know when the Spirit with-draweth his help from supplicants Page 600 Sect. II. A two-fold deadness and indisposition one privative by the departure of the quickening and strengthening influence of the Spirit another positive into which we are casten by the opiat of sin Page 602 Divers kinds of causes of this evil Page 603 Among externals Sathan is the chief Page 604 But the root of the matter is within us hereditary sin a mother sin Page 605 To which some gross pollution or conscience-wasting sin being super-added the heart must be very much straitned in it's approaches to God Page 606 What are these sins against which the Saints should especially guard Page 607 What be these sins which more formally and efficiently straiten the heart and occasion deadness and wandering thoughts Page 607 1. Earthly-mindedness 2. irreverence and want of fear 3. hypocrisie 4. want of feeling 5. distrust and unbelief 6. excess and surfeiting either bodily or spiritual 7. wantonness and a spirit of lust 8. discontent with our condition family-contention and whatsoever distemper of the passions anger grief c. 9. not watching the heart 10. nor guarding the outward senses 11. taking unseasonable times for performing these duties 12. disuse omission and want of frequency 13. a giving way to a slight and superficial way of performance 14. ill company ibid. Positive directions and remedies 1. strengthen and fortifie the heart with the cordial of love 2. let us rouse up and awaken our sleepy hearts 3. let us beg the quickening presence of the Spirit of Christ bewailing more the want thereof then the want of his consolations 4. let us diligently mark and observe when the Spirit draweth nigh and when he with-draweth 5. when we set upon any duty let us renew our resolutions to hold our hearts fixed at the work 6. in the intervals of prayer let us give our selves unto holiness 1. do not stint thy self to such a measure of holiness 2. imitat the best examples 3. converse much with the Saints 4. frequent the Ordinances diligently and 5. be diligent in thy particular calling 7. arrest thy heart at the present exercise and work 8. remember 1. the greatness and excellency 2. the goodness and bounty 3. the presence and all seeing eye and 4. the holiness justice and terrors of him with whom we have to do 9. use such a gesture as may be most helpfull to raise the heart 10. thou mayest while indisposed have recourse to a set form and then 11. let frequency supply the want of continuance and enlargement 12. whatever success thou meetest with yet leave not off but still follow on to seek the Lord in his Ordinances till thou find him do not faint nor weary for c. Page 620 Sect. III. Whether our deadness and indisposition will excuse our negligence and omission of duty Page 637 Six or seven reasons for the negative ibid. Our deadness should rather send us to then hold us from the throne of grace Page 640 Motives to stir us up to shake off our laziness indisposition negligence c. Page 640 What copy should we set before our eyes as to our diligence and activity for eternal life Page 643 When and what wandering thoughts do nullifie our prayers and hinder their success Page 644 The testimony of some Divines Page 645 Deadnesse and wandering thoughts a grievous burden to the Saints Page 646 Whether we may be too much inlarged in prayer or meditation Page 648 Of the Popish mystical Theology Enthusiasme c. ibid. Whether the Saints be alwayes precisely limited to the present work in which they are imployed Page 650 Whether sincere supplicants use to be be more inlarged in private or publick ibid. Whether it be a mercy to have our prayers answered when we are cold and formal Page 651 CHAP. III. Whether we may pray for any evil either of sin or suffering Page 652 Some distinctions Page 653 We may not pray for any evil either absolutely or relatively ibid. Five arguments Page 654 Objections answered Page 657 Far less may we pray and wish evil to our brethren Page 663 A word concerning the evil of sin ibid. CHAP. IV. Whether it be lawfull to imprecat the question propounded and limited Page 664 It is certain we may 1. pray against the sins and 2. against the plots of the wicked and 3. that we may complain of their cruelty and 4. that we may pray the Lord to break their snare of success and prosperity and 5. that justice may be executed upon malefactors ibid. But we must not curse 1. without a cause nor 2. for our own cause nor 3. our relations Page 665 The question answered negatively and objections obviated Page 666 CHAP. V. What it is to pray alwayes Page 668 The Euchits confuted Page 669 Whether Pelagians taught that it was needless to pray Page 670 Six conjectures rejected Page 671 The exhortation to pray alwayes and without ceasing supposeth a spiritual disposition Page 674 It answereth the question when should we pray ibid. It importeth assiduity and frequency ibid. It requireth 1. constancy and 2. universality 1. in respect of the object 2. in respect of the seasons time and opportunities whether set or occasional Page 676 An omission cannot be imputed to us unless we be called and oblieged to do Page 677 The least that can be allowed for a set course of prayer is twice a day Page 678 What time of the day fittest Page 679 Scripture-instances with some variety Page 680 How we may discern the occasional season of prayer Page 681 What is done in it's season whether set or occasional is said in Scripture to be done alwayes Page 683 There ought also to be an universality in respect of the subject Page 684 Lastly it importeth perseverance Page 684 How much time should be spent and how long should we continue at prayer Page 685 Whether it be lawfull to use repetitions and what repetitions in prayer Page 687 A word concerning ejaculatory prayer Page 691 The Saints have continued for a considerable time at prayer Page 692 An exhoration to frequency Page 693 A word of caution take heed lest custom and frequency make us customary and superficial in prayer Page 695 PART IV. Of the return of prayer CHAP. I. Of the success of prayer Page 695 Sect. I. The Christian is the only worthy and invincible man Page 696 Prayers and tears the arms of the Church Page 697 How the holy Spirit expresseth the power and prevalency of prayer Page 698 Sect. II. The Atheists great objection all things come alike to all answered Page 701 What the Lords hearing of prayer importeth Page 703 Hence several arguments proving that the wicked receive nothing in answer to their prayers Page 704 Why then doth the Lord bestow mercies upon them Ans Page 706 Four wayes of the Lords hearing the prayers of his servants Page 710 A delay to give or denial of the particular askt may be a gracious answer of
extrinsecal and moral possibility flowing from the decree and purpose of God concerning the futurition of such an object possibility in the thing petitioned that in that case the Lord will so far respect our prayers as that in return to them he will at length give to them what we asked for them and that though many haply have (o) Whether in praying for the salvation of one particular person or for publick mereles and deliverance to the Church for now we are joyntly speaking of both cases concurred in the work and though we have often petitioned that mercy yet none of our prayers shall be forgotten but all and every one of our supplications shall have a proportionable insluence in procuring the blessing Albeit the mercy may be for a long time with-held yet the Lord keepeth all the prayers of all his honest supplicants in remembrance and in answer to them the mercy in due time shall be given Albeit Monica for a long time prayed for her son Austin his conversion yet none of her prayers were lost the Lord had them all on record and at last satisfied the desire of that zealous woman but we must not imagine that God then only had regard to the prayer put up about the time of her sons conversion nay but every tear and prayer which from time to time she had poured out had influence upon the work and helped forward the new birth of that convert But 2. as to the compensation when the Lord purposeth not to hear and give the particular we prayed for to others that will not be made to them for whom we pray but to us who pray for they being reprobats and despisers of the mercies of God no ordinance can do them good but if they be Saints and yet the Lord in his holy and wise providence will not give them such outward mercies for as to spirituals these shall not be finally with-held from such as we did petition for them albeit the Lord may and no doubt often doth make some compensation to them and will not suffer them to be deprived of the fruit of our prayers although what we did ask was not good hic nunc yet that which universally and in all cases our faith may lay hold on by way of compensation when the particular is with-held must be something respecting the supplicant himself some one or other mercy to be bestowed on him by way of return and answer to his prayers and thus while we pray for the salvation of reprobats or for such publick mercies to the Church and People of God which he according to the depth of his counsel hath determined not to give our prayers notwithstanding are not lost as to us for though Israelites captivity be continued yet they who love and pray for Jerusalem shall prosper Psa 122.6 Albeit the Lord did not give to Davids enemies those mercies he petitioned for them yet his labour was not lost nor his prayers like water spilt upon the ground the Lord did receive and welcom them and would not send back those faithfull messengers empty though no return came to those incorrigible enemies in whose behalf they were sent yet some (p) And this may be the occasion of that expression and the reason why Davids prayer is said to return into his bosom viz. because it did bring along with it some seasonable or some considerable mercy for what we take into our bosom must lye near the heart and have some room in the estimation heart-affecting and bosom-blessing was dispatched to David his prayer returned but not (q) Etsi non eis prosit ego tamen nonsa 〈◊〉 frustratus mâ—a mercede gloss in loc vid. etiam Lyr. ibid. empty though it be the maner of men yet not of the great and gracious King to send away any honest supplicant without an answer Psa 35.13 But do not mistake and say O! then it must be better with the supplicant when his prayer for others is not heard as to them and when they get no good by it because then it returneth into his own bosom and the good redounds to him Do not I say entertain such a conceit for although we now only mentioned the personal return made to the supplicant when his desire for others was not granted that being the present case to which we should speak and a notable encouragment to to the conscionable and constant performance of that duty whatever might be it's fruit and success as to those for whom it were performed yet we did not exclude that personal return which every petitioner may expect when the Lord doth fulfill his desire towards others we shall not fair the worse because it goeth well with others nor shall the Lord be less kind to us because for our sake he sheweth kindness to others we shall not lose because others do gain by our trading our God hath blessings enew to bestow and though he answer the supplication he will not let the messenger go away without his wages he shall get something in hand but that is not all nor the main but they who by their prayers exhortations c. turn (r) Though Gods servants and messengers labour in vain and though Israel be not gathered yet honest supplicants and labourers shall be glorious in the eyes of their Master and their reward shall be with their God Isa 40.4 5. Yet when God blesseth his own Ordinance as that will cause the hearts of henest labourers to rejoyce So the Lord may out of his good pleasure and soveraign mercy crown that mercy with other mercies both to him who did pray and to him for whom supplication was made mary to righteousness shall shine as the stars for ever and ever Dan. 12.3 not only their prayers and endeavours shall come in remembrance but also the fruit and success thereof but not to obstruct and hinder their mercies but rather to promove their happiness If it be here askt whether the former assertion concerning Gods hearing and answering of all our prayers so far as alwayes to do what is best for us in the particular which we desired and petitioned whether I say that hath place in this case Ans That assertion it self without any further explication might have prevented such a question for while the mater of our prayer is not personal and doth not concern us but others it seemeth a little impertinent to ask whether the Lord when he giveth not the particular askt viz. to others doth that which is best for us for what doth not concern us cannot be said to be more or less convenient for us But 2. albeit what we ask for others doth not concern us as to our personal loss or advantage except when we ask publick mercies for the Church or Incorporation whereof we are members yet to a believer who already hath a right to all personal happiness and felicity no compensation can be made for those spiritual mercies which he doth ask for
