relieve his people and to supply their spiritual wants Among the wants of Gods people this is one that we do not know what we need nor what we should pray for as we ought Rom. 8. 26. Therefore God supplies our wants not onely in what we ask but in what we want though we do not ask it nor pray for it So much for the Reasons I come now to answer some objections Object 1 But some may say What priviledge hath a godly man more then a wicked man to have more to be given him then he doth ask seeing we read of wicked men that they do prosper in the world and have more then heart can wish Psal 73. I answer Answ 1 1. It is true in temporal mercies God may give wicked men more then the godly and more then their heart can wish but God doth not give them spiritual mercies As we may see in Balaam God gave Balaam honours and riches but Balaam cried our O that I might dye the death of the righteous This God did not grant him So many wicked men do say in a general way Lord pardon my sins God doth not hear them It may be a child of God may ask of God temporal mercies and God will give him spiritual mercies this is more then he did ask and that much better then he gives to wicked men 2. Though God doth give unto wicked men more then their hearts can wish yet God doth not give it as any return of prayer but onely as fruits of general and common providence as they are his creatures whom he will preserve 3. God may give wicked men more then their hearts can wish and this is not in mercy but in wrath They may receive mercies but not as mercies not in mercy And there are four demonstrations when God hears a man in wrath 1. When he asks any thing of God that is sinful in its own nature as the denial of it is an act of mercy so the grant of it is a fruit of Gods anger God doth many times give those things in his anger which he denies when he is well pleased God will not hear his own people according to their wills but according to his own will It is in this case as it is with a father when his child for want of knowledg asks a knife of him by which he may cut his fingers the father will not give him the knife except it be in wrath So a man may ask mercies at the hand of God and it may be God will give them in wrath to cut themselves with them 2. If you ask those things of God which though they are not sinful in their own nature yet if thy asking of these lawful things be to an unlawful end God will deny these in mercy and when he gives them it is in wrath As if thou desirest temporal mercies to abuse them to drunkenesse or to live in any other sin and wickednesse if God give thee those mercies t is as a testimony of his wrath to thee So it was in the 78. Psalm v. 18. They tempted God in their hearts and asked meat for their lust There was the end of their desires They desired a lawful thing for unlawful ends But what followed The wrath of God For while the meat was in their mouthes the wrath of God came upon them vers 30 31. 3. If you ask any thing of God and he gives it in wrath you may know by this if it be an occasion of sin to thee it is given thee in wrath So it was with the Israelites even now mentioned the meat that God gave them proved an occasion of sin vers 32. they sinned still and believed not his wondrous works When the mercies you enjoy becomes fuel to your lusts those mercies are accompanied with the curse and wrath of God and this using of mercies will turn to the aggravation of wrath 4. Mercies are given thee in wrath when the enjoyment of them hinders thee from the receit of greater mercies from God Thus it was with the Devils Matth. 8. 31 32. They besought Christ that they might go into the Herd of Swine Christ granted them that he let them enter into swine that they might not enter into men When the giving of temporal mercies hinders thee from the receit of spiritual mercies they are given in wrath There are many men to whom God gives temporal mercies they have riches in abundance pleasure at will every thing they can desire but these mercies take off their thoughts and affections from better things by getting these they loose Christ and grace immortality and eternal happinesse Now in these cases though God doth give mercies yet they are given in wrath and so notwithstanding this objection the priviledg of Gods people is much greater then the priviledg of wicked men But it may be further objected and enquired If this be so that mercies are given to wicked men in wrath and by a common providence How may I know when mercies come to me as returns of prayers Now I shall answer that in these particulars Answ 1 1. Mercies are returns of prayer when the receiving of mercy is a means to quicken the heart to beg for other mercies at the hands of God when the mercy shall make thee more to love prayer more to use prayer This you finde proved by Davids experience Psal 116. 