelcom guests and there will be no peace till the house be freed of their trouble and any service and entertainment they meet with for the time is most uncheaâfull and constrained but if they be civil and modest and call for no more but some external easie and not costly service as to pray hear sermon c. some obedience for the fashion must be yeelded but without love and delight the heart still protesting against the work and while employed therein saying with that people Amos 8.5 When will the Sabbath be gone and the sermon ended c. Thou comest to the work unwillingly and followest it with unchearfulness and weariness and goest away rejoycing that thy task is finished but if some inward work and heart-exercise be required thou cannot away with such task-masters thou must shake off that intolerable yoak and some one way or other ease thy self of that weary some burdon any Physician though never so miserable and accursed must be imployed rather than thou shouldst thus be held on the rack If Cain be pricked in conscience he will go build a City and by business abroad labour to calm the storm within Saul calls for musick Judas runs to the halter and Felix throwes away the nipping plaister c. But it is mater of sad regrate to the Saints when the Lord with-draws the awakning and quickning motions of his Spirit and with what importunity will they pray the wind may blow Ye may hear them with the spouse thus panting after the heavenly breathings Awake O north wind and come thou south blow thou upon my garden that the spices thereof may flow out Cant. 4.16 and when the precious gaile cometh they will sit down under Christs shadow with great delight his fruit will then be sweet to their taste Cant. 2.3 But you will say Obj. may not the unconverted taste the good word of God and the powers of the world to come and not only be enlightned Ans but also taste of the heavenly gifts Ans Yes they may Heb. 6.4 5. But 1. that taste is rare and not usual 2. It is superficial and not satisfying And 3. it is not pure and spiritual (u) A word in the by to that weighty case concerning the difference between a temporary flash and the solid and pure joy of the holy Ghost 1. It is rare and seldom attained by any reprobat and then it is not a work of meer morality and nature but must proceed from some though not proper and peculiar to the Saints nor sanctifying and converting operation of the Spirit Hence they are said to be made partakers of the holy Ghost v. 4. And because it is thus singular and extraordinary therefore a most terrible and extraordinary judgment is denounced against such as have thus been brought so near the harbour and yet turn sail that they shall never taste of the pardoning mercy of God nor get grace to repent v. 4.6 But 2. their taste is superficial and slight in comparison of that which the converted find it is not meat to them it maketh them not grow they taste spiritual things as cooks do the meat which they dress for others they could not live upon what they thus eat but must have their meals beside or rather as they who serve at the table they find the smell of the meat but eat none of it though some ordinary dish may be left for them yet they must have nothing of the more delicat portion So the unconverted may get something of the portion that is set on the childrens table and find as it were a smell of the heavenly and spiritual gifts which may so affect them as if they did eat and is therefore called a taste but yet nothing of that is let fall to them Albeit some of the Israelites might taste of the pomegranates of the land of Canaan brought (x) Numb 13.23 from thence by the spies who never entred the promised land yet none I think ever tasted of the fruit of the heavenly Canaan but must come thither and enjoy the fruit of that place to the full a stranger doth not intermeddle with their joy But then whether that taste was real or only called so because it was much like and did did resemble a true taste yet certainly 1. it was but an evanishing flash it was but a lightning and no continuing heat flowing from a principle within to feed and give life unto it And thus 2. it was empty and weak fleeting in the affections and not reaching the heart to make an impression upon it by it the streams the actings of the heart were somewhat enlightned and sweetned but the fountain and heart it self was not bettered or altered thereby and nothing of its poison and bitterness removed though the word was received with joy in the stony heart yet that joy was rootless and soon withered it did not pierce the ground only some moisture from thence was conveyed to it which the heat of the day did quickly did eat out and it decayed Mat. 13.20 21. 3. It is not pure and spiritual there is much of self and of a sensual interest mixed with and prevailing in it and albeit it often surprizeth the man without any previous deliberation or endeavour who for the time useth not to reflect upon the motives and
end yet if then he did reflect or if after it is gone he would consider he might with (y) 2 Sam. 18.29 Achimaaz say that he saw a great tumult but knoweth not well what it was And 1. he will not find that God was it's object or if it did close with God yet in a philosophical way immediatly and not in the Mediator Jesus Christ 2. Not for himself or because of any beauty and excellency discovered in him there was much of self in it and it did flow rather from what was expected by being with him then by beholding of his face and enjoying himself such a one would rather have heaven without God then if these could be separated God without heaven 3. Though it come (z) A soul thot hath not delight in the exercises of Gods worship may yet find delight while imployed in them arssing from some selfish and carnal motives through an ordnance yet it is not in the ordinance there goeth not alongst with it a discovery of the beauty and amiableness of holiness neither is the heart engaged to love and delight therein But any love to God or to his work and service which they seem to have is selfish viz. because therein something was enjoyed that was pleasant to their taste and the heart was thereby raised up to expect some sort of pleasures hereafter and to escape wrath and judgment but they come not the length to rejoyce in the exercises of religion because God was thereby honoured and thus their joy is not a God-exalting and God-loving but a self-seeking and self-delighting joy But supposing that while we compare transient acts together it were hard to shew the difference between such temporary flashes and that more solid joy which floweth from an inward and abiding principle created in the heart and elevated in its acting above the sphere of nature by the sweet breathings of the Almighty What if the Lord to stay our curiosity and to stir up our diligence that we may not rest upon any measure here attained c. would not clearly reveal and in his word discover it and experience here can have no place if we speak of that special tast which only they get who are to get no more since from that state they fall head-long into the blasphemy against the holy Ghost it may banish anxiety and satisfie us that in their properties and effects they much differ as 1. that temporary flash doth not purifie and change the heart 2. it doth not make us love God for himself nor fall in love with the beauty of holiness 3. it maketh not a man deny himself 4. it doth not abide c. You will say the Saints themselves often complain Obj. that the Lord quickly withdraweth the comfortable sense of his presence that they do not alwayes (a) Ps 34.8 tast and see his goodness and beauty that he often hideth his face and they do not tast that joy and sweetness in the ordinances which they have formerly found many a poor soul may with Bernard say heu Domine Deus rara hora brevis mora Ans Yet it is not such a stranger to them as to others Ans though it go yet it will come again and from time to time renew its visits and it never so withdraweth but it leaveth some pledge behind it till the marriage day and then there shall be no more a separation and departing the Bridegroom shall never withdraw his countenance neither shall he any more with-hold this Jewel yea and during the time of espousals there is a difference between that claim the bride hath to it and the title which any other can pretend and that in respect 1. of her right unto 2. estimation and 3. enjoying of it For 1. it is her allowance her husband hath left it to her in his legacy Joh. 16.22 Secondly it is not such a stranger to the Saints as to others who when they think they have it get but the shell and casket they do not truly enjoy it only they think and seem to have it ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Luk. 8.18 Thirdly it is better secured to them no man can take it from them and they cannot themselves so lose it that they shall not sind it again if they will ask and make enquiry for it Joh. 16.22 24. Fourthly when they have it they prize and esteem highly of it Fifthly they labour to maintain and cherish it Sixthly it is their affliction to want it and they long for it And seventhly they diligently seek after it in the use of every ordinance But it is not so with carnall hearts it is 1. a mystery and 2. for the most part a matter of mocking to them they do not 3. prize it nor 4. long for it and if it come 5. it surprizeth them in any ordinance as it were at unawares and then 6. they undervalue it and 7. do not labour to retain it and thus 8. it quickly vanisheth and passeth away never to return again and the latter end is worse with them then the beginning 2 Pet. 2.20 21 22. But to return 5. It were no difficult work here to multiply particulars as 1. If such motions come regularly and in the use of the ordinances if while thou art waiting and longing for the breathings of the Spirit if it blow upon thy garden while thou art saying awake O north wind If fire fall on thy sacrifice as it did upon Elijahs 1 King 18.36.37 38. thou mayest safely conclude that it came from heaven 2. If these motions be followed with sutable engagements and promises if as we are moved and stirred up to do good so we are carefull to do and make conscience to follow that motion and if as we promise and pray well so we live well and are circumspect in our walk we do not go to work by fits and starts but keep a constant course in our walking with God and praying to him here there is a concatenation if one link of this golden chain be broken the whole becometh useless yea loseth its name and nature it is no more gold but tinne or brass He cannot pray well who doth not live well è contra But 3. the work of the Spirit is sometimes so signal and remarkable that it bringeth a full and clear evidence with it as 1. when it is so notable and eminent that it elevateth the soul above the sphere of nature and thus by his work it self the Lord discovereth his hand 2. Though the work be not so eminent and ravishing yet it may bring alongst with it a torch in its hand to let us see the place from which it came and thus the Spirit witnesseth with his work and whether his finger be discovered the one way or the other whether he thus work or witness we need not an additional testimony to confirm what he hath deponed There will then be no place for this case 6. We might here
apply most of the characters brought for clearing the former quaeree concerning Sathans suggestions which here will be as discriminative as they are there as 1. if these motions be spiritual as to the motives and end they cannot flow from nature for no (b) Nihil agit supra sphaeram activitatis agent can act beyond its own sphere 2. If they stir us up to do in a right maner c. we will not resume the several particulars only let us presse the last a little further Now the motions of the Spirit do manifestly differ from our natural motions as to their effect upon the heart For 1. they being weak as we have shown Chap. 3. they can make no lively impression upon the heart nor engage the affections and thus they are often choaked and repelled yea albeit when they as in Jehu are animated by self-interest and base carnall ends Sathan also obstetricating and putting his to hand to help forward the work albeit thus they become violent and impetuous yet they are helplesse though they presse the heart to yield yet they furnish no strength for doing in a sutable and spiritual maner though they may add vigour to the outward man in its natural actings and thus also there may be a habit facility and gift acquired for producing the like acts hereafter yet the heart is no whit bettered nor thereby made to fall in love with the beauty of holiness the doing of one duty thus doth not fit and prepare the heart for doing better and more spiritually hereafter but rather indisposeth it by habituating it to do in a formal carnal maner O! but the Spirit of God is the Spirit of power 2 Tim. 1.7 who as he exciteth us to do so also assisteth us in doing and enableth us to do well and in an acceptable maner he helpeth our infirmities and supplieth our weakness Rom. 8.26 1 Pet. 5.10 Colos 1.11 He maketh us beleeve and then speak he will stir up faith to act and thereby fit and prepare the heart to pour out its desires to God Ps 116.10 It s true the Saints may meet with streitnings and ly under much deadness when the spirit begins to move but even then they meet with secret strength and assistance whereby they are supported to hold our and not give over nor to yield to the contrary suggestions of Sathan and the flesh and therefore we should not alwayes measure the Spirits help by sense feeling but when thus it cannot be so sensibly discerned though it truly be afforded yet we cannot make use of it as a mark and sign for clearing the present case till in the issue this mist and darkness be dispelled 2. Then wait and the vision shall come it shall not tarry ere it be long ye shall discern his hand to your comfort and find a sweet sent and savour left upon the heart behind him when he cometh he will leave some myrrh upon the handles of the lock which will make our fingers drop sweetly Cant. 5.5 Lastly as natural motions do not positively amend and make the heart better so neither do they negatively amend it or make it less evill as they add no good to it so they take no evil out of it though the acts of sin may be restrained yet the habits are not debilitated though the streams be stopt yet the fountain still abideth full though some branches be cut off yet the bulk and root suffereth not prejudice but may be all the while growing and enlarging it self O! but the Spirit helpeth with might in the inner as well as in the outward man he helpeth us to do not only some outward acts but also to pull down the strong holds of Sathan and every imagination and high thing that would exalt it self against God Eph. 3.16 2 Cor. 10.4 5. When the Spirit once beginneth to breath upon us then sin in root and branches must like the house of (c) 2 Sam. 3.1 Saul after David did come to the throne daily wax weaker and weaker Vse 1. You have need to (d) 1 Joh. 4.1 try by what spirit ye are acted and led Use 1 and from whence the fire is brought that burneth your sacrifice all is not gold that glisters if your treasure be filled with brass in stead of good coyn you are undone the most miserable have something that looketh like current money wherewith they rest satisfied but when they bring it to the market they are sent away empty the worst of men have not only had some good motions some light and pressing convictions but also good affections some pangs of sorrow and repentance and some flashes of zeal joy and holy desires carnal men will have their fits of seeming devotion and their good moods you may look upon Cain complaining and lamenting his misery Esau weeping for the blessing Ahab humbling himself Felix trembling Judas repenting and confessing his sin Jehu in his zeal for the Lord destroying idolaters Herod and the stony ground hearing the Word gladly Balaam desiring to die the death of the righteous c. And therefore as ye would not be deceived in a business of such concernment put the matter to the tryal 2. Here is matter of praise to God unto all eternity Use 2 O! let us (e) Ps 103.1 call to our soul and summon all that is within us to joyn in this work let us invite the holy Angels to assist us yea let (f) Ps 69.34 heaven and earth sea and land with all their hosts if they had a tongue to speak joyn with us in praising our God for this his mervellous loving kindness towards the sons of men that he will give his Spirit to be our leader and guide our helper and comforter to awaken and quicken us when we are dull to corroborat and strengthen our fainting spirits to help and assist us in our work to comfort and refresh us when we grow weary and thus every way to help our infirmities O ye dull faint weak and disconsolated ones consider what a master ye serve and turn your complaints into songs of praises But remember that abused mercies exceedingly provoke the nearer the Lord draws to us in his kindness if we prove unthankfull our punishment will be more heavy and grievons Let us then look on the warning to the people of Israel concerning that Angel the great Angel of the Covenant who should conduct them to the promised land as if to day it were made to us in reference to this our blessed leader and guide to the heavenly Canaan Beware of him and obey his voice provoke him not least he pardon not your transgressions for my (g) In quo nomen Dei veraciter est quia verus Deus est Gloss interlin in loc name is in him saith the Lord Exod. 23.21 PART II. Of the qualifications of an acceptable prayer ALbeit the levitical Priesthood and material sacrifices did cease and those shadows (a) Heb. 8.13 evanish
after the (b) Heb. 3.1 high Priest of our profession had once made his (c) Isa 53.10 soul an offâring for sin and by that one oblation (d) Heb. 10.10.14 perfected for ever all that are sanctified yet the Lord will have a spiritual Priesthood to continue and his people still to (e) 1 Pet. 2.5 offer up to him their daily sacrifices and that (f) Exod. 28.36.38 engraving that was on the plate upon Aarons forehead to be written upon our hearts Holiness to the Lord. The pagan pharisaical and popish way of worship is an abomination to him he (g) Mat. 23.27 valueth not whited sepulchres and a (h) V. 25. clean out-side he will not be mocked with fair professions though accompanied with specious performances if the heart be wrong all is naught if it be not (i) Eph. 4.24 renewed and consecrated to the Lord in holiness to what purpose is the multitude of sacrifices they are but vain oblations Ah! Who hath required these things at your hands saith the Lord Isa 1.11 12 13. His Israel must be holiness to him holiness within and without every pot in Judah and Jerusalem must be holiness to the Lord Jer. 2.3 Zech. 14.21 I would ask after no other evidence of a false Church then with Papists to plead for the opus operatum the work done however it were done the meer carcasse of a performance void of all heat and life as if it were acceptable service to him who must be (k) Ioh. 4.23 worshiped in spirit and truth who calleth for (l) See Part 1. Ch. 4. heart-service as too little and without which he will accept nothing from our hands though we did bestow all our goods to feed the poor nay though we gave our bodies to be burnt if the heart and affections go not along if it be not a free-will offering it is nothing 1 Cor. 13.3 Hypocritical and formal Professors from time to time have been very frequent in duties and said many prayers but yet to this day never (m) Psa 62.8 poured out their heart before the Lord their frequency was not accompanied with fervency their sacrifices lay cold on the Altar there came no fire from heaven to kindle them and will the Lord accept such empty and deceitfull oblations he cannot away with them they are an abomination unto him and what mater of lamentation is it that so much precious ointment should be thus wasted and such a noble work prove so fruitless and unprofitable that so excellent and promising an exercise if rightly performed should be a miscarrying womb We are ready to complain of the Lord that he will not hear nor hearken to our cry whileas the fault is in our selves we will not cry he valueth not the voice of our tongue but if the heart did speak he would quickly hear and answer if we would seriously reflect upon the frame of our soul and diligently ponder our wayes and work we would find nay Gods own people and honest servants might see and be convinced that too often they send an unfaithfull messenger to the throne who doth miscarry and mar our cause because he cannot speak and is not acquainted with the language of the court And thus we receive not because we do not ask our asking is no asking in Gods account because we do not ask aright and do not seek God in that way in which he will be found and therefore it concerns us to take heed what kind of prayers we offer up to God lest our labour be lost and the Lord provoked against us while we are ready to conceive that we are doing him good service And for the direction of such as would not trade with heaven with counterfit coyn and who desire not to be found amongst the number of those (n) Jer. 48.10 cursed mockers who do the work of the Lord negligently and deceitfully we purpose now in the Lords strength to enquire after the qualifications conditions and properties of an acceptable and prevailing prayer We would not have these terms to be pressed in their strict and philosophical sense as if we minded now to enquire what did belong to prayer as essentials what only as accidentals reciprocal or not reciprocal but having in the first part of this Treatise spoken to those things that more properly serve to the opening up the nature of prayer we shall now take a view of those things that belong to the maner of performance and which are so necessary to its prevalency and acceptance All which if we duly ponder will be found as it were to flow from the two last particulars mentioned in the description (o) Of which Part 1. Ch. 8 9. viz. the purchase of Christ and the work of his spirit which therefore were placed in the first Part as being the fountain and original of all the rest and the sole ground of the prevalency of our prayers and would not conjoyn them with the streams and their effects which now come to be considered here albeit otherwayes we deny not that these two also may be reckoned among the conditions and requisits of prayer yea and in some such improper sense all that belongs to its nature and essence and every branch of the definition may be called a condition though hardly in any sense a property and (p) Albeit in the Schools they speak of a quale essentiale yet the word qualification in our language is not used in that sense qualification which three may here be promiscuously used of prayer And though the merit of Christ and the help of the Spirit might be called conditions yet they are no intrinsecal part of our work though our prayers must be as it were animated and enlivened by them but now we are to speak of that which must be wrought by us and be from us though supposing the assistance of the Spirit whereby we are enabled thereunto and therefore the disparity is manifest But that we may no more contend for words or method in this discovery of the qualifications of an acceptable prayer we shall not enumerate all and every one for scarce is there any one that doth concur and is required in any (q) Where the seven moral circumstances of our actions have place viz. quis quid ubi quibus auxiliis cur quomodo quando spiritual performance that may not some one way or other have place here but we shall only (r) Aquinas 2 2 quaest 83. art 15. ad 1. to the prevalenây of prayer riquireth four conditions viz. Ut orans pro se perat necessaria ad salutem pie ac perseveranter Bonavent in stimul divin amor cap. 4. requiri affirmat ut oratio siat 1. Humiliter 2. Fidenter 3. Pure Et 4 instanter Rayner pan-theolog § oâare cap. 7 ut orans exaudiatur quatuor requiri decet viz. Ut oret 1. Fideliter 2. Humiliter 3. Utiliter Et 4. Perseveranter Et cap. 9.