with from the hand of Herod and to find the severity of a Judge in stead of the love a Father and yet are there not multitudes Ah! how many are there who have the boldness to deal thus with the father of Spirits Who Judas-like with a (c) Every reigning sin is treason and rebellion against the great King and interoretatively Deicide and Regicide and every sinner doth comply and conspire with Sathan and take up arms for him against his Master and Lord. treacherous heart dare offer to kiss him in whom they live move and have their being who is their Father by creation and who offereth unto them and entreateth them to accept of the inheritance of children Such think themselves to be sons and dare call him father though they have the heart of an enemy such have a kind of faith confidence and hope which is nothing but presumption delusion and groundless imagination suggested by the father of lies and maintained and cherished by their own foolish and deceitfull hearts This their faith is not built upon the word it hath not for its warrant thus saith the Lord but only thus saith the murderer and great impostor thus saith the deceiver and our deceitfull and deceived hearts It doth not arise from the Promises as having no foundation there but only from some principles of Sathans Catechism which he carefully instilleth into the ears and minds of his disciples and among the many articles of that anti-scriptural and cursed Creed this to our purpose is one If we have some form of devotion and now and then speak some few words prayer-wayes it 's no matter how we live our prayers will make amends for all God is mercifull and therefore will Sathan say and they upon his word think he will pity his poor creatures and servants and hear them whensoever they cry to him nay such will be ready to apprehend that it were cruelty and injustice to reject such well-meaning supplicants We may not now confute that soul-destroying delusion but what the Apostle said of doubting Jam. 1.7 may far rather be applied to this mad and desperat presumption and confidence Let not such seeure bold wretches think that they shall receive any thing of the Lord though too many be ready to think they shall receive yet saith the Apostle let them not think so or if they do they will but deceive their own souls and whatever for the present may be the dispensations of a common providence yet ere it be long they shall know and be convinced that they received nothing in mercy and in return to their prayers and nothing from the Lord as their God and Redeemer he was better acquaint with the mind of God and did not mistake who said If Iregard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear me Psa 66.18 And it was an acknowledged principle that he who was born blind urged against the Jews in his apology for Christ Joh. 9.31 For saith he we (d) Let bold finners consider how gross their delusion must be who contrary to this known truth dare presume and draw nigh in any ordinance without fear know that God heareth not sinners but if any man be a worshiper of him and doth his will him he heareth Neither would the Saints themselves think they were not concerned in this caveat for albeit the Lord will pity them in the day of their trouble and hear their prayers yet if they step aside from the approven path the Lord will hide his face hence the Psalmist having asserted Gods care of his Saints and People and that he would speak peace to such yet he addeth a necessary caution and warning but let them not turn again to folly as if it had been said though they were Gods people his Saints and precious ones who have prayed and wait for an answer yea though they have asked in faith and have met with access and acceptance so that a message of peace is dispatched and is as it were on the way towards them in return to their prayers yet if they should through their folly turn aside from God and in that interim commit some known sin he would recall as it were his former grant and draw back his hand and would not speak peace to them who had made peace with sin Now come we to some positive evidences and marks of the prayer of faith And 1. when the affections are much enlarged when we meet with a gale from heaven filling the sails we may and usually do expect that voyage will prove successfull when God openeth the heart and filleth the mouth with more then ordinary boldness fervency and liberty we readily will apprehend that he purposeth to fill our hands and will not send us away empty according to that word Psa 81.10 Open thy mouth wide but (e) Only he who is said to open the ears Psa 40.6 Isa 50.5 to open the eyes Psa 146.8 and to open the heart whose messenger and interpreter the lips are Act. 16.14 He only can open the mouth to ask aright he only can open it wide both extensively and intensively and make us desire and ask great things greatly grandia granditer ut loquitur August loc cit who is sufficient for such a work unless the Lord put to his hand and I will fill it We may believe he will fill that mouth with songs of praise for his gracious answers which he hath opened so wide in fervent and importunate prayers when we have spiritual boldness in pleading with God we will also have confidence as to the success and therefore these are joyned together and both ascribed to faith Eph. 3.12 We have boldness and access with confidence through faith If the Lord lift up the soul to him if he quicken and inflame the affections with a more then ordinary ardor and zeal we will not readily doubt of our acceptance when fire from heaven thus falleth upon our sacrifice we will be very confident thus Psa 27. we have both Davids fervency and confidence One thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seck after c. v. 4. this was his importunity but then his faith did act strongly and vigorously v. 1.3.5 6. I grant our lusts may add wings to our desires and be as oyl to the wheels and make us very diligent in our pursuit there may be a natural and carnal fervency and importunity which will rather add to our fears then make us in faith rest upon Gods word love and care but the difference may easily appear though we will not now prosecute it because that holy zeal and importunity is 1. spiritual as to the motives and end 2. humble and joyned with much self-emptiness and denial 3. tender of Gods gloty and honour and 4. submissive to his will whileas the natural importunity is 1. carnal 2. proud and selfish 3. careless of Gods glory and interest if it might be satisfied and 4 impatient under a frustration and disappointment
be enough bewailed these ravens have sucked all the marrow and fat out of thy sacrifice and have rendred it a vain and unprofitable oblation those (n) Eccles 10.1 dead flies cause thy ointment send forth a stinking savour They will overspread the whole duty command and captivate the man so that now they will not be repelled and thus they become constant abiding and universal these weeds over-grow and choak the good seed and what crop can be expected and thou willingly entertainest these robbers and evil guests and therefore thou art inexcusable This argument concerning wandring thoughts deserved a larger and more particular disquisition had it not been so fully and judiciously handled by others See Mr. Gurnal loc cit pag. 310. to pag. â—32 Morn Exerc. Serm. 19. Mr. Cobbet Part 3. Chap. 2. Only let us adn as in the like case Part 2. Chap. 3 some few passages from these modern Divines whose words may have weight with such disconsolate ones as are daily mourning under the burden of roving thoughts in holy duties Believe it Christian it is not thine (o) 2 Cor. 12.10 inevitable weakness nor thy (p) Mark 14.38 sensible dulness nor thy (q) Psa 73.21 22. lamented roavings nor thy (r) Gen. 15.11 opposed distractions nor thy (Å¿) 1 Joh. 5.13 mistaken unbelief it is not any nor all these that can shut out thy prayer if thou dost not (t) Psa 66.18 regard iniquity in thy heart Morn Exerc. Serm. 1. If we fail in the manner of our prayer and if it be a total failing if we pray without faith without any faith at all without zeal and the like farewell to the success of such petitions but if it be a partial failing and that failing strived against and prayed against the case is very different by the evangelical allay we do what we desire to do in Gods gracious acceptation our Advocate strikes in with us and begs his Father to regard the matter and not the manner of our prayers Mr. Newton on Joh. 17.24 pag. 499. Believers prayers pass a refining before they come into Gods hands did he indeed read them with their impertinencies and take our blotted coppy out of our hand we could not fear too much what the issue might be but they come under the correctors hand our Lord Jesus hath the inspecti-of them who sets right all our broken requests and misplaced petitions he washes out our blots with his own blood his mediation is the fine searse through which our prayers are boulted and all that is course and heterogeneal he severes from the pure what is of his own Spirits breathihg he presents and what our fleshly part added he hides that it shall not prejudice us or our prayers This was the sweet Gospel-truth wrapt up in the Priests bearing the sin of the holy offerings Exod. 28.38 Mr. Gurnal loc cit pag. 330. I have the rather added these testimonies because though it be too ordinary for the most part of titular Christians not to regard what they offer to the Lord though they come in their pollution and offer a corrupt thing to the great King yet their heart never smites them they rest in the work done not caring how it be done though the fowls come down upon their sacrifice and eat it up yet they will not be at the pains to drive them away nor do they lay their loss to heart nor mourn for it but though it be thus with the multitude yet the generation of the righteous will take heed what they offer to the Lord they know that their is no road more infested with thieves then that which is between heaven and earth and therefore when they pass that way they put on the whole armour of God imploring the conduct of the spirit and a convoy from heaven to guard them thither that they may with success carry on that precious traffick and they will follow their dull hearts as closely all the while as a Carrier will do the unruly Horse fearing least if for one moment they should not attend and drive their heart should stand still or start aside and yet notwithstanding all their care and diligence their hearts will mis-give them and those cheaters and robbers will draw on a parly and get advantage of them for the flesh will lust against the spirit so that they cannot do what and as they would Gal. 5.17 The law in the members will war against the law of the mind bringing us into captivity to the law of sin so that though to will be present with us yet how to perform we find not and thus the good that we would we do not but the evil that we would not that we do as the holy Apostle complained and lamenteth and where is the Saint on earth that may not take up the same complaint even when he is most spiritual and best employed in meditation prayer c Rom. 7.15 18 19 21 22 23 24. Though carnal hearts do not value a communion with God yet who knows what a sad affliction it is to the children of God to have their fellowship with him thus interrupted I verily believe saith (u) Mr. Burroughs gosp worsh pag. 281. a late Divine there are many that have already good assurance of Gods love in Christ that if God should speak to them as he spake to Solomon bidding him ask what he should give him who for themselves would put up this petition Oh! Lord that I may be delivered from a wandring spirit in holy duties and especially in the duty of prayer that I may thereby come to enjoy a more holy communion with thy self then ever yet I have enjoyed and such would account this to be a greater mercy then if God should give them to be Kings or Queens over the whole world O Christian is thy deadness and wandring thoughts thus thy burden and is it the great desire of thy soul to be rid of them and art thou striving and endeavouring against them I might tell you those glad tidings which one tendered to his friend in the like case who seing him oppressed with such distempers under such sad complaints came cheerfully to him said I can tel you good news the best that ever you heard viz. as soon as ever you are in heaven you shall serve Christ without interruption and weariness which words saith (x) Thomas Shiphard in a letter from new England pag mihi 39. my Author well thought on revived the man Though the Lord will not utterly y drive out these Canaanites out of the land that they may be for our trial exercise and humiliation yet it is through our fault and negligence if they be not brought under the yoke and are not already become tributaries (z) Judg. 3.4 and ere it be long the victory shall be compleat and they shall no more molest any true Israelite ah why should the Saints be too much discouraged they will not stay long in
