the Passover not a jot of old leaven but we must part with it Now this is the nature of leaven It is alwayes purging out and it will be purging out while we are here only the efficacy and strength thereof remaines not Then thinke with thy selfe is all new in me looke what naturall disposition I haue had looke what naturall lusts and desires I haue had see what acts I was wont to doe what old haunts and customes I haue had looke what old company I kept what old courses I tooke what my tract hath beene is all this altered and every thing become new for saith he it must be a new creature a new nature That is it is not enough for a man to haue a new course for a fit to haue new purposes and a new change that comes like flashes I say that is not enough you may haue many new thinges in you that may be in old hearts like peeces of new cloath in old garments that will doe thee no good at all the Lord regards not that like new wine in old vessells so it is where there are some new things that are good things in themselves in a carnall and old heart they are not fit for the heart and therefore they never stay long there So saith the text Put a new peece into an old garment and it makes the rent greater Therefore all must be new I say there must be a new nature that these new things may be there even as the severall creatures are in their severall elements as the elements are in their owne place as the plants are in their proper soyle as the branches are vpon their own roote For then they florish then they hold out then they continue Therefore see whether this vigor this efficacy this vertue hath gone out from Christ into thy heart whether it hath not only renewed all in thee but also hath given thee a new nature That is whether it hath wrought such a change in thee that all the wayes of godlines and new obedience become in a measure naturall to thee so that thou canst doe them cheerefully even as we heare and see and doe naturall actions and that thou dost them without wearinesse for you know things that are naturall wee are not weary of them And so thou wilt doe them constantly for what is naturall stayes and abides by us that it outgrowes and out-wearies what ever is in us beside Now hath there a vertue gone out from Christ that hath wrought all this in you that hath made all new hath not only done so but hath made it naturall to thee But you will say must it needs be so cannot Christ take and comprehend mee but there must bee this wonderfull change wrought who can bee saved then I haue then but little hope when I am vpon my death bed and then shall looke vpon my old nature and find no such worke as this wrought vpon me Beloved I beseech you consider this that there is a necessity of it It is so and it must bee so and except you have it you cannot be saved you see the words in the Scriptures are most cleare Whosoever is in Christ is a new creature Doe but consider whether it be so or no there must be withall a new heaven and a new earth You see that was the great promise that was to bee fulfilled in our times of the Gospell was it not a new preisthood was it not a new covenant hath not the Lord said there must bee a new heauen and a new earth That is new graces from heaven and a new company of men wrought on and changed by those graces Shall old Adam those that are borne of him shall they receiue a power from him to make them like to him to carry his Image to bee corrupt and carnall and sinfull as hee is And doe you not thinke that the New Adam the Second Adam shall haue as much efficacy in him to make those new creatures that are in him that come to him Certainly there is as much power life and vigor in the new Adam to change every man that is in him that comes to him and to make thē new creatures as in the old Adam to make them like him Besides hath not Christ said plainely I came not into the world to saue soules only that is not my busines alone though that was a great part of the businesse and errand for which he came into the world but saith he I came to purifie a people to my selfe zealous of good workes in the 2 Tit. Now if that were the end of Christs comming dost thou thinke that hee will loose his end And therefore its impossible that any man should be saved or haue part in Christ and that he should be in Christ and Christ in him except his heart be purified so as to be zealous of good workes If Christ dwell in thy heart thou mayst easily know it for dost thou thinke that Christ will dwell in a foule and uncleane place hath he not pure eyes And therefore it is certaine wheresoever he dwells that place must be a fit Temple for him to dwell in Wherefore of necessity he must cleanse thy heart he must fashion it and keepe it pure and cleane and sweet so as it may be a fit Temple for him and his Spirit to dwell and delight in Besides doth he not looke to his glory in all those that belong to him hee hath many eyes to looke upon them as it were there are many spectators men and Angells to see what they are and how they behaue themselues If hee should haue a company of men to belong unto him that are carnall perverse and worldly minded that haue crooked wayes like other men would this bee for his honour would it not bee said Like men like Master would it not reflect upon him Certainly it would and therefore the Lord so orders it that those whom he hath redeemed should bee holy in all maner of conversation Saith hee you must be as I am else it will bee for my dishonour As I am holy so every one of you must be holy in all manner of conversation Therefore let no man deceiue himselfe to thinke he can goe away and yet be in Christ and be saved through Christ and the mercies of God in Christ when there goes out no such vertue and power from Christ to change him to worke on him to alter him to make him another creature And therefore I beseech you in the examining of this for its a matter of great moment to consider with your selues if this be wrought in you or no whether you finde any experiment effect of this mighty power efficacy and vertue and let mee bring you a little to particulars Hath there gone out a vertue from him to enable thee to beleeue There is a faith required in the Deity there is a faith required in the Deity