in the discharge of his ministry was more dear to him then his life Act. 20.24 And the Martyrs (l) ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã contempserunt vitam pro Christi gloria vid. Pareum Bez in Rev. 12.11 loved not their lives unto the death they were content rather to lay down their lives then God should lose the least of his glory True love as it is (m) Amor meus pondus meum eo feror quocunque feror active and resolute so it is liberal it will do much encounter many tryals and hazards and part with much yea with all rather then it will suffer the soul to be divorced from what it pursueth as the chief good and ultimat end Hence when we would try whether we ask temporals in subordination and with reference unto the glory of God as concerning spirituals this question scarce hath place while we sincerely ask them these having such an immediat and direct tendency to Gods glory that it may be called their (n) Finis intrinsec finis operis intrinsecal end and the end of the work it self though yet I deny not but the worker through the subtilty of Sathan and the corruption pride and deceitfulness of the heart may abuse and pervert these precious things to base and selfish ends which may be discerned by what we are now to say concerning temporals which may proportionally be applied to our thus asking spirituals But now to that question how shall I know what end I aim at in my prayer suppose thou heardst the Lord from heaven saying unto thee upon what terms desirest thou this mercy and wouldst thou have it upon any terms though it might prove a weapon to dishonour me what wouldst thou reply canst thou truly say nay Lord my soul abominats it as such and I would rather part with what mercies I enjoy then receive an addition to them upon such terms and thus if thou art as ready to pray against and deprecate these outward things under that redpulication as thou wast serious in asking them as supposed blessings thou needst not fear least thou hast asked amiss if thy end had been wrong thy desire had been more peremptory neither would it have thus stooped to the will of God Self and lust are impetuous and (o) Gen. 30.1 Rachel like are impatient in desiring and cannot bear a denial or delay but if they be satisfied it s no matter though God lose of his glory and the soul of its beauty and heavenly ornaments but when Gods glory is intended temporal things will be askt 1. moderatly both as to the degree of the desire and to the measure of the thing desired 2. with submission to the will of God and 3. in subordination to his glory And thus all regular prayers for temporals have two parts as we pray for such a mercy upon supposition of expediency and subserviency to the great end so either virtually or expresly we deprecat it upon the supposition of inexpediency and hurt as shall appear Part 4. chap. 1. And herein honest supplicants do imitate their Master and when they pray for any outward mercy or deliverance either actually or in the habitual intention they include a proviso and either imply in their desire or expresly ad this post-script to all such supplications (p) Mat. 26.39 42. Nevertheless not as I will but as thou wilt thy will be done 2. What we much love and mainly intend will be much in our eye and will often run in the thoughts we will not need a monitor to put us in minde of it but (q) What the Poet said of the land of our nativity viz. that it will not suffer us to forget it may more truly be said of our chief good and ultimas end Sua dulcedine semper Ducet immemores non sinet esse sui the mind must frequently meditate upon that which the heart much loveth and though it be shut out yet it will intrude and insinuate it self and creep in again upon the thoughts nay absence distance hazard and difficulty will but rather inflame the desire quicken and double our diligence and arrest and more seriously take up our thoughts then divert them from looking upon that which we much love and effectually intend If then the glory of God be the great errand and business and mark thou aimest at thou must frequently meditate upon it unless the archer have the mark in his eye he must shoot at random You will say Quest Ans but we cannot alwayes actually minde the glory of God When must we then and how often minde it Ans The more we think upon it it is an evidence that we intend it the more yet we must not determine how often and for how long a time the thoughts must be thus imployed As in other works and parts of holiness so here there is a great variety and latitude A popish Casuist (r) Pet a S. Joseph in Ethic. ad quaest An detur aliquis actus humanus indifferens in individuo seu ut loquuntur in actu exercito affirmeth that once at least every day we should renew our resolution to refer all our wayes to the glory of God and well might he say that this should be the minimum the least that ought to be done albeit alas too many titular Christians never once yet to this day did make or sincerely came to this resolution but I should think that at least as often as we pray we should renew this resolution and whensoever we ask temporals we should cordially say not our will but thine O Lord be done (Å¿) Proponitur hic exemplum enimi veri pit rihil aliud spectontantis quam gloâiam Dei dum in tribulationibuâ periculis auxilium divinum implorat Musââl in Psal 115.1 Not unto us O Lord not unto us but unto thy name give glory do what seemeth good in thy eyes and what serveâh most to illustrate the glory of thy name but (t) Psa 140.8 grant not our foolish desires and further not our hurtfull devices c. 3. He who asketh for the glory of God when he hath obtained what he desired will be carefull to improve and lay it out for that end Thus Hannah askt a son from the Lord and lent him to the Lord as long as he lived 1 Sam. 1.27 28. It is true she did not thus consecrate her other three sons to the publick ministry in the temple and it may be the Lord will not call thee to part with all but yet thou shouldest be in readiness if it were to offer up thy Isaac and to abandon thy darling and most beloved comforts and though thou art allowed still to possess yet mayest thou not improve thy possessions better for his glory and spare so much of them as he calls for which haply will be but a little But Ah! so much health and strength so much wealth and honour and nothing of that laid
significata vocis ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã apud Voet. sel disp part 1. pag. 10.9 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã were vexed with Or rather as Dr. Hammond an inspired prayer breathed into us by the holy Ghost and in which there is a sweet concurrence of the heavenly influence and of our own activity Every measure of affection is not suitable for this great work but the zeal strength and vigor of the heart must be here employed there must be much heat in the pot before the water boyl (r) ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã à ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ferveo bullâo Scap. in voc In the strict acception of the word it is a firy hissing heat lighting with the contrary Mr. Leigh his crit sac zeal in the heart if we look to the original of the word is the boyling of the affections it importeth the highest measure of fervour and intention and all is too little in this solemn performance Prayer should be ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã it should be extended not only to a length in respect of frequency and continuance as the word in our translation is expounded Act. 12.5 but also as to the affection it should be intense and stretched out as on the tenners and thus some ancient Liturgies as (Å¿) D. Ham. on Act 12.5 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã intentae viz. preces si ad animi ardorem placet referre Beza ibid. Dr. Hammond witnesseth are called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã because of their vehement fervent and importunat form of supplication The holy man David did stretch out his soul so far till he strained it according to his complaint Psa 119.20 My soul breaketh for longing And Psa 69.3 he draws up the strings so high till three of them become for a while useless and must be laid by his soul was so earnest and fervent so active and quick in its motion that not only 1. his throat and 2. his eyes began to fail but 3. his heart also became weary and was scarce able to hold up any longer But ah our bow is not able to discharge the arrow not because it is become feeble through too much bending but because it is not bent enough our affections are so languid and remiss because the heart is not drawn up far enough off the world and towards God and because they are so weak and faint therefore they are easily broken off and interrupted by Sathan or our lusts But O! if there were this holy zeal and enlargment in our affections what a notable guard and preservative would that be against wandring thoughts when the honey is boyling in the pot it is out of the reach of flees they dare not touch it and so long as that holy heat and zeal is maintained in the heart it is secured from these suggestions which otherwayes might divert and interrupt it And albeit Sathan notwithstanding would still assault yet his temptations would be but as a little water cast upon a great fire which though it might cause a hissing for a time yet would serve to cause it burn more clearly and hotly thereafter but for want of this holy fire our sacrifices lye cold on the Altar and the (t) Gen. 15.11 fowls may come and make a prey of them The Lord hath made us (u) Rev. 1.6 1 Pet. 2.5 Priests but where is the fire to burn our sacrifices his Servants and Ministers should like the Angels be a flaming fire Psa 104.4 His Ministers in heaven are (x) Seraphims h. e. ardentes à ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã incendit ussit Seraphims Isa 6.6 they (y) Seraphim denominantur ab ardore charitatis quae cum mortali peccato esse non potest ideo primus Angelus peecans non est denomiuatus Seraphim Thom 1. quaest 63. art 7. ad im burn with love to God and so dare not sin against him nor do his work negligently Hence Aquinas inferreth that the Angels which fell were not called Seraphims but whatever ground there be for such an inference yet certainly this fire of zeal and love to God is a strong guard against sin and a sharp spur to duty which must by little and little be first worn out of the heart before we become grossly negligent and careless of Gods worship Hence (z) Plurimi novitate conversionis ferventer orant postea ârigide postea languide postea negligenter vel potius ut loquitur alias viz. epist 121. ad Probam cap. 9. Ferventior praecedit effectus semper ergo à Domino desideremus Ne quod tepescere caeperat omnino frigescat penitus extinguatur nisi crebrius inflammetur Austins four degrees of decay at first saith he when there is zeal in the heart men pray fervently 2. afterward more remissly and luk-warmly and then 3. coldly and negligently and 4. at length the work ceaseth and is left off O! if we were more carefull to keep in this heat with what success might we pray An importunat supplicant will not take and he shall not get a repulse if God 1. delay he will with that widow Luk. 18.4 renew his request though an answer come not at first he will not faint but will once and again re-iterat his complaint nay 2. though the Lord threaten and seem to deny yet he will follow and pursue his suit Judg. 10.13.15 Mark 7.27 28. Nay 3. though he intreat and request yea and seem to command the supplicant to be gone and trouble him no more yet Moses and Jacob will not let him alone Exod. 32.10 11. Gen. 32.26 As there is a holy and commendable (a) Matth. 11.12 violence So also impudence the (b) ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã impudentia ex ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã privat ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã pudor word Luk 11.8 rendred importunity properly signifieth impudence and shamelessness an impudent beggar will not be put off neither will he hold his peace till he get an alms and the Lord will nor complain he alloweth yea and commendeth this holy kind of impudence in his supplicants that they will give him no rest till they get an answer Isa 62.6 7. And was it not a shameless and unmannerly earnestness in the paralitick man who finding no other way to come to Christ but by untyling a part of the roof would adventure upon that course though thus Christs sermon must be for a while interrupted and some tumult and confusion in the house if not fear lest some part of the tyling should fall upon them yet Christ was not offended but commendeth his faith and gives him more then he did ask Luk 5.20.24 And then for time ye cannot be unmannerly ye may come at mid-night early in the morning and when ye will ye shall be welcom the door shall be opened unto you and ye shall get an answer Luk 11.5 Psal 63.1 and as no threatning intreaty or seeming command will scar an honest supplicant from the throne So neither 4. will contumelies and reproaches thus
nunc so they may serve to convince and perswade us that when the particular is withheld the Lord doth what is best for us upon such an occasion 7. Otherwise it would follow that often we must seek the Lord in vain contrary to his own protestation Isa 45.19 For albeit it were granted that our prayers were accepted as service done to him and would not want their reward in the day of general retribution yet still those prayers that want a particular return as to the present exigence and occasion would prove to be in vain as to that end for which they are employed and for which the Lord hath appointed them to be used 8. Let us consider how loathsome and displeasing to our kind Lord our jealousie and diffidence must be vult sibi quisque credi saith Seneca habita fides obligat There is no man can endure to be distrusted and shall we deal thus with the God of truth but when we trust and rely upon our friend he will think himself obliged not to disappoint us fidelem si putaveris faciet And will not our kind Father answer the expectation and confidence of those who trust in him Mr. (o) Mr. Bolton instruct for right comforting sect 3. part 1. chap. 2. Bolton reporteth of a godly man who being askt in his last sickness by some Christian friends admiring the singularity of his peace and calmness of spirit especially under such a trial how he came to that quietness answered that he had stedfastly fixed his heart upon that sweet promise Isa 26 3. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose heart is stayed on thee Because he trusteth in thee And said he my God hath graciously made this good unto my soul So saith Mr. Bolton must every Saint do who would sound the sweetness of a promise to the bottom For God is wont to make good his promises unto his children proportionably to their trust in him and dependance upon his upon his truth and goodness for a seasonable performance of them Great Luther was a man of much faith and it was said of him potuit quic quid voluit he could do what he would For saith (p) Tantum quisque habet quantum credit junta illud secundum fidem tuam tibi fiat Zanch. in 5. ad Ephes Zanchius every one hath as much as he beleeveth according to that word be it unto thee according to thy faith Many want because they ask not Jam. 4.3 and many ask and receive not because they ask not in faith Jam. 1.6 7. they are jealous of God and expect little from him and therefore he hideth his face and turneth away our prayer and his mercy from us Oh! the unbelief of our hearts we complain of God while the fault is in our selves we mistrust his Word and yet murmur because it is not accomplishâd to us But if we did more firmly believe the promises we should see and have experience of Gods truth and fidelity and would acknowledge that even then when sense and carnal reason are most ready to complain the Lord in great mercy and faithfulness doth deal with us and provide for our good by those means which we are ready to conceive to be so contrary unto our happiness because bitter and afflictive to sense We will rather choose to be under our own tutory then at Gods disposing we cannot endure to be curbed and hemmed in and O! will unbelief say why might I not have such a mercy what evil is there in it and why might not such a rod be removed what good can it do were it not better to be at liberty then shut up in prison or arrested on the bed of languishing As if the (q) Petitaeger ut quod ad salutem apponit medicus auferatur tu dicis tolle quod mordet medicus dicit non tollo quia sanat tu ad medicum quare venisti sanori an molestiam non part non ergo exaudivit Dominus Paulum ad voluntatem quia exaudivit ad sanitatem quare non habeatis pro magno exaudiri ad utilitatem quia autem obsit quid profit medicus novit non aegrotus August de verbis Domini serm 53. Patient should complain and say why is such a bitter ingredient put into this potion were it not better to put in the place of it some delicious cordial while as this exchange might cost him his life Ah! wilt thou trust the Physitian for the good of thy body and yet not trust the sovereign Physitian for the good of thy soul But fools despise their own mercies and are ready to murmur when they are best dealt with It is no great matter saith Augustine to get our desire for the devils sometimes have been thus heard but it is a mercy indeed to obtain what maketh for our life and happiness If we (r) Periissem nisi sic periissem had many of our desires saith a late (Å¿) Mr. Goodwin return of prayer chap. 9. pag 49. Optima da nobis vel si pater illa rogamus Vel non at damnum caeco si errore petamus Tu damnum a nobis praeâens avertitâ Jova Vet Poct Prima fere vota cunctis notissimae tempâis Divitiae crescant ut opes maxima toto Nostra sit arca foro Sed plures nimia congesta pecunia cura Strangulat cuncta exuperans patrimonia census Juven Satyr 10. vid. loc Ah how should earthly minded professors be ashamed to read such a sermon preacht by a Pagan Divine we had been undone But our kind Father will not put a cup of poyson in our hand though we much long for it And it is no wonder while we thus live by sense and judge by that crooked rule though we mistake Gods meaning in his dispensations towards us and because we walk by such a rule and will not submit to God nor trust him and because we are so carnal so selfish and sensual and love our own things too much therefore doth the Lord withdraw them from those he loveth that they may learn no more to dote upon and idolize those trifles and therefore are they held in the furnace because they will not part with their dross it were not fit to remove the plaister untill the sore be cured nor to prescribe cordials untill ill humors be purged out And were our eyes (t) Rev. 3.18 anointed with Christs eye-salve that we might see our state and condition and if we were more acquainted with the noble life of faith we would acknowledge with him Ps 119.75 that all our afflictions rods and trials did flow from Gods mercy faithfulness and kindness towards us and when we come home and shall be more able to judge of Gods Word and works then we will confess with thankfulness that we could not have wanted any of these rods wherewith we were exercised in our pilgrimage and that those supposed mercies we so much longed for might have
his brethren or for publick mercies to the Church her deliverance peace prosperity encrease c. Nay a Moses and Paul could subscribe a very sad doom against themselves in reference to their own crown and personal state (Å¿) Exod. 32.32 Moses that his name might be blotted out of God's Book and (t) Rom. 9.3 Paul that he might be accursed from Christ that it might go well with their brethren and Gods ancient people and Church And yet even in this as in all other cases it is certain that God alwayes doth what is best and most subservient to those high and great ends viz. the manifestation of his own glory and the promoving the good and eternal happiness of the Elect and as to those great things to which all other things must stoop and be in subordination so also our prayers and what we ask whether for our selves or others must be askt with an eye to this noble mark and we should not desire nor expect a return but in subordination to this high end And therefore when the event doth discover his purpose not to give the particular we desired for others we must submit to his holy and wise dispensation and take encouragment not only from the returning of our prayers into our bosom and that personal reward we may confidently expect but also from the former consideration and while we reflect upon the last and ultimat end of our prayers knowing that he who is infinit in wisdom and counsel hath carried on the same by means unknown to us yet fittest for the purpose And if we know that Christs kingdom doth come and that Gods glory is thus advanced we have no cause to complain whatever otherwise may be the success of our prayers And thus if we be considered as self-denied Christians looking most to the will and honour of our Master it may in some sense and respect be said that in the proposed case the Lord doth that which is best for us and what we most desire but otherwise if we speak of that dispensation absolutely and in it self or in relation to its proper rule viz. the revealed will and word of God which is the only rule of our desires and which must determine the particulars which we may make choyce of yea in reference to that great end which yet the Lord may promove and carry on by what means seemeth good to the holy counsel of his blessed will thus I say such a sad dispensation towards our neighbours and brethren may be very bitter and afflictive to us as it was to Moses Paul Samuel Jeremiah and to the rest of the Saints from time to time So much for confirmation and explication of this sweet point concerning the certainty of the success of prayer now we come to objections But we shall not meddle with (u) Bellar. de justif lib. 1. cap. 5 6 8 9 10 lib. 3. cap. 4. seqq Bellarmines arguments against the certainty of faith and the assurance of salvation these being so fully answered by many Divines and it not being our purpose now to speak to these questions albeit this our case doth much depend upon those truths asserted by orthodox Divines against Papists but we shall only propound those objections which we conceive to militat directly against the present point which hath not been much debated You will say 1. Obj. albeit I abominat the popish uncertainty of faith yet alas I fear my own state and condition that I do not believe and how shall I be assured of the success of of my prayers I think none but Atheists dare question the truth of the promises or doubt of Gods power and I know that he doth alwayes hear his children when they cry but I know not if I be one of that number and should such a one as I pray in confidence Ans 1. I deny not that our confidence in prayer must Ans in some proportion answer our assurance of our state and adoption and therefore such as would pray in faith should (x) 2 Cor. 13.5 try and examine themselves whether they be in the faith Not that they ought to as many precious ones do hold themselves upon the rack and live in perplexing fears and doubtings by running to uncertain marks and making the priviledges of some eminent Christians a touch stone to try the reality of their profession and by making the mark and scope at which they should aim a mark and character for trying their state and condition I will say no more now to such but that it were better that much of that time which is spent in trying were employed in strengthning their graces God is more glorified by beleeving then doubting that darkness as it is uncomfortable to us so it is displeasing to God and hindreth his work for what is that duty that can be cheerfully performed in such a state And while we divert to the work of examination we cannot close with Christ by a direct act of faith which of purpose then we do suspend But yet 2. the matter would once be put out of question and if thou never yet came that length now is the time thou art called to that work Ah! delay no longer not for one hour to give all diligence to make your calling and election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 Not by maintaining a debate which will prove endless nor yet so much by reflecting upon the frame of thy heart and thy former obedience albeit we do not simply condemn that course or deny that some light may he gotten from thence for thus thou mayest be at a loss and these marks thou hast run to may be obscure or not reciprocal and may stand in need of other marks for knowing 1. when 2. what weight may be laid upon them and 3. whether or not yet they be wrought in thee But thy safest course were instantly to resolve the question by closing with Christ as thy Lord and Saviour and then thou hast answered all the scruples and objections that devils or men or thy own unbeleeving heart could forge For 1. if thou hast closed with him as thy Saviour by relying and resting upon him alone for salvation here is thy faith and if thou hast taken on his sweet yoke and art honestly resolved to acknowledge him for thy only Lord and Master here is the fruit and trial of thy faith and having thus once made sure thy state wilt thou again rase that building to the foundation and suffer thy fears so far to prevail as to bring thee again under the Spirit of bondage Ah! be not so foolish and cruel to your own soul but mark and lay up that evidence and experience for time to come that by the blessing of God it may guard the heart from after terrours and debates unless that light be ecclipsed or rather utterly overthrown by the returning (y) Ps 85. â8 to folly and falling into some grosse and conscience-wasting sin But 3.
