as is added by our Translators suffer such rotten members must be cut off lest the sound ones be infected by their contagion If Ismael turne Scoffer out of dores with him though it be never so grievous to thee to do it Gen. 21.9.10.12 as it was to Abraham Let that Servant be as thy right eye or hand very usefull and serviceable yet if he endanger danger thy soul or the souls of thy Children by lewd swearing and open vitiousnesse spare him not Our Saviours speech is peremptorie Erue Abscinde pul out cut off cast away with indignation Math. 5.29.30 Math 5 29 30. rather want both eye and hand then suffer corruption in either As thou must discharge the office of a Pastor to thy Family in Feeding of it so of a Bishop in visiting and overseeing it Be dilligent to know the state of thy Flocks Pro. 27.23 and look well to thy herds saith Solomon Prov. 27.23 Consider the Condition of them look to the Number of them behold them with thine own eye This David professeth and promiseth to do Psal 32.8 he would keep a watchfull eye over them whom he was to guide govern Psal 32.8 lest they might be turned out of the way wherein they should walk such a vigilant eye had Jacob over his Family as appeares Gen. 35.2 the like had Job over his Gen. 35.2 Job 1.5 Job 1.5 The good Emperour Antoninus used every year to have his house thus visited he would strictly examine what disorders were in it who were vitious And what order the Visitors did set down for Reformation was presently put in execution This is to Bishop it aright 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 et 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as one speaks And from this carefull visiting and overseeing is the name given Act. 20.20 The want of this Vigilancie in Governours is the Fountain original of most disorders in the best Families Some are careful that there be no iniquitie found in their hands Psal 7.3 but have little or no regard of the iniquitie of their heels Psal 7.3 Psal 49.5 Children and Servants may run where they list Psal 49.5 say what they list do what they list and little notice taken thereof especially on the Sabbath if they follow their businesse on the week dayes and keep close unto their work then let them go where they will or do what they will on the Lords day they passe not Were some of you who are present here this day asked Where are your Sonnes your Daughters men-Servants maid Servants You are here but where are they would it not be a posing question were you able to give a reasonable answer it to Let them be out of your work but an hour in a day there is examining Where were you what have you been doing then there is chiding brawling fighting c. But on this day let them make an Ale-house their Temple Act. 20.7 and the Pot their morning and evening Sacrifice and continue drinking as long as Paul did preaching till Mid-night against such there is no law no threat no reproose no punishment saith an excellent Divine I beseech you carry a more watchfull eye over your Families even in that respect then heretofore you have done God will certainly call you to an account for your not calling them unto it what though you your selves frequent Gods house returne thence home stirre not abroad c yet Their sinnes through your neglect run upon your scoare A Minister may be Pastorally Non-resident Albeit he be not Personally so If he be a stranger to his Pulpit though he be no stragler out of the bounds of his own Parish he resides not And indeed that is the worst Non-residencie of the two This may be thy case thou mayest keep at home but if thou behavest not thy self there wisely in a perfect way Psal 101.2 but neglectest thy dutie thou art guilty of the sin of Non-residencie and if any of thy flock miscarry through thy neglect by the scab fly or rott c. you must make it good to the great Shepherd of the sheep at the day of Reckoning Obj. 1 But youth will be youth you say do what we can In the best and most religious Families there are as many bad Servants as in the worst It is with our Families as with our visible Congregations Resp no Church on Earth is compleatly perfect there will be a mixture of good and bad especially in great Families as in a great Herd it is a venture if there be not some Rascall deere to be found in it Neither Noah nor Lot had all their Servants in obedience to God yet they might seem good and their Masters might think well of them because they could not discerne the heart but God found them otherwise as it is likely Good Elisha had a lying covetous sacrilegious Gehezi to serve him And in Christs own Family there was a Judas albeit he played his prize closely but none of these suffered open vitiousnesse to abide under their Roofs nor may we Do you your duty let your care be that God may be honoured and worshipped your Families well ordered Christian duties solemnly performed and then though the successe be not answerable to your endeavours that you cannot prevaile with your Children and Servants as were to be wished yet in doing your best endeavour to promote Religion in your Families you shall have comfort and deliver your own souls Ezek. 3.19 And albeit some and the greatest some too be rotten and unsound yet your houses shall be honoured with the name of a Church Prov. 12.7.14 11. Gen. 4.14 from the better part which alwaies gives the denomination as Adams house was called the Face of God albeit Cain a cast-away was therein born and brought up Gen. 4.14 And your Tabernacles shall stand long and flourish Obj. 2 If Governours and Masters be thus strict and look so narrowly to their Servants what Servants will abide by it work must be left undone or we must do it our selves Say some Bad Servants indeed will it may be rather leave thy service then be drawn to serve the Lord Resp but if they be unwilling to keep the Commandements of God their room is better then their companie and this be sure of that a few Servants fearing God will be better for you and bring a greater blessing upon their labours then a many of wicked and deboist Servants will or can for they but corrupt others and speak of wicked blasphemy vex the best and perhaps bring a curse upon the Family wherein they live Secondly the world is not so bad and barren but some good Servants may be found who will delight to dwell in Religious Families Abraham was very strict in seeing that his Servants served God and yet he had so great a Familie Gen. 14.14 that on a sudden he was able to arme 318. fighting men
said Jacob he holds with his hands though his joynts were our of joynt Let God seem to take Esau's part smite him maim him he will not let go his hold What is thy name said the Angel never did I meet with so stout a man Well! kneel down Jacob rise up Israel thou art a Conquerour vers 28. Now Was this strife corporal onely No no hear what the Prophet speaks Hos 12.3 4. Nor was it perfunctory and formal prayer but earnest and importunate Hos 12.34 He cryed and made supplication and thus overcame Besides this Parable of a Friend coming to his Friend at Midnight Christ hath given us another that of the unjust Judge who heard the Widows Cause in regard of her Importunity and not otherwise Luke 18. and withall leaves us a History of his own of the Woman of Canaan who overcame him in the behalf of her Daughter by importunity with which History we have before acquainted you such have the Prayers of the godly been For the further clearing of the Point let me shew you what this Instancie and Importunacie in Prayer is and wherein it consists And so Importunate Prayer is a fervent and frequent desire of the Soul for some special mercy so as it will take no denial Or A fervent and frequent pouring forth our souls to God without giving over till he grant us our desires There are three things in Importunity First Fervency Secondly Frequency Thirdly Perseverance First Fervency This consists not in the loudness of the voyce albeit it be many times expressed by loud crying the Peacock hath a louder voyce then the Nightingale Nor in long praying for God doth not measure prayer by the length albeit long Prayers may be fervent Prayers but in the crying of the Heart The earnest intention and contention of the Soul and Spirit expressed in Scripture Joel 2.3 by renting of the heart and pouring out the Soul and crying of the whole heart Psal 119.145 146. This is added as a Proviso to effectual Prayer 1 Sam. 1.15 Psal 119.145.146 Jam. 5.16 Ver. 17 18. Jam. 5.16 where effectual and fervent are joyned together the more fervencie the more prevalencie in our Prayer Eliahs example is added ver 17 18. He prayed and prayed so it is in the Original We translate it He prayed earnestly and he was heard Thus our Saviour prayed in the days of his flesh Heb. 5.7 Heb. 5.7 We read of a