the prayer of a Saint and the prayer of a wicked man it may be if you looke upon the petitions or whatsoever is in the prayer it selfe you shall finde some times the prayer of a godly man more cold and lesse fervent the petitions are not so well framed as the wicked mans yet because this comes from such a person the Lord regards it not you know the condition is mentioned Iames fift The prayer of the righteous man availeth much if it be fervent Now as this is required in the person so there is somewhat required in the prayer also that is that it be fervent and faithfull that it be fervent you have it in the same place The prayer of a righteous man availeth much if it be fervent that is it must be a prayer made from the sence of the misery that is in us and from the mercie of God when a man takes a thing to heart that he prayes for and comes with confidence to be heard for that makes him fervent This the Lord will have and also he will have it faithfull Iames the first when the Apostle exhorts them to prayer if any man want wisdome saith he let him aske it of God but then marke he carefully puts in this condition see that He pray in faith that is beleeue that it shall be done unto him now this faith includes repentance for no man can beleeve that he shall be heard except hee make his heart perfect with God If he allow any sinne in himselfe he cannot beleeve vpon any good ground therefore when I say it must be faithfull that also is included we must regard no wickednes in our hearts for in such a case the Lord heares not hee heares not sinners So that this you must remember First the person must be righteous and the prayer must be fervent and faithfull Secondly the other Condition you shall heare in the Text it must be according to his will you must not thinke whatsoever you aske if you aske it loosely at Gods hands that it shall presently be graunted you No saith hee it must be according to his will if you aske fire from heaven that is not according to his will and therefore you see they that aske it were denyed it with this reason you know not what you aske Likewise to sit at his right hand and at his left in heaven which was another request of the Disciples he puts them by with this You understand not what you aske of the Father and therefore it must be according to his will And that is the second Thirdly we must aske it in time in due season so the promise is true Knock and it shall be opened to you but you know the foolish Virgins knockt it was not opened to them what was the reason of it because they askt when the time was past for there is a certaine acceptable time when the Lord will be found and when that oportunitie is past he is found no more It is true that this life is the time of grace but God in his secret counsell hath appointed a certaine time to every man which is the acceptable time the day of grace therefore he saith unto them This day if you will heare this day if you will come and seeke unto mee if you will pray unto mee I will heare you when it 's past the Lord suffers not the doores to stand open alwayes his eares are not alwayes open therefore that condition must be carefully remembered you must aske in time It is a condition that should be carefully thought on by us For for the most part we fly to prayer as Ioab did to the Altar hee went not to it for devotion for then hee would have done it before but when hee was in distresse when hee was in extremity then he fled to it and therefore you know what successe hee had by it it saved not his life So we goe not to prayer for devotion that is out of love to God to do him that service but for the most part wee doe it out of selfe love when wee are in extremitie or distresse we passe the acceptable times he requires and we goe to him in a time of our owne For there is Gods time and there is our owne time Gods time is to come to him when we may doe him service in our youth in our strength in the flower of our graces Our time is to goe to him when we need him Will not a friend say when we never come to him but when wee have extreame need of him why doe you come now you were not wont to visit me before this is not out of love to mee Even the very same answer the Lord giveth Goe to your Idolls saith hee those that you served in the time of peace and see if they can helpe you The fourth and last condition is That wee referre the time the manner the measure of granting our petitions to the Lord. That is wee must not thinke to be our owne carvers to thinke if it be not granted in such a manner such a measure or such a time presently the Lord hath rejected our petitions No he that beleeves makes no hast That is he waites upon God he stayes himselfe upon God he is content to have it in that time in that manner and measure as best pleaseth the Lord For the truth is we know not our selves what is meete for us we are unto the Lord just as the Patient is to the physitian The patient is importunate with him for such things to refresh and ease him But the physitian knowes what best belongs to him and when to give him such things in what manner and in what measure So the Lord knowes best what to doe Many times he doth the same things that we desire though he doe it not in the same manner Even as the physitian he quencheth often the thirst with Barberries or with such kind of conserves what though it be not with drinke is it not all one so the thirst bee quenched Is it not all one whether a man be hindred from striking me or if I have a helmet to defend the blow Somtimes the Lord keepes not off the enemy but then hee gives us a helmet to keepe off those blowes to beare those injuries and evills that are done to us hee is a wise physitian hee knowes what manner what measure and what time is best therefore that must be referred to him Now these conditions being observed you must know that this great priviledge belongs to every Christian That whatsoever prayers hee makes on earth he is sure to be heard in heaven It is a wondrous priviledge that which wee have all cause to stand amazed at that the Lord should so farre regard the sonnes of men to grant them such a Charter as this no more but aske and have and whatsoever you pray for it shall be done to you But