with from the hand of Herod and to find the severity of a Judge in stead of the love a Father and yet are there not multitudes Ah! how many are there who have the boldness to deal thus with the father of Spirits Who Judas-like with a (c) Every reigning sin is treason and rebellion against the great King and interoretatively Deicide and Regicide and every sinner doth comply and conspire with Sathan and take up arms for him against his Master and Lord. treacherous heart dare offer to kiss him in whom they live move and have their being who is their Father by creation and who offereth unto them and entreateth them to accept of the inheritance of children Such think themselves to be sons and dare call him father though they have the heart of an enemy such have a kind of faith confidence and hope which is nothing but presumption delusion and groundless imagination suggested by the father of lies and maintained and cherished by their own foolish and deceitfull hearts This their faith is not built upon the word it hath not for its warrant thus saith the Lord but only thus saith the murderer and great impostor thus saith the deceiver and our deceitfull and deceived hearts It doth not arise from the Promises as having no foundation there but only from some principles of Sathans Catechism which he carefully instilleth into the ears and minds of his disciples and among the many articles of that anti-scriptural and cursed Creed this to our purpose is one If we have some form of devotion and now and then speak some few words prayer-wayes it 's no matter how we live our prayers will make amends for all God is mercifull and therefore will Sathan say and they upon his word think he will pity his poor creatures and servants and hear them whensoever they cry to him nay such will be ready to apprehend that it were cruelty and injustice to reject such well-meaning supplicants We may not now confute that soul-destroying delusion but what the Apostle said of doubting Jam. 1.7 may far rather be applied to this mad and desperat presumption and confidence Let not such seeure bold wretches think that they shall receive any thing of the Lord though too many be ready to think they shall receive yet saith the Apostle let them not think so or if they do they will but deceive their own souls and whatever for the present may be the dispensations of a common providence yet ere it be long they shall know and be convinced that they received nothing in mercy and in return to their prayers and nothing from the Lord as their God and Redeemer he was better acquaint with the mind of God and did not mistake who said If Iregard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear me Psa 66.18 And it was an acknowledged principle that he who was born blind urged against the Jews in his apology for Christ Joh. 9.31 For saith he we (d) Let bold finners consider how gross their delusion must be who contrary to this known truth dare presume and draw nigh in any ordinance without fear know that God heareth not sinners but if any man be a worshiper of him and doth his will him he heareth Neither would the Saints themselves think they were not concerned in this caveat for albeit the Lord will pity them in the day of their trouble and hear their prayers yet if they step aside from the approven path the Lord will hide his face hence the Psalmist having asserted Gods care of his Saints and People and that he would speak peace to such yet he addeth a necessary caution and warning but let them not turn again to folly as if it had been said though they were Gods people his Saints and precious ones who have prayed and wait for an answer yea though they have asked in faith and have met with access and acceptance so that a message of peace is dispatched and is as it were on the way towards them in return to their prayers yet if they should through their folly turn aside from God and in that interim commit some known sin he would recall as it were his former grant and draw back his hand and would not speak peace to them who had made peace with sin Now come we to some positive evidences and marks of the prayer of faith And 1. when the affections are much enlarged when we meet with a gale from heaven filling the sails we may and usually do expect that voyage will prove successfull when God openeth the heart and filleth the mouth with more then ordinary boldness fervency and liberty we readily will apprehend that he purposeth to fill our hands and will not send us away empty according to that word Psa 81.10 Open thy mouth wide but (e) Only he who is said to open the ears Psa 40.6 Isa 50.5 to open the eyes Psa 146.8 and to open the heart whose messenger and interpreter the lips are Act. 16.14 He only can open the mouth to ask aright he only can open it wide both extensively and intensively and make us desire and ask great things greatly grandia granditer ut loquitur August loc cit who is sufficient for such a work unless the Lord put to his hand and I will fill it We may believe he will fill that mouth with songs of praise for his gracious answers which he hath opened so wide in fervent and importunate prayers when we have spiritual boldness in pleading with God we will also have confidence as to the success and therefore these are joyned together and both ascribed to faith Eph. 3.12 We have boldness and access with confidence through faith If the Lord lift up the soul to him if he quicken and inflame the affections with a more then ordinary ardor and zeal we will not readily doubt of our acceptance when fire from heaven thus falleth upon our sacrifice we will be very confident thus Psa 27. we have both Davids fervency and confidence One thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seck after c. v. 4. this was his importunity but then his faith did act strongly and vigorously v. 1.3.5 6. I grant our lusts may add wings to our desires and be as oyl to the wheels and make us very diligent in our pursuit there may be a natural and carnal fervency and importunity which will rather add to our fears then make us in faith rest upon Gods word love and care but the difference may easily appear though we will not now prosecute it because that holy zeal and importunity is 1. spiritual as to the motives and end 2. humble and joyned with much self-emptiness and denial 3. tender of Gods gloty and honour and 4. submissive to his will whileas the natural importunity is 1. carnal 2. proud and selfish 3. careless of Gods glory and interest if it might be satisfied and 4 impatient under a frustration and disappointment
some deny that the Angels while they were viators did believe and those (Å¿) And this is the common opinion for which we need not cite any author because it is maintained by so many School-men who think that in that state they had faith are put to strange shifts for maintaining that assertion according to the principles whereby they argue against the consistency of faith with glory and therefore a modern (t) Lugo loc cit disp 2. sect 1. disp 17. sect 1. sect 3. sect 27. concludit cum evidentia revelationis non dari fidem Doctor having propounded some subterfuges brought by others and discovered their weakness and errour could espie no other refuge but to affirm that Angels could only then act faith when they had no clear revelation but did doubt or not clearly know that such a revelation did come from God Who would take pains to confute those men who throw themselves head-long from these precipices on which they delight to walk what can that be called a divine faith that knows not its warrant and where is the certainty of faith which justly should be preferred to the certainty of every science if it be not built upon the Word of God and a sure revelation I deny not that all the imperfections of faith shall be done away when that which is perfect cometh 1 Cor. 13.10 there shall be no more doubting inevidence and obscurity as to the revelation it self but yet as (u) Vasq in 1. tom 2. disp 135. cap. 3. Vasquez affirmeth the assent may be inevident because albeit the ground and formal reason of the assent be clear and evident in it self as to its meaning and sense and as to its author and infallibility yet it doth not manifest to us nor give clearness unto its object since it hath no intrinsecal connexion with the object neither bringeth with it any light whereby we may discern and see any intrinsecal connexion between the parts of such an enunciation or any reason and ground of such a truth beside the meer authority and testimony of God which though it be a foundation of the greatest certainty yet not of clearness and evidence We will not prosecute that debate any further but to the question propounded we answer that speaking of faith as it (x) And if we lay aside the former controversie we shall have these adversaries themselves to joyn with us in the general for seith Lugo loc cit disp 17. sect 3. § 25. certum omnino videtur extra contro versiam quod in beatis possit esse sides late sumpta hoc est assensus fundatus in revelatione clara Dei importeth an assent founded upon the word authority and testimony of God if we suppose the Saints in heaven to pray we must also think that by faith they lay hold on a word of promise and do confidently rest thereupon for an answer to their prayers You will say the promises only belong to viators and not to those who have finished their course Ans Hath not the Lord promised to raise up their bodies and to absolve and acquit them in the day of judgment c. and do not these promises yet belong to them But as to their prayers for others we may here apply what we (y) Part. 1. âh 5. pag. 85. observed from Petrus de Tarantasia concerning Christ his intercession for us albeit the Saints in glory stand not in need of those things themselves yet we for whom they ask them do stand in need of them and they may plead the promises mad to us But you will say Christ pleadeth for us upon his own account and the title of purchase Ans I grant the disparity to be so great that it were intolerable once to institute a comparison but you will yet reply if they only plead the promises made to others that cannot be a foundation for their faith Ans It may be justly questioned whether the promises of audience with which their faith might close while they were on earth do belong to them now in heaven and therefore it may also be questioned whether now indeed they do pray but supposing they do we must also suppose that they want not a promise of audience for their encouragment unless we will have them to run as uncertain and shoot at a venture You will say may not they plead the promises made to others relying on Gods fidelity to perform these promises Ans But what is their warrant to interpose and âf they have a command for their warrant they must also have a promise for their encouragment But 2. albeit they may know in the general that God wiill perform his promises yet they know not to whom in particular the absolute promises do belong untill they be accomplished yea and even then they may hesitat as not being able nor called to search the heart and as to the measure of outward things which is fit and convenient for every believer and what is the fittest time and season to receive c. they can but conjecture But still standing to the supposition that they do pray it is certain they must ask in Christs name and for his sake as the author and alone-purchaser of all the good things they can ask As to the prayers of the holy Angels that being also grounded upon a supposition the case is not so clear since it dependeth upon another question viz. whether Christ be not only the Lord and head but also the Mediatour of Angels they being in him and for his merit confirmed in that blessed state and kept from falling but though we did suppose that as (z) Heb. 2.16 he took not on him their nature So he was not their Redeemer yet they might ask in his name for others What he by his blood did purchase for them A third question may be this whether the misbelief of the promises or of the threatnings be the greater sin 3. Quest Ans If the question were concerning total unbelief what sin can be more grievous But the comparison being between the seeming faith of hypocrits and the partial may I not also say unvoluntary unbelief of Saânts we shall speak to that in these few particulars 1. Albeit both the one and the other in the general profess their assent unto and belief of both the promises and threatnings yet in the application there is a wofull miscarriage on both hands the one without ground applying the promises and the other fearing the threatnings when there is no cause of fear 2. Thus the one is the sin and dolefull neck-break of the wicked the other is the infirmity and sad tryal of the Saints the one is the sin of presumption and hypocritical kindness of enemies the other the sin of jealousie unkindness and ingratitude of children the one banisheth fear and trouble for the time but maketh way and prepareth for eternal wo and misery the other is uncomfortable for the present but
danger but when we see any temptation which is his scout we may know that the enemy of our souls is not far off and that we become not a prey to his temptations we must watch and pray Mar. 26.41 There must be a reciprocal sequel and consequence of the one from the other as we must watch and pray So we must pray and watch nay upon a special account we must watch after prayer that the influence of that ordinance may abide upon our heart and that we lose not that life vigour and heat which useth to accompany the spiritual performance of this heavenly exercise a cold catched after heat is most dangerous and yet it is most usual if it be not prevented by a watchfull care and circumspection And therefore as in prayer we must (f) 1 Tim. 2.8 lift up holy hands so after prayer we would take heed to our feet and that when we come from the throne we do not run to the (g) 2 Pet. 2.22 mire to wallow in it If we would receive whatsoever we ask we must keep the commandments and do those things that are pleasing in the sight of God 1 Joh. 3.22 The Lord will hide his face from them who behave themselves ill in their doings and will not hear them though they cry Micah 3.4 If we regard iniquity in our heart whether before or after prayer the Lord will not hear nor answer us Ps 66.18 If the Saints after they have prayed and are waiting for an answer return to folly God will not speak peace Ps 85 8. Sin will make God hide his face and draw back his hand Isa 59.2 If after we went from the Kings presence we disobeyed his commands plotted and conspired against him and that under his eye and while he were looking on what folly and madness were it to expect that he would regard and answer these supplications we had presented to him and is not this our case Ah! many desperate sinners deal no better with God then Absolom with Joab 2 Sam. 14.30 while the Lord delayes to answer their requests they set his field on fire and set their face against the heavens as if they thought to break him with their ill deeds whom they could not perswade by entreaties or else since they cannot help the matter either in revenge against God or to make a compensation to themselves they will (h) Hos 2.7 follow after their lovers and seek to satisfie their lusts that since the Lord would not answer these desires they offered up to him they may fulfill the desires of the flesh which are contrary to his holy will and sweet and wel-pleasing to their sensual appetite 3. As we must watch and pray and pray and watch so we must pray and pray it s not enough once to present our requests but we must renue our sute and fortifie our plea we must ask again and again we must not keep silence nor hold our peace nor give him any rest according to the expression Isa 62.2 till he shew mercy upon us and grant our requests thus the primitive Church prayed for Peters enlargement and deliverance Act. 12.5 And thou art allowed and commanded to follow this course the gates of heaven are never shut and thou maist get access to the King when and as often as thou wilt he will not chide with thee because of thy importunity and frequent addresses but he complaineth when we faint and hold our peace Isa 43.22 and commands us to continue instant in prayer Rom. 12.12 Eph. 6.18 Colos 4.2 1 Thes 5.17 And as in every thing so alwaies to make our requests known unto him and promiseth that our labour shall not be lost Phil. 4.6 7. Luk. 18.1 c. And giveth this as one reason why he will not answer hypocrits crying to him in the day of their trouble because they having no delight in the Almighty will not alwaies call upon him Job 27.9 10. Prayer is a wearisome burden to many which they must quickly shake off and then for a pretence are ready to say with him 2 King 6.33 it s in vain to wait upon God any longer we are ready to complain that God will not hear while he regrateth we will not cry if we continued instant in prayer an answer would certainly come and would not tarry See Chap. 2. Sect. 1. 4. As we must be busie at the throne so we must not be idle at home as we must not forget the Lords work and what duty else he calls for at our hands So neither must we forget our own work as we must continue instant in prayer Rom. 12.12 So we must not be slothfull in business and yet we must not so minde our own as to forget the Lords work and service v. 11. There ought to be a subordination but there is no opposition between the Lords work and our work that must have the precedency but this may follow in its own place and in it as we are to look up to God for the blessing so we must be doing our selves Prayer doth not exclude the use of the means nor give to us a super-sedeas from our work and labour if (i) Vid Hieronym lib 1. epis 55. Marco Presb. any will not work neither should he eat 2 Thes 3.10 Ah! you will say may he not pray and should a praying Saint starve may he not eat Ah! why should we not pray but prayer must not be pretended as a cloak for our negligence whosoever he be though a Saint and fervent supplicant yet saith the Apostle if he will not work let him not eat ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ora labora Prayer doth not exclude our diligence and activity but we must pray (k) Valde namque apud Deum utraque haec sibi necessario congruunt ut oratione operatio operatione fulciatur oratio Greg. mor. lib. 18 cap 3. and work as we must lift up our heart to heaven So we must put to our hand to our work on earth precibusque manus c. Hence some of the ancient Doctors in allusion as I would think rather then intending to hold out the meaning and true sense of the place to these words Lam. 3.41 Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God do (l) Hinc Hierimias ait levemus corda nostra cum manibus ad Deum Corda vero cum manibus levat qui orationem suam operibus roborat nam quisquis orat sed operari dissimulat cor levat manus non levat c. Gregor moral lib. 18 cap 3 eisdem pene verbis Hieron in Lam 3 Bernard de mol ben viv tell us that such as pray and do not work do make a divorce and separation of these two the Prophet hath conjoyned they lift up their heart but not their hands to God yea saith (m) Orans non operans iram provocat one he who prayeth and doth not work doth tempt and