Dutch Martyr in our own Monuments one Giles of Bruxels who was so ardent in his Prayer kneeling by himself in some secret place of the Prison where he was that he seemed to forget himself and being called to his meat he neither heard nor saw who stood by him till he was lifted up by the arms and then he would speak gently to them as one awaked out of a Trance Secondly there must be Frequency in it We give not over at the first denial no nor at the second if we be importunate Psal 27.4 One thing I have desired of the Lord and I will seek after it Psal 27.4 Psal 69.3 Isa 62.9 Ver. 6 7. that is I have sought it and will seek again and again So Psal 69.3 and Isa 62.1 For Sions sake I will not hold my tongue c. He would renew his Suit and follow it and the like he requires of all faithful Watch-men that they cry day and night and not keep silence till they had obtained their desire for Sion 2 Cor. 12. ver 6 7. Thus Paul prayed thrice and Latimer plyed the Throne of Grace with Once again Lord once again restore the Gospel to England as if he would have no nay Thirdly as our Suit is to be renewed Gen. 32.24 so we must persevere in it So Jacob did not onely wrastle but continued all night and morning too He gave not over till he had what he sought for this is injoyned Col. 4.2 1 Thes 5.27 And that Parable propounded for that very end that we should pray and not faint Col. 4.2 1 Thess 5.27 Luke 18.1 Luke 18.1 And thus you see what importunate Prayer is and wherein it stands These Particulars we shall hereafter in the verses following speak more fully unto let us now make some use of this Use 1 If importunate Prayer be prevailing Prayer never marvail that so many of us pray and yet prevail not The prayers of most are but lip-labour and lip labour is lost-labour Luke-warm prayers God respects no more then he doth luke-warm persons and such he hath threatned to spue out of his mouth Rev. 3.16 True Prayer is not the labour of the Lips Rev. 3.16 but the labour of the Heart and of the Soul Moses prayed earnestly to God and yet not a word that we hear him speak Exod. 14.15 Wherefore cryest thou unto me saith God that is with inward groanings Exod. 14.15 albeit there was no audible voyce and God heard that strait The like did Hannah 1 Sam. 1.13 and yet she spake not a loud 1 Sam. 1.13 she spake in her heart saith the Text and that fervently and God heard her and answered her Paul before his Conversion prayed often and long too for he was was a Pharisee and one of the strictest and devoutest of all the Sect as he testifies of himself and they were given to much praying as the Scripture testifies of them yet God took no notice of all his formal and hypocritical Prayers he gave no ear unto them before his Conversion but when he came to be humbled and poured forth his Soul earnestly and fervently God then said of him Behold he prayeth Act. 9.11 Before he prated prayers now he prayeth prayers that was prayer indeed Act. 9.11 which he now put up to God and that God heard How often do we pray and yet forget that we have prayed Can we think that God will hear us when we hear not our selves Or remember that Prayer which we have forgotten that we ever put up unto him Never think to be heard of God in mercy or to obtain any blessing at the hands of God by thy cold careless and customary prayer Psal 141.2 David compares his prayers to Incense and no Incense was offered without fire it was that that made the smoak of it to ascend Prayer that is cold makes but a smother and troubles the eyes of God Isa 1.15 as he shews Isa 1.15 but they are not a sweet Perfume in his Nostrils Vse 2 Oh! that we were more importunate in this Duty then we are that our Prayers were more fervent frequent constant for the poor distressed state of Christs Church and for our selves the Child hath escaped many a stripe by his loud crying Prayer is the Arrow of Deliverance if it be not drawn up to the Head is will hardly fly home unto the Mark. Our Saviour tells us of a King that going with Ten Thousand to make Warre with another that comes against him with
disswaded from licentious courses by the word of a Licencious Master or that child prove chaste that scarce can reckon up the Whoredomes and Adulteries of his Parent without a dozen of Stops and intermissions as one speaketh Dr. Dunn What thou reprovest in another amend first in thy self and what good dutie thou requirest of an inferiour practise thy self say not Go but come which was the wont saith Tully of Julius Caesar and remember though the Eloquence of Inferiours is in words yet the Eloquence of superiours is in Action In a word Phil. 2.15.16 there is none present but may make good use of the point delivered as is enjoyned Phil. 2.15 16. Nor is it enough to give good advice and counsell unlesse we take it otherwise we shall sometimes or other be choaked with that Proverbiall speech Luke 4.23 Physitian heal thy self nor shall we ever be able to make our peace with that same Text Luke 4.23 Math. 5.20 Except your righteousnesse exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharâ—sees Math. 5.20 you shall in no case enter into the Kingdome of Heaven The Pharisees were verball but not Practicall we must be both if we hope for Heaven In hearing of the word resorting to Gods house we do outwardly celebrate the Sabbath but in practising that we hear and being examples to others we turn all the week into a Sabbath and that is a savour of rest in the Nostrills of the Lord When the glasse is runn we say the Sermon is ended the Minister hath now done but we mistake it is not done till the week be done nor may it be ended then neither If the Minister follow his own Doctrine that he delivered and thou that which thou heardst on the Sabbath enjoyned then that Sermon was a good Sermon and done indeed Otherwise that wherewith the Disciples were unjustly charged Acts 2.13 we may be justly charged withall that we were in a manner drunk upon the Sabbath day for it is one signe of a drunken man to forget both what he said and heard Thus much of the Person teaching now of the Persons taught 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Unto them Text. Not unto the Scribes and Pharisees who neither respected his Person for that they derided nor praying for they scorned to be taught by him but to those he spake who were willing to hear and desirous to learn as appereas before by the Request they made vers 1. Lord teach us to pray whence note Doctr. Christ makes choice of tractable spirits to instruct and teach in the wayes of piety Such as are of a tractable disposition and willing to be instructed in the wayer of salvation shall be taught by Christ These and onely these Christ makes choice of to reveal the Mysteries of the Kingdom unto and instruct in holy Duties When the High Priest questioned with our Saviour about the destroying of the Temple and building it up again in three deies he answered him nothing Mark 14.60 And when Herod questioned with him about many things Mark 14.60 neither would our Saviour make him any answer Luke 23.9 So when Pilate asked him what was truth Luke 23.9 our Saviour though he was not wont to smoother or suppresse the truth yet he did not instruct him therein as appears John 18.38 John 18.38 He knew that these were not fit Auditors to hear of such matreâ—s but when his Disciples came unto him and moved questions about Religion he still instructs them and satisfies them in all their doubts for that he knew them to be men of tractable minds and spirits Math. 13.11 12 36 51. Our Saviour did many things in Capernaum of his own accord which he refused to do in his own Country albeit earnestly requested and the reason we have Luke 4.24 Luke 4. verse 24. his own Country men were wayward and perverse and would not accept of a Prophet in his own Country for father confirmation of the point delivered see Psal 25.9 Isai 2.3 28.9 Math. 11.25 28. Use You that desire to be taught of God see that you bring with you to the hearing of the word hearts docible and tractable desirous to learn and be informed and so you shall want neither direction nor encouragement find you but ears hearts and Christ will find a mouth There wants no ability in him to reveale his fathers will unto thee Joh. 1.18 Colos 2.3 Joh. 17.8 John 1.18 Colos 2.3 Nor is there in him any want of will to instruct and teach he teacheth freely John 17.8 Wouldst thou be made clean saith Christ to the Leper why Be thou clean So wouldst thou be instructed in the way to Heaven and mysteries of salvation desirest thou to know what the good will and pleasure of the Lord is that thou mayest obey it and serve him fear not then God will not be wanting to such as are not wanting to themselves It is no matter what the Capacity or incapacity of the