2. Because he hath heard my voice therefore will I call upon him as long as I live You see here because God had heard Davids prayer and given him the mercy he begged he makes an argument and an engagement to himself to pray as long as hee lived So that to continue prayer is a means to get more mercy and the leaving off of prayer when you have a mercy is a means to loose that which you have obtained at the hands of God But as for the wicked it is not so with them Mercies received onely from a common or general providence have no such efficacy as you may see Job 21. 7 8 c. there Job tells you the wicked live become old yea mighty in power Their seed is established in their sight with them and their off-spring before their eyes Their houses are safe from fear neither is the rod of God upon them Their bull gendereth and faileth not their cow calveth and casteth not her calf And so he goes on describing that happy condition that wicked men were in and how God followed them with mercy after mercy Well what was the effect of this Did this engage them to call upon God Did this make them in love with prayer No it had a quite contrary effect vers 14. Therefore they say unto God Depart from us for we desire not the knowledg of thy waies And vers 15. What is the Almighty that we should serve him and what profit should we have if we pray unto him 2. Mercies that are given
of those things A little religion will serve the turn Most of the Statists and Politicians of this world are of this temper which God will one day account a Laodicean lukewarmnesse or timerous cowardize Geographers who write of the situation of England say that it is between the Torrid and the Frigid Zone neither hot nor cold I wish our hearts were not like our land 9 This reproves those that expresse more violence outwardly then they have inwardly There are many men that wil hear Sermons on Lords dayes Lectures on week-dayes speak well of religion and of the wayes and people of God but if you look to them in their families and in their closets you shall finde them of another temper These men are like pepper hot in the mouth but cold in the stomack I may resemble such to a pot boiling over the fire hot at the top cold at the bottome So some men are boiling hot in the mouth but their hearts are cold and frozen As it is with men sick of a feaver the face and hands and other externall parts of the body burn when the heart shakes and quivers with cold 10 This reproves those who all their life remain dull and sluggish in religion that like Carriers horses keep their ordinary pace they will not go beyond their bating place they are like Dromedaries swift in the wayes of sin but like the dull Asse slow in the vvayes of God The firstling of other beasts was to be offered to God but not the firstling of an asse Exod. 13. 13. And every firstling of an asse thou shalt redeem with a lamb and if thou wilt not redeem it thou shalt break its neck to note that of sluggish and dull hearts the very best services are not acceptable to God The snail is reckoned among the unclean creatures Levit. 11. 30. Those hearts that are of this dull constitution are impure and odious in the sight of God And thus much shall serve by way of reproof 2 This doctrine is usefull for comfort and that 1. To Ministers 2. To hearers 1 To Ministers and that for 3 reasons 1 Though here is matter of trouble yet no fear of guilt if thou discharge thy duty faithfully though not succesfully Ezek. 3. 19. If thou warn the wicked and he turn not from his wickednesse nor from his wicked way he shall die in his iniquity but thou hast delivered thy soul Act. 20. 26. when Paul had used his utmost endeavours at Ephesus he vindicates himselfe thus I take you to record this day that I am pure from the blood of all men Act. 18. 6. when Paul preached to the Jews and they would not obey the Gospel He shook his raiment said unto them Your blood be upon your own heads I am clean from henceforth I will go to the Gentiles Though a Minister doth all his dayes plow the rocks and sowe the sands and spend his strength in vain yet this will bring no guilt upon a Ministers conscience for though it be the Ministers duty to preach the Word yet it is Gods work to convert the soul 3 God rewards Ministers according to their labour not successe 2 Cor. 2. 15. For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ in them that are saved and in them that perish The father payes the nurse though the childe die The Apothecaries bill must be paid though the patient die So God will reward Ministers though successe be not answerable to their endeavours Isa 49. 