predicatui de tribus personis simul exceptis quae pertinent ad incarnationem seu assumptam naturam exam plorum loco hac adsert Deus noster Pater noster Praedestinator Creator Recomcâliator Adoptator Sanctificator exauditor precum Forh instr Histor theoâl lib. 1 âcap 12. our blessed Lord teacheth us to call God Father not as if thereby he did point out to us the distinction or relation that is among the persons of the trinity or to single out to us the first excluding the other two for its certain we should direct our prayers to God who is Father Son and holy Ghost but to hold out to us (x) Ostenà it ad veram Deo gratam orationem requiri ut in vera siducia oremus ac jciamus nos invocare Deum qui in Christo dilecto suo filio nos dilexit ante jacta mundi fundamenta qui in filios suos adoptavit ac spiritum ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã nobis donavit qui paternum erga nos gerit animum quem proinde juxta ipsius exemplum mandatum ut panem nostrum invocare possumus Gerhard in loc cont harm cap. 180. the fatherly affection and tender bowels of God and of all the persons of the blessed Trinity and to encourage us to draw nigh to God with confidence as children to a father ready to help and pity us and though we be not limited to the same words or to say no other then is held forth in that pattern and copy yet we may not change our thoughts of God nor imagine that he hath cast off his fatherly care and affection towards us And herein as we have the command So we have the example of Christ he looked upon God as a father in that solemn prayer Joh. 17.1 Father the hour is come glorifie thy Son So also ver 11 21 24 25. For though he hath another kind of interest in the Father then others yet this doth not nullifie and hinder our interest and relation especially since ours is founded upon his God having adopted us in this his beloved Son we are truly sons though not such sons as Christ we are his sons not meerly nor especially by creation but by adoption redemption and a right to the inheritance And that Christ and beleevers have the same Father and thus stand under the relation of brethren he himself is not ashamed to profess Heb. 2.11 and Joh. 20.17 Go to my brethren saith our blessed Lord to Mary and say unto them Iascend unto my Father and to your Father and to my God and unto your God And thus the ancient Church in their prayer Isa 63.16 ingeminat this (y) Dulce nomen patris sweet relation with much confidence Doubtless thou art our Father thou O Lord art our Father our Redeemer And as thus we have 1. a precept and 2. practice so also 3. a promise for our warrant 2 Cor. 6. 17.18 Touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you and will be a father unto you and ye shall be my sons and daughters saith the Lord almighty And 4. this is made one end and design of the sending of the spirit into our hearts viz. because we are sons and that we may know and improve our relation by calling him Father Gal. 4.6 Rom. 8.15 to banish fear and to make us draw nigh in confidence and love 2 Tim. 1.7 But you will say how can we call God Father since we are not assured of our adoption Ans If God be not thy father he must be thy (z) Mr. Murcot being in great anguish because he feared that God was not his father had these words impressed on his mind If I be not thy father am I thy enemy and again if I be not thy father why dost thou follow after me Mor. exerc Serm. 14. enemy for there is no middle state and how darest thou who art stuble draw nigh to the consuming fire If thou be not a son thou hast no interest in Christ in whom only we have access to the Father Eph. 2.18 Joh. 14.6 And if God be not thy Father why dost thou hing and depend upon him yea even then when he frowns and seemeth to beat thee off and drive thee away I spake a little to the like case Part. 2. Chap. 2. Sect. 2. and shall not now say much but remember that the Lord as in another case So also in this (a) 2 Cor 9.7 loveth a cheerfull giver He would not have us to come to his altar and to bring our oblation grudgingly he would not have his spouse look sad or his children to distrust his love and care towards them nor his servants fear least he were such a one as the ill and wicked servant called him a hard master and ill to please Mat. 25.24 What a grief was it to Peter to have his love to Christ questioned Job 21.17 yea though lately he had denied and disowned him and must it not grieve the good Spirit of God when we have base and low thoughts of his mercy and kindness towards us yea even then while we are constantly reaping the sweet fruits thereof Ah! will ye thus requite the Lord and deal no better with him then they Mal. 1.2 I have loved you saith the Lord yet ye say wherein hast thou loved us But if ye will trust him ye have his word he will not disappoint you and ye do thus as it were engage his majesty not to fail you O! then draw nigh to him in confidence and fear not to call him father who hath purchased so great an inheritance at so dear a rate for thee its good in some cases as a reverend divine said to threap kindness upon God He will never challenge thee who hast the heart and love of a son for calling him Father If thou be a child of light though thou fittest in darkness yet thou are still a child and thy father will not disown thee if thou claim an interest in him what though thou blushest to call thy self a son as being unworthy of that relation yet surely God hath not lost his title nor deserved at thy hands that thou shouldst rob him of that relation he hath bought by the unvaluable price of his Sons blood and its observable that the Saints many a time would divide the relation that is mutual at least are more positive and peremptory in asserting the one part then the other and as the prodigal when he had by his riotous living forfeited his son-ship and was brought to confess that he was no more worthy to be called a Son yet durst profess that he had a Father and durst call him by that relation and take on this resolution to arise and go to his father and say father Luk. 15.19.18 So they may call God Father while they are convinced and may from an humbled heart confess that they are not worthy to be called his sons and even then while their face is
filled with shame and confusion they may notwithstanding assert his relation But you will say ah I should I utter a lie before God would he not account it a mockery to call him father while he is not our father Ans I grant there is too much presumption in the world and too many are ready to make bold with God and to call him father against whom he is coming in wrath to (b) Hos 3.5 tear them in pieces (a) Ps 50 22. But yet if 1. thou hast the love of a son thou mayest come to him at a Father if thou hast child-like affections thou mayest have a child-like confidence See Part. 2. 2. If thou hast godly fear and reverence and high and admiring thoughts of his majesty and art striving to give to him the honour due to his name if thou canst answer that question Mat. 1.6 If I be a father where is mine honour Thou needst not fear that ever he will question thy claim to him as a Father if thou (c) As having hope ver 3. abiding in him ver 6. being born of God ver 9. being the children of God ver 10. having passed from death to sâe ver 14. c. fear him and his goodness and art loath to offend him though there were not a rod to correct thee though thou should'st meet with rods and afflictions yet thou mightest know them to be but the corrections of a Father and not the stroke of avenging justice But we will not multiply particulars let us only hold out from 1 Joh. 3. two or three words more This point concerning our adoption is there laid down in the entry ver 1. and therefore though the words be d altered yet the case is the same that is brought to the trial to the close of the Chapter 3. Then such as hope that God is their Father must purifie themselves as he is pure v. 3. they must wash and make them clean and walk as becometh the children of such a family they must no more be like the swine of the world wallowing in the mire of sin he that is born of God must sin no more ver 9. for he that alloweth himself and continueth in the practice of any one known sin is not of God but of the devil ver 8. 4. If we be the children of God we must obey his commandments and do those things which are pleasing in his fight ver 22. we must deny our selves and renounce our own will and affections and take on Christs yoke which if we be his will not be wearisom but our relation and love to our Master will make his work sweet and easie Mat. 11.30 5. Such as love the Father will love his children for his sake such as are brethren must have some sort of sympathy with and mutual love to one another ver 14. If all thy delight with him Psa 16.3 be in the Saints and if thou judge them the excellent of the earth if thou delight in their society and rejoyce at their prosperity ye must be of one stock and kindred and belong to one and the same family and hence must follow that separation as to any arbitrary and voluntary commerce with those wicked ones to whom we are not bound by any natural or moral tye required in them to whom God promiseth to be a Father 2 Cor. 6.17 It will be no pleasure to the genuine son to stay in the company where his Father is reproached and dishonoured and O! when occasionally he is easten into the society of such wretches with what zeal and holy indignation will his heart burn (d) 2 Pet. 2.7 8. their vile and profane words and wayes must (e) Ps â 6 vex his righteous soul Is it thus with thee O dejected Saint dost thou follow after God and still long and hunger for more of him and that he would lift f up the light of his countenance upon thee and though thou still walk in darkness and cannot see his face yet hearknest thou to his voice and followest after righteousness thou needest not fear to call him thy God and thy Father thou art allowed to claim an interest in him and to stay upon him as thy God Isa 50.10 Such hungring souls are blessed Mat. 5.6 and is there any blessedness without an interest in him who is the fountain of all blessedness yea though he seem to frown to forsake thee yet the union relation stands firm and sure My God my God why hast thou forsaken me said David Ps 22.1 and one who was greater then David Mat. 27.46 Zion said my Lord hath forgotten me And thus a beleever at his lowest may maintain his claim to God as the state of darkness gloominess and desertion doth noth not nullifie our relation So neither needs it hinder us to assert and plead it neither did the Lord at any time challenge nor was he grieved with a doubting beleever for staying on him and calling him Father but rather is grieved at their jealousie and standing at such a distance from him who hath stoopt so low to them only to the wicked God saith what hast thou to do to take my covenant in thy mouth and to plead any covenant-relation and to call me thy God or thy Father Ye who hate instruction and cast his words behind you ye may fear his severity and justice and look upon him as a Judge coming against you to tear you in pieces Psal 50.16 17 22. But you will yet say whatever truth may be in the thing it self yet I cannot in truth call him Father who know not and am not assured of my adoption Ans Thy knowledge is so far from being a ground of this thy covenant-relation to God that it is not so much as one of its bonds and ligatures now albeit the Spirit of Christ who is the author be also the keeper and preserver of our spiritual life and of all its priviledges and of our interest in God as not the least yet the same Spirit hath given us an arm whereby we receive and lay hold on him and every finger and joynt of that arm I mean our several graces are so many cords and bonds whereby we stay and lay hold on God as our God and portion and if thou see but any one of these bonds fastned on him what needst thou fear and complain as if there were no union interest or closing with him say then he is not thine by certain knowledge and perswasion I answer he cannot thus be said to be thine for though thou mayest know thy relation to him and O if thou didst know how sweet comfortable strengthning and encouraging must that evidence be yet he cannot be said to be thy Father by thy knowing that he is thy Father for the object must have a being and be presupposed to such a reflect act he must be thy Father (f) Si non tempore saltem naturâ imoââeâ per âem pore si non
prayer and supplication may be for a season totally withdrawn but though the Saints be seldom laid so low yet there may be a partial departure accompanied with many sad effects which may easily be discerned if we reflect upon the several fruits of the Spirit mentioned Part. 1. Chap. 9. and those infirmities which he helpeth and removeth if then 1. thou dost not so prepare thy heart to seek the Lord if 2. thy ends be not so pure and spieitual if 3. thou art unwillingly drawn as it were to the throne rather by the enforcement of conscience then out of love to the duty if 4. thou pray not so frequently nor 5. so fervently and feelingly nor 6. so confidently nor 7. with such complacency and delight if 8. thy communion with God in that ordinance hath not such influence upon thy heart to warm and quicken it and to engage it for the Lord and against sin as sometimes it hath had c. it is an argument that the Spirit hath in part withdrawn It s true the most watchfull and zealous Saints do not alwaies and without interruption enjoy the comforting quickning presence of the Spirit the wind doth not constantly blow after one the same maner upon the most fruitful garden therefore we must not measure our state by some present indisposition unless there be some notable considerable and abiding decay and abatement of our spiritual life but when that is observed we have reason to mourn and to lay to heart our loss and the greater and more eminent and longer continued we should be the more affected and sensible of this evil what a misery and sad judgment was it to Sampson and Saul to have but the common gifts and operations of the Spirit removed from them for as we may suppose Saul never to have had So Sampson never to have been totally deprived of the saving and sanctifying presence of the Spirit we may read their lamentation Jud. 16.28 30. 1 Sam. 28.15 And what is the chiefest measure of gifts and common priviledges and excellencies in respect of the least portion and degree of grace Ah! do not then sit down content when the breathings of the Almighty are withdrawn but go and cry to the (n) Cant. 4.16 north wind to awake and to the south wind to come and (o) If the wind blow not thy ship cannot come to the haven but being tossed to and fro by contrary tides is left to be a prey to pirats blow upon thy garden that the spices thereof may flow out go in faith ye have a promise for your encouragment the Father will give the holy Spirit to them that ask him Luk. 11.13 We will not insist on directions but reserving those in great part to the following Section let us now remember that if the unclean spirit return after he hath been cast out and find the house empty and swept he will enter in again and lay claim to his former possession Mat. 12.44 Nay though the house be not totally desolate yet so much room as he findeth empty he will seek to possess so far as the Spirit withdraweth so much the nearer Sathan approacheth if the Spirit withdraw his holy motions Sathan will improve the advantage and will fill the heart with vain idle impertinent and sinfull motions as Pirats may easily surprize the ship when the Pilot is gone So having entred it and finding it empty they will not fail to loaden and fill it with their trash and stoln wares Sect. 2. What may be the cause of that deadness and indisposition and these wandring thoughts that arise in the heart upon the Spirits departure and what course should be taken for removing this evil and for recovering and maintaining the presence of the Spirit and a praying frame and disposition Psa 81.11 12. But my people would not hearken to my voice and Israel would none of me So I gave them up unto their own hearts lust and they walked in their own counsels Hos 4.11 Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart IF the Sun be set and leave our hemisphere it must be night with us and darkness must cover the face of our earth if the soul be separated from the body the man must be dead and coldness must seize upon the liveless carrion So if the Spirit which is our Sun and life depart what darkness deadness and emptiness must be in the soul But as if it were too little to be dead and destitute of life foolish sinners will kill themselves and harden yet more the heart which already is harder then the adamant or flint and when the sun goeth down they will shut the doors and windows yea and pull out their own eyes that they may not see and thus as Seducers in respect of a total privation of life are said to be (a) Jude 12. twice dead So the Saints themselves many a time in respect of their partial deadness and the gradual departure of the Spirit of life may be said to be twice hardned blinded and indisposed for duty Not only doth sin provoke the holy Spirit to depart and thus morally and by way of demerit it stops the fountain of life but also by its poison and venomous nature it doth pollute and infect the heart it leaveth such a blot and tincture upon the soul as disposeth it for blindness and deadness Sin is not only of it self and formally opposit to grace but it maketh upon the heart as it were efficiently such a contrary impression to grace and matterially indisposeth it for a communion with God and spiritual exercises and thus stealeth and taketh a way the heart Hos 4.11 And albeit every sin hath more or less of this malignant quality in it yet their be some sins which in a special maner do produce this wofull effect after which we shall now enquire having in the preceding Section spoken of the former head viz. of the withdrawing of the Spirit and of these sins which did most directly and immediatly bring on that sad stroke but there being such a connexion between our deadness and the departure of the Spirit of life and the causes and cure of (b) Viz. of the with drawing of the Spirit and of our deadness and indisposition for duty both those evils being much alike and the same we may without any culpable confusion here speak to those joyntly especially since we referred to this place one sort of those (c) Viz those causes which did not so directly and by way of indignity and contempt of his office and work but rather condignly and by way of demerit prrooke the Spirit to depart causes which did provoke the Spirit to depart Before we speak of the remedy we will search after the causes which we shall rather name then enlarge and insist on at any length First then as to the causes of deadness indisposition and wandring thoughts in prayer for all these cursed branches may spring
otherwise it would then and never till then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect to all thy Commandments Psa 119.6 See Part 2. Ch. 1. and 3. The Lord will not condescend to treat and reason with us till we wash and make our selves clean till we put away the evil of our doings and cease to do wickedly and learn to do well Isa 1.16 17 18. and will he suffer us to plead with him while we are wallowing in the mire and lying in our uncleanness Ah! with what deadness and confusion of spirit must guilty and self-condemned sinners draw nigh to God and what cold formal and heartless prayers must impenitent sinners offer up to the holy just all-seeing and heart-searching Lord But since the honest servants of God will abominat such gross pollutions and by the grace of God are kept from them so that they do not ordinarily easily and habitually fall into and commit such sins and if at any time they be thus surprised yet will not lye in that puddle nor add impenitence unto their back-sliding the wicked one is not permitted thus to touch them 1 Joh. 5.18 therefore they should not think it enough that they are preserved from these conscience-wasting iniquities but should also carefully watch against those sins which are not so easily discerned nor much observed by too many and which are reputed to be rather infirmities then transgressions and the result of humane frailty rather then the venom and sting of the serpent in our bosom yea the Saints should especially guard against this sort of sins as being most exposed to such and in greater danger to meet with temptations that way Sathan knowing that for the most part it is in vain to tempt them to gross and scandalous iniquities and thus being more ready to fail and stumble where least hazard appears as 1. spiritual pride arising from our Christian priviledges and enlargement of dutits c. We will not insist on the aggravations of this monstrous as I may call it sin how unlike is the fruit to the root from which it springeth can darkness be occasioned by light and shall our graces become fewel to feed our pride Ah! remember that God in a special maner is engaged against the proud he will resist them (o) Vid. Leigh Crit. See in vec ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã he is as it were set in battel-array against such Jam. 4.6 1 Pet. 5.5 O Christians do not thus lift up your selves lest God lay you low and while ye elevat your selves above others ye become as barren mountains exposed to tempests and storms it is to the plain valleys that God will be as the dew making them to bring forth fruit as the vine and to cast forth their roots as Lebanon Hos 14.5.8 compared with Jer. 31.18 19. There be many sower grapes which this wild Olive yieldeth from whence proceedeth 1. ostentation 2. affectation 3. singularity 4. contempt 5. censoriousness 6. rigidness and unmercifulness 7. untractableness stubborness and stifness of spirit c. these and such like cursed branches do spring from the root of ambition and pride and shall we think it strange if the high Lord who hath respect to the lowly know the proud afar off Psa 138.6 2. The Saints are in hazard to provoke the Lord by the sins of their holy things their dallying with duties and ordinances their formality sloth and doing the work of the Lord negligently and superficially c. See the causes of the Spirits with-drawing Sect. 1. 3. We come now to these causes which do as it were formally indispose and of themselves steal away the heart and make it unfit for a communion with God in any ordinance Such as 1. Earthly-mindedness if thy heart be too much let out upon the creature it will be straitned towards God the (p) Vid. Calv. in sphaer pag. mihi 228.616 Muler inst astr lib. 2. cap. 3. Moon must be ecclipsed when the earth is interposed between the Sun and it our Moon hath no light of it self whatever be said of that great Luminary in the heavens and therefore when the world goeth between and intercepteth the beams and influence of the sun of Righteousness what darkness and deadness must cover it's face Ah Christian dost thou not find the world to be the devils opium whereby he stupifieth the heart and indisposeth it for a communion with God when we live too much upon the world and suffer it to take up so much of our time strength and affections we are unfit to walk with God Ah! doth not our sad experience teach us that hardly can we get our hearts drawn up to God after an adulterous embrâcement of the creature if a Saint but bow the knew to the worlds trinity and cast a greedy look on pleasures honours and profits this as it will provoke the Lord to jealousie So it will steal away the heart and if these lovers once take possession there they will hardly be gotten driven out 2. Want of awe and reverence makes us careless in our approaches to God and makes the Lord to hide his face The (q) Apud Persas ut venerabiliores reges essent à vulgi conspectu se re movebant peccaro eopiam suo populo faciebant ne sa miliaritate frequentiae vile ceret regia majest as Greg Theolos de repub lib. 8. cap. 3. § 4. Persian and (r) Quod etiam à Parthis uâurpotur apud quos reges in ponâralibus regiae oeclusi sub spetie majâstatis delitescunt Alex. ab Alex gen dier lib. 5. cap. 14. Parthian Kings to shun contempt and that they might be the more honoured did keep a distance and were seldom seen but once or twice a year if the child forget to keep a due distance the father must not smile and dandle it as formerly then nothing but austerity and frowns that the unmannerly son may learn no more to abuse his fathers kindness and if we will not acknowledge the greatness of God it is justice with him to make us find his hand hence the Apostle while he exhorteth to reverence and godly fear representeth God as a consuming fire Heb. 12.28.19 See Part 2. Ch. 2. Sect. 1. Ah! shall the reverence and respect we bear to a meet man make us watch over our thoughts and take heed to our words while we are in his presence and shall we dare to speak to him with whom is terrible majesty and suffer our hearts to wander If the Lord did only punish this contempt by his withdrawing and going away from us and who would not turn his back upon him who did not more prâââ and value his presence what coldness and deadness must seize upon our hearts and this our voluntary deadness slowing from an irreverent and aweless frame of spirit is justly followed with a penal desertion which must be accompanied with a further measure of deadness and irrevereâââ 3. Hypocrisie and want
