thou wilt Come into all my Treasures of Grace and take even what thou desirest Godly desires knock and make a noise in Gods ears and he opens to them He heareth the desire of the humble Psa 10. 17. They will come in where the Lord is Psa 38. 9 Lord all my desire is before thee The Saints sighs make a noise at Heaven gates and God cometh forth to them For the sighing of the Prisoners I will arise saith the Lord. Psal 12. 5. and Psal 79. 11. Let the sighing of the prisoners come before thee room for the sighing of the prisoners Lord yea their very tears too make a loud noise at this door and they have their voice also in prayer Thou hast heard the voice of my weeping Psal 68. No wonder then that effectual prayer consisting of all these be indeed a knocking and meanes of opening of the gate and door of Mercy in Jesus Christ We pass by other names given to Prayer as that of seeking asking calling opening of the mouth wide running to the Lord for counsel referring ones case to him the like Come we now to give a description of Prayer Prayer is a spiritual and faithful opening of the heart to God in the name of Christ A general description of Prayer with an eye at seasonable help and relief from him By heart we mean thoughts desires affections these wants and weaknesses and sins to which the heart is privy and of which it is sensible We call it an opening of the heart in opposition to hypocritical covering and attempts to hide any thing from the Lord whereby their prayers become no prayers their Worship vaine whilst digging deep to hide the counsels of the heart from God Isaiah 29. 13 15. compared with Psal 119. 26. I have declared my wayes to thee that is prayed and thou heardst me Prayer is a shewing of God our waies or as the Hebrew word beareth a telling or counting them one by one as if we pray indeed when we do from our hearts deal plainly and punctually with God therein when we leave out nothing which we know by our selves untold before him even in a particular manner whether respecting our wants our sins or the like so Psal 38. 18. I have declared mine iniquity meaning all and each of his sins there were some more special sins sinnes which were chiefly his the Hebrew word signifieth a telling of some new thing Davids prayer and confession is not a high-way rode and some one track of confession but it is a telling him of any new fresh acts of sinne Jer. 20. 12 To thee have I opened my cause or prayed to thee Prayer is an opening of the souls causes and cases to the Lord the same word in another conjugation is used for uncovering making bare and naked Gen. 9. 21. The Saints in prayer do or should nakedly present their soules causes without all cover-shames or so much as a ragge of selfe or flesh cleaving to them All things are naked to him with whom Obs we have to doe he is privy to our secrets how is prayer an opening of the heart to him Suppliants are said in prayer to open Answ their hearts to God 1. In that they doe not dare not goe about to hide or desire that ought in their hearts should bee hid from the Lord. It is their desire he should and they are very glad that he doth know all their heart their hearts are ready to break when they through temptation or desertion want prayer vent 2. In that it is their desire and endeavour to present all within their hearts which God by a general eye of wisedome and omniscience seeth unto a more special energetical veiw of the eye of Gods compassion and love Psal 80. 14. Behold and visit this vine Psal 119. 132. Look upon mee as thou usest to doe on those that feare thy name Isay 63. 15 16. Looke downe from heaven c. where are the sounding of thy bowels c. 3. In that they doe thus in way of an ordinance of God which he doth eye and owne as opening of their heart to God Psal 62. 8. Poure out your heart to him or pray to him And albeit their hearts are open to God before yet not actually opened in this way of injoyned expressing the same till they do thus pray 4. In that when prayer is duly performed as their minds and hearts are uttered and poured out as before the Lords face Psal 62. 8. or before him so are they in lively manner quickned to behold Gods mercifull and energetical view of the same hence that perswasion of David All my desires are before thee Psal 38. 9. It is a spiritual opening Spiritual in respect of the efficient and working cause Gods spirit acteth and worketh therein It is prayer in the holy Ghost Rom. 8. 26. The spirit maketh intercession in us the spirit of praier is acted in it Zach. 12. 10. Prayer is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in-wrought our spirits also as acted and improved thereby are at work in it My God whom I serve with my spirit Rom. 1. 9. Our hearts are as water poured out to waft along each petition and confession or as oyle to anoint these messengers of the soul that they might flye the faster to Gods throne It is spiritual in the matter of it things of Gods Kingdome Matth. 6. 33. or if other things yet under a spiritual consideration as according to Gods will and for his glory Spiritual in the manner namely in a sublime and elevated manner of performance Isay 37. 4. Lift up thy prayer Spiritual in the end a calling upon God whereby he is exalted Esay 12. 4. Spirituall in the motive and ground-work a command of God requiring a promise in encouraging Thou saidst seek my face my heart answered Lord thy face will I seek Psal 27. 8. for thou revealedst to thy servant saying I will build thee a house therefore hath thy servant found in his heart to pray this prayer 2 Sam. 27. 27. Faithfull opening that is unfeigned without reservations c. Prayer from unfeigned lips Psal 17. 1. To God not to Saints and Angels which neither know our hearts nor can help us Isay 63. 16. Though Abraham know us not And it is to God not as into the aire or as at an uncertainty where or to whom In the name of Christ There is a holy renouncing of our selves and our owne worth and strength and a resting and trusting upon the Lord Jesus onely through whom we come to the throne of grace and for whose sake alone wee plead for and expect audience and acceptance yea and assistance With an eye to seasonable help Our Our eyes are unto the Lord until hee shew us mercy Psal 123. 1 2. Thus much concerning prayer in generall We might give sundry reasons to inforce Reasons why we must pray this duty Taken 1. From God absolutely and relatively 1 From God considered who is thereby
24 25 26. he maketh a request to Christ for his child but at first questioned Christs power saying If thou canst doe any thing help us and so long his request took not but being quickned up by Christs word to faith in his power that hee could doe any thing for them and to expect any thing from him in such a way of believing if thou canst believe namely that I can doe any thing for you all things are possible to him that so believeth then the man cryeth out with teares Lord I believe namely that thou canst do any thing for us and so getteth the blessing he prayed for where prayers are put up in faith believing all things are possible to the Lord believed in and attainable upon believing in him there all things are possible and attainable to such a faiths-request Sometimes the suppliants of God deale with God in prayer about intricacies where the determinations of the will of God seeme or are hid and obscure yea for such good things as come within the reach of his power and herein it were sad with them if faith in Gods power might not or did not relieve them Yea sometimes they deal with God about cases wherin the Lord cometh to expresse his will and mind to the contrary and yet faith in Gods Almightinesse putteth words into their mouthes and biddeth and incourageth them to speak and to pray to him and to try it out with him even in such cases When God telleth Moses that he will smite the people and disinherit them Num. 14. 11 12. Yet because Moses believed the greatnesse of Gods power which might else be dishonoured hee pleadeth that the nations will say that because the Lord was not able to bring them into the promised land therefore he slew them and then betaketh him to this hold Let the power of my Lord be great according as thou hast spoken the Lord is long suffering and of great mercy forgiving iniquity c. He looked at him as now able to fulfill the other part of his revealed will even to be a God pardoning his peoples sins This set the Ninivites a praying when yet God had said yet forty dayes and Niniveh shal be destroyed Jonah 3. 