4. Then I said I have laboured in vain and spent my strength for nought and in vain yet surely my judgement is with the Lord and my work with my God or the reward of my work 3 The word may live in the hearers hearts when the Minister is dead John 4. 36 37. He that reapeth receiveth wages and gathereth fruit unto life eternall that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoyce together And herein is that saying true One soweth and another reapeth As a wicked man doth hurt after his death so a good man doth good 2 King 23. 15. Jeroboams wickednesse proved a snare to Israel in the dayes of Josiah which was 360 years after his death And Davids example did good on Josiah 400 years after 2 King 22. 2. Josiah did that which was right in the sight of the Lord and walked in all the wayes of David his father 2 As here is comfort for Ministers so also here is comfort to hearers and that for 3 reasons 1 God never expected all should attein the same measure of grace Although Luk. 8. 8. the seed that fell in good ground is said to bear an hundred fold yet Matth 13. 23. the grounds differed and some brought forth but sixty some but thirty Christ hath lambs in his fold as well as sheep Babes in his house as well as strong men 2 It may be what is wanting in a sudden and short violence is made up in solidity Oakes grow not so fast as the Willow-trees but they grow more solidly 3 God will cherish the smallest beginnings of good in the hearts of his people Cant. 7. 12. Let us go up early to the vineyards let us see if the vine flourish whether the tender grape appear the pomegranates bud forth there will I give thee my loves The Lord Jesus took notice not onely of the strong and grown grapes but also of the tender grapes not onely of the fruit but of the buddings The very buddings of grace are accepted And how should this comfort weak Christians and incourage them to increase with the increase of God and to get more of this holy violence in heavenly things Matth. 12. 20. A bruised reed he will not break and a smoaking flax he will not quench till he send forth judgement into victory He speaks there of new converts holy desires and gracious resolutions in a poor soul though they do but smoak and not burn yet Jesus Christ will not quench them till he have brought forth judgement to victory by which he meanes till they come to be perfect men and women in Christ Jesus MATTHEW 11. 12. And from the dayes of John the Baptist untill now the Kingdom of heaven suffereth violence and the violent take it by force IN the third place this doctrine may serve for instruction touching severall things 1 The nature of this holy violence 2 The necessity of it 3 The discovery of it 4 The differences betwixt an heady and holy violence Quest 1. If you ask what is the nature of this holy violence I answer 1 It is a full and vehement bent of a mans desires affections and endeavours after Jesus Christ in the Gospel so that no difficulties or discouragements whatsoever shall take him off from his pursuit after Christ in the way of his ordinances 2 For the necessity of it that appears in 5 regards 1
an hour as in half a year In those times they were so conversant in that duty of love that St. Paul saith They needed not that he should write to them concerning love 1 Thess 4. 9. In those dayes they were of one accord The very Heathens took notice of it and said Behold how the Christians love one another But we are fallen into those times wherein the love of men grows cold we upon whom the ends of the world are come bite and teare and devour one another 2 We come short of them in the contempt of the world You know hovv much those Christians Hebr. 11. lived above the vvorld They confessed that they were but strangers and pilgrims upon earth verse 13. They vvere not satisfied vvith the vvorld but sought after a better Countrey They came and laid their wealth at the Apostles feet to do with it whatsoever he pleased For cloathing they vvere contented with sheeps skins and goats skins and instead of our stately houses they vvere satisfied vvith dens and caves of the earth 3. We fall short of the primitive Christians herein also that they vvere taken off from that form of religion vvherein they vvere born and bred up and received a nevv form of religion Whereas they might have objected all our fathers vvere bred up in the law of Moses and shall vve take upon us a nevv vvay a nevv religion But they did not contend about it they forsook the rudiments of Moses and imbraced this nevv vvay and doctrine vvhich as they thought vvas never taught before But vve are more addicted to customes then Scriptures vve chuse rather to follovv vvhat hath been then to consider vvhat should be Many have much reasoning and contention for the old forme of religion Many are so setled in