Schollar be when there is such a teacher for Christ doth not onely bring Doctrine but he brings wit grace and ability to the inward man Let none distrust if they be tractable and will attend the meanes But if thou bringest a wayard and perverse spirit an ill-affected heart to Gods Ordinances God will then answer thee according to the stumbling block of the iniquity that is in thee Ezek. 14.3 and hide those things from thee that may make to the eternall good and wellfare of thy soul To conclude think often on that parable Prov. 10.8 The wise in heart will receive Commandements he that is desirous to hear that he may learn such a one shall not want instruction But a prating fool such as will quarrell with the Preacher Object against his Doctrine out of a distempered affection he shall fall into misery and trouble Rom. 2.8 9. Unto them Whom if we consider yet again as they stood in Relation unto Christ being of his own family and houshold then this may be further collected thence Doct. Our principal care ought to be of our own Cure This we gather from Christs practise whose greatest care was over those whom he had special charge of Every action of Christ is for our Instruction but not ever for our Imitation we may not imitate him in works miraculous and proper to him as Mediator otherwise then by Similitude translating that to our spiritual life which he as Mediator did So as he dyed we must dye and as he rose again we must arise likewise Nor may we imitate him in his Infirmities as to be hungry thirsty sleepy weary c. For albeit they were not sinful but only natural and so unblameable and are in every one of us yet we need not strive the attainment of them But we must imitate him in his imitable graces and actions as we are willed 1 Pet. 2.9 shew forth the vertues of him that hath called us 1 Pet. 2.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
God and Heirs of Grace Thirdly it brings much comfort to Governours when those under their charge become Religious 3 Epist Joh. 4. Prov. 10.1 23 24 25. 1 Thes 2.20 the comfort and contentment of a mans life lies much in his Family Ye are our joy and Crown of rejoycing said Paul in another case 1 Thes 2.20 so may Governours say of a Religious and well governed Family But on the other side loosness and disorder in a Family makes the lives of the Governours thereof to be very uncomfortable so the rude and untoward behaviour of the Wives of prophane Esau Gen. 27.46 did vex the souls of Isaac and Rebeckah Gen. 27. ult so Prov. 17.21 19.13 the same of Servants Fourthly the great account that Governours are to make to God for the neglect of their Duties herein should make them the more careful Our Servants and our Children are not our own Ezek. 16.20 but Gods Ezek. 16.20 they are born to him and must be educated and brought up for him You are but Gods Deputies and govern for him All the power that thou canst challenge in thy Family is subordinate we trust our Servants with our goods and God trusts us with their souls and he hath given a strait charge unto us of every one that comes under our Roof not much unlike that in the Parable 1 King 20.39 Look to this man if by any means he be missing thy life goes for his life So look to this thy Child 1 King 20.39 thy Servant if he be wanting or missing if his soul perish through thy negligence thy soul dies for his Thus Ely was charged with the sins of his Children 1 Sam. 2.29 1 Sam. 2.29 And as you know many a man is undone by Suretiship But if you can say at the last day Here am I O Lord Isa 8.18 Joh. 17.12 and the Children that thou hast given me or as Christ in that Prayer of his I have lost none of them that thou hast given me but that Sonne of perdition which was lost before this will further our Account to our endless comfort And thus in many respects if we love our selves we should teach our Families to be Religious Fifthly and lastly the tender love and compassion that we bear at least pretend to bear to those that are under our charge should put us upon the Duty Ecclus. 33.29 If thou have a faithful Servant said the Sonne of Syrach let him be unto thee as thy own soul The soul is near and dear to us I am sure it ought to be Now he that loves his soul will have a care to teach and instruct that soul so should those Governours have a care to instruct and teach their Families that love their Families Meat Drink Apparel and other necessaries of Nature are not more needful for their bodies preservation then holy Instruction is for their souls salvation Thus you see what Reason you have to do as you from Christs example are here taught to do viz. to take care that those under your charge be taught Religion and instructed in the wayes to Heaven Use 1 The want of this care in Governours cannot be enough lamented What Master or Governour of a Family is there that treads in our Saviours steps and makes Conscience of instructing those under their charge and Command in Religious Duties Cyprian brings in many Children pittifully complaining against their Parents for want of Instruction And the like complaint methinks in these dayes I hear sounding in mine eares made by many Families against their Governours Alasse what have we done that we are thus miserably tormented The negligence or treachery or misguided zeal of our Parents and Masters have brought all this misery upon us They have proved our Murtherers who should have bin our Instructers they have deprived us of the wholsom nourishment of the word gave us a Scorpion instead of a fish they have plunged us in the myre of sensual pleasures when they should have dipped us in the sacred Laver of Regeneration they kept us from God our Father and the Church our Mother Had they bin godly we might have bin everlastingly happy The reason of this great neglect ariseth partly from Ignorance partly from Carelesness partly from Pride partly from Prophaness It is a true saying Ignorantia Judicis est calamitas innocentis and it is also true that Ignorantia Domini est calamitas servi yet Ignorance is all the plea that some have for the omission of their dutie call upon them to teach and instruct their families and break unto them the bread of life they answer in effect as the widow of Zarephta did Elijah when he asked of her a morsell of bread 2 King 17.17 As the Lord liveth I have not a cake but a handful of meal in a barrel and a little oyle in a cruse and behold I am gathering two sticks that I may go in and dresse it for me and my son that we may eat and dye I can say the Lords prayer the Creed the ten Commandements and what I can say I teach them albeit I understand not the meaning of them as for other points of Religion I am to seek therein my self how then should I instruct others If this that I do will not serve the turn they must dye or do as God shall please But as Christ said to Nicodemus John 3.10 so may I to thee Art thou a Master in Israel and knowest not these things Hast thou entered into a marryed estate art thou become a father or master of a family hast thou children and servants under thy command and yet art ignorant of the first principles of Christian Religion A shameful excuse Marriage was not ordained altogether for Procreation but for Education and Regeneration of Children This world might be filled full enough of Children though there were no marriage but Heaven could not be filled nor the place of fallen Angels supplyed without the care of religious Education which from parents in lawfull marriage they are likelyest to receive and God expects that from them they should receive it And art thou ignorant This thou speakest to thy shame that so speakest Others have knowledge enough themselves and are able to instruct their families Acts 1â— 17 but they are of Gallio's opinion and temper imagining that matters of Religion belongs not to them to teach but to Minister To Church they bring their family and that 's as much as is required of them as they think And it is well done in doing so â— Sam. 1.21 Elkanah did the like 1 Sam. 1.21 and I could wish that more of us would do as much but I must further tell you that this is not enough were this all that is required of Houshold Governors why did the Apostle send women to learn at home of their Husbands Believe it every Governour of a family is as deeply charged with the souls of those who are