3 4 5. Yet for ought any knew to the contrary God might shew them mercy verse 8 9. who can tell if God may not turne and repent of his fierce anger that we perish not and their prayers tooke effect verse 10 God repented of the evill that he had said Besides true seekers of God are continually sensible of mighty adverse powers of darknesse against them so that if they had not faith in Gods almightiness overmatching those powers they would not pray without ceasing 5 Faith in the gracious nature and disposition of God as in his love mercy bounty compassion long-suffering goodnesse is required Nothing more usuall with the Saints in their prayers mentioned throughout the scripture then to set their faith on worke in prayer upon the gracious nature of God I need not mention the scriptures In this ocean faith can freely swim and bear up all the suppliants burdens and packets In this holy chancery court and court of grace it can have right in any cases which concerne the soule Nothing more sutable to the hungring and thirsting desires of suppliants and nothing more sweet and satisfying then the marrow and fatnesse of Gods loving kindnesse Psal 63. 1. to 5. The upright remember the love of the Lord more then wine Cant. 14. A poore suppliant seeeth here by an eye of faith the true riches which his soule needeth and that it is here ready for him that God is rich in mercy to all that call upon him So did David Psal 86. 41. This is a spirituall all-heale to the poore diseased wounded soule crying to God for cure therein it seeth and eyeth the particular salves that are most sutable to the severall sores of which it complaineth when the people of God are tossed with tempests of troubles and temptations as they were Isai 44. 11. yet they eye this as a sweet and safe harbour if they can but put in here they are sheltred in all weathers if they can but cast the anchor of faith and hope here they can ride it out securely and without hurt or losses from any windes which blow 6. Faith in Gods simplicity is required 6 In Gods simplicity Solomon in his prayer looketh at God as alwayes acting and all act one whose eyes were open night and day 1 King 8. 29 so the Psalmist Psal 65 2. and thou that art hearing ever hearing prayers to thee shall all flesh come The like faith in the eternity and immutability of God and in his faithfulnesse in what he is to his poore redeemed ones and in what he saith to them and doth for them in a way of grace and favour is needfull Habbakuk in his prayer maketh use of the eternity of God Hab. 1. 12. Art not thou from everlasting oh Lord my God my holy one wee shall not dye Nehemiah in his prayer improveth Gods faithfulnesse chap. 1. 4. O God that keepest Covenant and mercy for them that love him Those afflicted soules mentioned Psal 102. doe in their prayer improve by faith Gods unchangeablenesse Thou art the same and thy yeares have no end verse 24 25 26 27. The suppliants themselves and their cases vary much and suffer many changes but faith in these incourageth them to hold on in incessant prayer to the Lord. We might have instanced in the particulars of faiths improvements of the relative nature of God in prayer as that of a Father of a Saviour Redeemer and the like as is often mentioned in Scripture as Jer. 14. 8. Esa 63. 15 16 17. and 64. 8. c. but I shall forbear proceed we therefore 7. In the Lord Jesus to the second branch of faith required in prayer namely Faith in the Lord Jesus Heb. 7. 23. Christ is able to save such to the uttermost which come unto God by him Out of Christ God is a consuming fire and if we eye him as such a one only wee are driven from him rather than drawn to him Daniel craveth all things for the Lords sake Dan. 9. 17. David requesteth mercies of the Lord for his words sake or as in 1 Chron. 11. 9. for his servants sake the saints of old looked in their prayers towards the temple 1 King 8. 29 30. 35 38. So Jonah chap. 2. 4. Now the temple was a type of Christ Christ spake of the temple of his body Joh. 2. It was not enough for the Israelites to cry out of wounds nor for Moses to pray with them or for them but they must look to the brazen Serpent Numb 21. 7 8 9. which in Joh. 3. 13 14 15. is made a type of Christ Christ is the altar whereon wee offer all our spirituall sacrifices if acceptable Heb. 11. 12. And if we doe in offering them but touch this blessed altar
2. 3. Thus did the Ninivites no body could tell they should bee delivered nor assure them of mercy if they did sue for it but yet none could tell the contrary none could say peremptorily they should perish without remedy If it be but a Who can tell it is a ground of mighty prayers and may cherish a spark of hope therein of successe Jonah 3. Isaiah must lift up his prayer albeit it be but a may be that God would hear the blasphemous speeches of Rabshekah against which he was to bend his prayers on Israels behalf 2 Kings 19. 4. A very peradventure of prevailing in prayer will set Moses a praying Exod. 32. 30. No Scripture telleth thee that thou art a cast-away many Scriptures give thee grounds of a may be at least of salvation Let that therefore raise thee though troubled sore to look and wait for a gracious answer of thy prayer 2. Labour to be stored with sutable Promises to your prayer cases it will bee our 2. Store up sutable promises to prayer cases wisdom to lay up such knowledge of such words of Grace Prov. 10. 14. Jehosaphat was not to seek of a Promise sutable to that he was to pray for 2 Chr. 20. Nehemiah had a like promise ready written on the table of his heart Nehem. 1. 8 9 10. And be we well acquainted with the Attributes of God which are vertually Promises and props to our faith in Prayer Moses in his prayer maketh use of them for that end Num. 14. 17 19. And the Saints oft elsewhere in the Scripture 3. Improve we former experiences both of our owne and others of the gratious 3 Improve former experiences dealings of God with us in way of prayer for meerly as well as otherwise they worke hope Psal 6. 9. The Lord hath heard the voyce of my weeping he will heare my prayer Davids experience of Gods mercifull and faithfull performance of all the desires of his soul for him will make him cry to him with much confidence Psal 57. 1 2. Wee may not rest in mercies and blessings received but we may and must be incouraged from them to reach after and waite for more if we never had tasted of his goodness to us when we sought him yet were we to expect and waite for his gracious answer but tasting and seeing how good the Lord is by experience it is then a blessed thing to trust in him Ps 34. 4. 8. We may well trust him and rest on him as a God hearing prayers when we have tryed him to be such a one or else it will be a shame if speaking it in his word that he is such a one and then speaking it over sensibly in his workes that hee is such a one yet hee cannot be believed If any surely such as by experience know the name of God have proofe of that or any other title or Attribute or word of his wherein hee maketh himselfe knowne to us they will trust in him Psal 9. 10. Gratious answers of prayer given to the Saints are precious pledges of our interest in the covenant of grace and in God as our God and so we are to look at them and be encouraged by them Zach. 13. 9. We are also to quicken up our confident expectations of a gracious issue of our prayers from other experiences therein so the Saints used to do in their prayers mentioned in Scripture Psal 74. 1. 13 14. and oft elsewhere for indeed the Lord in giving answers of Grace to any of his children hath regard to the good and encouragement of them all that which the Lord did for and spake to supplicating wrestling Jacob Gen. 32. hee eyed others that were to come after him therein Hosea 12. 4. He had power over the Angel c. and there he that Angel the Lord himself spake with us not with him alone The regard which the Lord hath to the prayers of destitute ones is written and recorded for the generation to come to make a comfortable use thereof Psalm 102. 17 18. if one of Gods chosen ones fare well in their holy approaches to God the Prophet will put it plurally in the conclusion he draweth from thence Psal 65. 4. the former part of the verse compared with the latter part we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house 4 Improve we conscionably the Intercession 4. Improve Christs Intercession of the Lord Jesus for us When he was on earth he prayed for us as you may see in John 17. To bee sanctified by his Truth to be kept from the evil of sin Apostasie we pray for union and communion with the Lord Jesus such as is very strong comfortable and constant whilst we are here and the eternal enjoyment of the Lord Jesus in another world but fear lest our sins might intercept and frustrate our prayers but Christ telleth us and for our comfort that our joy may be full Joh. 17. 