judgment Ah! what can we answer for this desperat negligence and contempt when we must give an account of our stewardship But as for such as prize their prividedge and make conscience of their duty they would take heed least frequency and custom make them not formal and customary and that they do not undervalue and slight this heavenly exercise because they are oft employed in it it is not a vain thing it is as (e) Deut. 32.47 Moses said of the commands your life Thy wants tryals and difficulties do every day recur thou hast as much need of help of grace and of mercy to day as at the first and why shouldst thou slack thy hand especially since a dead lazy formal prayer is no (f) See Part. 2. Ch. 2. Sect. 1. Condit 5 better then no prayer and is a provocation and abomination rather then an acceptable sacrifice Prayer is thy work trade and great employment O Pilgrim of Zion and wilt thou slight thy calling because thou must daily be employed in it But ah the (g) Luk. 16.8 children of this world are wiser in their generation then the children of light O! if we would learn of the world our duty will any man slight and become superficial in the works of his calling because he is continually exercised therein but on the contrary will rather labour to mend his work and to (h) Fabricando fabrisimus learn by doing to do better What is the market come down are thy hopes less or thy encouragments fewer why then art thou become more remiss and negligent doth the King chide with thee for coming so oft and (i) Is 62.7 giving him no rest or doth he upbraid thee with former favours nay doth he not rather challenge thee for thy unkindness and invite thee to come more frequently yea and alwaies never (k) Isa 62.6 keeping silence nor holding thy peace day or night the ofter thou comest the welcomer thou wilt be and the more thou hast received the more will yet be given unto thee Mat. 25.29 Mark 4.25 PART IV. Of the return of prayer IN the fourth and last part of this Treatise we will speak 1. of the certainty of the return of prayer and the different waies the Lord observeth in answering his honest supplicants 2. of the Lords hiding himself from the prayers of the wicked yea and of his own people when they return to folly and 3. be way of conclusion we will hold out several motives to stir us up to the serious and frequent performance of this solemn exercise with an answer to objections CHAP. I. Of the success of prayer what the Lords hearing of prayer doth import how it may be known and why the Lord doth not alwaies answer the prayers of his servants after one and the same manner THere be here several particulars to which we shall speak in order 1. that the Lord will alwaies hear those prayers that can lay claim to a promise 2. for removing the great stumbling block of prayer-less souls we shall endeavour to show 1. what an answer to prayer doth import 2. what are the different waies the Lord observeth in answering our prayers 3. that the Lord alwaies heareth the regular prayers of his servants but at no time the prayers of the wicked 3. we will propound some marks and evidences for discerning the success of prayer 4. we will modestly enquire after these holy ends and designs why the Lord will not alwaies give the particular mercy that was desired even when he accepteth and answereth their prayer Sect. I. The Lord will certainly answer all those prayers that are grounded upon the promises 1 Joh. 5.14 15. And this is the confidence that we have in him that if we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us and if c. Isa 45.19 I said not unto the seed of Jacob seek ye me in vain A wight man we use to say never wanteth a weapon this is the Christians motto none can rob him of his arms enemies may assault and fight against us yea they may prevail and tread upon us they may spoil us and disarm us and take away from us all such weapons as they use against us but yet when devils and men have done their worst the Christian stands alwaies girt with his armour of proof it is out of the enemies reach our magazine is in a high and impregnable rock which cannot be stormed it s (a) Eph. 6.11 13. the armour of God and he who made it doth still keep and preserve it though he gave it to us for our use yet he is still the owner and keeper both of it and of those in whose hands he puts it Eph. 6.11 13 14 16. The Christian if he prove not false to his Master and faint-hearted without cause can never be brought so low as to render his sword no enemy can force him to yield and therefore he only is the truly worthy and invincible man he will not and cannot upon any terms submit or be overcome he disdaineth to capitulate with an enemy whatsoever conditions of peace are dishonourable to him he must prevail and carry the day Eph. 6.16 Rom. 8.37 Jam. 4.7 Now prayer is a main (b) Eph. 6.18 And it is there last placed not as if it were the least part of it but because it importeth and maketh use of all the former parcel of this armour which supposeth and girdeth all the rest fast to us and therefore frequently carrieth the name of the whole preces lachrymae sunt arma Eecclesiae prayers and tears according to the old saying are the arms of the Church as none are able So neither will any labour to rob them of their arms though some mocking others insulting will upbraid them with them but let such mock on yet wo to them if they use these arms against them their malice plots and machinations if David pray that the counsel of Achithophel may be turned into foolishness it will not stand and being rejected it will prove an occasion of his ruine 2 Sam. 15.31 and 17.23 whether persecutors fall or prevail they are hastening their own ruine and though the prayers of the Saints be not directed against their persons nor for their eternal destruction yet the Lord in justice doth thus punish incorrigible enemies at length and in the mean time the Lord is treasuring up wrath against them and many a time poureth out some visible judgment upon them here and if there be any way or mean for reclaiming of them the prayers of the persecuted will prevail so that the Saints prayers never return empty this sword is never drawn nor this bow bent in vain and therefore may fitly be compared to the bow of Jonathan and the sword of Saul which are said never to return empty 2 Sam. 1.22 Honest supplicants are like these left-handed Benjamits which could aim at an hair-breadth and not miss Judg. 20.16 And this is the
know that there is so much of the old root in the best that if the Lord with-draw his hand and with-hold the blessing neither rods nor mercies could do us good but the venom within us would suck poyson out of the most pleasant flowers and turn the most healing medicines into deadly corrosives Let us not then rest on our enjoyments though thou be a Son thy Father may grant thy desire in anger parents when most grieved and displeased with their children may give way to them and let them have their will without controll but ere it be long the father will chide his son and upbraid him for his medling and taking upon him and then the son if he be not an unnatural wretch could wish that his liberty had rather been restrained then his father in anger given way to his course and who among the genuin Sons of Zion would not rather choose to be under the rod then to have his hearts desire with the displeasure of his heavenly Father O! then do not mistake as if thou hadst with thy fathers leave and good will because thou didst ask and he hath answered thy desire for he may give thee in wrath as he did the Israelits Psal 78.29.31 thine own hearts desire and not with hold the request of thy lips Let us then examine our hearts and wayes and then rejoyce in our mercies let us observe the Apostles method 1 Joh. 5.14 15. and judge of our having and receiving by the audience of our prayers which must be known not by sensible demonstrations of providence but by comparing our prayers with the right rule viz. the will of God revealed in his commands and promises but if we proceed contrarily and conclude that our prayers are heard because we have the petitions we desired of him we may readily mistake and apprehend these prayers to be heard and answered whereby the Lord hath been provok't and dishonoured O! but when it is with us as it was with him Psa 21.2 6. when the Lord gives us our hearts desire and with-holds not the request of our lips and we rejoyce in his salvation and are glad because he lifts up his countenance upon us when these are joyned together then is our peace stable and our comforts solid but when we rejoyce in mercies and grieve the God of our mercies our joy will end in mourning Sect. IV. A modest enquiry after the reason holy designâ— and ends why the Lord delayeth or denieth the particular merey that was desired though he accept and answer our prayers Psa 30.18 Therefore will the Lord wait that he may be gracious unto you and that he may have mercy upon you for the Lord is a God of judgment 2 Cor. 12.8 9. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice and he said unto me my grace is sufficient for thee THe present question is not concerning the Lords hiding himself from the prayers either of the wicked or of the Saints that being the matter of the following Chapter but concerning such and such a way of answering the effectual fervent prayer of the righteous which must prevail and cannot want a return viz. 1. why the Lord for so long a time delayeth to give what he purposeth at length to give 2 why he denyeth and with-holdeth the particular mercy that was askt and will rather give some other thing which will be better for us in lieu and consideration of what was desired and thus will rather make a gracious compensation then grant the mercy in kind that was desired We shall begin with the last as being many a time the sad tryal and exercise of the Saints who not seeing the Lords design nor observing the compensation it haply being in spirituals which are not so easily discerned have been ready to apprehend such a dispensation to be in wrath and that the Lord hath hid himself from their prayers But here it would be remembred that our work is not to enquire after the meritorious and procuring cause which by way of demerit doth provoke the Lord either to deny or delay because although the Lord delay to give or deny what was askt yet he doth not as the question supposeth either deny or delay the acceptance and hearing of our prayers yea such a denial and delay is not only in mercy and love but by (a) See Sect. 2 way of answer to our prayers and he who knew no sin did meet with such a return to his prayers Mat. 26.39 42 44. And therefore now we must only enquir concerning the holy ends and gracious designs the Lord propoundeth in such a dispensation under which we would not have the castigation of his people to be comprehended for albeit in his purpose and in the issue that hath much love in it yet it being in it self grievous bitter and afflictive and not a fit (b) See Part. 3. Chap. 3. object of our prayers it cannot so properly be said to be given by way of return to them yet since it proceeds from love and may be very profitable to us and thus may be askt conditionally and comparatively as hath been (c) Ibid. shown we shall in the close add a word concerning it though still it would be considered that there is a great difference between this and those other designs which have nothing of anger and wrath in them and here the object it self being absolutely considered is (d) Malum paena evil a fruit and punishment of sin and a testimony of divine displeasure and therefore whatever be said of the fruit and event yet the thing it self abstractly considered cannot well be called a return and answer of prayer Now let us name some of those gracious ends for which the Lord denieth to give the particular mercy we desired as 1. the exercise of our faith and patience graces are giuen us for use as talents wherewith we should trade and gain and not to be laid up in a napkin to rust and corrupt and therefore its needfull that the Lord in his providence should offer occasions for their exercise as in the present case while he with-holdeth our hearts desire then in patience to submit to his holy counsel and still to depend upon him as it must be the work of honest supplicants So 2. it is their tryal thus the sincerity of their hearts and reality of their grace is brought to the touch-stone not only must our graces be exercised for their growth and encrease but also for their tryal and discovery and to give Sathan the world yea and our own hearts an evidence of their truth yea and sometimes of their strength and perfection if notwithstanding we meet with no sensible demonstrations yet we will believe God's Word of promise depend upon him and patiently bear a seeming repulse and denial 3. Hereby the Lord would draw our hearts off from the creature that we may enjoy a more fulâ— and immediat communion with himself he will cut off the streams
not pray for the measure of grace after that maner we pray for temporals Page 222 A third evasion confuted Page 223 Whether grace may be abused and become a snare ibid. And yet the adequat cause why temporals should not be askt absolutely is not because they may do us hurt and become snares Page 225 As to spirituals we may ask the thing and the condition though we may not ask conditionally Page 226 Whether we should submit and be content with a small measure of grace Page 227 We are not straitned in the promise but in our own bowels Page 230 How we should desire spiritual and how temporal mercies Page 231 Sect. III. For whom should we pray Page 232 Why we should pray for others ibid. We should not pray for the dead the popish Doctrine confuted Page 233 The blasphemy against the holy Ghost unpardonable the Rhemists confuted Page 240 Whether we may pray for such as have thus sinned unto death Page 239 249 Whether we may pray for reprobats as such Page 241 Whether in our prayers for others we may add this proviso if they belong to the election of God Page 242 268 Whether in praying for the salvation of others we may add this clause especially for believers Page 244 If the decree of reprobation were made known to us whether we might pray for such as we knew to be included in it Page 246 Whether the reprobat upon supposition that they knew the Lords decree and purpose never to show mercy unto them were notwithstanding oblieged to pray for themselves and to use the means Page 247 Whether a prohibition added to a known decree should lay a restraint upon us Page 249 There is a great difference as to the object of our prayers between those who are already cast into hell and such as are yet in the land of the living and under the means though they be reprobat Page 254 Whether we may pray for such in faith Page 255 Some distinctions for preventing objections with a brief recapitulation Page 257 Whether we may love those whom the Lord hateth Page 259 Ve must pray for all men Page 260 Distinctions brought by some Divines examined and rejected ibid. Some arguments for this conclusion with an answer to objections Page 262 We know not but the Lord may show mercy to all this generation Page 264 272 How the care of all the Churches lyeth upon every Saint Page 264 Whether we may pray for incorrigible enemies Page 268 Objections answered Page 269 Whether the holy Spirit will dictat a prayer for a reprobat and whether Christ while on earth prayed for such Page 