ends for which they were ordeyned which are to glorifie God mainteyne our selves and relieve others and so cannot be lawfull This abundance or superfluity God forbids even Kings themselves Deut. 17.16 17. Deut. 17 16.17 Yet who have greater uses and fairer pretences for such things then Princes If Kings may not multiply above that which is enough for the estate of a King what prerogative have any other to do it It is true That is needfull and may be desired by a man of one calling and condition that may not by another that is of a divers condition and calling because respective and conditionall necessities follow the calling and condition of men A King hath need of greater meanes to mainteyne his estate then any subject and amongst subjects one may have more need then another according to their different callings as there are warme dayes in Winter and cold in Summer respecting the season of the yeare so there may be poore Lords and rich Coblers in respect of outward estates yea amongst men of the same Rank and place that may be desired as necessary for one which may be superfluous for another Timotheus his complexion and state of body required that nessessarily 1 Tim. 5.23 that another Minister's condition did not 1 Tim. 5.23 Times places and conditions of men do much alter the case Nor are we to judge what is needfull and requisite for our Persons or callings by our own covetous conceits for they have no limits but what the godly of our rank and place who are wise and frugall declare by their practise to be needfull These things may be desired of us and yet not absolutely but so farr as God hath promised and engaged himself unto us in things of this nature that is so farr as they make for his glory and our good Secondly as our desires respect things spirituall so we are to make use of the former rules of Limitation both in the removing of evill and obteyning of good First in desiring to have evill removed our desires are to be ordered aright And here we must distinguish of evil which is of two sorts first of Sin second of Punishment Evill that we do and evill that we suffer For the Evill of sin here our desires are not to be limited for as much as all Sin is a breach of Gods law and however Sin will be committed by us in this Life yet God hath forbidden all as well as any and our desires should reach farther then our abilities we should desire to be freed from every wicked way and sinfull worke 2 Tim. 4.18 Psal 119.128 66.18 1 Pet. 2.1 1 Thes 5.22 2 Cor. 7.1 As for the Evill that we suffer that is of two sorts the Evill of Temptation or the Evill of Affliction but neither of these are absolutely to be prayed against for as much as it is Gods revealed will that we must taste of them As for Temptation to Sin from Sathan as it is a motion and solicitation to evill it is to be prayed against but under correction if it may stand with Gods good will and pleasure but so farr forth as it is a meanes to draw away our hearts from God and turne us out of the way to Life we are to desire the Lord absolutely to keep us from them St. Paul prayed 2 Cor. 12.7 8. 2 Cor. 12.7 8. to be as it seemes freed from the temptations of Sathan but it is hard to say what St. Paul meaneth by that however the words carry an Argument against absolute praying against all Temptations my grace saith God is sufficient for thee I have as many Antidotes as the Divell hath Poysons I have as much mercy as the Divell hath malice There must be Temptations but Temptations add to Mine and to thy glory God should lose by it and we should lose by it if there were no Temptations Math. 6.13 That petition Math. 6.13 is not meant from being assaulted by any temptation or being attempted to evill but from being swallowed up by it so that we are not us utterly as vehemently to pray against temptations as we are against Sin As for Afflictions they are laid upon us by the hand of God all come from him and not to be despised not prayed against Heb. 12.5 6 7. only so farr forth it is lawfull to pray against them Heb. 12.5 6 7. as they are the punishments of a angry God a part of the Curse and a meanes to drive us to impatiency And thus of limiting of our desires in respect of Evill Now of the Rules of Limitation in respect of Good a word or two In good things our desires ought to be infinitely carryed after them for this is the measure of our desires in these things to covet them above measure 1 Cor. 12.31 14.1 1 Cor. 12.31 and 14.1 An unlimited desire is only there requisite where the Object thereof is Infinite and ordeyned to perfect mans nature but not where it is only a meanes appointed for his benefit and comfort Here then we must distinguish between such spirituall things which are absolutely necessary to salvation those God hath absolutely promised to give to his and these may yea must absolutely be desired and sought for And the Degrees of those Graces that admitt of degrees these may not absolutely be desired in every degree because it is the grace it self and not the degree that is absolutely necessary Our Consolation lyes much in the Comparative degree but our Salvation lyes in the Positive God doth dispense with his gifts and graces to every one as he sees fitt to one this measure to another that It is not warrantable to desire as large a measure of grace as ever any Saint had Not that degree of Faith which Abraham had of meeknesse which Moses had of Wisdome which Solomon had of Patience which Job had c God giveth his greatest measure of graces to those he meanes to employ in greatest and weightiest services Although thy Omer or Ephah be not pressed down and running over yet it is thy duty to be thankfull but so as still to use the meanes to encrease thy graces desiring God to blesse the meanes to that purpose for as much as thou knowest not Ames de Couse p. 147. to what encreasings thou may'st attaine unto but no way to limit God Yet such a degree of grace thou may'st desire absolutely as is necessary to keep thee from scandalous sins and enable thee to walk on in the wayes of piety and to the keeping of Faith and a good Conscience Psal 19.14 James 1.5 6. 1 Cor. 10.13 And thus we have done with the Motive taken from the facility of granting the thing desired It was but three Loaves he desired to have lent him Now let us see how he Prosecutes his suite And with what Argument he doth presse it upon his Friend Text. verse 6 For a Friend of mine in his journey is come unto me
it be in this case if you have no answer made unto your Prayers it should cause thee to be jealous of thy self and conclude that something is amisse The Fisher if he knowes there are store of fish in the water and yet hath no bite plucketh up his line looketh on his baite and mends it so should we do when God is silent examine well where the fault is and amend that that we may find more comfort after Secondly do as the Fisher doth put in againe say with Peter Lord we have fished all night and taken nothing Luke 5.5 neverthelesse at thy command I will let down the net Dutyes that God enjoynes must be discharged albeit we see no likelihood that any good will come thereof This is a duty strictly pressed on us in the word Phil. 4.6 1 Thes 5.17 Phil. 4.6 1 Thes 5.17 We must do our part and duty and leave the successe to God As Job said in another case we must say in this be of good courage and play the men and the Lord do that which seemeth good to him 2 Sam. 10.12 2 Sam 10.12 This will yeild us much comfort although we should get no more good by our Prayers Lack of present successe is no warrant to surcease a duty enjoyned Isay 56.6 er 20.9 It was Jeremiahs fault a blemish in him to resolve to speak no more in the name of the Lord in that respect Jer. 20.9 And can we be excused if we speak no more to the Lord or call no more on the name of the Lord for want of present Audience Thirdly as we are to pray with perseverance so let us wait with patience as the Fisher doth And there is great Reason for it First although God hath made a gratious promise of hearing us yet he hath reserved the time of Answering us to his own wisdome Heb. 2 3. Heb. 2 3. The vision is for an appointed time God hath given us his Bill for payment but the Time is his own pleasure Psal 145.16 Psal 145.16 there is plentifull opening and filling every thing but it is in due season and that due season expressed to be his pleasure Isay 49.8 that is the Time acceptable wherein we shall be heard And for the place of payment it usually is upon the Mount Gen. 22. Gen. 22. as was said before Mans Extreamity is Gods Opportunity We are but Beggars and Beggars must not be Chusers It is not fitt for us to appoint God the Time and Place This is a limiting of the Holy one Psal 78.41 Psal 78.41 Secondly there is nothing lost by waiting upon God Psal 9.16 40.1 Psal 9.16 40.1 Isay 25.9 30.18 49.23 Isay 25.9 30.18 49.23 Hast thou waited long the more reason thou hast to hold out in waiting The Ambitious wait for their place and Office till it falls Long looked-for comes at last The case of Monica Mother to St. Austin is famous she greived that her Son was spotted with the heresie of the Manichees and she prayed that the Lord would bring him to the Orthodox Catholick Faith