be graunted and that they are not only graunted for my sake for saith he the Father himselfe loveth you and hath a great affection to you that is in naturall parents there is a naturall affection to their Children So if I were not immediatly to present your petitions though that bee not excluded yet saith he the father hath such an affection to you that he cannot choose but heare you I say not saith he that I will aske the father for the father himselfe loves you So that this is the second reason which this promise is there backed with the love of the father That hee cannot find in his heart to deny us even for that affection that he beareth to us We will adde a third Reason that wee meet here in the same Chap. 16. Iohn 23. In that day you shall aske in my name verily verily I say unto you yee shall aske the father in my name and he will give it you It is brought in upon this occasion when our Saviour Christ was to goe from his Disciples they were ready to complaine as we see in the verses before they were ready to say with themselves alas what shall we doe when our Maister shall be tooke from our head Our Saviour answers them you shall do well enough doubt you not for though I be not with you yet saith he goe to the father in my name and whatsoever you aske of him you shall have it So that hee answers that objection when a man is ready to say It s true I know that a father is exceeding loving to his Children But it may be my carriage hath not beene such I am full of infirmities I haue much in me that may turne the love and affection of my Father from me Put the case you have yet Christ adds this for your comfort If saith he the Father will not doe it for your sake yet doubt you not if you aske in my name he will doe it doe we not see it usuall among men That one that is a meere stranger to another if hee get a letter from a friend he thinkes to prevaile and hee doth so because though it be not done for his sake it may be he is a stranger one that deserved nothing at his hands yet such a friend may deserve much And when we goe to God in the name of Christ this answers all the objections whatsoever you can say against your selves it is all satisfied in this I goe in his name I am sure he hath supply I am sure he is no stranger I knowe he hath deserved it c. Last of all as he loves us and because we aske in the name of Christ is ready to heare us we will adde this that he is ready to heare us for his owne sake he is a God hearing prayer saith the Psalmist that all flesh might come to him even for this cause he heares that men might be encoraged to come and seeke to him for if the Lord should not heare then no flesh would come unto him that is men would have no encouragement no helpe therefore he saith he is a God hearing prayer doubt ye not he will doe it for this purpose that hee might have men to worship him that men might come and seeke unto him Besides that he shall be glorified Thou shalt call upon mee in the day of trouble I will heare the and thou shalt glorifie mee now the Lord is desirous of glory it was the end for which he made the world But in not heareing our prayer hee loseth this glory by heareing our requests the more we are heard the more glory and praise we render unto him Likewise he doth it for the Spectators sake Moses often presenteth that Reason Lord doe it What will the Heathen say and left thy name be polluted among them they will say thou hast brought out a people and wast not able to deliver them So David often there are many instances in that I say for the lookers on sake he is ready to doe it All this is enough to perswaide our hearts that hee is ready to heare us that when prayers are made to him on earth So the conditions be observed they are surely heard in heaven Now to apply this First if the Lord be so ready to heare then this should teach us to be more servent in this duty of prayer than commonly we are for to what end are such promises as this but to encourage us to do our duties when wee heare that prayer is of so much efficacie that it prevailes with the Lord for any thing shall we suffer it to lay by as it were and not make use of it If a drug or a pretious balme were commended to us and it were told us that if we made use of it it would heale any wound it will heale any sickenes and this and this vertue it hath Will a wise man suffer it to lay by him will he not use it and see what vertue it hath And when it is said unto us that prayer is thus prevalent with the Lord that it is thus potent that it is thus able to prevaile with him for any thing shall we not make use of it when we are in any distresse when wee need any thing when we have any disease either of souleor body to heale Let us flye to this refuge that himselfe hath appointed If a King of the earth should say to a man I will be ready to doe thee a good turne make use of me when thou hast occasion he would be ready enough to do it Now when the Lord of heaven saith aske what you will at my hands and I will doe it shall wee not seeke to him and make use of such a promise as this Beloved we are too backward in this we should be more aboundant in this duty than we are we should make more account of it For whatsoever the case be if you doe but seeke to the Lord if thou doest but set downe thy resolution with thy selfe Well I see it is a thing if I looke upon the creature and the meanes I have little hope of but the Lord is able to doe it and therefore I will goe to him I will weary him and I will not give him over I will not give him nor my selfe any rest till I have obtained it I say it is impossible thou shouldest faile in such a case Onely remember to be importunate for an importunate suiter he cannot deny You know the parable of the unjust Iudge You know also the parable of the man that is in bed with his children when the widdow was importunate when shee knockt and would give him no rest he gives her redresse the other riseth and giveth his friend as many loves as he will saith the Text yea though she were not his friend for this is the meaning of it If saith he the Lord had not much love to you if he had