269 Whether we may ask any mercy in Christs name for those for whom Christ died not Page 271 An exhortation to pray for enemies Page 272 We are in a special manner oblieged to pray for our relations for the Church of Christ for Kings and Rulers for the Kingdom and place of our abode for and with our families Page 274 Especially for such of those as are of the houshold of faith Page 277 As Pastors must pray for their flocks so they for Pastors and because too few do minde their duty it is pressed by several motives Page 279 The general point with it's several branches pressed by way of exhortation Page 286 The Saints prayers the Church-treasury Page 295 If thou pray not for thy self the prayers of others will not profit thee Page 296 CHAP. VIII We must pray in Christs name Page 298 We lye under a two-fold incapacity of drawing nigh to God and Christ hath removed both Page 299 Three grounds of the prevalency of prayer Page 300 Though we must pray in the holy Ghost yet not in the name of the holy Ghost but only in Christs Page 301 What it is to ask in Christs name ibid. Why we must ask in Christs name Page 304 How Gospel mysteries were known to the Jews Page 308 A confused knowledge is a medium between ignorance and perfect knowledge Page 309 What was the least measure of saving knowledge which was then necessary Page 310 The Gentiles not left without a testimony concerning the Messiah Page 312 The consent of the Popish School-men Page 313 Of their blind and implicit faith with four degrees of explicit faith from Suarez ibid. De necessitate praecepti medii Page 315 Whether any obtain for Christs sake who do not know his name nor ask for his sake Page 316 Whether the Jews did tender up their prayers in Christs name Page 318 Whether the Disciples did expresly pray in Christs name before his death Page 320 Whether we may be said to ask in his name in respect of the habitual intention of the heart Page 321 Whether temporals must be askt in his name ibid. A word of exhortation and reproof Christ our Altar and Priest his work constant and equal Page 329 CHAP. IX Of the help of the Spirit Page 328 Prayer the ladder that reacheth the heavens Page 329 The necessity of the help of the Spirit Page 330 Whether those who are not led by the spirit of Christ dwelling in them viz. such as are yet but under some legal preparations and on the way to conversion may meet with acceptance Page 332 How the Spirit helpeth us to pray Page 333 Mr. Baxter interpreted Page 336 The actual assistance of the Spirit is 1. to actuat 2. to strengthen 3. to direct 4. to encourage Page 337 There be many impediments both from within and without Page 338 The Spirit helpeth 1. to make choice of fit objects 2. to propose right ends 3. to pray aright as to the maner c. Page 340 Our confidence and boldness admitteth a latitude between the full assurance of faith and a probable expectation there is a middle hope Page 345 A word of rebuke 1. to the presuming Justitiary 2. to the blasphemous Atheist Page 346 A word 1. of encouragement 2. of exhortation to the Saints Page 348 Whether Sathan worketh immediatly or only mediatly on the mind and will Page 351 Arguments for an immediat impression Page 352 How Sathan representeth objects to the mind Page 353 Whether Sathan knoweth the secrets of the heart or hath power over it to bow and turn it Page 355 What is that vail the Lord hath drawn over the heart Page 356 Sathans immediat access to the heart needs not discourage the Saints Page 360 We are not enough sensible of the Lords bounty and tender care towards us in keeping this roaring Lyon in iron-chains ibid. Yet Sathans power and malice must not be made a cloack to excuse or extenuat our sins Page 361 Whether all sins flow from Sathans temptation Page 362 And whether all good proceedeth from the suggestion of good Angels Page 367 The consideration of Sathans power and malice should make us first humble secondly sober and watchfull thirdly to live in a continual dependance upon God fourthly frequent in prayer fifthly thankfull Page 564 It is not our fault that Sathan
what we propounded from our Catechism where Prayer is said to be an offering up of our desires to God For though there may be carnal and selfish desires in the inferiour and sensitive appetite which is common to us with the bruits yet spiritual desires which are the only fit materials of an acceptable Prayer are proper to the will and rational faculty It is true we may pray for our daily bread but our motives and ends which specifie and denominat our desires must be heavenly and spiritual and we must ask from God which is beyond the sphere of the material appetite which cannot look up so high it being limited to sensitive objects upon suteable principles and motives And therefore it must be proper to the will to (m) 1. Pet. 2.5 spiritualize our sacrifices that they may become acceptable to God To the Question propounded Then we Ans That albeit in Prayer we should employ and stir up all that is within us to look towards God and to contribute it's assistance and help as that holy Man who was well acquainted with this exercise while he goes to praise and blesse God calls to his soul and all that is within him to joyn in the work Ps 103.1 1. The mind and understanding should bring in provision and matter for enflaming the heart with holy Desires 2. Our memories should present these Items and Bills of receipt from and Debts owing to God it should offer to the meditation a perfect list and catalogue of Sins and Mercies 3. The sensitive appetite should give in a Bond of Peace that it shall not disturb and raise tumults nor frame and give in a treacherous (n) Old Adam a vile Protester the sensitive appetite his factor and agent and the will byassed to his party and faction Libel and Remonstrance against such holy motions as the heart doth travel with and is in the way to endite and breath out before the Lord. 4. The outward senses should covenant not to offer to the affections such baits and allurements nor to cast in their way such golden apples as may interrupt and impede them in their motion towards the Throne and may call them back from heaven to earth 5. The will it self the main agent and leader must be set a work by spiritual aimes and intentions if the end and scope be base and naught the motion is lost though never so swift and vigorous and both will and understanding should be most serious in their attention 1. To the matter of their petitions 2. To the object to which they are to present them as having to do with Him who is the searcher of hearts 3. To the frame of the Soul the spring and rise of it's actings their fervency vigour and zeal c. But though thus we should call to all that is within us to help us a lift while we are to rouse and draw up our dead lumpish and rocky hearts with us to the Moâ—â—â—t yet only the will draws â—igh to the King and presents it's Bills of complaint our supplications and requests The heart is that vessel of honour 2. Tim. 2.21 fitted if sanctified and seasoned with grace and prepared for the Masters use It is the best room of the soul reserved to welcom and entertain it's King and Lord and while He maketh His abode there His host becomes a great minion Now he hath the Kings ear and may ask what he will it shall be given him And thus whatever attendants be employed to wait upon and serve tâ—â—â— King yet the Host is master of the feast and whatever befalls the rest his Bills must be satisfied his Suit dispatched and his Requests granted And thus Prayer doth formally and primarily consist in an act of the will and it is an offering up of our desires to God it is not the simple act of desiring For then to desire and to pray were all one and carnal voluptuous ambitious and avaritious men who have said to the Lord with these miscreants Job 21.14 depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes and what profit should we have if we pray unto him even those men who are so great strangers and enemies to Prayer are big with desires having as many desire as lusts Every desire then is not a Prayer but a desire so and so qualified a desire directed and offered up to God But we must not imagine that our heart stands in need of a messenger to carry and present its desires before the Throne it hath a tongue to speak for it self Ps 27.8 And God understands and hearkens to its voice and will give a return Ps 145.19 Ps 10.17 Nay but saith (o) Thom. 2.2 quaest 83. art 2. ad 1. petitio quae ad rationem pertinet est quodammodo desiderii interpres Pet. a S. Joseph Id. Theo. Mor. lIb 4. cap. 2. depsecatio ordinationem quandam denotat ordinatio autem ut loquitur Tho dispositio ad rationem pertinet Aquinas our desires need an interpreter who must order and present them to God and that must be the mind and understanding and thus Prayer directly importing this ordering and offering up of our desires must be an act of the intellective faâ—â—â—y Ans With (p) Scot. in 2. dist 6. quaest 1. dist 38. quaest 1. sic loquitur utendo nutem sive ordinando ferre unum â—mabile ad aliud est vâ—luntatis sicut enim voluntas est reflexiva quia immaterialiâ—â— ita collâ—tiva Scotus that it doth no lesse agree to the will to order and dispose the means for the end then to the mind to deliberate about the means yea (q) Thom. 1. quast 107. art 1. in corp per voluntatem conceptus mentis ordinatur ad alterum puta vel ad agendum vel ad manifestandum alteri c. vid. loc Thomas himself speaking of the locution of Angels grants that it belongs to the will to present order (r) Ibid. ad 1. and referr yea and to expresse and manifest the thoughts of the heart for he (s) Sic Cajet ad loc cit alii non pauci Thomistae praeceptorem suum interpretantur will have the speech of angels to consist in this directing and willing their thoughts to be known to others and yet â—ere he will have the will to be blind and full of confusion as if it were sharp sighted when it looked abroad but otherwise did see nothing at home and within doors But that wee may not insist on such speculations I would ask to what purpose shall the heart call for such an Interpreter For 1. is not the heart well enough (t) Nolumus jam examini subjicire figmentum Philosophorum qui statuunt voluntatemesse caecam non nisi oculis risum teneatis amici alienis videre acquaint with its own desires if it be a stranger to its owne actings who will make their acquaintance Or 2. Doth the Lord stand in need
they might be doing but they could not blame him if their labour wanted sucesse Nay such an appâ—rent prohibition is so far from laying a restraint upon the Saints that if thereupon they did forbear they would provoke the Lord and wrong themselves and others Thus Gen. 32.26 the Lord saith to Jacob let me go but he will not till he get the blessing and if he had yielded we may suppose he would not then have gotten the blessing so Exod. 30.10 the Lord sayes to Moses let me alone Nay but replyeth Moses I will stand in the breach and will not leave off to interceed for that people though it hath most grievously provoked thee You will say may we not pray against such as have committed that unpardonable sin Thus the Christians of old prayed against Julian the Apostate if then we may pray for such it must be lawfull to put up contradictory prayers Ans Albeit too many no doubt have been guilty of that blasphemy yet since that which is the main ingredient of it viz. malice rage and hatred of the known truth is a latent thing and not obvious to the eye of our discretion I never read of any since the dayes of the Apostles whom the Church of Christ durst determine and peremptorily conclude to be guilty of that sin except (n) Theodor. hist lib. 4. cap. 9.17.19 Julian the Apostat for whom they left off to pray and prayed against his malice and rage that the Lord would prevent that mischief he intended against Christians and would remove such a stumbling block out of the way of the Gospel but they did not pray for Julians condemnation nor had they any warrant to pray for that Again you will object and ask what difference there is between one lying under that peremptory sentence and him upon whom it is already executed May we not as well pray for them that are in hell as for those we know to have sinned unto death Ans Because we conceive this to be the main objection we will now speak to it at some length And first if we abstract from a revelation which cannot now be expected and speâ—k of those who have grievously backslidden as we would remember Beza his caveat and beware lest we too rashly judge of any man that he hath committed that unpardonable sin So this may be warrant enough for us to pray for any man though never so gu lty and lying under many sad threatnings that there is no sentence and threatning though never so peremptory but it admitteth a limitation and proviso When I say unto the wicked thou shalt surely dy would not this appear to be a most peremptory and irrevocable sentence and yet hearken to what followeth if he turn from his sin he shall surely live he shall not die Ezek. 33.14 16. It is true 1. these who are guilty of the blasphemy against the holy Ghost shall never find grace to turn and repent and lay hold on Christ and so shall never be pardoned yet if they did turn they should find mercy and live And then 2. albeit there be no particular sin that is unpardonable except that blasphemy yet the most part of sins and sinners shall never be pardoned and therefore our prayers can do them no good and thus unless we limit our prayers to the Elect and add this condition when we pray for others if they belong to the election of God we must pray for them whom our prayers will not profit Secondly and especially we answer Albeit these who are guilty of that unpardonable sin be under an irrevocable sentence and though we as is supposed know their condition to be desperate yet we must carry our selves far otherwayes towards them