she remembred this day by day and yet as himself doth witnesse for nine yeares together he continued so infected It fell out afterward that he would needs goe and travell out of Africa into Italy His Mother being loath to part with him who was the staffe of her old age earnestly prayed that God would hinder him of that purpose yet St. Austin went and by hearing the Sermons of St. Ambrose at Millaine he was converted to that which in former times he could never like He reporting all this matter doth use this good speech of it Thou O God being dâ—ep in Counsell and hearing the substance of my Mothers desires did'st not care for that she did then aske Aug. Confess lib. that in me thou mightest do that which she ever asked Thus the Almighty dealeth with other of his Servants working all things to the best but it is at such times as he himself doth think good If it be in him to blesse it is in him to do it when it seemeth good to himself Therefore let us never be angry and repine at that which he altereth from the intent of our mind nor discontented with his long delayes many Answers at the last shall be given thee at once For as the wicked treasure up wrath by their daily Sinns so do the Godly mercy by their daily Prayers saith one what thou hast been craving this seaven yeares nay twenty thou then shalt have a returne of for Mercyes and Answers will come thick as they did to Joseph Then you shall receive the mony together And many say that they had rather so receive it than by driblets Or suppose thy Answers should be few whil'st thou livest concerning the things that in this Life thou cravest yet at the day of thy Death thou shalt have the benefit Then hath the Righteous Hope Prov. 14.32 Marke it and behold it saith David Psal 37.37 Pro. 14.32 Psal 37.37 Old Simeon had put up many Prayers and begged many a yeare that he might Live to see the Saviour of the world in the flesh Luke 2.25.28 and now being very old and ready to leave the world he hath his full Answer and embraceth him in his armes or if God should not give thee thy Answer in this Life concerning some things thou beggest in the behalf of the Church in general or thy Wife Children Friends in speciall yet when thou art dead and rotten in thy grave an answer may be given and a return made However rest assured that at that great day of Retribution thou shalt find thy reward is with the Lord when the books shall be opened every Faithfull Prayer that thou hast made Isay 40.10 49.4 every short ejaculation every sigh will be found upon Record and book't it will be upon the â—yle not one of them omitted Wherefore as St. Paul wills us that are Ministers in preaching to waite proving if at any time God will give men Repentance 2 Tim. 2.28 2 Tim. 2.25 And if after many a Sermon preached we have no comfortable assurance of any one soul converted yet we may not be discouraged for that our Reward is in Heaven Isay 49.4 So must it be in Praying Thou hast put up many a Prayer and yet no answer comes be not disheartened a full answer will be given in the end When you pray say saith our blessed Saviour in the beginning of this Chapter to his Disciples Give me leave to add but one letter Psal 27. ult when you pray stay Not from praying for want of present audience as some would but waite and stay Gods leysure for an answer as all should If any withdraw himself my soul shall have no pleasure in him saith God Heb. 10.38 Heb. 10.38 Come we now to the Answer it self that was given by the Friend within to his Friend without
comest by them thou hast riches honour high place good name Wife Children House Land c but how cam'st thou by these things Unlesse that Prayer had a hand yea a chief hand in getting of them the purchase hath a flaw in it Conversion it self is not had without praying albeit it be Christs Prayers that obteynes that and not ours Use 3 Wherefore be warned not to be tongue-tyed Look as in bodily diseases we count him desperate past hope that is speechlesse So is it in Spirituall when God meanes to bestow his graces and gifts on us then he stirrs up in us desires after grace dealing with us therein as we do with our Children he shews us pleasing things that we may cry for them and have them He lookes that we should say I pray Father give it me before he gives it His eyes are so upon his that his eares are exercised with their cryes Psal 34.15 Psal 34.15 the noyse thereof must open his eyes which otherwise are shut All the world is but a dead body till God act it and all lye dead till God be acted by Prayer None of Gods Ordinances the word the Sacraments have Life in them till Prayer quickens them All the comforts in the Creature sleep till we extract comfort out of them with this Limbeck If then Gods eyes be shut his hands shut all shut thou may'st conclude it is because thy mouth is shut and heart shut for as God will not give unlesse we aske so neither can we we aske as we ought and God not give which is the second Observation from this branch of the Promise It shall be given you He doth not say perhaps as Simon Peter said to Simon Magus or it may be given you Acts 8.22 but it shall be doubt it not So then Doct. There is no denyall upon true and fervent Prayer The Lord is night to all that call upon him saith the Psalmist and he will fulfill the desires of such as feare him Psal 145.18 19. Psal 145.18 19. He heares the desire of the humble he prepares their heart and causeth his eare to heare as we have it Psal 10.17 And else where he telleth us that the eyes of the Lord are upon the Righteous Psal 10.17 and his eares are open unto their cryes Psal 34.15 or in their Prayers as some read intimating his readinesse Psal 34.15 Aures ejus in precibus eorum Isay 65.24 to heare and grant what we desire of him according to that of the Prophet Isay 65.24 before they call I will answer and whilst they are yet speaking I will hear signifying thereby as some others would that though our Prayers are so weak that they cannot pierce the Clouds Dr. Playfer and much less enter into the eares of the Lord of Hoasts yet that he will bow down and incline his eares unto our Prayers as he did to Josuahs whose Prayers went up to the Sun and no farther as it seemes by that speech Sun stand thou still upon Gibeon and thou Moon in the valley of Ajalon Jsou 10.12 Jos 10.12 yet the eares of the Lord were in his Prayers so that there was no day like that before it or after it wherein the Lord hearkened unto the voyce of a man verse 14. verse 14. Our Saviour confirms this truth with an earnest asseveration Verily Verily whatsoever you shall aske the Father in my Name he will give it yu John 16.23 1. John 5.14 15. John 16.23 And of this the faithfull have been confident 1 John 5 14 15. This is the Confidence that we have in him that if we aske any thing according to his Will he heareth us if we know that he heareth us in whatsoever we aske we know that we have the Petitions that we desire of him Jam. 1.5 5.14 15. Jam. 1.5 5.14.15 I might here as a reall demonstration of this Point produce many hundred instances of Gods hearing the Prayers of his Servants in all ages of the world but I shall not insist thereon Something hath been before said of this Argument somthing more shall be said afterwards I shall give you the Reasons Reas God cannot forget his own Name Psal 65.2 He is styled a God that heareth Prayers Psal 65.2 Nor can he deny himself If he should deny the Prayers of the faithfull he should deny himself for it is his Spirit that prayeth in them Rom. 8.26 Rom. 8.26 besides he hath made himself a debtor to us by promise that if we call on him he will heare us Psal 50.15 91.15 Psal 50.15 91.15 And can we think that God hath no care to pay his debts will he after the fashion of the world dye in our debts think you Secondly Christ intercedes for such unto his Father as Paul did for Onesimus to Philemon Philem. verse 10.12 I beseech thee for this my Son whom I have begotten in my bonds c So I beseech thee for this poor soul whom I have begotten in my blood thou therefore receive him receive his prayer grant him his request that is mine own bowells Now Christ was ever heard in whatsoever he asked besides he perfumes their Prayers with the merits of his own pretious passion so that they ascend into Gods presence and cannot but find acceptance Revel 8.3 John 11.41 Revel 8.3 John 11.41 Thirdly and lastly add to this that which our Saviour tells his Disciples John 16.26 27. The Father himself loveth you John 16.26 27. because you have loved me and thereupon assures them that they shall aske nothing of the Father in his name but it shall be granted them The Godly are his favourites and have his eare and from specialty of favour it is uthat God heareth Prayers Psal 119.149 Psal 119.149 Use What greater encouragement would you desire to stir you up to be abundant in Prayer then assurance of Audience and answer Hope to speed is a spurr to Suitors here is more then Hope Assurance Esther had great encouragement from Ahashuerosh Esth 5.2 3. when he said unto her What is thy Petition and it shall be given thee Aske of me my Mother said Solomon to Queen Bathsheba I will not say thee nay 1 King 2.20 Prayer is our Bathsheba 1 King 2.20 and God saith thus unto it Aske and I will not deny thee It is but aske and have what can you desire more King Stephen said of the Bishop of Salisbury that he should be weary of craving Dan. Chron. p. 75. ere he would be weary of giving It is thus between God and us we are sooner weary of asking then God is of bestowing blessings on us He is worthily miserable that will not make himself happy by Asking Prayer is a Key we may by help op it take out of Gods treasure plentifull mercy both for our selves and ours Now let me aske you what lack you what is' t you want