a man is to do What hath the Lord vouchsafed mee this favour that I may come to his Table I may come and renew the nuptials and my covenant with him Surely then I will looke about and consider what I want what request I shall put up unto him for there is nothing that is wanting but it is within this Covenant and thou art to put up thy request in a speciall manner whatsoever it be be it concerning things belonging to thy soule to have a strong lust mortified to have thy hard heart softned to have some sin that lyes upon thy conscience forgiven and to have that forgivenesse assured to thee be it any thing that concernes thy particular estate if it be to be delivered from a potent enemy or whatsoever it be put up thy request and that largely open thy mouth wide that is make thy request full feare it not Put the case againe it be somewhat that doth not concerne thee but that it concerneth the Church abroad or the Church at home it is a case that much concernes any of these in the Church put it up to him and put it up with confidence For this is a marriage day as it were it is the time when he reacheth out his scepter as you know the things I allude to and thou maist come to his presence you know when Hester was admitted to the presence of the King then said hee What request hast thou when you are admitted to the familiarity and presence of the Lord hee lookes for it he askes what request you have to put up to him and the promises are large enough I will give it whatsoever it be if you aske according to my will and therefore do in this case as Moses used to doe you shall find when Moses drew neere unto the Lord when he was admitted into his presence and saw him face to face for that was the great priviledge Moses had when there was any speciall apparition of the Lord to him Moses makes this argument saith hee It is a great mercy that thou wouldest shew mee this that such a poore man as I am should have this priviledge and give mee leave to make use of it Lord if I have found favour in thy sight that is since thou hast vouchsafed mee such a favour in thy sight do thus and thus for mee you see he made this request for the whole Church of God and saved them or else they had beene destroyed If thou hast not any particular argument in this case say If I have found favour in thy sight do this so I say when thou hast this promise confirmed that Christ hath given himselfe to thee the symbol of that promise is the bread and wine which he hath given to thee put up thy request O Lord if thou hast vouchsafed to give mee Christ wilt thou not with him give mee all things else Lord if I have found favour in thy sight to do so great a thing for mee deny mee not this particular request Thus we ought to doe especially when we come to things that are beyond nature when we come let us consider with our selves Indeed I have a naturall disposition that carries me strongly to evill I shall never be able to overcome it there are such duties to doe I shall never be able to performe them In such a case thou must doe it the more earnestly thou must sigh groane to the Lord. Elishah when hee comes to doe a thing so much above the course of nature as to raise a dead child to life hee sighed unto the Lord that is he prayed earnestly Eliah when hee would have Raine hee cryed he tooke much paines he prayed So must thou doe in this case and know this for thy comfort that though thou thinke thou shalt never be able to doe these things to overcome such lusts such hereditary diseases yet the Lord is able to helpe thee though these are past naturall helpe yet they are not past the helpe of grace though the spirit in us lust after envy yet as the Apostle Iames saith The Scriptures offer more grace that is the Scriptures offer grace and ability to doe more than nature can doe nature cannot heale a spirit that lusteth after envy or any other thing a spirit that lusts after credit after mony after the sinne of uncleanenesse or whatsoever is presented now the Scriptures offer that grace that will overcome any of these sinnes bt they never so strong or so old Christ healed hereditary diseases he healed those that were borne lame and blinde so though thou be borne with such lusts Christ is able to heale thee you see a Prophet could heale Naaman of his Leprosie when there was no other that could doe it so saith Christ Come unto me all yee and I will heale you So that you see wee must put up our requests to God The third Sermon WE have already made some entrance upon the words I told you what the Apostles scope is in them which is to make knowne to all Christians to whom he wrote another great priviledge besides that which hee named before that is That hee that hath the Sonne hath life this saith hee is another priviledge that whatsoever you aske you shall have onely remember that you have this assurance in him that is in Christ Iesus That point what it is to be in him that it may be the ground of all the benefits and priviledges wee injoy wee handled the last day Now we come to the priviledge it selfe If wee aske any thing according to his will be heareth us The words are so plaine I shall not need to spend any time in opening of them but deliver you the point that lyes so evidently before us which is this That all the prayers of the Saints made upon earth are assuredly heard in heaven whatsoever we aske saith he according to his will hee heareth us onely the conditions must be observed When you heare such a generall as this it must be limited there are certaine bounds set to it which wee will name unto you which are these foure conditions First all the prayers that are made upon earth shall be heard in heaven if they be the prayers of a righteous man and are faithfull and fervent The person must be righteous that must first be remembred because although the prayer be never so good yet except the person be accepted from whom it comes the Lord regards it not you know in the old Law the blood of Swine was reckoned an abominable Sacrifice yet if you take the blood of sheepe and compare them together you shall finde no difference It may be the Swines blood is the better then what 's the reason the Swines blood is not accepted even because of the subject of it it was the blood of Swine and therefore you see it was put downe that it was an abominable Sacrifice So it is with prayer Take