13. what is the sum of what hee intercedeth with the Father for on the behalf as of his Apostles so of all Believers vers 20 c. We will and must needs confesse that Christs prayers were without exception and that the Father alwayes heard him John 11. How well is it then for us that the Lord Jesus hath with acceptance prevented us and these mercies are already begged by Christ and granted of God to our hands Surely the Lord hath heard Christ in the desires which hee as Mediatour expressed to the Lord that we and our services and so our prayers might be accepted of which that in Isaiah 49. 8. is prophetically spoken compared with 2 Cor. 6. 2. we may well expect that in our holy approaches and makings out to God for mercy we come in a time of acceptance since the Lord hath heard Christ bespeaking of it if the Lord the rather honour the Lord Jesus because in the dayes of his flesh he made intercession for Transgressours Isaiah 13. 12. therefore shall he divide the spoil c. because he did so surely we may well expect the success thereof and to share in those spoiles if wee are strong and earnest wrestlers with God in his name for the same Solomons request for the grant of their prayers in their several cases which are mentioned 1 Kings 8. and which are granted chap. 9. 3. were shadowing Types of what the Lord will condescend to in all his suppliants cases at the request of this our blessed Solomon Psalm 72. but especially improve his present Intercession and appearing before God for us now in Heaven Heb. 7. 25. Look as whilst the people were praying without the Priest was offering Incense within the Temple Luke 1. 9. 10. So is Christ in that glorious Temple above appearing before God for us whilst we are a praying That was a shadow of this Heb. 8. 5. the Saints Prayers are committed to him there as his charge according to his Office to which the Lord hath appointed him to offer them up
will farther his gracious audience of his servants prayers What will not love grant 5 Consider what account the Lord makes 5 What esteem he hath of his Saints prayers of his peoples prayers They are his delight Prov. 15. 8. as sweet musick in his ears Revel 5. 1. They are memorials before him ever in his eye minding him of what is meet to be done for his people Acts 10. 4. They are as a Recompence to him he liketh to be paid in his dues in prayers also Psal 116. 12 13. he thinketh we never pray enough John 16 13 14. Hitherto you have asked nothing namely in comparison open thy mouth wide Psal 81. Mercy accompanieth prayer if the Lord would turne away the one yet not the others pleas Psalm 66. 20. 6 Consider what measures the Lord 6. What measures he keepeth in his respects to praier keepeth in his respects to prayer He heareth sometimes before we call preventeth his people with goodnesse Isaiah 65. 24. Sometimes even whilst praying they have answers of grace ibid. Sometimes when his people seek him for pardoning grace and the manifestation thereof he sheweth mercy even above their thoughts Isaiah 55. 6 7 8 9. giveth them as above what they ask so beyond their thoughts and expectations Eph. 3. 20. Wherefore raise up our expectations in this way of seeking the face of God touching his gracious disposition to hear and help us and when we have got up our thoughts therein to the highest yet believe it he hath mercy and answers of grace for us above our thoughts 7 Consider what method God continually and infallibly useth in his respects to 7. What method he observeth in his respects to praier prayer namely first to incline hearts to be cordial and serious in prayer and then to give his promised mercies Psalm 10. 17. Jerem. 29. 11. 12. The nearer and surer mercies are the more praying motions and workings there are then in our hearts Both are to the same mercy as one works to help to pray and to hear prayer Mercy would not be at work with us in the one if the other part of God's mercies work were not to be effected Lastly That we may clear up our fainting 8. Consider the Parable Luk 18 1. to 9. spirits and drooping hearts in expectation of faith that our prayers shall not fail of good successe from God consider of that Parable of our Lord Jesus which he for this purpose propoundeth Luke 18. 1. ad 9. A Judge a man comes off to hear a poor suppliants request and will not God a Father do much more for his An unjust Judg hears and will not a just and righteous God hear the cryes of his poor ones One that was a hater and disregarder of men and of his own name yet hears and will not God and Christ hear whose delight is to be with men Prov 8. One that was utterly averse from hearing He would not hear one to whom asking was a trouble This widow troubleth me yet at length grants the request of her which sought to him How much more will the Lord to whom prayer is a delight and whose property it is to be hearing even ready to hear prayers surely he will hearken to his suppliants requests much more One that while he denyed and delayed his Petitioner considered it not till afterward Then he considered with himself and he cometh off How much rather will the Lord who wisely weigheth all circumstances and inconveniences in case of too long delay to hear Isai 57. 17. He will surely fulfil his peoples desires One that in granting his Petitioners desire meerly to avoid disquiet Lest she should weary him out with her out-cryes he hearkens and will not God who delighteth in mercy do much more for his precious ones One that is solicited by a certain widow one no way allyed to him coming to him without any other Intercessour to plead her cause yet he cannot deny her Petition and can or will the Lord deny his own deare children which come to him in the name of him in whom he is well pleased yea and have the Lord himselfe to intercede for him Touching the last thing propounded very briefly The Marks of one praying in faith Marks of praiing in faith are these 1 When a soul is borne up and carryed 1. Praying amidst discouragements on in praying amidst discouragements to pray If he pray without ceasing when yet there are so many things sometimes which may seem to occasion ceasing to pray save that he prayeth in faith When we are hindred and opposed in it by Satan and others yet a Joshuah stands before the Angel notwithstanding Satans resistance Zach. 3. 1. or like him in Mark 10. 47 48 51 52. we continue crying Jesus have mercy on us even when others would forbid us when we are delayed and held off from our desired answers and left in some deeps of affliction in the interim and yet trusting in the Lord in Prayer We will wait Psalm 136. 1 2 3 4 5. When the Lord is long silent yet we will not be silent but plead How long Lord Psal 13. 1 2. When denyed of God as the woman of Canaan as if we had no part in the mercy we ask it were not for us yet we continue asking Matth. 25. 25. 26 27. Surely there is faith emboldning thereunto verse 28. When we seem to be curbed and silently rebuked as the friend wished not to trouble his friend yet will not give over his suite Luke 11. Surely he thinks he speaks to a friend within or else he could not would not then continue asking 2 When we pray with some more then 2 Praying with boldnesse usual boldnesse and liberty of speech as sometimes in an awful and spiritual manner we are wondrous free to plead with God more then at other times now is faith stirring in such a Prayer 1 John 3. 21 22. Eph. 3. 12. 3 When we pray with a kind of delightful 3 Praying with heart calmness calmness and stilnesse of spirit not tossed like waves in prayer through the power of unbelief Jam. 1. 6. 4 When in setting our selves sometimes to pray to the Lord and petition him 4. Prayers turned into praises we are even ready to make a holy digression and diversion and turning our intended Petition into melting admiring praises of God as oft times spiritual Christians have experiences thereof surely then faith is stirring So Christ turning himselfe to approach to God John 11. 41 42. saith I thank thee Father that thou alwayes hearest me CHAP. V. Of Humility required in Prayer WE have entred upon the discourse of things propounded touching the conditions required for the incessant performance of the duty of prayer and have dispatched the first namely Faith And now we are to speak of the second condition thereto required and that is Humility It is the desire of the humble which the Lord heareth Psal 10. 17.