Exod. 14.10 16. Psal 27.8 The Godly are in this respect called a Generation of seekers Psal 24.6 Thus the Spouse sought her beloved when she missed him Cant. 3.1 2 3. So did Mary Christ Luke 2.45 three dayes she spent in seeking before she found him So 2 Tim. 1.17 We read Exod. 14.10 16. that Moses cryed unto the Lord God blameth him for resting upon prayer with neglect of the meanes he should hold on his course and make way for Gods help as well as pray God wills him to go on and the Children of Israel to go on Gods help is not enough without our Endeaours So Exod. 17.19 Moses falls to prayer Exod. 17.19 but while he prayes Ioshua must out and fight in vain shall Moses be in the Hill if Ioshua be not in the Valley Jos 7.10 11. So Ios 7.10 11. Get thee up said God to praying Joshua wherefore lyest thou upon thy face Israel hath sinned go and search c. Jacob prayes to God for protection against his Brother Esau and yet he seconds his Prayers by his Endeavours sending Presents withall to pacifie his Brother's wrath Gen. 32.6 Prov. 2.3 3 5. Gen. 32.6 Thus we are directed Prov. 2.3 4 5. If thou cryest after knowledge and liftest up thy voice for understanding There 's Prayer If thou seekest her as silver and searchest for her as hidden treasures There 's Endeavour c. Reas And indeed to pray and neglect the meanes for obtaining what we pray for is but a mockery of God a tempting of his Majesty He works ordinarily by meanes and expects that we should be ready Instruments to effect his will which to refuse cannot but displease him highly Math. 4.7 nor is it availeable Math. 4.7 Prv. 14.23 Prov. 14.23 In all Labour there is profit but the labour of the lips tendeth to penury Lip-labour is but lost labour bare begging is bootlesse Use Such then as second not their Prayers by their pious Endeavours cannot be excused yet many such there are which with the Carter that Isidorus mentions who when his Cart was overthrown would needs have his God Hercules to come down from Heaven and help him up with it but whilst he forbore to set his own shoulders to it his Cart lay still in the mire and so would have lien had not one who had more wit advised him to put his own shoulders to it and shove hard and then pray Joh. 6.34 35. Those we read of John 6.34 35. would fain have that heavenly bread which Christ told them of Lord evermore give us of that bread say they but they would not as Christ tells them take the paines to come to him for it Such desires are no better as Solomon tells us then the lustings of the sluggard Prov. 13.4 and such a desire slayes a man Prov. 13.4 Prov. 21.24 26. Prov. 21.25 26. that is it tends to his destruction for that he will not second his desires with his Labours and Endeavours your desires being idle are deadly and destructive to you as was his to him of whom I have read who being a great frequenter of Ale-houses and Taverns yea and worâ—e places yet durst never go out of his own dores without saying his prayers in the morning which being done he would say Now Devil do thy worst as if the Devil were charmed by that spell so that he durst do nothing to hurt him when yet he avoided not his Temptations but thrust himself upon them Many say they pâ—ay against such a lust c. and yet get not the victory but they add not the means which should second their Prayers so they may thank themselves Vse 2 Wherefore as David said to his Son Solomon Arise and be doing and the Lord God be with thee so let me say to you 1 Chron. 21.16 Arise and be seeking The Lord will be with you whilst you are with him Whilst you are with him in seeking with fervent Affections and hearty endeavours he will be with you in blessing your labours he stands at our right hand to save us as David shews Psal 16.8 109 31. Now the right hand you know Psal 16.8 109.31 is the working hand he stands there to blesse us and prosper our labours but he stands not at our left hand to succour us in our idlenesse Ora Labora was an Emperor's Motto So it is the Christians Pray Pray Pray said that Martyr so to that add Work Work Work Pray and Work Work and Pray Exod. 28.14 Esay 65.1 Rom. 8.26 let these be like the Bells and Pomegranates about Aaron's robes God infuseth his First grace into thee meerly as a Giver that is found of them that sought him not but his subsequent Graces as a Helper therefore we call them Auxiliant graces Helping graces and we alwayes receive them when we endeavour to make use of his former grace I cannot look for his help unlesse I endeavour withall to help my self Help always presumes an endeavour and co-operation in him that is helped Now the spirit is said to help our infirmities Rom. 8.26 By the grace of Prayer it will help us and by our godly endeavours we must help it I put God to more and his spirit to more then he hath promised if I do nothing towards the obtaining of mercies promised and recovery of my losses if I seek not Remember what paines Saul took in seeking after his Fathers Asses which were lost 1 Sam. 9.24 1 Sam. 2 9.4 Is it not a shame for us that we take no more paines in seeking after a lost Heaven a lost soul Let this quicken us in our Endeavours Some Objections we meet with made against this Doctrine Obj. The promise is made to the Prayer of faith may some say Math. 21 22. If then I believe that I shall be heard Math. 21.22 it is enough though I use no more endeavour Resp The promise is If we pray in Faith we shall be heard but that Prayer is not made in Faith thas neglects the meanes that God requires to be used but it is the Prayer of Presumption God hath so coupled the end and the meanes as that without using the meanes when the meanes may be had the end cannot be attained Acts 27.30 Acts 27.30 Except these abide in the Ship ye cannot be saved said Paul to the Centurion Why might some say God hath told you that there shall not any mans life be lost and you say that you believe God vers 25. what need we then to let these men from going out Yes God must be trusted but not tempted by neglect of due means which God doth ordinarily work by had these gone away they should have wanted hands to bring the Ship nearer to the Land A groundlesse warrant hath that man for his Assurance to be heard in Prayer that neglects the means which God hath prescribed to be used Obj. But as we have heard before Prayer is the best
As a woman that hath felt the Babe in the Womb quick and stirring albeit it lye still for a while yet she knows that she is with child by that which she hath formerly felt Fourthly it sweetens Gods Promises and mercies to us As he that hath tasted honey knows the sweetness of it better then any man can do by the reading of it So he that tastes how good God is in an experimental way finds more sweetness therein then in all that he hears or reades thereof The best Minister on Earth cannot teach so much of God's love and favour as Experience doth There is far more sweetness to be found in the performance of Promises then can be conceived in holding the Promises themselves As one that hath possession of an inheritance finds more sweetness therein then he could find whilst it was his only in reversion and expectation And he that sees the beauty of the Sun takes farr more delight in it then a blind man from his birth that heares the Theory of the Sun read unto him The meditation of Divines upon the joyes of Heaven are able to ravish the soul of the reader with much delight yet they are nothing to that which St. Paul found in his rapture into the third Heaven 1 Cor. 12.2 2 Cor. 12.2 Fifthly and lastly It is experience and observation that doth make a man to be a wise Christian what makes old men to be wiser then the yonger sort Job 12.12 as Elihu speaks but experience which youth wants breathed Deer are not so quickly