of sincerity a dâuble minded man is unstable in all his wayes Jam 1.8 and albeit this evil be in part cured in the Saints yet it may so far prevail upon occasion as to keep the heart from fixing and being serious at it's work there can be no constancy not fervency where there is not sincerity and hypocritical heart must be a (Å¿) Hos 10.2 The Hebrews hold out an hypocrit as having two hearts ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã cor cor 1 Chr. 12.33 Psa 12.2 c. Hence also with us hoâis called a double minded man divided heart and while that prevalleth we cannot seek the Lord nor call upon him with the whole heart and so much of the heart as doth not concur in the duty must be otherwayes employed and divert the mind hence wandring thoughts deadness c. 4. Want of feeling and sense of thy wants and indigence when the poor man is pinched with famine and his empty stomach sets him a work with what seriousness and importunity will he cry and beg but if he be full or forget his misery he may fall asleep or become remisse in asking When Laodicea fancied her self to stand in need of nothing she would not go to the market to buy hence Christs warning and counsel Rev. 3.17 18. the (t) Pro. 27.7 full soul leatheth the honey-comb but to the hungry every bitter thing is sweet O! come not to Christs door till thy hunger send thee thither thou canst not feelingly nor seriously ask neither wouldst thou prize the mercy though thou dâdst receive it unless thou be sensible of thy indigence and need 5. Diffidence and distrust 1. if we distrust Gods care and providence in governing the world and minding his people in all their straits and difficulties we will readily seek to help our selves and run to the creature for a supply or if we seek to God but for the fashion in a careless and formal maner those who expect little from God will not be very serious in their addresses to him Iob 21.15 2. Distrust of Gods fidelity in fulfilling the promises to hear and answer our prayers we will be heartless at work when we expect little success advantage or reward they who begin to doubt and with them Mal. 3.14 to ask what profit is it to follow the Or finances of God will be ready either with him a King 6.33 to say why should we wait or call upon him any longer or else with Papists and Formalists to rest on the outward performance without life and heat and to think any sort of performance enough and too much our diffidence and distrust will be followed proportionably with so much despondency deadness want of life activity and fervency in our work faith saith (u) Mr. Gurn loc cit ch 6. pag. 565. one is the back of steel to the bow of prayer which sends the arrow with force to heaven where faith is weak the cry will not be strong he that goeth about a business with little hope to speed will do it but faintly he works as we say for a dead horse the less we hope the less we endeavour See Part 2. Ch. 2. Sect. 2. 6. Excess and surfeiting when the soul is full and glutted it is not fit for bodily far less for spiritual exercises therefore if ye would watch unto prayer ye must be sober 1 Pet. 4.7 If we would not fall asleep at our work let us use the creatures with moderation and sobriety and beware of drunkenness and gluttony 1 Thes 5.6 7. But as there is a bodily so also there is a moral surfeiting and over-charging mentioned and joyned with the other Luk. 21.34 when the soul is drunk with the (x) See Cause 1. cares of this life it will ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã as the word is Luk 12.29 it will become like to a wandring meteor now up now down and unfit for any spiritual employment wordly cares will choak good motions and mar the work these thorns will over-top the good seed and not suffer it to grow Mat. 13.22 periclitatur pietas in negotils the world eats out our zeal and exceedingly blunts and takes off the edge from our spiritual affections if we look up to God we will find that heavy clog and (y) Heb. 12.1 weight to beset us and presse us down and hardly will we get that burden casten off when the soul is drowned in the world how can it mount up as on eagles wings and a scend to the throne The world is Sathans bârdlime if we stay too long upon the earth he will readily catch us and cut off our wings if our chariot drive too far in the mire it will leave the wheels behind when we come reeking and sweating out of the world we will find our spirits to be spent and that we have no strength for doing the work of the Lord nay the world will not thus part with us though we would leave it for a while yet it will follow us and cry after us and thus interâupt divert and disturb us while we would look up to God and therefore if we would pray affectionââây and fervently we must be carefull for nothing as prayer is a remedy and should come in the place of immoderat excessive and distrustâull care So it is inconsistent wâth and cannot be to purpose performed when that is hence the opposition Phil. 4 6 Prayer as (z) Melch. Adam in vit Luth pag. 139. Lucher said is hirudo cararum the leeches that should suck out our cares but alas there is no such venom and distemper in the spirits of many as killeth these leeches and will not suffer them to enter our cares do choak our prayers and in many are so excessive and incurable that they will not admit a remedy 7. Lasciviousness wantonness and a spirit of lust will take away the heart and indisoose us for spiritual duties Hos 4.11 If Sampson fall a sleep in Dalilahs lap she will betray him to the Philâstins and he may lose both his sight and his strength and if he (a) Judg. 16.20 essay to go out as at other times before and to shake off his fetters he will find they are now too strong for him when that strange fire burneth in the heart the smoak thereof will defile our sacrifices and its flame wiâl eat out the fire of the sanctuary which is of a heavenly descent 8. (b) Sathan desires to fish in troubled waters he no sooner espieth any distemper in the affections but be is in readiness to joyn with it and to ad fewel to that fire Discontent with our condition family (c) Inter jurgia lites Precibuâ non est locus contention anger wrath jealousie grief fear and whatever excess and distemper in the affections and passions of the soul when these are out of order and raise tumults stir up confusion and make a noise in the heart how will they disturb and distract it
to the great King 10. Wilt thou also guard the outward senses 11. Wilt thou look after the frame of thy heart and first give a discharge to distracting objects before thou come before the throne Wilt thou choose the fittest season for calling upon God 12. Wilt thou be more frequent in thy adresses to God And 13 Wilt thou be more serious not giving way to laziness and formality 14. Wilt thou labour to keep thy conscience clear having a constant respect to all the commandments and hating every sinfull way yea and the very garment spotted by the flesh 15. Will ye not walk in the counsel of the ungodly yea nor stand in the way of sinners 16. Will ye watch against the wiles of the devil and resist his temptations 17. Will ye take heed least ye grieve the holy Spirit by dallying with his motions and ordinances c. And Will ye observe these qualifications of an acceptable prayer of which we spake Part. 2. and applied several of them to this present case If ye have come this length there are but a few things which I would now further add for compleating the cure of a dead heart and for holding out wandring thoughts in prayer but before I name those other directions I would premise these two things concerning what we have here said as to the removing the former impediments and obstructions and what we are now to add further by way of remedy 1. ye would remember that the Spirit must (m) The Spirit may be present operatively where he is not present sensibly help you to put these directions in practice else they will serve to little purpose he must help you to take the right course for getting his help and must work what ye are directed to do else your endeavours will be fruitless and yet ye must so (n) Our inability must not be pretended as a cloak for our negligence we have received strength which we should improve waiting for the help of the Spirt apply your selves to perform these things and to follow those or such like directions as if ye stood in need of no help and as if of your selves ye could carry on the work and when thou art acting to the utmost of thy strength thou mayst expect a sensible manifestation of the Spirits assistance 2. We must not think that the most active and diligent Saints do alwaies enjoy the quickning presence of the Spirit this state of our pilgrimage is not for a constant abode and the Spirit is a free agent the wind bloweth where it listeth that thou mayest learn not to ascribe thy enlargements to thine own activity and diligence though none but active zealous and circumspect Christians are lively and enlarged in duty as to any constancy or considerable measure yet they do not alwaies enjoy the same influences nor are alike enlarged but though vivacity in duty may thus for a while be lost to thee yet if it be not lost by thee as it will not be reckoned unto thee as being procured through thy fault and negligence So neither will it marre thy after-comfort and enlargement if the Spirits withdrawing be not penal though it be for thy exercise and tryal yet it needs not discourage thee it shall not hinder thy acceptance nor the success and prevalency of thy prayers but if thou procure this stroke through thy folly and sloth and if thou rest and sit down under it securely not being affected with it as not being much concerned in that dispensations if thou do not lay thy deadness to heart and labourest not to be rid of that burden such a sleeping Jonah may fear a storm from the Almighty to awaken him Now come we to these other directions 1. if you would have your heart enlarged in duty labour to get your heart inflamed with love to your Master and his work if ye (o) Vbi est amor non est labor sed sopor Bern. came in love ye would stay with delight when love is the cord that draws any together they will not weary in the mutual fellowship and society of one another but as there will be a longing in absence So a delight and contentment in presence and enjoyment and what makes the husbands presence so uncomfortable to the adulterous wife but want of love love is an uniting affection and pretend what we will the want of love to God is the cause why we weary at his work and in his company for the heart not being fixed by the bond of love nor arrested by delight it gads abroad and would be rid of the duty as of a wearisom burden hence wandring thoughts break in and the duty is marred but in heaven when we shall see God face to face and love him perfectly we shall not weary of his fellowship unto all eternity We will not digress to speak to these motives which may serve to quicken our love but certainly if we loved the Lord as we should we could not it would be an insupportable burden to stay out of his company and we would sooner part with our life then abandon his fellowship and Daniel would let others know that he served such a master as he would not be ashamed to own and go unto notwithstanding all their cruelty and threatnings Dan. 6.10 If the Lord be kind to David and his love of God be sincere then this must be the conclusion that must needs follow (p) The illation seemeth rather to be founded upon his love to to God then the benefits he had received from God though both be named there therefore will he call upon God as long as he liveth Ps 116.1 2. hence also flowed his gladness to go to the housâ of the Lord Ps 122.1 and would he then readily weary while he was in it 2. When thou find'st thy heart indisposed and that deadness hath already seized on it before we set upon the duty we would stir up and awaken our dull and sleepy spirits and rouse them from their drousiness saying to our soul with Deborah when she was employed in praising God Judg. 5.12 awake awake O my sleepy soul awake awake and draw nigh to the provok't King for thy lifâ liberty provision protection c. We will not prescribe the several heads of meditation there being here so many several topicks which may with great variety be improven to this purpose only in the general let me entreat that choice may be made of such considerations as may serve most to quicken 1. the sense of thy indigence misery and hazard and thus 2. what may most humble thee and make thee see thy own vileness and insufficiency for doing so great a work 3. what may most inflame thy heart with love to God and his service and 4. what may most quicken thy diligence and activiity while David was thus employed he found life come in to his joynt When I was musing saith he the fire burned Ps 39.3 and then he goes
to work he would delay no longer nor suffer such an opportunity to slip he would not choak the breathings of the Spirit but instantly runs to the throne and we have his prayer to the close of that Psalm enlargement of the affections sweetness and delight in any ordinance use to accompany and be the fruit of meditation Ps 23.6.5 Ps 104.34 And this was the course which the (q) 2 Sam. 23.1 sweet singer of Israel used to take when he found his harp to be out of tone Ps 77.5.12 Ps 143.5 c. Not as if ejaculatory prayer might not be intermixed with our meditation for alone we are too weak to wrestle with a dead heart a cry to heaven will bring help from thence this is (r) Vid. Prest Saints exer serm 2. said to have been Luthers practice and which from his own experience and the success he had met with he pressed on others and this seemeth to have been David's custom also before he prayeth for quickning we read of his meditation Ps 119.148 149. But whatever be our carriage while we are employed in the work of meditation Yet 3. We would seriously and solemnly beg of God his quickning Spirit and bemoan the deadness of our heart saying Lord I dare not I may not stay away and I am afraid to draw nigh to thee I must speak and I know not well what to say I miss my leader and guide and what am I but a poor blind guilty sinner Lord pity me and help my infirmities Lord (Å¿) Psa 119.159 quicken me according to thy loving kindness (t) Cant. 4.16 Awake O north wind and come O south and blow upon my garden that the spices thereof may flow out let my beloved who hath for a while withdrawn return unto his garden and eat his pleasant fruits (u) Isa 51.9.11 Awake awake put on strength O arm of the Lord awake as in former time that sorrow and mourning may flee away (x) Cant. 1.4 Draw me and I will run after thee (y) Psa 51.12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and uphold me with thy free Spirit and in your complaint bewail more the loss of the quickning and assisting then of the comforting work of the Spirit and be more afflicted because ye cannot serve God better then because ye find not that sweetness in his service which formerly ye have felt Ah! let us not be so much affected with our own loss as with the dishonour done to God by our empty and formal performances especially since we may well spare for a season the consolations of the Spirit but his help and assistance is necessary a child of light may for a time walk in darkness but he cannot live nor move without his leader and guide and unless the Spirit of life do breath though insensibly upon him You will say my loss is thus greater then I can be sensible of O! when I remember my former enjoyments while the beloved brought me to the banqueting house and his banner over me was love when he stayed me with flâgons and comforted me with apples O with what delight did I then sit down under his shadow and how sweet was his fruit to my taste Cant. 2.4 5 3. Such ar never tasted the honey-comb know not its sweetness O! but its a (z) Miserum est fuisse beatum sad thing to have been once happy Ans O! that the world knew and had once tasted the comforts of the holy Ghost I might ask with Eliphaz are the consolations of the Almighty smal and of little account with thee Job 15.11 But alas few are acquainted with and do experimentally know and therefore few value and prize this hidden manna And as for thee O disconsolated Saint though thou hast reason to lay to heart thy loss yet thou shouldst not idol ze thy comfort though spiritual and terminated in God thou should not prefer the gift to the Giver and the tokens and pledges of love to thy beloved his honour work and service 4. Then observe the frame of thy heart diligently and take notice when the Spirit manifests himself and when he withdraweth else 1. thou canst not prize his presence nor thankfully acknowledge his bounty and kindness and thus wilt provoke him to depart if we forget to give God the glory of his mercies if we take no notice of what he hath done to us and if we sacrifice to our own nets its justice with hm to draw in his hand 2. If we do not observe when he goeth away and are not affected with this desolate condition this will provoke him to stay away and to depart further 3. If we observe not when deadness first seizeth upon us and wandring thoughts interrupt Gods service we will not strive against this evil nor seek after a remedy and thus the disease will continually encrease and become the more incurable O! let us not then become secure and negligent let us often look in to our hearts and review our work and let us under the greatest enlargement say with him 1 Chr. 29.14 Who am I that I should be able to offer so willingly all things come of thee and of thine own have we given thee let us then be 1. the more humble 2. the more thankfull least by our pride and ingratitude we provoke him to depart by whom only we have access liberty and strength and without whom none can so much as say seriously and with a believing heart that Christ is Lord Eph. 2.18 2 Cor. 3.5 6 17 18. 1 Cor. 12.3 3. Let no former enlargement in duty make thee go in thy own strength but in all thy approaches to God lean to him who only can strengthen and establish thy goings thy vine will not bring forth fruit unless it lean to this wall Psa 119.116 117. 4. So soon as thou observest any decay of life and activity lay it to heart be humbled for it strive against it and complain to God of it if thou suffer deadness by little and little to creep on it will turn to a habit which will hardly be shaken off principiis obsta remember Solomon he suffered his heart to be stollen away by his strange wives till at length he built high places to the abominations of the heathen yea and some think that he sacrificed to them 1 King 11. The longer thou delayest to return thou wilt depart the further from God but if we did call our selves to an account after every prayer and performance and did judge our selves for every wandring thought for our deadness and negligence in doing the work of the Lord what a notable mean might this through the blessing of God prove for the remedying these evils what we daily observe with a mourning eye we will watch against and will not readily commit but when we forget and do not lay this evil to heart it must continue and may daily grow worse and worse And thus 5. Let us