without measure or whip them to death Potters doe not use to conceive so deep a distaste against a poore vessel of clay as to rage against the same without all respect to their own credit or to their own workmanship and therefore surely thou our heavenly Father and Potter canst not wilt not doe thus Thus David pleads his Fashioning by God Psal 119. 73. Thy hands have made and fashioned me give me understanding that I may learn thy Commandements God himselfe maketh it an argument to himselfe why he wil bear his people Esay 46. 3 4. I have made and I will beare even I will carry and will deliver you And it is a prevailing reason with God not to contend for ever lest the soule should faile before me saith he and the spirit which I have made Esay 57. 16. so would God have this an argument to help the weakest faith to expect its desires above all its feares Esay 43. 1 2. But now thus saith the Lord that created thee O Jacob and he that frmed thee O Israel Feare not And so V. 7. For I have created him for my glory I have formed him yea I have made him And therefore surely the Saints may wel urge this in any like case in prayer 2. We may plead the imbecillity and We are fraile creatures frailty of our natures So Iob pleadeth for the speeding of Gods manifesting of his pardoning and reconciling grace to him Iob 7. 21. Why dost thou not pardon my transgression and take away mine iniquitie for now shall I sleep in the dust c. As if he had said Lord if ever thou intendest as I am perswaded thou dost to renew the former beams of thy favour and pardoning mercy thou hadst not need to defer too long lest it come somewhat too late for ere long I shall returne to my dust This is Davids plea in the like case Psal 39. 12 13. Keep not silence at my teares for I am a stranger with thee Spare me a little that I may recover my strength before I goe hence and be no more So Iob pleadeth this Iob 13. 25. Wilt thou break a leafe driven to and fro and wilt thou pursue dry stubble What credit it is to so great a Majesty as thou art to shew thy power against a poor leafe or to runne after a poor leafe which every puffe of wind whisketh hither and thither or is it any honour so much as to a man to be cutting and hewing a poor leafe which can make no resistance Thus Abraham pleadeth for Audience and patience in hearing him because he is but dust and ashes of little substance short continuance before the Lord if the Lord please now to heare him whilst he is before him he is not like to trouble him long it is but a very little and he is gone he is but weak and it is not much discouragement in denial of requests which he is able to beare Gen. 18. 27. And the Lord hath sanctified this plea as an argument to himselfe to shew his servants mercy Psal 103. 13 14. He pittieth those that feare him for he knoweth our frame he remembreth that we are but dust So Esay 57. 16. I will not contend for ever for the spirit should faile before me This prevaileth with the Lord not to charge too hard upon his poore people 3. Plead we the extremities of our miseries We are in extremities inward or outward our extremities being Gods opportunities of hearing and helping us Psal 27. 16. Have mercy upon me O Lord why so for I am desolate And Psal 143. 7. Heare me speedily O Lord why so my spirit faileth I have but a little spirit left O Lord to breath after thee and speak to thee let me not spend that in waste Lord my soule is dying away speak Lord answer Lord before I faint quite away A gracious answer Lord would even fetch life in me again and nothing else but that wil recover me and therefore heare me speedily a poor dying sinking fainting spirit O Lord I intreat thee So Psal 69. 12. Save me O God for the waters are come even to my soule I sinke in the deep mire where is no standing This plea in effect is thus Lord I am ready to drown if ever thou wouldst save a poor perishing servant of thine save me my troubles and temptations are too deep for me I am ready to sinke over head and eares in them and therefore Lord reach hither thy gracious hand and beare up my head above water least otherwise I miscarry but especially if such extremities continue the continuance of them may be pleaded Such is Hemans plea Psa 88. 14 15. Lord why hidest thou thy face from me I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up whilst I suffer thy terrours I am distracted and God maketh this an allowed plea to himselfe of shewing his people mercy in such a case Esay 42. 19 20. I have a long time holden my peace Now will I destroy and devoure at once And I will bring the blinde by a way they know not c. Christ the Angel useth this plea Zech. 1. 12. O Lord of Hosts how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem against which thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten yeers 4. Plead we our helplesnesse in our We are helples otherwise selves and in any other besides himselfe So Psal 22. 11. Be not far from me for trouble is neer for there is none to help So Ier. 14. 22. Are there any among the vanities of the Gentiles that can cause raine or can the heavens give showres Art not thou he O Lord our God therefore we will wait upon thee for thou hast made all these things So 2 Chro. 20. 12. We have no might we know not what to doe but our eyes are unto thee Either then thou must help O Lord at this dead lift or else thine enemies will prevaile So Psal 60. 11. Give us help against trouble for vain is the help of man When people are in a perishing condition it must not keep them from making out to God but they must take this to bottom their requests upon for mercy their spirituall oppressours and oppressions must make them repaire to the Lord and that wil prevaile for succour from that great one the Lord Jesus They shall cry unto the Lord Esay 19. 20. because of the oppressours and he shall send them a Saviour and a great one and he shall deliver them Psal 72. 12. It is engaged concerning Christ the true Solomon He shall deliver the needy when he crieth the poore also and him that hath no helper He cannot forget the cry of his sucking shiftlesse babes that hang upon the breast and can no more shift for a living then a poore infant God himselfe urgeth his people to come to him with this plea in their mouthes Hos 14. 2 3. Take unto you words and say Take away all
holy serving of the Lord how awful is a suppliant hee serveth the Lord with feare and trembling whilest praying how humble is he he is carefull to keep his distance even in talking thus with the Lord Gen. 18. Abraham then telleth the Lord he is but dust Prayer also in the intents and desires of the suppliant it is serving the Lord all that which a true suppliant fetcheth of God in Prayer if you resolve it into its last end it is service He prayeth for outward things as Jacob Gen. 28. For parts and gifts as Solomon 1 King 3. For life and health for deliverance out of divers afflictions outward and inward as Hezekiah Esay 38. and David oft but in all it is that he might serve the Lord and glorfie him the more thereby he cometh with a servantly spirit for mercy from God ready pressed to doe any work of his to attend any command of his Psal 123. 1 2. A praying frame is an obediential frame a command of God bringeth a true suppliant upon his knees and on his knees he wayteth for a command from him Prayer is called knocking namely at the door of Gods grace and mercy in Christ 9 Prayer a spiritual knocking as 't is called in scripture Matth. 