caught nor experienced Christians so soon entangled with the worl'd 's deceits and Sathans snares It is only this experimentall knowledge that makes a man expert in the trade and warfare of a Christian Take a man that hath only read much of Husbandry Physick Merchandize and Martiall affaires and gotten into his head the notion of all these yet one that hath not read half so much but hath been of long practise and good experience in these will go as farr beyond the other as he doth that hath read much wants experience beyond one that is a meere novice in them Obj. But how may we make the right use of experience and profit aright by it Resp First observe Gods dealing with you or others both in Temporall and Spirituall matters take notice and observe diligently all the speciall favours of God and experiments you receive of his Justice Mercy Providence Truth Goodnesse to your selves or others from time to time There lives not a man on earth but tastes of all these in his own person from day to day yet how few are there that observe them as they ought Call to mind and keep in mind the many favours God hath bestowed on thee from thy Childhood in providing meat for thy mouth cloath for thy back c. Have you forgotten saith Christ how I fed you with a little bread and a few fishes Luke 22.35 and when I sent you forth without mony in your purse meate in your scrip wanted you any thing they answered no Lord Oh forget not this his goodnesse be mindfull of it daily Call to mind the many dangers from which he hath delivered thee and let those preservations never be forgottten by thee Psal 116.8 Psal 116.8 Above all consider how God hath dealt with thee in soul-businesses observe how he deales with thee in the use of his Ordinances what power the word hath had in working upon thy soul to the convincing humbling and converting of thee observe what answer God hath made unto thy Prayers Psal 3 4. 5.3 Psal 3.4 Call to mind and keep a record of the passages of Gods prodence towards others whether of Justice or of mercy Consider the dayes of old what God hath done Psal 44.1 2.8 and of later times what mervailous things he hath done for his Church Psal 44.1 2.8 run through the acts and storyes of holy writ Conferr with experienced Christians Psal 66.16 they will tell thee what God hath done for their soul thus keep a record of Gods works in thy mind and memory Secondly then plead them unto God bring them out of thy treasury and make use of them as occasion requires Thus did David frequently Psal 4.1.4 27.9 10. 22.9 139.13 Psal 4.1.4 27.9 10. Psal 22.9.10 Psal 56.13 71.6.9.17 18. Psal 86.13.16 139.13 Gen. 32.10 11. Numb 14.19 Isay 51.9 10 11. So did Jacob Gen. 32.10 11. So Moses pleads for a pardon of course when God was enraged against Israel upon this ground becaus he had pardoned them many times before Numb 14.19 And see what answer God makes unto it verse 20. Loe I have pardoned them according to thy word And so the Church useth this as an argument that God would preserve them from their enemyes Isay 51.9 10 11. This is no good argument with man Sir you have helped me often therefore help me still but with God it is a prevayling argument we want not arguments of this kind there is none of us but can say to God now this houre Lord thou hast preserved me this day hitherto and brought me hither now Lord enable me to heare Lord thou dost that too therefore enable me to understand and thou dost that for me too now enable me to beleeve and seeing thou hast given me grace to beleeve give me strength that I may practise and if all that be granted desire grace to persevere unto the end Thus labour for the first Grace and never rest till thou feelest the addition of the second grace and to that a third The surest and safest way to lay hold on God is the consideration of what God hath done and the pleading of it from thy experience and thus you shall get much profit by it See then that you Register God's favours and pass not heedlesly by God's dealings with you or others for in so doing you fling that staff out of your hands which should stay you and support you Did we treasure up Experiments the former part of our life would come in to help the latter had we done this long ago we might have been wiser then our Teachers Quest. But is it always safe to ground our confidence on former experience As because God hath done this formerly he will do so still Resp No For it is not barely a Providence but a Promise joyned with a Providence and the distillation that comes from both these make up that Christian experience which we must trust unto unless the cause be good and warranted by the Word and have a Promise to attend it our Confidence may come bleeding home notwithstanding former good success had In the former the Children of Benjamin failed they had a bad cause in hand yet from the good success they had in two former Battails against Israel they grew confident that they should prevail a third time Judg. 20.32 In the latter Sampson failed when he encouraged
sight of the keeper of the prison as we read Prov. 16.7 Gen. 39.21 Exod. 3.21 Psal 106.46 Psal 88.18 Gen. 39.21 And the Children of Israel favour in the sight of the Aegyptians Exod. 3.21 And the Jewes that were in Babel and other places he gave them favour in the sight of all that led them away Captives Psal 106.46 And it is he that taketh away Friends and removes them far from us Psal 88.18 so that in them out of him there is no safe repose for help Secondly Earthly Friends can but befriend us in some particular troubles and wants some in one kinde some in another none in all which is the Reason that we stand in need of a multitude of Friends nor can all our Earthly Friends afford sufficient help in all our necessities There is some choise mercy that God reserveth for himself immediately as peace of conscience joy in the holy Ghost and the graces of his spirit which however they are bestowed on us in the means yet without the concurrence of divine grace Gen. 30.1 2. they can do nothing Give me Children saith Rachel to Iacob or I dye Am I in God's stead saith Iacob that I should give thee Children So shouldst thou come to thy best Friend on Earth and say Give me Faith Give me Repentance Give Peace of Conscience must not he answer thee as Iacob did his beloved Rachel 2 King 6.26 27. or as the King did to the woman in the siege of Samaria If God do not help how can I Were it in our power to help you to grace there is not one of you that should this day return home without it It is God only that is able to do all for you Ephes 3.20 Thirdly Earthly Friends cannot befriend us in all Places should they be both able and willing to help us yet they cannot be in all places at once here and there too I may be shut up in close prison banished out of the kingdome cast into a Den of Lyons or be where I cannot send unto my Friend But God is such a Friend as is every where where we are on this side the sea 's or beyond them Jer. 23.32 24. Am I a God at hand and not a far off saith the Lord do not I fill heaven and earth Jer. 23.23 24. When Abraham was called out of his own Country Psal 139.7 8. God went with him when Ioseph was in prion God was with him c. He is a Friend in Court City Country David found him in all places in his meditations Psal 139.7.8 And in all places he is ready to supply our wants No Friend like him Fourthly the friendship of our earthly Friends proves many times vain for every man at his best estate is altogether vanity Psal 39.5 Psal 39.5 And their purposes and promises prove no better they fail us in undertaking for us sometimes above abilities or else through heedlesnesse and forgetfulnesse or other weaknesses frustrating their good intentions If not so yet their breath goeth forth they return to the earth and in that very day their thoughts Psal 146.3 4. which they had of helping and doing us good perish with them Therefore put not your trust in Princes saith David nor in any Son of man Psal 146.3 4. And why not there is no help in them and why no help in them their breath goeth forth they Return to the Earth and their very thoughts do perish Object But it seems by this that no mortall man is to be trusted be he never so able or faithfull Resp Here we must distinguish between that trust we put in men and that we put in God Trust in men is that Credit which one puts in another in our mutuall and wordly dealings spoken of Prov. 31.11 This is Civil Trust in God is the Affiance and confidence of our hearts in him Prov. 31.11 relying upon his providence and promise both for the removing of evil Psal 37.3 1 Tim. 6.17 and bestowing of good spoken of Psal 37.3 1 Tim. 6.17 This is Religious There is a Civil trust due to men who are raised up as means under him to succour us and do us