then towards those who are in hell and as upon a civil consideration we owe them if our Superiors Magistrates Parents Masters c. honour and obedience So also upon a sp ritual account there be several duties which we may perform towards and with them while they are Viators and on the way which we may not perform with or for them after they are cast into hell for so long as they live in this world they are under the (o) Nunc enim propterea orat Ecclesia pro iis quos in genere humano habet inimices quia tempus est paenitentiae fructuosae Aug. de civit Dei lib. 21. cap. 24. means though these shall do them no good their day is not yet come to an end and though they were excommunicated and thus in part shut from publick ordinances they are not as yet actually stated into an unalterable condition and therefore they may well be an object of prayer pity and Christian compassion though the malefactor be sentenced and condemned yet we may deal with the King for a pardon O! but when the sentence is once executed there is no remedy after the repobats are cast into hell and come to their everlasting home after their day is spent and they removed from the ordinances and means of grace to what purpose should we pray for them after the ship is broken sails cables and anchors will not profit if life be gone no medecine can do any good when the night hath surprised them so that they can no more work for themselves we must not imagine that we can help them with our hands But some may yet reply we cannot in faith pray for such as we know to be reprobats or to have committed that unpardonable sin we cannot have the least hope or expectation of success and dare we pray and not in faith and such a prayer must be performed as a meer task and if I might call that which we grant is not commanded a duty It cannot not be a mean for good to them and why may we not thus pray for those that are in hell Ans Certainly we should not ask what we may not ask in faith only the prayer of faith is an acceptable sacrifice but the faith that is required in prayer hath not alwayes one and the same object as shall more fully be shown Part 2. Ch. 2. And if we know that God will accept of such prayers as a testimony of our love and commpassion towards our neighb urs and of our zeal to his glory in their conversion then we may know our labour shall not be lost what though they for whom we pray reap no benefit thereby The Popish dream of Falconilla and Trâ—jâ—ns deliverance out of bell by the prayers of Theela and Gregory is fabulous and ridiculous As also that of Augustine though an eminent Ancient Neque enim de quibusdam veraciter dâ—ceretur quod non eis râ—mitratur neque in hoc seculo neque in futur Mat. 12.23 nisi â—ssent quibus etsi non in isto tamen remitteretur in futuro Aug. de civit Dei lib. 21. cap. 24. yet if our prayers as Davids for his enemies return into our own bosome with a message of peace we have no cause to
it seem hard to think that the honest servants of God did not some one way or other look to the Mediator in all their performances as being typified and represented by all their sacrifices sacraments c. yet according to their measure of faith and light they did more or lesse rely upon his name and notwithstanding of that rich opportunity the Apostles had for encreasing their knowledge and faith yet its certain that before their master was taken from them they had attained but to a small measure of both But that we may be said truly and really to ask in Christs name when the habituall intention of our heart doth rest on him albeit we do not actually think on him and so cannot mention his name is manifest from the many petitions in our prayers to which his name is not annexed I know none who useth neither is it needfull thus at every petition to mention his glorious Name and yet none will once question whether all these petitions may be thus presented in his Name yea and no lesse then these other desires expresly offered in his Name its true we use to close our prayers in his Name professing that we ask all for his sake but before that clause be added were not I would ask the severall petitions put up in faith otherwise how could they be acceptable Before we proceed to the application there is a question may be here propounded viz. whether we should ask temporall and bodily things in the name of Christ for it will not be denied that Spiritualls which have such a direct tendency unto and connexion with eternall Salvation whereof he is the purchaser should be askt for his sake Ans Although this question be not much agitated yet I know no orthodox Divine who doth not suppose that it must be so and who by their practice doth not show their judgment only (Å¿) August tract 102. in Joan. Theoph. in Joh. cap. 16.24 Gregot hom 27. in evan their words we have already cited Augustine Gregory and Theophilact may be by some mistaken as if they did deny that any thing could be askt in Christs name except salvation and what hath an immediat tendency thereto But Augustine himself showeth that he speaketh only comparatively viz. that all temporal things are not absolutely nothing but nothing in respect of salvation And Gregooy and Theophilact do only deny that Christ can be improven as a Saviour if we do not seek to him for life and salvation Yet for preventing of such a gross errour we shall briefly give some few reasons 1. We in Adam by our manifold actual rebellions did forfeit our right to all the creatures and therefore we cannot have a sanctified right and title to them but in him who is the (t) Heb. 1.2 heir of all things but all are ours if we be Christs 1 Cor. 3.21 22. and therefore in testimony of our dependance on him and our acknowledgment of his purchase and right we must ask all in his name 2. All the promises of (u) 1. Tim. 4.8 this life as well as of that which is to come in him are yea and amen in him they were made and in him they have their accomplishment 2 Cor. 1.20 How then can we plead any promise but in his Name and without a promise we have no warrant to ask and cannot ask in faith Nay I would ask in whose name do we ask if not in Christs Name What can be the title or claim we can pretend if we be not in him and ask not for his sake Godliness hath the promise of the life that now is and must not that flow from his blood who is our righteousness and sanctification 2 Cor. 1.30 Our inherent holiness cannot give us a right to the promise though it be an evidence and fruit of our being in him who hath purchased for us a right to all things 3. Our blessed Lord in that pattern which he prescribed to his disciples Mat. 6. did teach them to ask temporals comprehending all those synecdochically under our daily bread and he required that all their prayers should be tendred up in his Name Joh. 14.12.13 Joh. 16.24 adding no limitation but on the contrary extending the promise to whatsoever they would ask and shall we limit his general grant and say that there are some things we may not ask in his Name and which he will not give nor we obtain for his sake 4. What we may not ask in faith we should not ask at all Jam. 1.6 7. But our faith can have no rock to stay on but the name of Christ if we come not to this living stone we cannot offer up an acceptable sacrifice to God 1 Pet. 2.4 5. Without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 and faith must be toward our Lord Jesus Christ Act. 20.21 5. These outward things being of themselves indifferent they become instruments and weapons either of sin or righteousness and therefore that they may become blessings indeed and sanctified in the use they must be askt in his name who is the fountain and whose Spirit is the efficient of all our sanctification and the right improving of all our mercies Heb. 10.29 1 Cor. 1.2 2 Thess 2.13 Here we might resume the reasons brought for the point in the general and apply them to this particular we may not draw nigh to God nor ask any thing from him but in Christs name therefore not temporals Is (x) Application it so O friends Is God a consumeing fire and we as dry stubble Hath Christ undertaken and is he so able and willing to keep us from the devouring flames What folly and madness were it then in us to draw nigh to God without a Mediator whom we may interpose between us and divine justice and who may be a shelter to guard us against the frowns and terrors of the Almighty If mo then fifty thousand (y) 1 Sam. 6.19 Bethshemits were smitten for looking into the Ark which was but a symbol of God's presence if (z) Exod 19.12.21 Israel durst not look on nor touch the mount when the Lord did manifest a little of his glory if thus without a warrant and protection we may not look on God's back parts nor meddle with the least testimony and token of his presence and manifestation of his glory O! how should we be afraid to come before his (a) Ps 27.8 Ps 105.4 face and to draw nigh not the Mount but the (b) Heb. 4.16 Throne unlesse (c) Esth 4.11 the King hold out the golden Scepter to us and Christ hath purchased and still pleadeth that the Scepter may be stretched forth to us there is none in heaven or earth beside him who can get us access and acceptance the fountain that infinit fountain of Gods mercy was stopt that not so much as one drop could issue out to sinners till our blessed Redeemer did lay down an invaluable price and by
desirable the worst of men may have much light together with much hatred and enmity at what they know to be good and right and often they could wish that their light were darkness that they might with the greater liberty and freedom follow their course they could (t) Like to the siug gard who lying on his bed said O! si hoc esset laborare wish that sin were duty and evil good and then there should be no better Saints and Perfectionists then they they would become the greatest Puritans in the world But it is far otherwise with the children of God they wait upon the breathings of the Spirit and stir up the seed and habits of grace in the heart they love their duty and delight to do the will of God who hath not given unto them the spirit of fear but of power of love and a sound mind 2 Tim. 1.6 7. Sinners are students in evil and plot how they may do wickedly but good thoughts arise in their mind without study and meditation and therefore as it were casually and by chance as to their labour care and providence But the Saints study how to do that which is commanded and would be well-pleasing and acceptable to God and sinfull motions arise in them without their consent and contrary to the desire of their heart it is with them as it was with the Apostle when they would do good evil is present with them against their will Rom. 7.21 2. As to their welcom and entertainment as good motions do thus come to carnal hearts before they be sent for So they are hardly used when they come they are unwelcom guests and there will be no peace till the house be freed of their trouble and any service and entertainment they meet with for the time is most uncheaâ—full and constrained but if they be civil and modest and call for no more but some external easie and not costly service as to pray hear sermon c. some obedience for the fashion must be yeelded but without love and delight the heart still protesting against the work and while employed therein saying with that people Amos 8.5 When will the Sabbath be gone and the sermon ended c. Thou comest to the work unwillingly and followest it with unchearfulness and weariness and goest away rejoycing that thy task is finished but if some inward work and heart-exercise be required thou cannot away with such task-masters thou must shake off that intolerable yoak and some one way or other ease thy self of that weary some burdon any Physician though never so miserable and accursed must be imployed rather than thou shouldst thus be held on the rack If Cain be pricked in conscience he will go build a City and by business abroad labour to calm the storm within Saul calls for musick Judas runs to the halter and Felix throwes away the nipping plaister c. But it is mater of sad regrate to the Saints when the Lord with-draws the awakning and quickning motions of his Spirit and with what importunity will they pray the wind may blow Ye may hear them with the spouse thus panting after the heavenly breathings Awake O north wind and come thou south blow thou upon my garden that the spices thereof may flow out Cant. 4.16 and when the precious gaile cometh they will sit down under Christs shadow with great delight his fruit will then be sweet to their taste Cant. 2.3 But you will say Obj. may not the unconverted taste the good word of God and the powers of the world to come and not only be enlightned Ans but also taste of the heavenly gifts Ans Yes they may Heb. 6.4 5. But 1. that taste is rare and not usual 2. It is superficial and not satisfying And 3. it is not pure and spiritual (u) A word in the by to that weighty case concerning the difference between a temporary flash and the solid and pure joy of the holy Ghost 1. It is rare and seldom attained by any reprobat and then it is not a work of meer morality and nature but must proceed from some though not proper and peculiar to the Saints nor sanctifying and converting operation of the Spirit Hence they are said to be made partakers of the holy Ghost v. 4. And because it is thus singular and extraordinary therefore a most terrible and extraordinary judgment is denounced against such as have thus been brought so near the harbour and yet turn sail that they shall never taste of the pardoning mercy of God nor get grace to repent v. 4.6 But 2. their taste is superficial and slight in comparison of that which the converted find it is not meat to them it maketh them not grow they taste spiritual things as cooks do the meat which they dress for others they could not live upon what they thus eat but must have their meals beside or rather as they who serve at the table they find the smell of the meat but eat none of it though some ordinary dish may be left for them yet they must have nothing of the more delicat portion So the unconverted may get something of the portion that is set on the childrens table and find as it were a smell of the heavenly and spiritual gifts which may so affect them as if they did eat and is therefore called a taste but yet nothing of that is let fall to them Albeit some of the Israelites might taste of the pomegranates of the land of Canaan brought (x) Numb 13.23 from thence by the spies who never entred the promised land yet none I think ever tasted of the fruit of the heavenly Canaan but must come thither and enjoy the fruit of that place to the full a stranger doth not intermeddle with their joy But then whether that taste was real or only called so because it was much like and did did resemble a true taste yet certainly 1. it was but an evanishing flash it was but a lightning and no continuing heat flowing from a principle within to feed and give life unto it And thus 2. it was empty and weak fleeting in the affections and not reaching the heart to make an impression upon it by it the streams the actings of the heart were somewhat enlightned and sweetned but the fountain and heart it self was not bettered or altered thereby and nothing of its poison and bitterness removed though the word was received with joy in the stony heart yet that joy was rootless and soon withered it did not pierce the ground only some moisture from thence was conveyed to it which the heat of the day did quickly did eat out and it decayed Mat. 13.20 21. 3. It is not pure and spiritual there is much of self and of a sensual interest mixed with and prevailing in it and albeit it often surprizeth the man without any previous deliberation or endeavour who for the time useth not to reflect upon the motives and