may come and get access at another time yet now thou art better imployed and must not be diverted by such shameless and unmanerly intruders who dar trouble and molest thee so unseasonably and therefore say to them but do not stay to debate with them what Nehemiah said to Sanballat and Geshem I am doing a great work so that I cannot come down why should the work cease whilest I leave it and come down to you Nehem. 6.3 Such a holy severity and contempt must you express towards every thing that would interrupt you in the work of the Lord it must be a temptation though perhaps coming from Sathan as transformed into an angel of light O! consider the weight and importance of the present business and work and that will keep thee from dallying with this ordinance will any man be so mad as to suffer his mind to vag and be diverted with trifles or by casting an eye on every in-comer when he is pleading before an earthly King for his life and state which he hath forfeited by his folly and rebellion and is it not so in this case nay thou hast far more lying at the stake thy life thy soul and incorruptible inheritance thou must pray or perish and thou must so pray as to prevail or thou must go to hell and be tormented for ever and ever what Moses said of the words of the law Deut. 32.47 may well be applied to this ordinance It is not a vain thing for you because it is your life Hence there must be that holy dispair impatience and violence against every thing that stands in the way to hinder us in this work that importunity fervency yea and impudence we spake of Part. 2. Chap. 2. Pag. 447 448. 8. Remember the greatness goodness all seeing eye yea and severity of him with whom we have to do 1. should not his greatness and excellency make you afraid to dally with his work and should not his dread fall upon you in your dead formal and irreverent approaches to him that I may apply that to our speaking to God which Job said of his friends speaking for God Job 13.11.7 2. Should you not fear him and his goodness Hos 3.5 should not the tender child take heed that he do not dishonour and grieve his kind father 3. should not his (t) Deus est sphâera cujus centrum est ubique circumserentia nusquam enter praesenier Deus oiâ abique potenter presence his inspection and all-seeing eye stir us up to greater attention and reverence then the eye of all the creatures and yet how would we blush and be ashamed to utter such impertinencies before men especially to a King or some great person which many a time we have vented in prayer to God yea how would we loath and abominat our selves if we did but think that the Saints on earth were acquainted with that deadness formality and these wandring and sensual thoughts which we have often entertained while we came before the Lord and yet we do not consider that the high and lofty one who inhabiteth eternity doth search the heart and try the reins to give every man according to his waies and according to the fruit of his doings that every creature is manifest in his sight and that all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do Jer. 17.10 Heb. 4.13 But if neither his greatness nor goodness his presence nor all-searching knowledge can prevail with thee yet remember his holiness justice and severity with him is terrible majesty he is excellent in power and in judgment and in plenty of justice therefore saith Elibu do men fear him Job 37.22 23 24. The wrath of a King is as the roaring of a Lyon Prov. 19.12 but what is the wrath of all the creatures in respect of the indignation of the Almighty Who knoweth the power of his anger who turneth the children of men to destruction and carrieth them away as with a flood Psa 90.11.3 5. who may stand in his sight when once he is angry Ps 76.7 he is of purer eyes then to behold evil and cannot look on iniquity Habak 1.13 he will not be mockt with our bablâng our cold formal and empty performances O! let us then draw nigh to him with reverence and godly fear for saith the Apostle our God is a consuming fire Heb. 12.28 29. O! that bold secure and presumptuous sinners would (u) Dan. 6.26 tremble and fear when they come before the great God that they become not as stubble and chaff to feed the devouring flames of his indignation to all eternity 9. Use such a gesture as thou findst most helpfull to raise thy heart and stir up thy affections and which expresseth that reverence and sense of thy distance which becometh such a poor (x) Isa 41.14 worm when it draweth nigh to its Maker here I grant thou art not limited for 1. we will find the Saints to lift up their eyes to heaven thus David Ps 123. 1. Ps 121. 1. Ps 141.8 yea and our blessed Saviour Job 17. 1. Joh. 11.41 Secondly sometimes to cast down their eyes and smite the breast as the Publican Luk. 18 13. sometimes to hold up their hands as Moses Exod. 17.11 and this seemeth to have been an usual custom from 1 Tem. 2.8 Thirdly sometimes to stretch forth their hands as 1 King 8.22 Exod. 9 29. Ps 88.9 Fourthly sometimes to kneel down as Act. 7.60 Act. 9.40 Act. 20.36 Act. 21.5 yea our blessed Lord Luk. 22.41 Fiftly sometimes to fall on their face as the Leper Luk. 5.12 and Christ himself Mat. 26.39 Sixthly sometimes to stand Mark 11.25 Luk. 18.13 Seventhly sometimes to lie as dying Jacob. Gen. 48.2 and sick Hezekiah Isa 38. 2. Yea eightly and sometimes to sit as wearied Elijah 1 King 19.4 c. And in this variety thou mayest make choice of that gesture that is most subservient to the present disposition of thy body and for enlarging the affections which may be different not only as to divers persons but also as to one and the same man at divers times and occasions only let me from experience intreat that thou would beware of such a gesture as may press the vital spirits or may dispose the to drousiness when we hing down the head or suffer the breast to lean to any hold we will find the soul because of its sympathy with the body in this state of union and conjunction not to be so free active and sit to be employed in the work of the Lord. Ah! do not many in their families use such a gesture as doth speak their dis-respect and want of reverence and it s too ordinary in publick for one and other in the time of prayer to lay themselves down or so to lean on their dasks as if they purposed to take a sleep ah is this the reverence and godly fear with which ye should serve your Maker and Judge would
ye durst ye speak so irreverently to a man like your self if in any eminent place and having authority far less to â King Ah! let us be humbled for our unmannerly shameless and impudent boldness or rather desperat carelesness and negligence in the worship of the great God We might here also add somewhat concerning the use of the voice yea sometimes the elevation and extension of it may be helpfull to quicken the heart and then thou may'st retire to a solitary place where thou may'st use the greater freedom and not be liable to mis-construction But if yet thou findest thy deadness and indisposition to continue notwithstanding thou hast used the means for removing of it I shall further add by way of advice but these few particulars 10. Whetever abuse may be of a set form yet then thou may'st have recourse to it perhaps thou may'st be brought so low and be so far straitned as to want both matter and words and might not a Saint be helped in such a strait if he had some materials at hand drawn up by holy men or by himself from the Scriptures and fitted for his case and use but yet not so as to stint and limit himself precisely to these words or purposes but if he find his fetters to fall off and the wind to blow he may use his liberty I must saith Mr. (y) Mr. Zach. Bogan pref to his help to pr. and edis Bogan who yet pleads very much for a form needs say if I would go by mine own experience the heart that is warmed and enlarged with the sense of the love of God and joy in the holy Ghost although sometimes under a damp and some violent straitning it should be driven to a form yet as soon as the heat comes and the bands slaken would fied a form to wring and long to be at liberty When one is weak and sickly he will make use of crutches which after he hath recovered his strength he will cast away And on the other hand the judicious Mr. Ford who is very severe against the abuse of forms (z) Mr. Ford spirit of adoption cha 48. pag. 526. comparing it to a custome which he calleth a ridiculous absuraity and at another (a) Ibid. cha 52. pag. 546 547. time prescribing this as a mean how to recover out of deadness in prayer not to rest in forms of prayer nor to bind our selves to the same series and frame of words yet once and again (b) Le is citatis protesteth that he is not so severe as to condemn or forbid the use of a good form either of our own or others framing or to deny that young beginners may find help in the matter method and language of a good form and that under extraordinary deliquies and swoundings of spirit in which the soul cannot put forth its operations as before that a godly man may not as Christ in his agony Mat. 26.44 go and repeat to God thrice and more the same forme of words And that we may not only at the same time repeat but also at different occasions make use of the same form of words is evident also from Davids soliloquy and meditation in the case of his soul-trouble and dejection in which he thrice and in two different Psalms repeateth the same words viz. Ps 42.5 and ver 11. Ps 43.5 And thus on all hands it s agreed that as a form may be abused for I (c) As for the excellency of conceived prayer wherein the devous Christian out of the abundance of his heart pours out his requests to God none but a profane spirit dares open his mouth against it Mr. Gurn. loc eit pag. 438. know none who plead that beleevers should be precisely stinted and bound to a set form in their private devotion so it may be lawfully used in case of extraordinary weakness or indisposition neither may we now meddle with what is here controversal 11. While deadness and indisposition continueth let frequency supply the want of continuance come often but stay not long at the throne till thou be more able and till the Lord arrest thee by the sweet breathings of his free Spirit The famous (d) Dicuntus fratres in Egypte crebras quidem babere orationes sed eas tamen brevissin as raptim quodammodo jaculatas ne ills vigilon ter erecta quae oranti pluri mum necessaria est per productiores meras evanescat atque hebetetur intentio ac per hoc etiam ipsi satis osteâdunt banc intentionem fiout non est obtundenda si per durare non potest itae si per duraverit non cito esse rum pendam Absit enim ab oratione multa loquutio non desit multa precatio si fervens perseverat intentio non intentio ut mendose scribitur passim in hoc capite nam c. August epist 12. ad pob cap. 10. Austin speaking of the Saints in Eygpt who were eminent for holiness affirmeth that they used to pray often but not long at a time approving that practice as limited to the case held forth in this direction nay the reverend Mr. (e) Mr. Gurn. loc cit pag. 477. Gurnal speaking generally of the duty prescribeth the same advice and direction with this (f) Which Austin also addeth verbis citatis caution only that we give no check to the Spirit of God in his assistances nor interrupt the duty while we find the Spirit enlarging the heart and pressing us forward We need not now speak to the general but the book of the Psalms affords us many instances of short prayers poured out by the Saints while their Spirits were overwhelmed and straitned and that one hundred and second Psalm which was penned to be as it were a directory in such a case if we look only upon the petitory part of it will not be thought to be of any considerable length 12. Do not faint nor weary in waiting upon the Lord put a good interpretation on all Gods dealings and dispensations towards thee and though thou meet with no sensible manifestation gain and advantage yet follow the (g) We spake particularly of prayer and now again while we recommend the use of the ordinances though we think none either publick or private may be neglected yet let me adviâe thee to make secret prayer thy daily and constant refuge go and say with him Psa 80.18 quicken me and I will call upon thy name thou mayest reiterate and dwell upon this petition for in one Psalm the servant of God eight several times renews the same request and prayeth for quickning viz. Psa 119 25 37 88 107 149 154 156 159. ordinances diligently knowing that at length he that shall come will come and will not tarry Heb. 10.37 Praise God that ye may bear his voice though ye do not see his face ye have a sure word of promise labour to live upon it and in due time ye shall reap if ye
ejaculation till thy business permit thee to go to the throne in a more solemn and continued way But let not such ejaculations be pretended as a cloak for laying aside a constant course of continued prayer that were to make things act contrary to their nature and to make the means which are subordinat and should be subservient unto the end to exclude the end for this is one and a main fruit of such ejaculations to fit and prepare the heart to continue instant in prayer when of purpose we perform that solemn duty But least any should abuse these Scripture-instances making these a cloak for their negligence and want of love to the work saying what should we be more holy and continue longer in prayer then those eminent Saints whose supplications are recorded in the Word Let such consider 1. that as of sermons So of prayers for the most part we have but some brief notes all was not written that was at such an occasion spoken by the Saints though all was spoken that is written of them and yet as to the present case there is so much written as may rather make us tremble then thus boast and presume as if it were no great matter to come that length for though the words be not set down yet the time is sometimes specified and such a proportion of it as few will make their measure thus our blessed Lord continued all night in prayer Luk. 6.12 Nehemiah spent certain daies in fasting and prayer Neh. 1.4 and a fourth part of a day is spent in prayer and confession Neh. 9.3 The Jews fasted and to what purpose did they fast if prayer was not joyned therewith neither eating nor drinking three daies Esth 4.16 17. And David professeth that he had cried himself hoarse and that his throat was dried Psa 69.3 that all night he made his bed to swim and watered his couch with tears Psa 6.6 And will any dare yet to boast that they have come the length required or recorded in Scripture But 2. such would remember that the prayers that are set down in the Scriptures were poured out upon some special occasion and were framed only or mainly in reference to the present particular but we in our daily and constant course of prayer must look to all our wants and necessities and must petition not some one mercy but what we stand in need of (z) 2 Pet. 1.3 for life and godliness personal mercies and publick mercies mercies for our selves and for all the Saints and we should particularly confess our sins with their several aggravations and beg pardon for all our provocations and grace and strength for every duty and praise God for all his mercies And can all this be to purpose performed in so short a space of time as those vain talkers and mockers of the holy Scriptures would allow But yet as we said in the entry we will prescribe no time only we would not have any upon a mistake to limit themselves to a shorter time then the nature of this exercise and their own need doth require But here we may behold our duty and great priviledge to pray alwaies as we are obliged So it would be our happiness to improve every season and opportunity of prayer Christ purchased to us not with his money but with his blood this liberty to draw nigh to the King as oft as we will and as our need requireth I have read of one who offered to his King a great sum of money but to have leave once or twice a day to come and say God save your Majesty But you may not come once or twice but as oft as you please to the King of kings you will alwaies get access and will never be sent away empty and without the blessing if you come to bless and praise his great Name you shall be blessed of him if you come to ask you shall receive not only (a) Mark 6.13 unto the half of a kingdom but a whole kingdom and an incorruptible crown of glory that fadeth not away Ah! who would not come to his doors who hath such an almes to give But ah the folly and desperate negligence of secure sinners who will not enter in at such an open door who will not knock nor cry though their need press them never so much and who will not seek though they have a promise to find O! what diligence and frequency is necessary here An earthly King will get great attendance and yet what hath he to give to his followers and supplicants Solomons servants waited upon and stood before him continually 1 Kings 10.8 and yet we soon weary in standing before the King of kings the importunate widow Luk. 18. did not faint but from time to time renewed her complaint till she was answered and yet though our business be great though our life and happiness and matters of soul concernment be lying at the stake we are secure and negligent as we are foolish and injurious to our own souls So we are unfaithful to our Master and Lord and a scandal and reproach to our holy profession though no master can so reward his servants yet what master is so ill served The Idols of the nations were more diligently and frequently worshiped no cost was spared in their service how sumptuous were their sacrifices Nay they did not (b) Jer. 7.31 and 32.35 vid. Alex. ab Alex gen lier lib. 6. cap ult Polyd. Vergâl de invent rer lib. 5. cap 8. spare their children yea nor their own lives in their sacrifices and yet though our Christian sacrifice be so easie and reasonable how slow are we to offer it Maâumeâans and Papists will rise up in judgment against us Mahomet and canonized men and women are more carefully and frequently worshiped then the true and living God and the ordinances of that great Impostor and of Antichrist are better observed then the commands of the Lord of heaven and earth (c) Alex. Rosse ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã sect 6. pag. 171. Mahomet appointed his followers to pray five times a day and they do so the Papists have their seven canonical hours of prayer and these must be observed no business nor employment will hinder or divert them and this is the (d) Certum est horas canonicas non esse panciores quam septemâ uar loc cit lib 4. cap. 6. unde Rainerius cum glossa interpretatur haec verba Psal 119.164 septies quotidie laudo te sic septies inquit in die i. e. septem vicibus seu septem horis canonicis incumbit religiosis laudare Deum Rain pantheel in voc orat cap. 7. least their canons will allow and yet though our Lord and Saviour command us to pray alwaies and without ceasing many will not pray at all and not a few but for the fashion And who are they that continue instant in prayer at all seasons and occasions and how shall we then be able to stand in
desiââd 3. From the return maâe to Christs prayer once and again (z) Mat. 26.39 42 44. renewed that thâ ãâã âââght âââs fâom âim it is evident that the prayer may be ãâ¦ã when the particular is not graâced for ãâ¦ã or pââs a âay from him but he did drink it oââ ãâã the ââââom and yeâ it were blasphemous to imagine that Christs ââayer wââ not heard contrary to what hâ himself âffâââth Joh. 11 4â Father I know that thou alwaies heaâest me And paââicularly as to that prayer the holy Spirit ââstifieth that he was heard Heb. 5.7 And then 4. in the general the Scriptures of truth do most clearly fully and frequently assert that they thââ sâek the Lord shall not want any good thing Psa 34 10. the same is affirmed of them that walk vprightââ Psa 84.11 and of them that fear the Lord Psâ 34.9 Hââce we may well infer since they shall want âo good thing they cannot want a return âo their prayers and ãâ¦ã answer from their God the Lord doing what is ãâã for them ãâã reference to the particular they desired Aâd siââe no ãâã shall befall the righteous Psa 91.10 Pââv 12.21 c. therefore they shall not gâââhat ãâ¦ã âhem ãâã they should ask it upon a mistake ãâã âaths of thâ ãâã are mââcâ ãâã truth âesuâ haâ kââp ãâ¦ã monies Psa 25.10 If all his ãâ¦ã such then ãâã those paths in which he ãâã in ââswering thââ prayers those paths must be suââ ãâ¦ã of ââuth and fidelity in ãâã forming thââe ãâ¦ã answer them when they call upon him There ãâã âever a pââyer pââââed out in truth at which the God of truth did âoâ drew nigh and to which he did not ãâã Psa 145.18.19 all his paths are mercy and truth to all true ãâã who can produce one exception or instance to the coâtrâây He never said to such sock ye me in vain Isa 45.19 and then there is a considerable word to this purpose Rom. 8.28 We know that all things work together for good to them that love him if we ponder the scope of the place we will find this general truth to have a special relation to prayer of which the Apostle had been speaking in the two preceeding verses where he had shown our ignorance and that we know not what to ask and the need we stand in of light and help and now saith he you having been assisted to do your duty and pray arâght you need not be anxious for Gods part and that which lieth upon him to do by way of return for ye may be assured whether he give or with-hold the particular he will have such a care of you as to do nothing but what he will make contribute and work for your good though we know not what to ask yet God knoweth what to give he will not challenge thee for asking what thou apprehended to be good for thee if (a) Especially since his Spirit may concur and assist thee in the pouring out of such a prayer it being our duty to go to God and hold up to him what we conceived to be good and fit for us committing to him to make choyce for us what he knows to be best See Part 1. Chap. 9. Pag. 269. upon the matter it be lawfull and if thy desire be moderate and submissive although as to the particular there may be a mistake flowing from thy ignorance of the event and those following circumstances which thou couldst not for-see but yet the Lord will do what he of his infinite wisdom and knowledge seeth will be indeed good and convenient for thee and we I and ye believing Romans saith the Apostle do know that God will care for them that love him and who in all things do make their requests known to him he will procure their good by the fittest means though the wicked will not know and acknowledge Gods care and fidelity in performing his promises and therefore think it in vain to seek the Lord yet we know and are perswaded of his love and care Surely the knowledge and belief of this point is a differencing mark and character they who have no interest in Gods love and care will not believe it towards others And thus its certain that the Lord alwaies heareth his honest supplicants Si (b) Aug. âuâi supra non ad voluntatem tamen ad utilitatem If not according to their desire yet for their profit which if our (c) Our desires are often foolish and âârtfull desires would not hinder and obstruct they should alwaies be answered what doth our kind Father grudge to give us such empty trifles which he bestoweth in such abundance upon the wicked would he who hath so loved us as to give his only begotten Son to death for us and to prepare an exceeding and (d) 2 Cor. 4.17 eternal weight of glory for us would he with-hold these perishing thiâgs from us if it were not for our good Rom. 8. â2 Nay if we had not askt as we could have no solid peace either in the having or wanting such a particular that being the fruit of prayer Phil. 4.6 7. So we might have (e) Deus concedit tratus quod negat propitius vid. Aug. loco jam jam citato gotten in wrath what the Lord now in mercy with-holdeth from thee who hast committed the matter to God and hast referred all to his wise free and loving choyce And thus whatever be the particular ends and reasons of which Sect. 4. why the Lord with-holdeth such and such particular mercies as we desired in the general it is evident that his design herein alwaies is to prevent our hurt and promove our comfort and happiness and that all his paths toward us may be mercy and truth by making all things work together for our good And now to the Objection as it is propounded we answer Although al things did come alike to all yet they are not alike to all though in the outward dispensation there appear no diffârence yet as to the fountain from which such a dispensation did flow the end to which it doth tend the effect fruit use c there is a vast difference for those things which are mercies blessings and pledges of love to the Saints prove snares judgments and an earnest of everlasting wrath to the wicked and what greater difference can be imagined yea not only is there so great an inequality dissimilitude where they seem to be equal and alike but also where there is an inequality and the advantage appeareth to be on the part of the wicked as while we compare them in their prosperity and success and having (f) Ps 73 7â more then their heart could wish with the godly under persecution affliction and sore calamities yet even thus the case is not altered nor the difference and disproportion less for the Saints afflictions wants and tryals are sanctified unto them and are made to work for their good as being