their old formes and wayes wherein they were born and bred that they will not indure or seek for a better form and way Heylin in his Geography reports of the King of Morocco that he told the English Embassadour in King Johns time that he had lately read Pauls Epistles which he liked so well that were he to chuse his religion he would imbrace Christianity but every one ought to die in the faith wherein he was born So it is with many among us they are perswaded they ought and resolved they will live and die in those customes and wayes wherein they were born they will not deny themselves in these triviall things for the exaltation of Christ and herein also we fall short of the primitive Christians And thus much for the last use And so I have dispatched the first and main Doctrine I hat in the times of the first promulgation of the Gospel greater successe did attend the Ministery and multitudes did come in with more holy violence after the ordinances then ever did before MATTHEW 11. 12. And from the dayes of John the Baptist untill now the Kingdom of heaven suffereth violence and the violent take it by force THere is but one Doctrine behinde and that is taken from the consideration of the quality of those persons who did expresse this holy violence who they were our Saviour himselfe acquaints us Matth. 21. 31. Jesus said unto them Verily I say unto you that the publicans and harlots go into the Kingdome of God before you Verse 32. The publicans and harlots believed John The Pharisees that led strict lives had a kinde of legall righteousnesse yet they were not the people that did receive Jesus Christ but publicans and harlots The Pharisees and lawyers rejected or frustrated the counsell of God against themselves or within themselves being not baptized of him But the Publicans justified God being baptized with the baptisme of John Luke 7. 29 30. They that used this violence were men that lived by rapine deceit exaction and oppression so did the Publicans Whence the observation is this Doct. 2 That usually those that have been most sinful before conversion do expresse the more holy violence and eagernesse of affection after Jesus Christ in the Gospel after they are converted In the handling of this point I shall do three things 1 I shall demonstrate the truth of it by Scripture-instances 2 I shall shew the reasons why God did pitch upon such chiefly who were most notorious ill-livers 3 I shall shew why such men are more violent in religion then others 1 I shall demonstrate the truth of the doctrine by Scripture-instances I shall give but two instances the one in Mary Magdalene the other in Paul 1 Mary Magdalene she was an unclean person a very harlot a great sinner but after her conversion she thought nothing too much for Christ 1 She anointed his feet with a pound of Spikenard that was very costly worth three hundred pence that is worth above nine pound in our money John 12. 5. 2 She broke through many difficulties to come to Christ Christ was in another mans house and he Simon a Pharisee Luke 7. 36 37. and set down to supper She might have raised an objection and said I cannot come at him and they in the house may think evill of it but all this could not keep her back Further there were more discouragements Not onely Judas but others were angry at her Mark 14. 4. There were some not onely Judas but others also that had indignation within themselves and said Why was this waste of the ointment made Yea the Disciples too had indignation at her Mat. 26. 8. The Disciples had indignation Yet she came to Christ through al these difficulties and she wept Luke 7. 44. And that so plentifully that she washed the fect of Christ with her tears Her eyes that had been windows of lost were now flood gates of tears 2 Another instance is that of Saul Before his conversion he was a notorious sinner He had an hand in the death of that holy man Stephen Act 8. 1. He was a man that breathed out threatenings and slaughters against the Disciples of the Lord Act. 9. 1. He was a blasphemer a persecutor and injurious 1 Tim. 1. 13. he cared not what he did to the people of God Yea further he did compel others to blaspheme Act. 26. 11. and being exceedingly mad a-against them he persecuted them even to strange Cities And yet behold this man that was so eminent a sinner before his conversion afterward made recompense he grew and abounded in grace he grew as eminent in grace as he was notorious in sin As he had hailed men to prison formerly so now he drawes them to Christ He preached that faith that once he persecuted Gal. 1. 23. So much for the first particular the proof of the point by Scripture-instances The second particular is this Why did God pitch upon such chiefly as were most notorious ill-livers Answ 1 I answer Two reasons may be given of it 1 To beat off the Pharisees from resting in their own righteousnesse