since we come not in our own name but in his and ask not for our own worth goodness but for his sake who hath paid our debt and purchased our peace and acceptance through his own blood and who doth concur with us in our supplications why should we fear the Father alwayes heareth him Joh. 11.42 and therefore must also hear us with whom he alwayes joyneth the Father cannot reject us and our prayers unless he also hide his face from the Son of his love which since he will not and cannot do we may rest confident and secure but as the Father hath promised and freely disponed and the Sun purchased all the good things we can ask So 3. the holy Ghost doth enable fit and prepare us both to ask and receive he draweth and helpeth weak ones to ascend to the throne and putteth words in their mouth and teacheth them what to say Rom. 8.26 27. Joh. 14.16 17. And will the Lord reject those prayers that are breathed into us by his Spirit but as the Spirit doth thus help us to pray so to pray in faith as he helpeth our infirmities by enlarging the heart and filling it with spiritual affections so also by working in us a child-like confidence and making us cry not only with the mouth which were no great matter but with the heart having made an impression and sense of it there Abba Father Rom. 8.16 As he leadeth the Saints into all truth and putteth to his seal to the whole Word of God Joh. 16.13 Joh. 14.26 so particularly to the promises concerning the success of their prayers that if they knock it shall be opened if they seek they shall find c. Oh! what a blasphemy were it once to imagine that God could lie and would not perform these promises or that the Spirit of truth would put to his seal to an untruth The Lord pity and pardon our unbelief that having to do with such a compassionat and condescending Lord who hath stoopt so low and come so nigh to us who hath held forth himself to us under the nearest most amiable and engaging relations and who hath taken upon him so many bonds to do us good we notwithstanding will yet doubt of his good will and of his faithfulness in performing his promises Oh! 1. what a dishonour do we offer to our kind Master thus to question his love care and fidelity 2. what a shame to our holy profession 3. what a base return do we make for the many mercies we still receive and 4. what loss and damage do we bring to our selves we expect little and receive little we will not trust God and he will not satisfie our desires Jam. 1.6 7. Are ye now convinced of your folly and guiltiness in thus distrusting the Lord and is it the desire of your soul to have this evil cured O! then 1. ponder frequently and seriously these and such like considerations if this were the matter of your daily meditation if these things did sink down into your hearts and did abide upon your spirits they might prove a notable preservative against your unbelief doubtings and jealousies 2. Let us exercise our selves in the Scriptures especially laying hold on such promises as are most pertinent and sutable to our condition faith must have a word of promise whereon it must rest and the more express and particular that it be our faith will proportionably cleave to it the more firmly O! but what atheisme must there lodge in that heart that dare doubt where it hath this warrand thus saith the Lord 3. Labour to know more of God his love mercy power fidelity c. Ignorance of God his nature and attributes is the mother of jealousie and infidelity but they who know his name will put their trust in him Ps 9.10 With what zeal and success did Moses plead from Gods attributes Numb 14.17 18 19.4 Since sensible demonstrations are so concludent and prevail so much with us who live too much upon sensible objects let us observe and keep a register of the gracious returns from time to time made to the prayers of Gods people and honest servants 1. Our own experiences would be kept on record he who can say with David the Lord hath delivered me out of the paw of the Lyon and of the Bear will be able the more confidently to say with him the Lord will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine 1 Sam. 17.37 experience begetteth confidence But 2. we should also observe the dispensations of providence towards others the Saints experiences are recorded in Scripture for our instruction comfort and encouragment Rom. 15.4 If God regard the prayer of the destitute this must be written for the generations to come Psa 102.17 18. the success that others have met with will encourage vs to follow the like course 5 Let us be exact and circumspect in our walk if our conscience condemn us we will fear the Judge every blot in our life doth darken and obscure the promise and dazle the eye of faith when the Saints fall their faith doth shake guiltiness is the mother of jealousie when we do ill we become suspicious and are ready to question his love and kindness to us when we prove ungrate and come short of our duty to him O! but if we would believe without staggering let us not halt in our walking let us be conscienciously diligent in every point of duty and (z) 1 Pet 1.14 holy in all manner of conversation if we would plead the promise and ask in (a) Jam. 1.6 faith nothing wavering Hence for trial this will be a good negative mark whereby we may know who cannot pray in faith if we do not walk as children we cannot call God Father nor with confidence expect that he will hear us What son will not be afraid and ashamed to look his father in the face after he hath dishonoured him and how will he blush to mention that relation and to call him Father to whom he hath not paid the debt of love reverence and obedience And if any perfidious and rebellious son should be so impudent as with (b) Herod having given to his son Antipater his Authority as he speaketh his favour his secrets his heart and crown in a will signed with his hand yet that unnatural monster could not stay a little till his fathers death but laboured by all means to prevent nature particularly by sedueing and perswading Pheroras to poyson the King yet having the boldness to offer to kiss his father after he was informed of his conspiracy though the traitor knew not that his conspiracy was discovered met with this terrible repulse Avaunt thou murderer of brethren and father the kiss of a father was not instituted for thee Behold Quintilius thy Judge c. Nich. Caussin holy court part 1. lib 4. pag. 133. Antipater to offer to salute and kiss his father he might expect such a welcom and reward as he met
aliis collectis hanccertaem conclusionem confirmat Durham in Apocalyp pag. 11 12. alike 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 said (a) Nazianz. orat 37. Nazianzen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 While we adore one we must and ought adore all the three if we exclude any of the persons of the Trinity from the object of worship we deny him to be God And since their names are relative let the naming of the one lead us in to remember the other two and thus the Apostle while he requireth some conditions in those who call on the Father mentioneth the knowledge of the Son and sanctification of the Spirit 1 Pet. 1.17 18 19 22. As if he had warned them in their acts of worship not so to mind the Father as to forget the Son and holy Spirit and accordingly the Saints in the close of their prayers yea and frequently also in the beginning (b) Vid. Voet sel disp 26. Forbes loc cit use expresly to mention all the three persons of the Trinity and though only in the close they did name those glorious persons ascribing glory and praise to the Father Son and holy Ghost yet thereby they declare that while in any part of that worship they did name any one of the persons yet they included the other two at least as to their habitual intention Concl. 5. But though it be fit that thus the meditation of the one should lead us in to contemplat the other two and though we must at no time in any point of worship so fix our heart upon any one as to exclude the other two from that act of worship yet we may upon occasion so look upon one as not (c) Peculiarl distincto mentis conceptu religionis actu tendimus in unam aliquam personam ut codem illo actu tunc directe explicite non tendamus in aliam quia preces gratiarum actiones distincto scorsim diriguntur ad Spir. sanctum aut ad Filium aut ad Patrem quod docet univer salis consensus devotio omnium fidelium Act. 7.60 Apoc. 22.20 2 Cor. 13 14. Voet. ubi supra disp 28. pag. 478. actually to meditate and think upon the other two The limited nature of our thoughts which cannot at one and the same instant of time seriously contemplat and be taken up with many different objects yea or different considerations of one and the same object and the experience of all Saints in their meditations doth show the necessity of this limitation Yet 1. that same divine nature that is in the other two is in this case the object of worship and therefore they being considered essentially and as God they may thus be said to be expresly worshiped no less then the glorious person that was named 2. Then and alwayes there must be in us an equal respect to all the three persons of the blessed Trinity habitually intentionally and as to the inclination and general bent of the heart Concl. 6. In singling out any one person of the blessed Trinity we may look upon and be directed by that appropriation of works and attributes and the different order of subsisting and working and accordingly fix our eyes upon that person to whom the Scripture in a special maner doth ascribe those attributes and dispensations as are most suitable to our condition and the present exigence according to that pattern 2 Cor. 13.14 Concl. 7. Yet we are not so limited by that appropriation or order that is among those holy persons that upon any occasion we may not indifferently name and particularly fix upon any or that in the contemplation of them severally we may not first fix upon any one thus the Son is invocated before the Father in that place now cited 1 Cor. 13.14 and the holy (d) The holy Spirit there is called the seven Spirits communi saith Parae us metalepsi effectorum pro ou aâ— He is called so not form â—â—y â—ut effectively and in reference to the seven Churchs and his spiritual gifts dispensed to each of them and since no created spirits can be the objects of worship from whom grace and peace may be askt as there these seven spirits must be the holy Ghost See Durham on Rev pag. 4.5 Ghost before the Son Rovel 1.4 5. Whereby is clearly held forth to us that notwithstanding there be a priority of order among those glorious persons yet no priority of dignity and perfection And thus as we may first fix upon any one So we may particularly make our address to any one not expresly men ioning the other two Thus Stephen and the penitent Thief do supplicate the Son Act. 7.59 Luk. 23.42 And the Apostle doth particularly wish and ask of the holy Ghost to the Corrinthians his communion whereby they might be united and have fellowship with Christ their Head and among themselves as members of his Body 2 Cor. 13.14 And as the Spirit particularly speaketh to the Church Rev. 2.7 why may not the Church particularly speak and pray unto the Spirit and accordingly Christians from time to time in their prayers meditations and ejaculations have particularly named and fixed upon any one of those glorious persons But here it may be askt whether or not as we may put up several petitions to the several persons of the Trinity So we may put up one and the same petition to several persons Ans Our learned antiquary (e) Forb loc cit cap. 23. sect Dr. Forbess denieth this to be a fit and decent maner of worship but 1. if we may ask several things from them continuedly and without interruption as 2 Cor. 13.14 why may we not as well ask one and the same thing from them severally the hazard of altering dividing and varying the object of worship which is the only inconvenience he objecteth is no less in that case then in this 2. If we may joyntly praise all the persons why may we not joyntly pray to them but I think none will scruple to praise them joyntly naming all the three particularly and it is most usual to close our prayers ascribing praise to the Father Son and holy Ghost for all and every one of our mercies and may we not as warrantably pray for mercy from all those glorious persons as to praise them for it while they give it 3. Since while we pray to God we understand and include all the three persons and must exclude none as hath been shown why may we not particularly name them all 4. Is not grace and peace particularly ask't from (f) By him which is which was and which is to come Diodat Mr. Durham and not a few learned Expositoâ—s will have the Father to be circumscribed and his eternal being all these blessed persons Rev. 1.4 5. according to the interpretation of several judicious Divines Yet here we do not reject Mr. (g) Mr. Durham loc cit pag. 12 15. Durham his caution Viz. Since our imagination