up to pray and enlargeth the affections in prayer 2. if by or in prayer he quiet the heart and make thee Hannah like come from the Kings presence with a contented and calmed spirit 3. if whilst thou art praying the Lord smile upon thee and lift up the light of his countenance upon thee and make any intimation to thee concerning his love and thy adoption and son-ship 4. if he stir up in the heart a particular faith whereby thou assuredly expectest the very particular thou desired enabling thee to wait for it maugre all impediments and discouragments but this now-a-daies is not very usual 5. when the Lord doth put a râstless importunity in the heart whereby it continuâth instant in prayer though with submission as to the particular 6. (d) Cha. 6. after prayer how is sucâess may be discerned if after prayer thou walk obediently and circumspectly if thou be as carefull to hearken to the voice of the Lord in his commandments as thou art desirous that he should hearken to thy supplications 7. if all the while the Lord delayeth thou wait upon him and look up for an answer 8. but if thou get what thou desired and in that very way and by thess very means which thou pitchedst upon as it often falleth out what needest thou doubt of the success of thy prayers But now we come to particulars and 1. by these directions we may know that our prayers are heard when the thing we desired is not (e) Cha. 9. accomplished as 1. if thou canst discern any thing given by way of commutation and exchange thou wilt not readily more dâubt of the success of thy prayer then if thy desire had been accomplisht But though thou canst not discern a compensation made to thee yet if 2. thou wast not perâmptory in thy desire if thou durst entrust the Lord and roll all over upon his wise choice thou needst not fear least he dis-appoint thee if thou hast prayed submissively to his will thou mayst be assured that he will do what will be most for thy well 3. would not this support thee if the Lord should deal with thee as he did with Moses giving to him a (f) Deut. 34.1 c. Pisgah-sight of that land into which he so earnestly desired to enter if the Lord do yield far in such a particular as if he laboured to give thee all satisfaction would not that quiet thy heart Nay 4. if he discover his hand by some remarkable dispensation in suspending his ordinary influence or turning second causes even then when it would have appeared that such a mercy as thou desiredst was brought to the birth this may be an evidence to thee that the Lord hath some special respect to thee and to thy prayers and some special design in with-holding such a supposed mercy âts true if there be any (g) Psa 139.24 wicked way in thee such a dispensation may be for thy warning and instruction but yet alwaies it is in mercy and in love towards thee who committing thy way to God dost call upon him in sincerity 5. (h) This and the following hoâd forth the effects that a sanctiââed acnial or rather a graciouâ grant ââcundum cardinem precationis hath upon the heart If the Lord fill the heart not only 1. with a ââent submission unto his will but also 2. with a holy contentment and satisfaction in his choyce as being best for thee and thus if 3. out of faith thou canst praise and render thanks to God râsting on his love care and fidelity whatever sense and carnal reason depone and suggest to the contrary this may be an evidence to thee that the spirit that now resteth upon thee hath led thee to the thâone and hath not suffered thee to go away empty You will say but who is he that useth to praise God for denying what he askt and doth not rather complain and mourn when he meeteth with such a dispensation Ans Our ignorance unbelief and groundless jealousie makes us too often take a quite contrary course to what we ought and should follow and thus while we are called to praise we are ready to murmure and complain and the cause of this our errour and mistake besides our unbelief and sensuality is our negligence and because we will not be at the pains as to bring our hearts into a right frame and to pray with the whole heart so neither to reflect vpon our hearts and prayers and to compare them with the rule and those qualifications which the promise doth require that thus we might judge aright of the success of our work 6. If thou be not discouraged neither entertainest hard thoughts of thy master and his work if thou love not prayer worse but continuest instant in that exercise not daring to run away from God in a fit of discontentment as this may be an evidence of thy patience submission and (i) That which the Lord mainly regardeth is thy faith without which we would soon weary and yet thy patience and submission abstructly considered cannot but be wel-pleasing to God For âaith our Author here it moves ingenious natures to see men take repuâses and dâniaââ well which proud persons will not do and ãâã it movâs God c. faith So also of the acceptance and success of thy prayer in that the spirit of prayer and supplication doth thus rest upon thee thou mayst conclude that thou hast prayâd in the Spirit and that therefore thy prayers cannot want an answer Now we proceed to the other branch of thâ question viz. how we may discern whether mercies come to us by the hand of a common providence or in return to ouâ prayers ãâã (k) Ibid. cha 7. If we can discern the Lords hand in a mâre then ordinary mânner we may be confident he hath hearkened âo our voice as first when he bringeth a thing to pass through many difficulties that stood in the way 2. When he provideth and facilitateth the means and makes them conspire and combine in the accomplishing of a mercy for us 3. When he doth it suddainly and ere thou art aware of it as Josephs and Peters delivery from prison and the Israelites return from Babylon they were as men in a dream and could scarce believe what was done because so suddainly and unexpectedly 4. If God do above what we did ask or think giving an over-plus and casting in other mercies together with that which we desired and perhaps for a long time prayed for 5. By making some remarkable circumstance a token for good and a seal of his love and care and thus a circumstance small in its self may be magnum indicium as the dogs not barking at the children of Israel when they went out of Egypt in the night Exod. 11.7 c. 2. The consideration of the time when such a mercy is accomplisht and given may help us to discern whether it be in answer to our prayers as 1. if
that we may run to the fountain it self to have a supply and an up-making there the Lord will with hold many creature enjoyments that we may know our home not to be here and that our minority is not yet past nor the inheritance to be yet intrusted to us as being but pupils who must depend and roâl themselves and their affairs over upon the care and fidelicy of another and that thus our hearts may be enlarged with longing desires after that day when our wills shall run parallel with our good and the glory and purpose of our Master 4. To prevent our hurt we are ready to mistake and to ask a serpent in stead of an egge but God will not grant such foolish desires but will according to Christs (e) Joh. 17.25 prayer keep us thus as it were against our wills from the evil of the world 1. from the evil of temptation for often (f) See Sect. 2. such things prove an occasion of sin 2. from the evil of suffering for riches honours and pleasures have often proven a precipice from which the men of the world have been cast headlong 5. to promove our good and greater advantage what we desire may prove obstructive of a greater mercy either spiritual or temporal and the Lord in his pity and love will not suffer such a block and impediment to be cast into our way 6. for our instruction what is said of the cross schola crucis schola lucis may well be applied to this dispensation which often through our ignorance and mistake proveth a sad affliction to us thus we may learn no more to live by sense and hereby we may be set a work to examine our hearts and wayes more narrowly that we may know whether such a dispensation proceedeth from anger or love and thus we may be brought to espy what formerly did escape our view c. nay here we might alledge all those motives which prevail with the Lord to afflict his people and honest servants while he doth not pursue any quarrel against them as in the case of Job of the Apostles and Martyrs for as this case is much like to that this being often very grievous to us and looking affliction-like So the ends and motives on the Lords part will be found to be much alike and for the most part the same As to the second branch of the question viz. those ends for which the Lord delayeth to give what he purposeth at length to give we might here resume several particulars mentioned in the former head as there also might be applied much of what we are now to say these cases not being much different as to the present enquiry since both those dispensations flow from one and the same fountain of love wisdom care and fidelity of a compassionat father towards his children and servants 1. Then the Lord delayes to give till we be fitted and (g) Tauto quippe illud quod valde magnum est sumemus eapacius quanto fidelius credimus speramus sirmius defideramus ardentius prepared to receive and that such a dispensation may be a mean to humble and prepare us every thing is good and beautifull in its season and the Lord knows best how to time our mercies right if the Lord should give in our time and before we be prepared to receive and improve such a gift would be as medicine unseasonably taken which would rather encrease and beget then remove diseases but as the Lord thus delayeth till we be fitted to receive and improve his mercies aright So 2. till other things be fitted and be in readiness to joyn with the desired mercy for our good that thus according to that sweet though little pondred or believed word Rom. 8.28 all things may work together for our good that impediments may be removed and other means may be placed and joyn hands with such a mercy that fit occasions may be offered and such circumstances may combine c. and thus a considerable space of time may interveen before the right and fit season come 3. To make us prize the Lords bounty the more when he fulfilleth our desire and to make us the more thankfull for the mercy (h) Augustin supra citat cito data vilescunt soon and easily gotten little prized and soon forgotten 4. To make us pray more frequently and importunatly (i) Ibid. Deus differt dare ut tu discas orare the Lord delayeth that we may add both to the number and measure of our prayers that we may become both more assiduous and more ardent supplicants 5. That at length he may appear for our greater comfort the Lord waiteth that he may be gracious and that our mercies may be full compleat and stable 6. To learn us that hard lesson of submission and that we may not dare to limit and prescribe to the Lord that we may patiently wait and look up to him untill he show us his loving kindness to make us examples to others of patience dependence and self-denial c. I have not insisted on these particulars because many of them or such like are more fully handled and applied to a more (k) Viz. both to this and that which followeth chap. 2. general case by the judicious Mr. Gee in his elaborat Treatise concerning prayer-obstruction Chap. 4. But what hath bee said may suffice for convincing us of our impatience folly and ingratitude to our kind God who waits that he may be gracious to us and who will not with-hold our desires when these are not contrary to his glory the good of his people and our own comfort and happiness CHAP. II. When and whose prayer will the Lord not hear nor answer WE will 1. speak of this question as it concerneth the Saints 2. as it concerneth the wicked Sect. 1. When will the Lord not hear his children and servants and what are these sins that will obstruct and hinder the success of their prayers Psal 66.18 If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear me VVE may speak of the Saints prayers either for privat and personal mercies or for publick mercies to the Church and incorporation of believers but as to the present case we need not insist on this distinction but in reference to both sort of prayers we may generally answer with the Psalmist Psa 66.18 if we regard iniquity in our heart the Lord will not accept or answer any of our prayers either for our selves or others See Part. 2. Chap. 1. But it may be askt what are those sins which in a special manner do obstruct and hinder the success of our prayers Ans Albeit we condemn the stoical dream concerning the equality of sins it being evident from the Word of truth and sound reason that there is a great difference between sins and sins some being much more hainous and grievous then others both in respect of the act object manner of performance and many aggravating
Philippi the chief city of that part of Macedonia Act. 16.12 after such an extraordinary and promising invitation to come and help that people as he got Act. 16.9 and yet how small a harvest did follow there being by his ministry in that place converted only one merchant woman Lydia with her family and with much a do the jaylor for first the earth must quake and the prison-foundations shake and it's doors open before his stout heart did tremble or would yield and open to Christ ver 14 15.26.29 And now a dayes how few are they who make conscience of their wayes and are working out their salvation with fear and trembling Ah! do not the wicked lives of many who are reputed good Christians their formality in the worship of God their negligence neutrality and indifferency in maters of soul-concernment their pride avarice self-love and self-seeking make it too manifest though there were no such thing recorded in the Word that of the (f) Mat. 22.16 Mat. 22.14 c. many who are called and hear the Gospel only a few are chosen and shall be saved but ah who doth ponder and lay this to heart our neighbours and kins-folk are daily leaving us and going to the pit and yet we their foolish (g) Ps 49.13 posterity and acquaintance approve and follow their way and while we see them die as they lived and perish in their security and vain confidence we are ready to say their end was peace and they died well and is not this brutish stupidity an evidence that we are lying under a judicial stroke since thus (h) Mat. 13.14 15. hearing we do not understand and seeing we do not perceive nor lay to heart that we might escape the like snare and be converted and healed and were there no more but the want of sense and feeling while you hear or read such a terrible discovery of the lamentable state of so many among you that were enough to allarm you for had not your hearts been harder then an adamant with what terror and pricking of conscience would you have cryed out Wo's me I have too good reason to fear lest I be one of that number who are plagued and forsaken of God and who must perish eternally If there were any such marks whereby we could discover when men would die or suffer any considerable loss in their state and outward condition and if accordingly we did warn a whole Congregation that one of them should die in a day or weeks space how earnestly would all enquire yea would any be at rest till he knew whether or not he were the man The disciples were not more anxious when they heard that one of them should betray their Master nor did they more earnestly ask (i) Mat. 26.22 Lord is it I is it I then every one would ask and say is it I is it I that can live no longer But yet while not one in a Paroch but perhaps all except one are warned from the word of truth of the eternal ruine of both soul and body yet how negligent careless and secure are they and have we not then reason to lament and say ah desperat sinners (k) Gal. 3.1 who hath thus infatuated and bewitched you But to say no more to such sleepers who deserve not to hear one word more till they be awaked in hell I would turn me to others if I knew where to look Ah! are there none who will hear or lay their deplorable case to heart Ah! must I be silent or else suppose what I cannot see and imagine some to be so affected awaked and terrified by this discovery or any such like warning from whatsoever hand ah will none tremble while they see themselves to hing over the mouth of the pit by a small threed which may be broken before they draw their breath Is there no mourning captive who seeing himself taken and held by this wofull snare will in much anguish of spirit horror and confusion say ah is there no remedy though my case seem desperat yet is there no (l) Jer. 8.22 balm in Gilead are my wounds so incurable that the great Physician could not heal them are there not bowels in the God of mercy to receive me yet were it now in vain to lay out my desperat and hopeless condition to him would he not hear if I should call on him I have alas destroyed my self and hitherto rejected all his counsel and therefore it were a just thing with God to laugh at my calamity and mock when my fear cometh and to hide his sace from my prayers Prov. 1.26.28 To such as are in this sad condition I have some few things to say partly by way of warning and caution partly by way of counsel and direction and partly for supporting and strengthening (m) Heb. 12.1.2 the feeble knees and lifting up the hands that hang down And 1. beware lest thy fear and apprehended danger feed thy lusts and desperat security and make thee say with them Isa 22.13 1 Cor. 13.2 Let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall die if we must perish let us take a merry life of it so long as we may certainly that were a wrong course for being eased of your fears and that which would without remedy bring you to destruction the premisses are sad and terrible but the conclusion drawn from thence is mad and desperat and thus you bind as with strong cords that wofull threatning to your own backs and by making it a plea for thy brutish sensuality and desperat contempt of the means thou proclaimest thy hypocrisie and that thy fears were not real but pretended and thus makes it appear that thou indeed art the man who hast reason to tremble and fear as being caught in the snare out of which thou wilt never escape Ah! but were your fears real and if you did seriously desire to be eased of them you would rather take such a course as the people of Nineveh did in a case much like to this they being under a sad and as it would then have appeared most peremptory threatning yet say they who can tell if God will turn from his fierce anger and for their part they turned from their evil wayes and humbled themselves before the Lord crying mightily unto him and ye know what the event was God repented of the evil that he had said he would do unto them and he did it not Jon. 3. But let me tell thee O secure and desperat sinner who wilt be at no pains and yet complainest of the terrors of the Almighty as thou began with the mercy of God abusing it and encouraging thy self from thence to add sin to sin and to continue in thy wicked wayes So after thou hast served thy turn with that most glorious attribute which should have led thee in to repentance thou now takest thy self to his justice and threatenings as if these did chase thee away and hold thee