the person God requires that duties be done with feeling fervencie faith fear and reverence they must be done in a right manner There is a fivefold qualification that God requires even of his friends as a condition of their acceptance 1. The heart must be prepared Psal 10. 17. Lord thou hast heard the desire of the humble thou wilt prepare their heart thou wilt cause thine ear to hear So Job 11. 13 14 15. If thou prepare thine heart and stretch out thine hand towards him If iniquity be in thine hand put it far away and let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacle For then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot yea thou shalt be stedfast and shalt not fear That is the first particular 2. Sin must be removed So you finde in the place last quoted iniquity must be put far away c. When Gods own people come to worship before God they must not let any sinne lye upon their consciences unrepented of and indulged 3. The affections must be raised David when he set himself to prayer he saith Unto thee O Lord do I lift up my soul Psal 25. 1. You read often in Scripture of lifting up a prayer to God Isai 37. 4 It may be the Lord thy God will hear the words of Rabshakeh whom the king of Assyria hath sent wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that is left Jer. 7. 16. Pray not thou for this people neither lift up cry nor prayer for them 1 Tim. 2. 8. I will that men pray every where lifting up holy hands without warth and doubting 4. The mind must be compased in prayer 1 Cor. 7. 35 We are to attend upon the Lord without distraction Daniel set his face unto the Lord God to seek by prayer and supplications Daniel 9. 3. In the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee said David Psal 5. 3. As an Archer when he shoots an arrow takes care that his hand shake not his heart was so fixed on God that he could directly send his prayers unto him Dost thou think O man that God will hear that prayer which thou dost not hear thy self will God regard that prayer that thou dost not regard will God grant thy request when thou dost not know what thou askest because of that indisposednesse and distraction that lyes upon thy spirit You must therefore take care when you be take your selves to prayer that the Divel do not distract and disturb you 5. The desires must be enlarged after God in prayer Jer. 29. 13. Then you shall seek me and finde me when you search for me with all your heart God bids us Open our mouthes wide and I will fill them Psal 18. 10. God hath not promised to fill the heart unlesse our mouth be opened Now put all these together Our prayers will not be heard except 1. Our hearts be prepared 2. Sin removed 3. Our affections raised 4. Our minds composed 5. Our desires inlarged And judge whether this be not ground enough for the Doctrine That a state of friendship is not sufficient for the acceptance of our prayers I come now to the second thing and that is a case of conscience it is this In what Cases may God refuse to give his people the things they pray for I answer 1. In case you indulge any sin in the heart Psal 66. 18. If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear my prayer Sin which is in thine heart by thine indulgence and approbation doth provoke God that he will not give an answer to thy prayers 2. In case thou dost seek for any mercy from God to be fewel for thy sin and lust James 4. 3. Ye aske and receive not because ye aske amisse that you may consume it upon your lusts So the mother of Zebedees children Matth. 20. 21. She said to Christ Grant that these my two sons may sit the one on thy right hand the other on thy left in thy kingdom Now this was an ambitious desire for she shewed Christ would have reigned upon earth as an earthly King and she desired that they might be next him as he sat upon the Throne Therefore Christ said You know not what you ask Christ would not give any answer to her request he would not gratifie her pride and ambition 3. In case God sees we are not able to use the mercy well when we have it If you would ask gifts from God it may be God sees that enlarged gifts would make thee proud and that thou wouldest be puffed up with them and exalt thy self above thy brethren therefore God will deny thee We read Gen. 26. 1 2. When there was a famine in the Land He went to enquire of the Lord whether he should go down into Aegypt God answered Go not down into Aegypt God would not let him go but in the dayes of Jacob there was a famine in the Land Gen. 46. 