good and that is lawful But it must be subservient to that Religious trust which we are to put in God nor can that be put in any Creature without Idolatry and therefore forbidden to be put in man or in any earthly Creature Now let us come to the Application of the point Use What shall we say to those who in the day of their distresse withdraw their hearts and hopes from the Almighty and put their confidence in the Creature some in one some in another but few there are that make the bosome of God their chiefest refuge and fly to him as to their best Friend in the time of trouble To which of the Saints wilt thou turn said Eliphaz to Iob Iob. 5.1 Iob 5.1 Had he put that Question to a Papist he would readily have answered to St. Sithe for my pursse to St. Loy to save mine horse for my teeth to St. Apoline to St. Iob for the Pox to St. Luke to save mine Ox Fox Martyr to St. Anthonie to save my Swine c. They have Saints enough to turn unto As men do please for every disease they have a Saint particularly Such is the grosse Idolatry of the Church of Rome who set up some such to be prayed unto and put confidence in as never had any true being but were meer Phantasies and Imaginations of mens brain And others such as we may conceive without breach of Charity are damned wretches in Hell And for the best of them who were indeed true Saints on earth and now glorious in Heaven it cannot be done to them without infinite wrong offered both to the Father Son and Holy Ghost Call upon me Psal 50.15 John 16.23 Rom. 8.15 saith God in the day of trouble Psal 50.15 not on that Saint nor this Angel Ask my Father in my name saith Christ and he will give you John 16.23 He is the onely Mediator both of Redemption and Intercession between God and us 1 Tim. 2.5 An the Holy Ghost teacheth us to cry Abba Father Bishop King Rom. 8. Should we take saith one the Pen of a ready writer and begin at Genefis and proceed to the end of the Revelation and note all the Prayers and supplications which are many yet not one that is made to any other then the true God Nor shall we find any Commandement Promise or warrantable example for that practice Indeed we read of a damned wretch in Hell who did addresse himself to Abraham Luke 16.24 Father Abraham said he have mercy on me Luke 16. vers 24. but that example will not affoard them one drop of water to coole the tip of their tongues Jer. 17.5 Others fly to mortall men and rest on earthly meanes in the day of their Calamity They make flesh
their arm and withdraw their hearts from God some relye on great mens favours and put their trust under the shaddow of their wings Isay 7.12 So did Ahaz that wicked King of Iudah who notwithstanding he had protection offered him from the Lord together with a signe such as himself should chuse for the confirmation of his faith in that hehalf yet he would needs put himself upon the King of Ashur whom he hired with his army to be his defence and safeguard Isay 7.18 the hypocriticall Isralitees did fly for succour to Aeygpt and trusted to their horses and chariots because they were many forwhich cause a wo is denounced against them Isay 31.1 And Iudas being in horrour of Conscience Isay 31.1 Math. 27.3 4. runs to the chief Priests who afforded him but small comfort 2 Sam. 16.21 Psal 49.8 Iob 31.24 Others trust to their own wit as did Achitophel 2 Sam. 16.21 or to their wealth or riches Psal 49.8 They say to the wedge of gold thou art my confidence Iob. 31. when alasse neither silver nor gold shall be able to deliver in the day of wrath All these will prove but as butrushes to a drowning man or like the Aegyptian Reed which will not only fail them but pierce them with the splinters and wound them deeply in the end Of all these and others like to these we may take up the Prophet's patheticall exclamation Be astonished oh ye Heavens at this Jer. 2.12 13. and be ye horribly affraid for my people have committed two evils they have for saken me the fountain of living waters and he wed them out Cisterns broken Cisterns that will hold no water Ier. 2.12 13. But the sharpest Rebuke belongs to those that fly to Hell for succour and make the Devill that Friend of theirs to whom they have resort in calamitous times Exod. 7.11 1 Sam. 28.7 2 King 1.3 Num. 22.5 Pharoahs he sends to Jannes and Iambres his Magicians Saul to the witch of Endor Ahaziah to Baalzebub the God of Ekron Balaac to Balaam the witch of Pechor A sin ordinary and common to be found even amongst those that professe the Gospel The Jewes could Reason thus John 10.20 He hath a Devil why hear ye him a damnable aspersion cast upon Christ but these fly to the Devil and will hearken to none sooner then to such as have Devils A sinne that we read not in Scripture that ever any godly man fell into but such onely as were given up and forsaken of God Saul did it not before God was gone from him 1 Sam. 28.15 It is expresly forbidden by the Word Levit. 20.6 Levit. 20.6 and severely threatned Death is pronounced by the Law not onely on the witch but seekers to them Deut. 18.10 Deut. 18.10 Let me tell such that it is much better to dye of Gods wounds then be cured with the Devils Salves And let all such as betake themselves to sinfull shifts for procuring themselves safety from troubles or deliverance out of troubles and make the Devil not God their Refuge consider seriously of that they read Isay 28.15 17. Isay 28.15 17. and lay it to their hearts It may be a meanes to awaken them and bring them to Repentance Use 2 And let us be perswaded and directed from the Doctrine delivered to have recourse to God in all our needs and troubles Say with the Psalmist Psal 73.26 Psal 37.26 whom have I in Heaven but thee O Lord and there is none upon Earth that I desire besides thee None but thee none but thee to whom I fly This that you may comfortably do see first that you make sure your interest in God that he is your Friend and then improve that interest you have in him to your comfort First make sure your interest the meanes we have before prescribed till then you cannot come with boldnesse unto him for help An ill conscience shuns Gods presence and will rather seek to any in time of misery then to God whilst we apprehend a man to be an enemy unto us though we stand in need of him and know that he hath Power to pleasure us yet we shun him 1 King 21.20 1 King 22.8 Gen. 26.27 Judg. 11.7 as Ahab did Elijah and Michajah and will seek to any other rather then to him Did you not hate me and why are you come unto me now that you are in distresse said Isaac to Abimeletch and Ieptha to his Bretheren Such an answer will our misgiving hearts tell us that we should have from God not being our Friend Should we come unto him or say that we apprehend him not as an Enemie but as a stranger to us one with whom we have no acquaintance much lesse Friendship yet this alone will keep us from having any familiar resort unto him in our necessities Should we be told of such a man that is well monyed and hath it lying by him and be advised to go to him for a supply of our want you know what the Plea will be Alass he is a stranger to me one whose face I never saw I dare not make so bold with him pray do you speak a good word for me it may be for your sake he will do much So is it with those that are enemies or strangers to God they dare not come to God themselves Exod. 8.8 1 Sam. 12.19 Acts 8.22.24 but as Pharaoh did they send to Moses to one of Gods Friends and desire him to intreat for them the like did Saul and Israel to Samuel and Simon Magus to Simon Peter But when once we come to make good our interest in God we shall have great encouragement to come unto him and that in a familiar way as one Friend comes unto another So we read Isay 63.16 Isay 63.16 The Church there pleads her interest in God and thereupon expostulates with God and asketh him a reason of his Judgments and after a sort blames him why hast thou done thus to thy people and giveth reasons why he should not be so angry with his people verse 17 18. many such Friendly and familiar passages we have in Scripture that have passed betwixt God and the Godly As Job 13.24 Job 13.24 25. Psal 13.1 44.23 89.46 47. 74.11 25. wherefore hidest thou thy face and holdest me for thy enemie So Psal 13.1 89.46 47. Psal 44.23 As if God were a sleep when he should deliver his people 74.11 As though God were slack in releiving his necessities Offer this now to one of your Princes Mal. 1.8 saith the Prophet to the people in another case and see if he will take it So come to any Prince on Earth or great Potentate in such a familiar manner say to him thus I would your Highnesse would awake once and attend my businesse and pluck your hand out of your bosome and execute justice would he take it well although it were from his best