word would be added for preventing their mistake for as dogs are ready to snarch the childrens bread so the children may gnaw the bones that are cast to the dogs as the wicked may lay hold on the promise that belongs not to them so the Saints on the threatning which they need not fear while the Master doth frown and is angry with his slothfull and unfaithfull servant the child may tremble and the hand lift up with a stone to be cast at the dog may startle the tender son though those who are concerned in this sad judgement and threatning are not affected nor awaked while they hear their dreadfull doom yet some of the Lords precious ones may tremble and fear lest this be their case therefore 1. I would have such observe that those characters are not to be understood of one or two particular acts but of a course state trade and continuance in such and such sins for what is the particular sin into which the Lords chosen ones yea and after their conversion may not fall 2. That men and women may go a great length and come very nigh the curse and yet escape there is a certain measure in finding which the Lord hath appointed and proportioned for spiritual as well as for temporal judgements which we can hardly define because it is not one and the same to all and every one and the Lord will use some variety and leave us all in the dark here that on the one hand none might presume to continue one day in their sinfull wayes nor to add one sin more to that cursed heap lest that one sin fill up the measure and bring down the judgement and on the other hand that none should despair so long as the Gospel-offer and the means of grace are continued with them and that others might be charitable and not dare to pass a peremptory sentence against any man as to his rejection reprobation and eternal portion 3. The Saints would not forget to put a difference between that partial haraness that remaineth in the heart after it's renovation and conversion and that total and universal hardness of the heart before the grace of God thaw soften and mollifie it and that judicial hardness and induration wherewith the Lord in his judgement plagueth secure sinners while he giveth them up to the lusts of their own heart which is yet worse then the former it being a load above a load for although the godly may complain as of a body of sin and death yet lodging in them so of much dulness and indisposition for spiritual duties and of much deadness and slightness of spirit under melting ordinances and awakening dispensations yet they have reason to praise God yea even then when they are thus mourning and complaining that they are not lying under that total far less the judicial hardness of heart which is both the sin and misery of cast-awayes Rom. 7.24 25. And though the Saints may be brought very low and not meet with that inlargement in prayer which others or they themselves sometimes have had yet the spirit of prayer is not altogether taken from them as from those who are judicially plagued and deserted for though the wind do not so blow nor fill their sails as formerly yet by a secret hand they are still carried on in their way and held in motion and they may find the spirit to press and stir them up to their duty though they do not so sensibly find his help and assistance in the performance of the duty CHAP. III. An exhortation to continue instant in prayer with an answer to objections ALbeit we might well press this exhortation from what hath been here said concerning the certainty of success and the return of prayer yet we have reserved this Chapter rather to be the conclusion of the whole Treatise then of any one Part and in it we shall 1. press 2. vindicat this duty Sect. I. Several motives for pressing the constant and serious practice of this soul-enriching performance Rom. 12.12 continuing instant in prayer Luk. 18.1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end that men ought alwayes to pray and not to faint WHile we divide and thus compare contemplation with action we spoil both of their excellency and perfection their conjunction is sweet and successfull but a divorce is sad and grievous and who would choose either to want his eyes or his hands and therefore though knowledge especially in maters of soul-concernment be one of the most noble perfections whereof we are capable as being a part of the divine (a) Colos 1.10 Image which we lost in Adam and shall at length be perfectly restored by him who said (b) Rev. 21.9 Behold I make all things new Yet if it be not rightly improven if is be empty and not accompanied with a suteable practice action life and conversation it will do us no good but much hurt it may puff us up and make us boast as if we were non-suches 1 Cor. 8.1 it may make us idle and negligent as if it were enough to know something and as if they were the best Christians who know most thus forgetting that that the true Israelites Motto is homage our happiness doth not like the empty mistaken Pagan philosophical speculative dream consist in contemplation we are called to work knowledge will not do the turn it cannot make us happy yea or draw us out of the category of nothing 1 Cor. 13.2 but the more we know if we be idle negligent and unfaithfull the worse we are and our stripes shall be the moe Luk. 12.47 O! ye who would rather be Christians indeed then accounted such and who (c) Joh. 12.43 Rom. 2.29 love the praise of God more then the praise of men would it satisfie you to know the way to salvation if ye did not walk in it or to hear and speak much of God if ye were strangers to a communion with him and lived at a distance from him And what would it profit you though you knew all that could be said concerning the nature qualifications excellency and use of prayer if ye fail and come short as to the practice of it This was the scope whereat we aimed all along this discourse and in every part of it we laboured to hold forth somewhat for our encouragement help and direction herein and therefore all must be lost labour to the slothsfull and negligent and to such as will not make conscience to continue instant in the performance of this sweet soul-ravishing and enriching duty Ah! who is able to hold forth all the motives and arguments that may serve to stir us up here unto And now in the close we shall only name and briefly hint at some few things looking up to him who only can give the blessing who only can perswade and enable us to pray as we ought and who can help us from fainting in our fervent and frequent addresses to the throne
of Grace 1. We may with the (d) 1 Cor. 11.14 Apostle in another case appeal to nature it self doth it not teach you to pray Ask the Brutes the Ravens Lyons c. Job 38.41 Ps 147.9 Ps 104.27 Ps 145.15 not as if these unreasonable creatures could know and worship God but because nature hath taught them so much of this duty as they are capable of and can bear they have some sense of their burdens and wants they groan and cry and desire to be eased and the Lord hearkeneth to this voice and saith now the poor creature is crying to me and I will pity it Ah! shall the beasts in their own way cry to God and wilt thou be silent hath the Lord elevated thee so far above these inferiour creatures and fitted thee for the immediat acts of his Worship and for a communion with himself and wilt thou not serve him accordingly hath he given thee a heart and spiritual soul as he hath given the Brutes a sensitive appetite and natural desire and shall they cry to God with the one and not thou with the other But 2. reason in man being of a deeper reach then sensitive nature in the brutes it not only seeth trouble and wants at home but also can look up to the right treasure from whence a supply may be had Thus (e) Ideo apud varias hominum nationes quicunque no nen aliquod sibi ducevirtute vindicavere circa precum crationumque studiase exercucrunt ut apud Jndos Brachmanae apud Persas Magi inter Graecos Theologi in Assyriis Chaldei c. Fran. Venet. de harm mundi cant 3. ton 6. cap. 15 Orare nobis proprium est ut Plato Porphyrius Jamblicus Proclus docents totum genus humanum omni tempore omni loco emneque natione divinis precibus dedâtum suit ibid cant 1. toâ 1 cap. 16. Heathens and Pagans by the light of natural reason can not only discern the eternal Power and God-head of their Maker Rom. 1.20 but also much of that duty they owe to him Rom. 2.14 15. And in the first place that they should offer to him the sacrifice of prayer and praise all men naturally may know that they are oblieged to render this homage and pay this tribute of all their enjoyments to the great King Hence Divines acknowledge prayer and praise to be a branch of that natural worship which the Law written on the heart Rom. 2.15 by the work of creation doth prescribe And (f) Hence Phocylides his ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and the Pythagorean verses their ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and Plutarch his ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is acknowledged to be a fundamental principle known to all men ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã saith Zenophon ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã And that this general doth clearly comprehend our case none I think will deny Pagans themselves do reckon this among the first and most undeniable principles of their Theology and though for ordinary they do not improve this known principle nor hearken to the cryes and challenges of a natural conscience convincing them of the neglect and calling them to go about this duty yet in the day of calamity and when the Lords hand lyes heavy upon them they will cry to him the most stupid stubborn and desperat wretch will then take him to his devotion It was well said by one He (g) Qui nescit orara discat navigare who cannot pray let him go to sea and the storm will learn him this point of Divinity when the wind was boisterous and the Pagan Mariners afraid they will not only practise but preach this point with much zeal and tenderness What meanest thou O sleeper say they to Jonah Arise call upon thy God Jon. 1.6 Thus all are taught and may learn their duty but the Lords own people have many other Monitors and Instructers they meet with many voices calling and inviting them to call upon God where canst thou cast thine eyes but there thou mayest behold a Teacher and hear a voice pointing out the way to the throne The Lord doth call and invite us to our duty both by his Word and Works but alas who hath (h) Isa 6.10 ears to hear when he speaketh or a heart to consider what he saith And 1. there is scarce a line in the Scriptures which holds not forth some one or other motive hereunto 1. (i) Mat. 7.7 3. precepts and commands should chase thee who art of thy self so weak and not (k) 2 Cor. 3.5 sufficient for one good thought in to him of whom is all our sufficiency and who only can strengthen and inable us both to will and to do 2. The (l) Joh. 16.23 promises cry to thee O make hast do not linger run to the throne the blessing is brought to the birth and only waiteth for the midwifery of prayer 3. (m) Jer. 10.25 Threatnings should drive thee into the provoked Majesty to deprecat his wrath to cry for mercy and to beg a pardon that none of those evils thy sins have deserved may befall thee 4. Challenges we may hear the Lord saying to us to day what he said to his ancient people Is 43.21 22. This people have I formed for my self they shall shew forth my praise but thou hast not called upon me O Jacob but thou hast been weary of me O Israel 5. Every passage of providence held forth in the Word should make thee say Lord (n) Ps 78.6 7. c. teach me to improve aright what is (o) 2 Tim. 3.16 17. recorded in the sacred Volumn for my instruction comfort or humiliation that I may fear and reverence thy great Name and may not become an unfruitfull hearer c. 2. All Gods works and dispensations towards thee and the present generation do joyn with his word 1. all thy wants dangers (p) Ps 50.15 troubles difficulties and temptations yea and all the misery and afflictions of thy relations and of Gods people wheresoever do invite thee to run to the full Treasure for a supply to run to the Physician for a remedy to run to the rock of strength and defence and to him who is able to save and deliver on whom thou mayest cast all thy burdens (q) Ps 17.8 Ps 36.7 Ps 57.1 Ps 63.7 resting securely under the shadow of his wings in the day of greatest calamity 2. All thy mercies and enjoyments personal or publick do summon thee as to pay the (r) Ps 50.15 tribute of praise to the great and liberal Giver so to pray for grace to improve these many talents our Master hath intrusted us with to the honour of his Name that they may (Å¿) 1 Tim 4.4 5. prove blessings indeed and may not be given and continued with us in wrath and so become snares and wofull temptations 3. All the good we expect or desire to our selves and others (t) Ezek. 36.37 Mat. 7.7 complain
called Alcibiades 2. or of a vow were translated in ou and other languages to the shame of many dead and formal Christians that they might go to school and learn from a Pagan much sincerity zeal and devotion But thus we see that both Scripture and natural reason teach us that heart-devotion is the best and the pouring out of the soul to God in prayer is more acceptable than any outward oblation why then shouldst thou say (a) Micah 6.6.8 wherewith shall I come before the Lord hath he not shewed thee O man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to walk humbly with thy God (b) Phil. 4.6 and in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving to make your requests known unto him 2. All the persons of the blessed Trinity do call and invite us 1. the Father openeth his bowels to receive and imbrace us he holdeth forth the golden Scepter and saith come and fear not ye may have access and acceptance look not upon me as a sin-revenging God and as a consuming fire unless ye stand at a distance and will keep up the old controversie and enmity As I live saith the (c) Ezek. 33.11 Lord I delight not in your death but rather that ye turn and live that ye would lay down your weapons and submit that ye would accept the Kings pardon freely offered to you that in stead of fighting against me ye would (d) Hos 12.4 Jacob-like with tears and supplications wrestle with me till ye prevailed and got the blessing (e) Ezek. 33.11 turn ye turn ye from your evil wayes for why will ye die O self-destroying sinners And as for all true Israelites who have made their peace with God what should discourage them know ye not that the Father himself loveth you and will refuse you nothing Joh. 16.27.23 3. The Son by his blood hath purchased to us this liberty and priviledge he laid down his life that we who by nature were as far off as devils might be brought near and that our prayers and persons should be accepted Eph. 2.13.18 Eph. 3.12 Rom. 5.2 Joh. 14.6 c. We may then hearken to his voice crying and expostulating with us Ah! will ye so far undervalue my love will ye suffer my blood to be shed in vain shall I purchase such a priviledge for you at so dear a rate and will ye not improve it O come to the Father come I am the (f) Joh. 14 6. way and shall be your guide ye shall not mistake I am the (g) Joh. 10.7.9 door ye shall not need to wait and knock long ye shall get entrance access and acceptance 4. The holy Ghost offereth his help he stretcheth forth his hand to draw us and saith let nothing fear or discourage you Ah! but saith the trembling sinner I am foolish and ignorant I am not for the Court I know not what to say to the King he would but mock me nay but saith the Spirit come and I will be your mouth I will teach you what to say and make you ask according to his will Rom. 8.27 O! but will the sinner yet say I am weak and cannot ascend so high I am lazy and am not for so high an imployment I am drowsie and when at work in the Kings presence am ready to fall asleep Yet saith the Spirit fear not only be willing and obedient and I will help all thine infirmities let all thy weakness and wants be upon me I will quicken and strengthen thee thou shalt not want tears and groanings which cannot be uttered and that is the eloquence which the Lord requires and which alwayes prevaileth with him Rom. 8.26 Ps 51.12 Nay how often hath the holy Spirit knock'd and called while we were fast asleep and took litle notice of his motions Ah! how often have we thus resisted him and when we run he must prevent us and set us a work he must draw on the conference and say though we discern not his voice seek ye my face before we say thy face Lord we will seek Ps 27.8 Lastly the Lords attributes do call and invite thee to draw nigh to him 1. his justice and terrors his anger and displeasurre cry unto thee O secure sinner what dost thou mean art thou stronger then the Almighty wilt thou be able to bear his wrath why dost thou not then come in and humble thy self before him why dost thou not present thy supplications unto him least I tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver Ps 50.22 23. Ps 2.12 2. His mercy and tender bowels cry Behold me behold me I am ready to embrace thee the fountain stands open and thou may'st draw water it will cost thee but a word oh call and cry mightily and thou shalt tast its sweetness O lay hold on me and make peace and thou shalt make peace Isa 27.5 3. His patience and forbearance do call to thee Oh! despise not thine own mercies any longer dost thou not know that thy day is drawing to a close that night is coming on when thou wilt not be able to work knowest thou not that the riches of Gods goodness and long-suffering should lead thee to repentance Rom. 2.4 O remember that abused patience will ere long give place to sin-revenging justice and thou canst not promise to thy self one dayes respite this night O fool thy soul may be required of thee Luk. 12.20 4. His omniscience and omni-presence may be motive enough to set thee a work now thy scruples and doubts are removed thou needst not say where shall I find the Lord and will he hear when I call for he filleth heaven and earth he is every where and from his presence thou canst not flye Jer. 23.24 Ps 139.7 8. c. and all things are naked before him he knows our very thoughts a far off before they arise in the heart and are known to our selves Heb. 4.13 Ps 139.2 c. 5. His eternity should make thee as it did many Pagans who had not the light of the Scriptures which thou mayst daily read mind another life ah dost thou not know that as the Lord liveth for ever So he hath prepared for his honest supplicants (h) 1 Pet. 1.4 an undefiled and incorruptible inheritance that fadeth not away if it be not worth the asking its worth nothing Ah! what (i) Repetebat Plato scil quotidie sola aeterna esse vera temperalia vero verisimlia quae sensus appetit aut times nihil aliud esse quam somnia itaque haec omnia penitus esse contemnenda ut mala vitentur quibus iplenus est mundus ad aeterâa confugiendum Marsil Fiâ in vita Platonis 33. fools are we who labour and toil and spend our time and strength for perishing trifles or as Plato called them dreams and will not so much as once seriously and diligently seek the kingdom of God and the eternal crown of
fore-tell the inevitable destruction of those wretches but also represent it in a prayer to God for the greater terror and conviction of those who should read their own names in that dreadfull imprecation But such as will not now cry to the (g) Deut 32.15 2 Sam. 22.47 c. rock of salvation and (h) Is 55.6 seek his face while he may be found shall ere it be long cry to the mountains and rocks to destroy them fall on them and hide them from his face Rev. 6.16 Now he lovingly inviteth you to draw nigh to him and offers you the help of his Spirit and ye will not come but nill ye will ye in that day of his wrath when ye shall not be (i) Rev. 6. â7 able to stand before him ye shall be brought before his Tribunal to be judged 2 Cor. 5.10 such as in their life derided holiness and said it was in vain to call upon God will then say in vain with the foolish Virgins Mat. 25.11 Lord Lord open to us O! if thou wouldst know in this thy day the things that belong to thy peace before they be hid from thine eyes Luk. 19.42 Sect. 2. Objections answered and this Queree considered whether prayer may be said to move him with * Jam. 1.17 whom is no variableness neither shadow of turning Dan. 9.2 3. I Daniel understood the number of the years that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolation of Jerusalem and I set my face unto the Lord God to seek by prayer and supplications c. Jon. 3.8 9 10. Let man and beast be covered with sackcloath and cry mightily unto God And God saw their works and repented of the evil that he had said that he would do unto them and he did it not THere be scarce any material question and case handled in this Treatise from whence we could not gather some one or moe objections which might be here propounded as Obj. 1 1. Obj. I cannot pray I know not what to ask as I ought Ans See where our strength lyeth Ans and from whence help may be brought Part 1. chap. 9. Obj. 2 2 Obj. But I am dull and indisposed and am not in a fit condition and frame of spirit to speak with God Ans Ans How thou mayest maintain and recover a praying disposition see Part 3. chap. 2. Obj. 3 3 Obj. O! but the mercies I stand in need of are great and second causes are far off and I see litle probability of success Ans See supports for strengthening thy faith Ans Part 2. chap. 2. sect 2. and Part 1. from Christs intercession ch â sect 1. and from Christs death chap. 8. Obj. 4 4 Obj. Ah! but I fear lest I be an enemy and the Lord prove a consuming fire if I should draw nigh to him and were it not better to stay away then to cast my self in the fire Ans Whatever be thy fear yet thou must draw nigh to him or perish if thou wilt come in sincerity Ans there is hope but otherwise he will come against thee to tear thee in peeces See thy duty vindicated obstructions removed and encouragements held forth Part. 1. chap 5. sect 3. Obj. 5 5 Obj. O! but I fear lest the day of grace and the acceptable time be past and that it were in vain for me now to seek the Lord. Ans Ye have this case discussed and this plea removed here Ans chap. 2. sect 2. Obj. 6 6 Obj. But I cannot call God Father nor follow that copy Christ hath set down and according to which every supplicant must frame his prayers Mat. 6.9 Luk. 11.2 Ans Either thou art a child of light walking in darkness Ans and thy case is propounded Part 3. chap. 1. sect 1. page 560. or thou art yet in the bond of iniquity but wouldst fain shake off those grievous fetters and then I have spoken to thy case Part 1. chap. 5. sect 3. And now let me only tell thee though God be not yet thy Father reapse à parte rei thou not being as yet begotten born and regenerated by his Spirit yet he is thy Father voto ac desiderio fortassè etiam decreto ac aeterna electione as to the longing and desire of thy heart and perhaps as to his secret purpose and decree otherwise if thou dost not so much as desire to have such a Father and to stand under the sweet relation of an obedient son thou hast no (a) Act. 8.21 part nor lot in this mater what hast thou to do to take his Covenant in thy mouth or to lay hold on any federal relation to him Ps 50.16 But if thou wish and desire if that be the one thing thou wouldst ask if thou wert put in Solomons case 1 King 2.5 whât mayest thou not thus call him thy Father thou hast a sârt of claim by this thy desire unto that high relation which the Lord will never challenge nor upbraid thee for laying hold on it unless thou forfeit that plea by (b) 2 Pet. 2.20 21 22. returning with the dog to thy vomit for sincere wâshes and (c) Mat. 5 6. desires pass as current money in the Kingdom of Heaven But not to insist on particulars which might here be multiplyed if that labour had not been prevented by handling them in their proper places neither could they have been there omitted without much confusion and deficiency and many needless repetitions here There is one objection which like (d) 1 Sam. 10.23 7 Obj. Saul among the people is by head and shoulders higher then all the rest and it is this many have what their (e) Job 21.7.14 15. Ps 73.7 qfq Ps 44 22. qgq 1 Cor. 4.13 hearts can desire and more who yet make no conscience to call upon God but cast off fear and restrain prayer before him and on the other hand the Saints for the most part are f killed all the day long and are counted as sheep for the slaughter and are g made as the filth of the world and the off-scouring of all things they ask but receive not they seek but find not they knock but it is not opened unto them what then doth prayer avail and what truth is there in the many promises that are made to it Ans This is that mountain which blind Atheists cannot look over Ans this is the stumbling block on which they fall and cannot rise again and which often hath proven a sore temptation tryal and exercise to the Saints therefore we spak to it at so great length here chap. 1. where we shew 1. that prayer could not want an answer 2. that no good thing was with-held from honest supplicants and 3. that no good thing was enjoyed but by prayer and that the mercies of prayerless souls were cursed and all the crosses of the godly were blessed c. We come now to the objections that