given to him and the holy Spirit proceeding from the Father and Son carrieth on the work of salvation in all them whom the Father hath elected unto life and for whom the Son hath laid down his life thus in time effectuating what the Father from eternity had decreed and applying the medicine the Son hath purchased and prepared for us 2. While it s ask't what the Spirit worketh by virtue of this economy Ans When thou comest home to thy fathers house and seest his face either thy curiosity shall be silenced or satisfied but now if thou only askest what we may rather ask what not Are not all the gracious actings of the Spirit and the whole work of sanctification first and last the sweet fruit of this economy covenant and transaction and without which our case had been as bad and desperate as the devils and now the Spirit by virtue of that covenant not only works but creates grace in subjecto inhabili where there was no inclination fitness or preparation till he began to work and not only actuatch grace where he hath wrought it and concurreth with it but also supplieth the defect of the cause and principle it self which still remaineth incompleat till he perfect it in glory which is another kind of providence nor what is afforded to natural agents And holiness sanctification and illumination being the third great work of God which by virtue of that voluntary transaction remained to be wrought towards the sons of men that did lie upon the third person of the blessed Trinity and thus by this eternal covenant holiness was fitly appropriated to the holy Spirit And thus we may see that there is not a full enumeration in the three-membred distinction of mission so often ininculcated in the Schools 1. per imperium or by command which supposeth the subjection of him who is sent 2. per consilium or by counsel and advice which supposeth weakness and ignorance in him who is sent 3. per originem or by natural descent as trees send forth their branches and this say they kind of mission only hath place among the persons of the Trinity but we may doubt if any where in the Scriptures the word mission or sending is put to signifie the natural procession of any of the persons of the Trinity but however from what hath been said it may appear that this three-footed distinction doth halt and wanteth one of its legs ye◠and that member which is most usefull and necessary and which as we conceive only hath place in the Scriptures viz. by mutual consent agreement and covenant and none can question that this sort of mission may have place among equals Before we come to the application Concl. 10 let us add this tenth Concl. We are not so limited to conceive of the divine nature under one or more personal properties and distinct subsistences that in prayer or any other point of worship we may not draw nigh to him as the alone Jehovah and true God we are not so obliged to conceive of the divine nature relatively and as subsisting in the Father Son and Spirit as that we may not apprehend him absolutely as God abstracting as it were from the different subsistences of the God-head though not excluding them And thus the Jewish Church used to worship him and for ordinary made their adress to him as that one true and living God laying hold rather on his essential and glorious attributes then on his personal properties or relations But (u) A word of warning and caution 1. It were to be wished now under so full a discovery of this mysterious unity and Trinity that in beholding the infinite nature of the one Jehovah and true God we might adore the glorious Trinity of persons yet not suffering our thoughts so to expatiat and be scattered in musing on three as distinct objects of worship but still fixing our eye upon the unity of the divine nature and God-head which is the formal object of worship and which is not multiplied nor divided in the several persons for as (x) Vna est enim Patris Filii Spiritus sancti essentia quam Graci 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vocant in quâ non est aliud Pater aliud Filius aliud Spiritus sanctus quamvis personaliter fit alius Pater alius Filius alius Spiritus sanctus Aug. tom 3. de fid ad Pet diac cap. 1. fol 48. Austin saith albeit in the Trinity there be alius alius yet not aliud though there be a distinction of persons yet not of natures nor a distinct object of worship but the same God-head is in all the persons and therefore whether one or mo or none of the persons be named the object of worship is the same and we should in the unity of nature (y) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 autor expos apud Forhes loo cit cap. 33. behold the admirable Trinity of persons and in that Trinity the glorious unity of nature without division or confusion multiplication or alteration But 2. Albeit we may name any one of the persons particularly as being the true God and a fit object of worship yet we must not imagine any special respect and honour thereby to be given to him as if the other two were less worshiped in that act of worship and therefore albeit the Saints do frequently make their adress to the Father yet 1. they do not exclude the Son and holy Ghost nor 2. imagine that the Son and holy Spirit hath not an equal hand with the Father in all their mercies and thus 3. they do not come to the Father as another and greater God to whom more honour and reverence were due then to the Son and Spirit and 4. they do not apprehend that thereby the Father is engaged more to help them then the other two which are not named 3. As we should not stumble at the Arrian and Socinian cavils against the mystery of the Trinity which is an object of faith so far beyond the reach of our dark-sighted reason and apprehension and is such a depth as our shallow understanding and short measure is not able to sound So on the other hand we would beware least our belief of the Trinity make us encline towards the pagan conceit of plurality of Gods that it tend not nor lead that way as too freqently it doth in the rude and stupid multitude contrarily to the dictates of (z) Vide Scot in 1. sent dist 2. quaest 3. reason it self which hath convinced many Pagans of the impossibility of mo Gods then one which necessary point is so clearly held forth in the Scriptures of truth that he who runs may read Deut. 6.4 Mark 12.32 1 Cor. 8.4.6 c. But hoping that sober Christians will abominat these and such like gross conceptions of God that which we would mainly here take notice of and improve is that gracious economy of the glorious persons of the ever blessed Trinity
in dispensing of mercies to us and that eternal covenant and transaction whereby in time all good is conveyed to us and which we should eye and make use of in our addresses to God And thus we may hearken to the voice of the Father as from all eternity saying How do my bowels yern towards the sons of men I am willing to pardon all their iniquities and receive them graciously (a) Joh. 3.16 Behold I so love the world as to give my only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life I pity poor foolish self-destroying sinners and I will (b) Hos 14.4 heal their back-slidings (c) Is 53.5 with the blood of my dear Son and will love them freely (d) Is 63.7 according to the multitude of my loving kindnesses And we may behold the Son himself concurring and consenting to that blessed motion and saying O! let the ungrate rebel have a pardon though it should be subscribed with my blood let bankrupt sinners have a discharge and all their debts be laid on me I am willing to lay down my life that they may live Lo I (e) Ps 40.7 8. 1 Joh. 4.10 come to be the propitiation for their sins I delight to do thy will O Father and to (f) Tit. 2.14 give my self for them to redeem them from all iniquity and to purifie by my blood a peculiar people zealous of good works And we may hear the holy Spirit saying Behold I am willing and ready to tender to them the gracious offer of peace and reconciliation to perswade and allure them to embrace that offer and to convince and (g) Cant. 1.4 draw them after thee to (h) Jer. 31.33 write thy Law in their hearts to (i) Joh. 14.26 comfort and strengthen them and (k) Rom. 8.26 help their infirmities to defend and keep them from all evil and to fit prepare and (l) Joh. 14.16 preserve them unto eternal life But it would be remembred that though virtually and as to our apprehensions these several steps may be distinguished in that gracious transaction yet properly there cannot be such a stipulation such conditions offers consenting and as it were consultation where there is but one nature will and understanding but that there was such a Covenant having eminently these things in it cannot be denied by any who acknowledge our salvation to be carried on according to an eternal Covenant between the Father and the Son and when we shall understand that conference and as it were consultation concerning the creation of man Gen. 1.26 we shall be more able to comprehend this transaction concerning the salvation of man but now let none from thence imagine the love of the Father to be really different from the love of the Son and holy Ghost and that they did not contrive and had no hand in predestinating us to life but as consenters and approvers of the Fathers free purpose of love For albeit predestination be ascribed to the Father by some sort of appropriation as being according to that mysterious order in the Trinity the first person yet we must not think that there is such a priority or distinction of persons as doth import a distinction of nature or a real difference among the essential attributes as they are in these glorious persons and so conceive that there is another will power and understanding in the Father then in the Son and holy Spirit and accordingly different acts flowing from these different principles O! let us not rob these blessed persons of the honour of being (m) Phil. 2.6 equal with the Father and having the same nature and divine properties because they of their meer good pleasure have stoopt so low to exalt us and do us good and because voluntarily and of their free accord they have undertaken an economy and dispensing of offices for us to make us happy and have received as it were a commission the Son to redeem us and lay down his life for us and the holy Spirit to sanctifie and prepare us for the heavenly inheritance and have thus undergone a sort of (n) Inaequalitat officiorum non tollit aequalitatem naturae aut personarum inferiority dependance and subordination in being sent to execute these offices which they undertook in mercy and love to us O! who is able to (o) Eph. 3.18 19. comprehend what is the breadth and length and depth and height of this love of the Son and holy Spirit which passeth knowledge O! let us praise and magnifie God the Son and God the holy Ghost for undertaking an economy and as it were ministry for us now unto the ever glorious and blessed Spirit of grace and unto him that (p) Rev. 1.5.6 1 Pet. 2.5 loved us and washed us in his own blood and hath made us Kings and a royal Priest-hood be glory and dominion for ever and ever Amen And O! let us thankfully and diligently improve this noble and and admirable way of conveyance of all good to us and let us in all our adresses to God desire and wait for every mercy from the Father through the Son and by the holy Spirit looking upon Christ as the inexhaustible treasure and (q) Col. 1.19 store-house of all blessings and depending on the Spirit as the great dispenser giver and disposer of all that fulness and riches that is in Christ from the (r) 2 Cor. 1.3 Father of mercies and God of all comfort of (Å¿) 1 Cor. 8.6 whom are all things as the fountain and first person of the Trinity who laid the foundation of our redemption and who is the Father of our blessed Lord and Saviour We cannot perform any duty acceptably we cannot praise God nor pray to him unless we come in the name of Christ as our Mediator and Advocat and wait for the help of the Spirit and depend on him as our shield strength leader and guide and yet we must look over that economy and dispensation and close with the Father Son and holy Spirit as that one God to whom in every part of worship we should come as to the chief and ultimat object to which primarily it is directed and in which it doth rest Here we will stand we can go no further and praise be to his name who hath brought us this length albeit our light be darkness in respect of the light of glory yet the light of the ancient Church was but like the morning star before the Sun (t) Mal. 4.2 which now shineth before our eyes And O! when will that day come when we shall behold so much in this mystery as shall ravish our hearts and fill our mouths with songs of joy admiration and pâ—aise to all eternity when we shall not see through a glass darkly but face to face when we shall not know in part but as we are known when we shall be like him and see him as he is 1 Cor.