7. Knock and it shall be opened unto you Prayer is a holy approaching and repayring to the door of mercy for all manner of supplies of grace which the Saints stand in need of the saints rest not in this that there is a dooâ— of grace that there is mercy for sinnerâ— to be had in Christ but they are conscionable in the use of this holy means of opening the same mercy is freely promised to thâ— people of God yet may none rush into the door of God under pretence that it iâ— open without knocking Ezek. 36. 25 26 27 c. The doore of grace is set very open I will poure clear water upon you c but verse 37. For this will I be sought by the house of Israel Prayer acknowledgeth the Lords prerogative royal In all thy wayes acknowledge him Prov. 3. True suppliants eye the Lord as a great God as well as gracious and therefore are willing to keep their due distances though the Saints be the friends of Christ and of God who may make in a holy wise bold with him yet it is holy manners to them not rudely to presse upon his favour or challenge this or that benefit of it without asking leave Indeed pinching extremities will make them put a good face upon it and not continue walking to and againe aloof off within some general veiw of mercy but to knock and knock again and again at mercyes doore to pray often for the opening thereof to them True suppliants are in haste of earnest and weighty affairs in their converses with the Lord they have much to do with him much to say to him much to receive from him and therefore they must they will knock they are sure that a gracious father of theirs is within yea within hearing and therefore they cannot but thus knock and pray True it is sometimes this door of grace seemeth to be shut against them in some displeasure but yet this maketh them the more earnest Hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies Psal 77. 9. Luke 11 Trouble me not for I am in bed saith the friend within but yet see what prevailing importunity he useth so that for his importunity the friend riseth openeth and giveth what is desired What is Prayer but as spiritual knocking a special means of opening of the gate and door of Grace and so of all the lesser wickets as it were thereon depending Hence Psalm 119. 169. Let my cry come before thee saith the Psalmist and ver 170. Let my supplications come before thee as if he would say Open Lord to Prayer let it come in let not that stand without or as if it were a plea Lord Prayer is at the door therefore open So Psal 88. 2. Let my Prayer come before thee or come where thou art And Psal 55. 1. David prayeth that the Lord would not hide himself from his supplications Prayer it will come in where the Lord is will look him out as it were in all corners Psalm 66. 20. David blesseth the Lord that he had not turned away his Prayer Prayer standeth still at Gods door it will not away without its errand and answer Wisdomes out-doors even the Ordinances Prov. 8. 34. These are opened by Prayer Out-lary Gentiles fare the better this way for that Prayer Psalm 67. Let thy way be known among the people thy saving health among all Nations Matth. 9. end Pray the Lord of the Harvest that he would thrust out Labourers into his Harvest Prayer helpeth people to a fruitful Ministry Prayer helpeth to open the Ministers mouth openeth a door of utterance Colos 4. 3. Pray that God would open my mouth Prayer openeth a door of faith 1 Cor. 16. 8 9 The mystery of Salvation may be made known by it Ephes 6. 19. The Word may come to have an open and effectual passage into peoples hearts by it Hence that 2 Thes 3. 1 Pray that the Word may a have free course and be glorified c. The door of Liberty the Churches Liberties may be opened to the Prayer of the Saints as to Paul upon his Prayer Acts 11. Those strong and secret doors of death may be opened by Prayer Hence the Prophets raising of the dead child by Prayer 2 Kings 4. 32 33 34 35. So Jonah by Prayer had the belly of Hell the Whales belly and jawes opened to him to let him out Jonah 2. 9 10. By Prayer the doors of the womb as they are called Job 3. 10 are opened as in Hannahs case 1 Sam. 1. 15 16 20. and Rebecca's Gen. 25. 21. and Elizabeth's case Luke 1. 13 By prayer the doors of Heaven are opened If I shut heaven and my people pray c. I will hear c. 2 Chron. 6 26 and 7. 13 14. By prayer the Prison doors are opened as to Peter upon the Churches prayer Acts 12. 5 10. Secrets which otherwise are not to be opened yet are to be unfolded by prayer Dan. 2. 18 19. Then was the secret revealed upon prayer for the mercies of Heaven that way yea prayer will open even Hell gates as I may say as by Luthers Prayer one was recovered who had even given his soul to the Divel This kind of Divel goeth not out but by prayer and fasting Matth. 17 by fasting and prayer then even such a Divel is cast out and a poor man let go out of his possession As in other knocking there is a hand there are fingers which make a noise and help open the door so here there is a hand of faith which knocketh and that wil open that large gate and door of mercy and any of the lesser wickets depending Matth. 15. 28. O woman great is thy faith be it unto thee even as
gainfull 3. In affectionate amplifications of 3 In affectionate amplifications of our vilenesse and of Gods grace our owne vilenesse and Gods mercy and excellency As beggars which use to make very lamentable relations of their owne miseries but yet giving their benefactors all their titles to the full So those in Psal 115. 1. ingeminate the expression of their owne utter unworthinesse Not unto us not unto us And the Publican in his prayer speaks of himselfe as a sinner none else such a one as he Luke 18. 13 14. So the Prodigall in his request to his father acknowledgeth his extreame and unparallelled sinne and unworthinesse Luke 15. 18 19. So those converts Jer. 31. 18 19. Do the like such like amplifications being as so many forcible arguments in their prayer with themselves to further compunction and contrition in them and with God to further their participation of the benefit of his compassions Out of the abundant heart-abasement the mouth speaks As pride is large in speaking for selfe so is humility in declaring against selfe 4. In framing all our pleas in our petions formâ pauperum in the manner of poor 4 In framing all our petitions formâ pauperum undone persons and pleading for mercy in regard of our extreame misery That wee are under wofull captivity and oppression not of Turks and such like but even of spirituall enemies of our soules corruptions of nature temptations of Sathan c. which are far more grievous That we have sustained losses in soule that are almost inreparable lost the goodly patrimony in our first parents of Gods favour and image which never can be sufficiently bewailed yea haply have lost that little light and life and comfort of grace through some ill course we tooke since the Lord set us up againe and trusted us with a new stock of grace yea are strangely runne behind hand with God yea we are extreamely in debt by our sinne to divine justice yea we are afflicted with many spiritual diseases and distempers and sorely wounded in our spirits through some sad foils of the enemies of our souls and in all wee are utterly insufficient to recover our selves yea and helplesse and shiftlesse in the very use of such means as might tend thereunto Wee see indeed that if we could believe that would succour us but yet are not able if wee could so earnestly wrestle for and breath after help of God in Christ we might have relief but see also that of our selves wee cannot doe so much but as wee are able through the might of God Wee tell him of our grievances and plead our miseries and spread them before him and his people if they may move to mercy and so wait his gracious leisure for the same Jeremiah pleads for mercy to him and his people because their backslidings were many Jer. 14. 