3. and God said to Jacob Go down into Aegypt Now what might be the reason that God would have Jacob goe down into Aegypt and not Isaac The rason is this Isaac was a man of weaker Graces then Jacob was and God saw that if Isaac had gone down into Aegypt for corne he would have fallen into the sinnes of the Land Now Jacob was a strong man in grace and in gifts for as a Prince he wrastled with God and prevailed and was called Israel God saw that Jacob would resist their idolatrous wayes and not be guilty of their sins So you may ask mercies of God and it may be you are not able to manage them well And therefore God denies you when as another askes the same mercy and God gives it to him because he sees he will use it well and improve it to Gods glory Therefore reflect upon thy self and when God denies thee a mercy which thou hast begged at his hands Say to thy self this denial is in mercy for he did not think me fit for it If men would take this way to consider of Gods dealing with them it would silence all the murmurings and repinings of their hearts against God 4. If you pray but cursorily and carelesly then God may deny you He that prayes coldly doth as it were increat God to give him a denial God promiseth to be found if we seek him with our whole heart But if we be careless and regardless our selves how can we expect that God should regard us So much for answer to that question In what cases God may deny his peoples prayers This is the second thing 3. The third particular is another Case of conscience And it is this Seeing God doth not hear the prayers of his people in some cases How may we know whether the denyal of our prayers be in mercy or no God doth not hear the prayers of wicked men he denies them in wrath but his peoples prayers he denies in mercy
speake peace to his people but let them not turne againe to folly It would be both sin and folly in thee to returne to sin after God hath given thee an answer of peace This was Davids resolution for his owne particular Psal 6. 8. Depart from mee all you workers of iniquitie Why what is the reason The Lord hath heard the voyce of my supplication As if David had said O ye wicked men you have been occasions of sin to me and companions in sin with me but how that God hath been thus gracious to mee now that God hath graciously returned my prayers I will haue no more to doe with you Depart from mee yea workers of iniquitie And so much for the negative Cautions I shall now lay down a few positive cautions 1. If God hath returned thy prayers see that thou beest more frequent in prayer then thou wast formerly This was the purpose of holy David Psal 116. Because the Lord hath heard my prayer therefore I will call upon him as long as I live So let it be your care to set your self more solemnly and seriously to seek God then ever you have doue 2. See that you be more in praises to God then you have been Those mercies that thou hast won by prayer are to be worn by thankfulness Psal 145. 10. All thy works praise thee O Lord and thy Saints do bless thee All Gods works do praise him The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy work That is they are all the passive monuments of Gods power in creating them But the Saints they are agents in praising God Blessing is more then praising A picture praiseth him that made it but it doth not bless him The Saints they bless God in a peculiar manner their mouthes are full of the praises of God They have a principle within them of praising God they are agents in setting forth his praise And therefore it is very fit that you should bless God 3. See that you be much in obedience If God doth much for thee see that thou do much for God If God hath an hearing ear thou must have a doing hand And so much for the use of caution Use 3 3. I shall speak something by way of comfort 1. To such as have not this importunity nor this return of prayers 2. To such as have returns to prayer 1. Here is a word of consolation to those that want this holy importunity and that in three respects 1. Thou maiest pray with sincerity when thou dost not pray with importunity The Lord saith David is nigh to all that call upon him but how Not onely to them that call on him importunately and powerfully but to all that call upon him in truth if thou canst say thou dost call upon God in truth and with a sincere heart God will be high unto thee 2. It is the office of Christ to pray for thee in heaven when thou dost not pray upon earth It is the work of Jesus Christ to make intercession for thee to his Father Although thou hast not importunity in thy self yet consider O believing soul that Christ is in heaven importuning the Father for thee 3. A sense and complaining of the want of this holy importunity is accounted by God a degree of it If you did never complain of the want of the Spirit it was a signe you never had the Spirit and now that you be wall the want of it it is a signe you have it Branch 2 2. Here is also a word of consolation to those that have returns of prayer and that in four respects 1. Thy mercies are double mercies It is a mercy to have mercy but to have it in such a way is a double mercy Psal 91. They shall call upon me and I will answer them and I will be with him in trouble c. It is a mercy to have deliverance out of trouble but to have it through prayer a deliverance that comes in by prayer is a double mercy 2. These mercies are sanctified mercies Mercies as you are creatures are good but as returns of prayer they are sanctified And blest mercies are much better to the soul that enjoyeth them 3. The mercies which thou hast as returns of prayer are costly mercies Mercies that come in by providence are easie and cheap but mercies that come in by prayer are costly they cost the price of Christs blood to purchase them and they cost thee many a prayer and tear to obtain them 4. These mercies are sealing mercies and that in three particulars 1. They are seals to you that you have the Spirit of God for Christ hears no prayers and no spirit but his own God is as well pleased with the barking of a dog as with the prayers of a Christless man 2. It is a seal to thee of an interest in Christs intercession If thy prayers are returned it is a signe they are accepted Now no prayers are accepted but by vertue of the intercession of Jesus Christ 3. These returns are a seal of more mercies a signe that thou shalt have more mercies from God One mercie that is given in by prayer is a pledg of another mercie and thy mercie in this life is a pledg to thee that thou shalt have eternal happiness in heaven to all eternity FINIS Rev. 2. 5. Rev. 2. 9. 3. 1. Psal 4. Sermons Preachtat Lawrence Jury April 22 1649. SERMON I. The Content opened Verse 7. Verse 8. Verse 9. Verse 11. The Text opened Coelum Empyreum a Regnum coelorum denotat praedicationem Evangelit propagationem Ecclesiae Paraeus b Regnum Dei significatstatum conditionem Ecclesiae quae propriè Christiana â—câ—tur Camero in Mat. 18. â— Adeo avidi di sunt ut nulla vi rbstrahi possunt sed potius moaiuntur quam abstrahantur ab Evangeâ—io Luther a Frigebant sub ministerio legis Scribarum Pharisaeorum fervebant sub ministerio Joannis Musculus Quest 1 Why the Gospel so successfull then b Natura hominum novitat is avida Mark 1. 27. 1 Thes 2. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Primum advertum nostrum Principiis savebant c. Isa 54. 1 2. Isa 2. 2. Isa 60. 3 4 5. Isa 40. 31. Zach. 12. 8. 2 Sam. 17 8. 2 Cor. 3. 15 16. 18. Isa 30. 26. Mat. 11. 28. Acts 15. 10. Quest 2. Why the Gospel not so succesfull now as formerly Reasons 1 In regard of Minister Luke 1. 16. Jerem. 23. 22. 32. 2 Cor. 4 2 Matth. 7 29. 2 Cor. 14 5. Job 38. 2. Mat. 3. 2. 2 In regard of the people Reason 1. Mat. 21. 26. 1 Thes 2. 13. Mat. 21. 25 26. John 10. 41. Miracula non sunt multiplicanda sine necessitate 1 Cor. 1. 22. 1 Cor. 14 22. 2 Cor. 12 12. Deut. 6. 6 7. Sermons Preacht at Lawrence Jury April 22 1649. SERMON 11. Jer. 8. 6. Jer. 2. 23 Eccles 8. 11. Hab. 2. 13. Prov. 4.
commanded them and the Lord accepted Job It may be there be times when you can not pray or when God will not heare your prayers but remember you have a stock of prayers going for you And thus much shall suffice by way of answer to this objection I now come to make application LUKE 11. 8. Though he will not rise and give him because he is his friend yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him c. IN the first place let me draw some Inferences or Corollaries from what hath been insisted upon Corol ∣ lary 1 1. Returnes to prayer are not given for the works sake but for the persons sake Though the matter of thy prayer may be good yet if thou art not a good man thou shalt not be accepted God had respect first to Abel then to his offering Psal 34. 17. The righteous cry and the Lord heareth The person must be in a state of favour before the dutie can be accepted Corol. 2 2. Though prayers are not returned for the work yet they are not returned without the work God expects the worke and the worke you must doe though God will not have you to look for acceptance for the workes sake Corol. 3 3. Nor are returnes of prayer made to a person singly considered but a member of Christ as one that hath a share in his intercession Joh. 15. 7. If yee abide in mee yee shall aske what you will and it shall be given you So Joh. 16. 23. Whatsoever ye aske the Father in my Name that he will give to you All our prayers are but Cyphers till Christs intercession be added Cyphers in Arithmetick stand for nothing till a figure be added Coroll 4 4. The longer and the more thou hast prayed the more affectionate shouldest thou be in prayer Mat. 6. 