7. David pleads for pardon because his sin is great Psalm 25. 11. and craveth mercy because a poor shiftlesse stranger and sadly gone to decay Psal 39. 12 13. So Psal 38. 1 2. intreateth the Lord to forbear to go on to afflict him because his arrows stick fast in him he is sorely wounded already ver 2. he is sick in body and spirit ver 3. he is already fallen under a burden that is too heavy for him ver 4. and ver 6. his back is already ready to crack under his pressures and so on with such like sad pleas taken from his forlorn condition he presseth God for mercy in that Psalm 5 In much inward brokenness and relentings 5. In heart brokenness therein of spirit Hence that smiting upon the brest in the Publicans prayer Luk. 18. 13 14. There there lay his sin and misery there was his wound and burden little did men think what he felt and saw Ah that brest of his how had it harboured rebellion formerly against God! his heart within was smitten for it whereof his brest smiting was but a shadow Psal 51. 17. A broken and contrite spirit is the all of his Sacrifice and prayer Surely that heart is low in prayer and brought down to the dust which is broken as it were to dust What ever speech humble ones have in prayer it is sure they have sighes attending If the Dove-like Spirit of Christ breaths in them they will bee breathing out Dove-like moanes and groans in the ears of God The Psalmist speaketh not so much of Gods hearing of the words of the humble as the desires he heareth the desire of the humble If they do fall short at any time through some occasional impediments of expressions yet broken hearted desires expressed in groans are present and stirring and they are to God as prayers Psal 10. 17. The groanings of the prisoners are the prayers of the afflicted and destitute Psal 102. 17 20. in Gods account 6 In a meek and quiet submission and 6. In a quiet submitting to the Lord amidst discouragements bearing all discouragements without quarrelling against God nay awfully clearing the Lord therein If rated like beggars if rebuked if upbraided if delayed if denyed yet putting up all contentedly The reproachful name of a dog moveth not the humble suppliant she taketh it very well and maketh good use of it and doth not mutiny against the Lord Jesus for it Mat. 15. 27. They in Judges 10. hear and bear and take all that well which the Lord in a holy upbraiding way speaketh Judges 10. 11 12 13 14 15. They yeild to all as so and just if worse with them from the hands of God then it is but yet with the leave of his mercy they crave his favourable acceptance of their request ibid. If humble ones come to Christ in prayer or otherwise surely they come with holy dispositions to stoop to any yoak and burden of Christ which he will lay upon them as wel as desire to have their own burdens taken off by him Matth. 11. 28 29. They may indeed plead with God why he carryeth it so towards them as Psal 22. 1 2. but they are clear in it that he cannot but carry it well albeit the particular cause they know not So Psalm 22. 3. But thou art holy and however it cometh about that such divine forsakings are occasioned yet still thou art holy and spotlesse and pure in all thy dispensations 7 In a real preferring others prayers before 7. In a real preferring others prayers before ones own our own Thus the humble Centurion in his request he had to make to the Lord Jesus he thought better of the Jewes prayers then of his own as being in his own sight a most unworthy Gentile Luke 7. 3 7. Not that under this pretence men should in a way of voluntary humility repaire to deceased Saints that is idolatrous humility yea even the madnesse of persons then living So Hezekiah preferreth Isaiahs prayer before his own and therefore sends solemnely to him to lift up his prayer in the case of Judah Isaiah 37. 1 2
c. Wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously c. chap. 2. 12 saith I will stand upon my Watch-Tower and will watch to see what he will say unto me He will use all pains patience and vigilancy to observe the issue of his requests and verse 2 he hath some answers The Lord said unto me Write the Vision c. verse 3 The vision is yet for an appointed time though it tarry wait for it and verily sooner or later faithful prayers do speed Isai 45. 19. I said not to the seed of Jacob Seek my face in vain Psalm 85. 8. I will hearken what God the Lord will speak for hee will speak peace to his Saints Micah 7. 7. I will wait for the God of my salvation my God will bear me God hath wisely appointed hearing times when answers are most sutable and grateful to his Saints and honourable to him and to his Grace therefore we may well attend the same Psalm 5. 3. My voice shalt thou hear in the morning that is seasonably and in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee and will â—ook up None are Iosers by being the Lords waiting men or women The expectation of the poor shall not perish or fail for ever Psal 9. 18. 3 In that such watching and waiting 3. It s a sign of mercy towards us and of grace in us after our prayers it is a comfortable pledg of Mercy to us and Grace in us Answers of prayer are assuredly neer us when wee have hearts to wait for them earnestly and attentively Habakkuk standeth and sitteth not long upon his Watch-Tower is not long in that waiting posture without his answer as before shewed from Hab. 2. 12 13. The speaking Vision will come if we wait for it and they only whose faith telleth them that God will hear and will speak peace to his Saints they hearken they wait for him Micah 7. 7. Psalm 85. 8. It is a sign that we do truly and fensibly feel the pinching wants of mercy and that the desires of grace have some strength as well as truth in them when we are so industriously heedful and attentive in listning for answers of prayer they come not idling to mercies doors or as men who have no weighty soul businesses to dispatch for them well they might stay there as men do in a formal course of prayer but they would not wait Waiting Christians make not light of their prayers but look at them as precious in that they in such sort look after their returnes and the answers of such Messengers 4. In their answers of prayer which by this holy watch are met withall and 4. It s many wayes helpful to us in our praises faith and courage observed They are of all others most precious and useful to us they greatly inlarge to praise God and walk worthy of him Continue in prayer watching therein with thanksgiving Col. 4. 2. Who more thankful then such watching Suppliants who observe how and wherein God hath heard them Psalm 22. 24. When the afflicted cryed to him he heard verse 25. My praise shal be of thee and Psalm 116. 1. I love the Lord because he hath heard my voice c. Answers of prayer heeded and observed greatly strengthen and arm a gracious person against Satans wily cavils and rebukes Hab. 2. 1. I will watch to see what he will say to me and what I shall answer when I am reproved It s pity to see how many precious soules which out of ignorance or mindlesnesse of this duty of Watching or out of improvidence and negligence in oft reading over these lines of Gods love written and sent in are foiled in temptations Answers of prayer attentively observed they strengthen our faith for the future and much encourage us to pray in greatest straits and saddest hours Psalm 6. 9. The Lord hath heard my Supplication the Lord will hear my prayer Psalm 118. 56. I called upon the Lord in distresse and he answered me the Lord is on my side I will not fear what man can do unto me When we look not after our prayers both we and others also lose much of the benefit thereof Answers of Prayer are in Gods intent of publick use God spake with us say they when yet he spake with wrestling Jacob Hos 12. 4. Gods hearing of the prayer of the destitute concerneth all others in like case Psalm 102. 17 18. He will regard the prayer of the destitute ver 18 This shall be written for the generation to come Much sadder would the case of many an afflicted soul have been if godly David and others had not been watchful had not observed and by the Spirits guidance had not recorded the varieties of their prayer cases carriages conflicts comforts answers and issues 5 In that its the part of the more wise 5. It s our wisdom means of increase of experimental knowledge and judicious of the Saints so to do and that by doing whereof they grow most in experimental knowledg of the Lords giving As the wisest men with men are those that take most heedful observations of the carriages and issues of humane Transactions so are they the wisest and experimental knowing Christians who most attentively mind these holy Transactions betwixt them and God and God and them Hence the Psalmist among other passages speaking of manifold answers of prayer in Psal 107. 6. Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble and he delivereth them so ver 13 19 28. he closeth the Psalm with this Who so is wise and will observe these things even they shall understand the loving kindness of the Lord. To conclude we would have God to mind our prayers and desires of answers wherefore look that we heed our answer of praiers if worth the waiting for Prov. 13. 12. When the desire cometh it is a tree of life Harvest answers of seed prayers will fully recompence our pains and patience and therefore as other seeds-men we may well wait for the precious fruit thereof Now for the third thing propounded Helps to such holy watching The Helps of such holy Watching are 1. Sobriety which is joyned to prayer 1. Sobriety watchfulness 1 Pet. 4. 7. Be sober and watch unto prayer Spiritual drunkards distempered persons with Lusts they regard not what they say even to God himself Such as are most moderate and mortified in their thoughts about common matters here below have little else to mind then their souls how they prosper in their holy converse and commerce with the Lord. 2. Bodily watchfulness both are aimed 2. Bodily watchfulnesse at under that Mat. 26. 40 41. Watch and pray lest ye enter into temptation The eyes of the mind are hardly watching when the eyes of the body are scarce waking Now for this end use seasonable hours for prayer neither too early nor too late 3. An heavenly frame of spirit Angels are 3. An heavenvenly frame very vigilant Mat.
the unregenerate Jew and Gentile to bee under sin Rom. 3 9. he proveth it ver 11. by this out of Psalm 14. 2. There is none that understandeth there is none that seeketh after God And Psal 14. 4. The workers of iniquity have it charged upon their very consciences as that which they cannot but know to be their sin that they call not upon God Do not the workers of iniquity know that they eat up my people as bread They call not upon God and Psal 10. 4. It s charged as the pride of the wicked The wicked is so proud that he seeketh not God The like charge see Jer. 10. 21. Hos 7. 7. Zeph. 1. 6. and Job 27. 10. The hypocrite that is blamed for ceasing to call upon God Will he alwayes call vpon God should rather have been blamed for calling upon God at all if it had not been any duty of his to pray To like purpose we might argue That the neglect of it by the Unregenerate as well as Regenerate Jewes is bewayled by Daniel as their sin ergo the contrary was their Duty Dan. 9. 13. All this is come upon us yet made we not our prayer to God Besides also if it had not been in it self good and a duty even for an Unregenerate person to pray but had been in it selfe sinful the Psalmist never need to have made that Imprecation against him in Psal 109. 7. Let his prayer be turned into sin Besides the Psalmist would never have urged God so to affright and persecute his enemies by his judgments that they might at length be forced to seek his name if it had been in it self sinful Psal 83. 15 16. Obj. Prov. 15. 8. The prayer of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord. Answ So is the Plowing of the wicked sin Prov. 21. 4. Not simply in themselvs for then an unregenerate man should not plow nor labour in his Calling yea he should not eat his meat nor sleep c. For to the impure and unbelieving is nothing pure Titus 1. 15 16. But it is so in respect of the defects of other qualifications required to the holy use and exercise of such things namely want of faith love to God repentance for sin c. Their Sacrifices were an abomination to the Lord Isaiah 1. 11 12 13 14 15. yet in themselves commanded duties and enjoyned to every Jew whether he were Unregenerate or Regenerate God once inabled Adam and in him all his posterity to call upon him and though hee and we in him are become Bankrupts and disabled to do that service and homage yet our Lord and Master may and doth require it of us and accounteth it our sin to neglect it It is every ones duty to understand and so to believee in God as well as to seek him but the omission of that Duty of understanding and believing God hindereth not but that the omission of that other duty of seeking God becometh a sin to every one Rom. 3. 9. 11. 2. An Unregenerate man may be strongly and largely carryed out in prayer as it s Unregenerate persons may be large in prayers said of them Psal 78. 36 37. who did but flatter God with their mouth for their heart was not right with him They sought God early ver 34. namely when he slew them when they were in fear of their lives So may profane Mariners be very earnest in prayer then Psal 107. 28. Cry unto the Lord. So Prov. 1. 27 28. When your fear cometh c. then shall you seek me early but shall not find me Those in Isai 58. 2 3. they joyned long and large prayers with their Fasts An hypocritical Pharisee could not spend his time in his Fasting dayes unlesse enlarged in prayer Matth. 6. 16. Those hypocrites that devoured widowes houses they had such a gift in prayer that they could be very large and long in prayers Matth. 23. 14. And for a pretence make long prayers 3 Unregenerate persons may bee full of praising and thankful expressions in their They may be large in praising God prayers The unjustified Pharisees prayer was rather a Thanksgiving Luke 18. 10 11 He prayed thus God I thank thee I am not as other men c. Those unregenerate ones among the Jewes also which cryed so earnestly Exod. 14. 10. they did sing as loud as Moses and Aaron Psal 106. 12 13. Then believed they his words and sang praises to him but not rightly for verse 13 but incontinently they forgat his works and waited not for his counsel verse 15. They lusted in the wildernesse and tempted God in the Desert of whom the Apostle speaketh 1 Cor. 10. 9. Onely lest what is now said may raise some doubt in the hearts of any truly Regenerate the example of the Differences betwixt the thanksgivings of the Unregenerate and those of the Regenerate Pharisees thankful Prayer will yeild matter of distinction and differencing of the Unregenerate person in his praises from the Regenerate 1 The Unregenerate person in his thanksgiving before God pretending to lift up God in his praises doth intend to lift up or exalt himself Hence Christ who knew the spirit of this Pharisee in his praises of God rendreth him thus Luke 18. 