7. Aske and yee shall have seeke and yee shall finde knock and it shall be opened unto you Observe the gradation in these words Aske but you must not stay there you must seeke nor yet must you rest satisfied there you must knock Your affections should be every day more eager and earnest you should pray more fervently as it is said of Christ Luk. 22. 44. Corol. 5 5. He can never pray importunately that doth not pray daily Intermission of dutie will quickly cause an interruption in thine affections you must therefore pray in secret pray fervently pray morning and evening And to stirre you up to and incourage you in this worke Consider 1. The example of those holy men of God who have done thus Nehemiah 1 6. Let thine eare now be attentive and thine yet open that thou maiest heare the prayer of thy servant which I pray before thee day and night So you have the example of Daniel Dan. 6. 10. hee kneeled upon his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thankes before his God as he did before time It was a custome that he had observed of former time Though he was a great Courtier and a man full of great imployment yet he would not neglect prayer Nor was this an extraordinary fit but his ordinary course So in David Psal 5. 3. My voyce shall thou heare in the morning and in the evening will I direct my prayer unto thee and will looke up So Psal 88. 13. But unto thee have I cryed O Lord and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee So Psal 119. 147. I prevented the dawning of the morning and cryed unto the Lord. Psal 55. 17. Evening and morning and at noone will I pray and cry aloud 2. You have the example of Jesus Christ himselfe Mark 1. 35. In the morning rising up a great while before day he went out and departed into a solitary place and there prayed and so at evening Mat. 14. 23. He went unto a mountaine to pray and when the evening was come he was there also And least you should thinke this was onely upon extraordinary occasion it is said Luk. 22. 3. He came to the mount of Olives as he was went Joh. 18. 2. Jesus resorted thither with his Disciples 3. Consider you have the very examples of of Heathens in this The Heathens sacrificed to Heroules morning and evening upon the great Altar at Rome 4. Consider that in the Lords Prayer we are taught to pray every day Christ did not bid us pray for bread or things necessary for a moneth or a yeare but day by day 5. This was prefigured in the Law there was a daily offering to be given to God a lambe at morning and a lambe at night as you may see Exod. 29. 38 39. Yea extraordinary sacrifices did not abolish this number there was a burnt offering for the Sabbath besides the continuall burnt offering and the burnt offering at the beginning of the moneth and the Passe over and yet though these extraordinary workes were to be done yet the ordinary were not to be left undone 80 that you see here is good ground and encouragement for then to be-frequent in these religious duties And somuch for the 〈…〉 Use 2 Caution â— This may be usefull for the instruction of those to whom God hath given returnes of prayers to whom God hath out of his bounty given more then they did â—â—ke To such I must give first Sâ—â—ne negative cautions secondly Some positive cautions Nega ∣ tive 1 â— Some 〈…〉 cautions and that in foure regards 1. Let not Gods returnes to thy prayers make thee remisse and carelesse in the performance of duty Beware of an empty heart when God brings in thy mercies with a full hand Merchant adventurers iâ— they have good returnes are incouraged to adventure their Ships to Sea againe Our hearts are so base and disingenuous that wee are apt when we have what we seeke for to seeke no more O take heed of this let not Gods goodnesse make you worse 2. Another caution iâ— this Let not returnes to prayer make you conceited and proud of your gifts or of your graces Wee are too apt to reflect upon our selves our parts our graces our abilities and therefore we have more need to 〈…〉 of it Beware that thine heart be not lifted up in pride against God least God be provoked to lift up his hand against thee in judgement 3. Take heed that you doe not ascribe the returnes of prayer do your owne importunitie but 〈◊〉 to the freenesse of Gods grace Men are 〈◊〉 apt to 〈◊〉 to their owne 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 because to their owne drags Take â—eed o◠〈◊〉 God cannot endure to have his glory givs and another Say rather I have received mercy but alas there is nothing in mee that could deserve it all comes solely from the free grace of God 4. Take heed of returning againe to sin after God hath returned thy prayers into thy bosome Psal 85. 8. I will heare what the Lord God will speake for he will