14. Whosoever exalteth himself 2 The main in their eyes and so in their thanks is some inherent excellency not those imputed mercies not Christ and his Righteousnesse and propitiation and the pardon of sin Gods favour acceptance c. No word of these in the Pharisees thanks but that I am not as others unjust I fast I pay Tithes c. They are the Saints whose hearts being most affected with those mercies do break out into cordial praiers for them 3 Such men use to rest in some common eminencies and excellencies above others The Pharisee passeth others he is not as other men and that sufficeth him no word of a serious petition for the supply of such or such wants of this or that grace or for the increase thereof or for the subduing of such or such corruptions Hee grounds his rejoycing upon anothers falling short of him upon others falls into such sins from which he is restrained as Gal. 6. 4. He shall have rejoicing in himself and not in another 4 Such men respect more the gift then the Giver and trust more in that then in him They trust in themselves that they are righteous when they say God we thank thee Luke 18. 9 11. compared They make the gifts their God and they adore and admire the Giver onely for the gifts sake and do not admire the gifts for the Givers sake as true Converts and Spouse like spirits use to do but harlot like they do otherwise 5 Such men are very ambitious in their thankful acknowledgments They make Gods praises but as a stirrup to get up into mens esteemes and as a bridg by which to convey to themselves humane praises Hence this Temple acknowledgement and in the most conspicuous
All things without God are finite too short a portraiture of an infinite Majesty In all comparisons there must be some proportion and equality Now unlesse we could equal God to any thing how can he be likened to it Esay 40. 18 25. 2. Look that we doe not goe about to 2. Prie not too far into his Deity comprehend in our minds his glorious Essence prying too far into his Majesty and the like his Godhead is one of the invisible things of God and must no further be reached after by our shallow and dark minds then as shining forth in the works and word of God Rom. 1. 20. If we goe any further we shall become vaine in our imaginations vers 21. Who can by search finde out the Almighty to perfecton Iob 11. 7 8 12. we should shew our selves in affecting such wisdome to be but vain men Ibid. Iacob when he was at prayer was a little too busie herein and too inquisitive after the name or nature of the Son or Angel of God and therefore is rebuked for asking his name yet his weaknesse is passed over and the Lord blessed him notwithstanding Gen. 32. 29 30. But rather in our approaches unto God conceive we of him in his back parts in his glorious Attributes Conceive of him as one not to be fully conceived by us and so pray to him with such apprehensions of him Moses did desire in prayer to have God to shew him his glory his invisible being and Majesty was too much for him to ask or to have answered God telleth him he could not see his glory and live mans finite underdanding and spirit would be swallowed up and confounded therein Exod. 33. 18 20. but his goodnesse and name of grace his back parts are fitter objects for Moses to contemplate upon and to behold vers 19. 25 compared with Chap. 34. 5 6 When God came down to his people that they might worship him Exod. 11. he came down in a Cloud that their prying eyes or spirits might be bounded the Altar of Incense where the Incense of prayer was to be offered was before the Vaile that was by the Arke of the testimony before the Mercy seat Exod. 20. 6. God would have his servants to behold and mind him in their prayers but yet his Mercy seat was covered with Cherubs wings they might not prie too far and indeed it is but an endlesse work we may weary our selves in this maze of the divine nature but make nothing of our work when we have done It is a fruitlesse bootlesse work no good commeth of it but amazement and discouragement we shall but reflect upon our selves as if we were very Atheists conceiving and believing nothing at all of God when we goe about to conceive more of him then is meet When at any time the Saints of God out of a witty kind of reasoning of their deceitfull hearts perswading that it is meet that we should conceive of God to whom we pray and the like which is in a sense true doe lance out in their slender skiffs or Canows into this vast Ocean without the Cord and Compasse of the Scriptures now if any gust of temptation arise as twenty to one but it doth how are they amazed and affrighted and know not where they are nor how to get safe ashore again having forgotten the work they intended at the first and commonly the work and businesse of prayer is for that time disappointed and left undone or as good being never at such a time performed to any purpose Besides the advantage we give to the enemy of peace and truth hereby which is great and if no worse thing follow yet we get a check from God for our labour as Jacob Gen. 32. 29. and Manoah are reproved for asking after the name of that Angel the Son of God which was secret Iudg. 13. 17 18. Why askest thou after my name since it is secret 3. Conceive not God absolutely as out 3. Think of him relatively as such or such a one to thee in Christ of Christ but as in Christ and so mercifull gracious and abundant in goodnesse and truth We must look as they of old to the glory of God in offering up our spirituall Incense but as in Christ considered as Mediator who is that Mercy seat for so the Hebrew Capporeth translated usually by the Septuagint by the word Hilasterion and approved by the Holy ghost Heb. 9. 5. which in Rom. 3. 25. is applied to Christ whom God hath set forth to be Hilasterion the mercy seat or mercifull Covering or propitiation for our sins or that Capporeth to which Gods Priests must look when offering their Incense of prayer Exod. 30. 6. 25. 20 21 22. compared We are not taught in the Lords prayer to look at or think of God absolutely but relatively as a father namely in Christ Our thoughts of God must be suitable to our worship of him in prayer which is a comming to God not immediately nor absolutely considered but in and by Christ Heb. 7. 25. Which eome to God by him 4. Let us not too much beat our thoughts about particular and personall apprehensions of God or conclude that we are 4. Goe not too far in personal thoughts of God Atheists in defect thereof but be satisfied in conceiving and believing that of him that he is and that he is a rewarder of such as seek him Heb. 11. 6. with such other generall apprehensions which serve to keep the heart humble awfull and attentive namely that he to whom we pray is such a God which seeth and knoweth all our secrets our thoughts wants and sins and the like that he is such an one that is with us whereever we are and that we are in him and live by him that he observeth what and in what manner we do any service before him that he is a very holy God that he is such a one which comprehendeth us albeit we cannot so fully comprehend him and that therein lieth our blisse Psal 139. 6. and so throughout the Psalm 2 Sam. 7. 20. Acts 17. 27 28 29. Fix we our minds somtimes upon God under one and sometimes under another of such like notions touching him and let the aw and impression of God either as one that is most holy or that is most wise or that is most mighty carry us as far along as the Lord helpeth and then consider of him under some one or other like notion and in our prayers carry that along in our minds as far as we can and if our spirits wax flat or slight notwithstanding try them with thoughts of God under some other notion as before mentioned 5. Look that we limit not God to our 5. Limit not God to our conceivings shallow comprehensions of him but in all our thoughts of him conceive of God as infinitely above all our conceivings as Agur did Prov. 30. 1 2 3 4. yet conceive of him to be