suppose and require Iam. 5.15 Iam. 1.6 7. c. See Part 2. Ch. 2. 3. The return and answer must be given in mercy and out of special and paternal love Rom. 8.15.32 Ioh. 16.24.26 27. 4. The desired mercy must be given in faithfulness and as an accomplishment of the promises upon which the supplicant did build his confidence Psa 25.10 Psa 143.1 5. It must be the fruit of Christs purchase and therefore must be askt for his sake and in his name Ioh. 14.13 14. through him only we can have access and acceptance Eph. 2.18 6. Thou must pray in the holy Ghost the Spirit must help thee to pour out that prayer that God will accept and hear Rom. 8.27 See Part 1. Ch. 9.7 The mercy must be given as the reward fruit and as it were the purchase of thy prayer not as if our prayers could merit and deserve the least mercy or had any proper efficiency or causality in procuring the blessing which is totally and solely the purchase of the blood of Christ but because prayer is a mean appointed of God and thus by vertue of his own ordinance and appointment it hath power and doth prevail with him for obtaining not only a reward in the general as every duty and ordinance but particularly for procuring the blessing as to the particular desired and askt whether by giving or withholding it for thus prayer it self must avail and prevail with God Iam. 1.15 16. Hence in the general and at the first view it may appear how groundless and gross the common mistake here is for multitudes do think when the Lord in the course of providence doth give what men did desire and ask that then he heareth and answereth their prayers and on the contrary that when he doth not give the particular that was askt that then he doth not hear and answer the prayer and this gross and brutish mistake hath in great part occasioned and is the main ground of this objection and is the great stumbling-block whereon Atheists fall and ruine their souls But how false both these are may easily appear not only to those who have the Word for their information but even by the light of nature as might be made manifest from the Writings of heathens but now we must speak to the first and here we might resume the several requisits that do concur and must be where any mercy is received as a return of prayer all those being wanting and deficient as to the wicked their asking and receiving except the first and it also very oft for though outward things may be sought and desired yet not in that maner and measure as they do who make them their idol and place their felicity in them and thus we have as many arguments to prove that they receive nothing in mercy and in answer to their prayers as we now did enumerat conditions and requisits in the acceptance and audience of prayers for 1. they ask amiss often as to the matter and alwayes as to the maner and end 2. their prayers have no gracious and spiritual qualification 3. they have no interest in the covenant of Promise neither are they objects of Gods love c. To which we shall only add a word or two first The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord Prov. 15.8 and will the Lord accept and remunerat what he thus loatheth and abominateth and yet such have their desires satisfied which they durst offer to God prayer-wayes for the vilest of men may have some form of devotion 〈◊〉 I have (e) Apud Cambden hoc cit part 1. cap. 7. pag. 162. read of theeves and robbers who when they were going to steal and murder their innocent neighbours have prayed to God for success and who have prospered in such wicked wayes and will any be so absurd and blasphemous as to father upon the holy one of Israel such wicked courses or to say that he did hear and accept such abominable desires and prayers 2. The mercy given in return of prayer is a mercy indeed and proveth a blessing but what the wicked receive proveth in the issue to be a curse and snare as it is given in wrath So it doth them little good thus he gave the Israelites a King in his wrath and they had little comfort in him Hos 13.11 thus also he gave them flesh after they had lusted after it in the wilderness but while it was in their mouth his wrath came upon them Psa 78.29 30 31. And thus the Lord when he satisfieth the desire of carnal hearts hath no respect either to the promise or to their prayers but rather to the threatnings and the cry of their iniquities since he giveth in wrath and what he giveth proveth a judgment curse and snare their riches honours and pleasures become fewel to feed their lusts and thus through their abuse and ingratitude they add to their guiltiness and therefore to their eternal misery and these become as coals heaped on their head What the wise man saith of riches may be applied to all their enjoyments they are kept for the owners hurt Eccl. 5.13 All their consolations as (f) Omnes humanae consolationes fine gratiâ benedictione divina sunt desolationes one speaketh one speaketh are desolations nay to the Saints themselves they have often been strong (g) Secundum tritum illad Aagustâ—ni religâ—o peperit divitâ—â—s ylia devoravit matrem luxiriant animir bus plerumque secundis nec faci le est aequa commonda mente pati Ovid de arte am lib. 2. temptations as Davids ease Solomons peace c. And there is nothing that can sanctifie them and prevent this snare but the prayer of faith 1 Tim. 3.4 5. Jam. 5.16 And thus we may hear the Lord speaking to carnal hearts when he satisfieth their desires what we use to say to ouâ— unkâ—od neiâ—hbours and relations when we grant their request It is (h) Nay sometimes the Lord speakeâ—h thus to his own people as Ezek. 36.22 33. not will we say for your sake nor for your request but for this or that other reason that we will do And thus though their prayers may prove successefull and they get what they desired yet their prayers are not answered neither do they receive in return to their prayers but for such and such other holy ends to which they are strangers and little mind You will say what be these high and holy ends which the Lord doth aim at in such a dispensation Ans These are not the same to all persons nor at all occasions to one and the same person but we will readily find some one or moe of the following ends to have place in every bountifull dispensation to the wicked whether they have a form of godliness and pour out some carnal prayers or not As 1. the Lord will follow them with the blessings of a common providence in (i) Orationem peccatoris ex bono
fore-fathers and in which they themselves were born and brought up and thus if such had been born under popery or Mahumetisme they would have been as zealous for either of these as now they are for the truth And may it not seem strange that neutrality should make a man a zealot if he deserve that name who hath no love care nor diligence and is it not as strange that negligence should prove an occasion of stedfastness But yet since such Gallio's have no love to matters of soul-concernment and no desire to be troubled in hearing or learning any thing of that nature from whatsoever hand therefore as they do not much regard the preachers of righteousness So neither will they readily hearken to false teachers and thus are not in great hazard to be seduced What then though thou be not an herotick yet thou mayst be an atheist and which of the twain is worst though thou art not a speculative yet thou mayst be a practical heretick though thou never wast tainted with any speculative errour in the fundamentals of our Christian faith yet thou mayst be poysoned with practical errours in the vitals of our Christian life albeit thou be sound and orthodox in points that are to be believed yet thou mayst be a gross heretick as to the rule of our practice and the right way to happiness And thus we come to the second branch of this character 1. Practical heresie in which too many among us are concerned and among many practical heresies which might be named we shall only mention two or three which as they are near in kin and seldom separated So are most dangerous and pernicious having from time to time sent so many souls to hell where the Gospel is purely preach'd and the first of those heresies doth set up a new and anti-scriptural way to heaven a broad and easie way in which men may walk and take along their lovers and idols with them there is room enough in that way they may joyn hands and walk in it together And such as are tainted with this heresie and ah who are they who do not embrace it do esteem the narrow way a mystery and paradox which precise and conceity people do cry up because it is singular and would make others believe that they walk in it that they might be admired but as for themselves they will not be so rigid and unreasonable they know that godliness imports a change and that they must be new creatures and do something that they may come to heaven and the greatest length that the most will go is to abstain from some scandalous gross pollutions and be ready to cry out against such sins with the best and they will go to the Church and countenance publick ordinances and perhaps they will follow some form of family-worship yea and of private devotion they will say and yet their heart be silent their prayers every day and who can espie any fault in them and what needs more they will not be righteous over much for why should they destroy themselves Eccles 7.16 and thus they stint themselves and such a length they will come but not one step further though the Lord by his word and works and by his messengers who come to them in his name warn them of their danger and desperat folly they will not be so cruel as to wrestle and fight with their bosom friends nor so violent as to take the kingdom of heaven by force nor will they be at the pains to work out their salvation with fear and trembling to run as in a race for the prize that is set before them and to sweat at their duty and they know not what use the affections have in Gods service they have heard of such a thing as mortification self-denial zeal tenderness c. but they look upon these as empty notions and which do rather hurt then profit those who exercise themselves in them And thus those men become secure and think it needless to be at any more pains to make sure their calling and election what needs more they have peace but can it be otherwise since the strong man is kept within and therefore he will not assault it Sathan is not so foolish as to awaken those who are securely sleeping in his bosom and they will not be so cruel as to rouse themselves out of that sweet dream and cast themselves upon the rack nay they have closed the doors and windows that no warning or threatning counsell or invitation may enter in and have stopt their ears that they may not be molested with the cryes of Gods faithfull messengers who must say they have liberty to speak what they will but we know what we should do and therefore let them speak on so that unless the omnipotent arm of the Almighty by a sort of miracle pull them out of that snare into which they are so far plunged they must perish without remedy If Ministers could preach down this damnable error and once convince people of this strong delusion what a change and reformation in all ranks of people might be seen lawyers would not have so many clients nor Physitians so many Patients coming to their doors to ask their advice counsell as ministers would have mourners coming with tears in their eyes confessing their folly and enquiring after the good old way the narrow and safe way in which they must walk to Zion and saying with the trembling Jaylor Act. 16.30 Sirs what must we do to be saved We may not stay to confute this desperat and soul-destroying delusion but as to that place Ecel 7. we grant that there may be a nimium and too much in externals and that Papists Pharisees and Formalists of whatsoever stamp or profession may add unto the rule and when they have supererogated and vexed themselves in their voluntary acts of worship and devotion have this question put to them but who required these things at your hand yea and 2. there may be an indiscreet and unwarrantable rigidity and severity as to things lawfull and commanded which may be very grievous to our selves and troublesom to others but while we walk by the rule both as to the mater and maner of performance there is noâ— hazard of excess especially as to the inward acts of love knowledge estimation desire hope dependence and delight in God to which these secure fomalists are so great strangers who x having a form of godliness deny the power thereof resting upon some few outward and liveless performances to whom we will now say no more but in the general warn them that he who thinks himself holy enough is yet a stranger to true holiness Phil. 3.12 2 Pet. 3.18 c. 2 Practical heresie The second practical heresie is the ground and foundation of the former and it is a fond opinion and conceit that the grace mercy and goodness of God discovered in the Gospel doth grant a toleration to sin
sentence and (n) Colos 2 hand-writing that was against thee is taken out of the way and nailed to the cross of Christ so that now thy name shall no more be found in that dreadful catalogue of such as are fitted for destruction for they who are thus left and finally forsaken of God he gives them over to a reprobat mind Rom. 1.28 and giveth them up unto vile affections and to their own hearts lusts and suffers them to walk in their own courses Rom. 1.26 Psal 81.12 he gives them over to be a prey to Sathan and to (o) Eph. 2.2.2 Cor. 4.4 walk according to the course of the world according to the prince of power of the air the spirit that worketh mightily in the children of disobedience c. Since then this is not now thy case nor course thou mayst be confident that by the grace of God thou hast escaped out of that wofull snare and now what needs discourage thee There is no sin nor condition though never so desperat that can exclude the penitent from mercy yea not the sin against the holy Ghost which is unpardonable not because it is greater then the mercy of God or as if there were not worth enough in Christs blood to be a ransom for it but because the Lord in his righteous judgment doth finally forsake all them who fall into this blasphemy so that they shall never repent nor seek after a remedy If then thou dost truly repent and turn from thy evil wayes this is a sure evidence that thou art not thus forsaken nor judicially plagued and therefore be of good courage in following thy duty and seeking after a remedy whatever thou hast been none of the sins that thou hast committed shall be mentioned unto thee nor remembred against thee any more Ezek. 18.22 Ezek. 33.16 But 5. albeit the Lord to magnifie the riches of his free grace may shew mercy to the most vile and wretched sinners and pass by moral civil men yet how few are there of the many thousands who being included in the former ranks are lying under that terrible threatning that do partake of the mercy of God You can tell me of Manasseh Paul c. who yet had not such (p) Though Paul if he had been a hearer of Christ and his Apostles might have enjoyed extraordinary moans yet his education and engagement to the sect of Pharisees did deprive him of that light which did then shine among them means of salvation as we nor despised such convincing and soul-converting Ordinances but what are these in respect of the many millions who from time to time have perished under that sentence and judgment What be some six or seven persons among all the men and women of the world who have been thus guilty for the space of four or five thousand years that is but a poor coal for thee O desperatly secure sinner to blow at though Alexander and Julius Caesar did conquer a great part of the world wilt thou therefore expect to do the same if one in an age or countrey who hath lived for a while as thou still dost hath obtained mercy wilt thou therefore presume and think likewise to be saved why dost thou not then also think that thou shalt not taste of death since Enoch and Elias were translated and taken up to heaven nay were it not a strange and admirable thing to see such escape out of the snare how would they be affected when they heard their deplorable state laid out before them and yet they can hear such a dolefull Sermon and be no more affected therewith then the dasks whereon they sit must not such be past feeling and given over to a reprobat mind and yet not a few of such desperat wretches will profess they trust in God and hope to be saved as well as the holiest Saint on earth But whatever be their bold and mad presumption and how litle soever they regard the faithfull warnings they meet with or fear the threatnings and terrors of the Almighty yet to my observation I never knew nor heard of any in my time except three or four who in any eminent degree came under these characters that to the discerning of judicious Christians met with mercy and this admirable dispensation towards them was mater of astonishment to all who heard of it except such desperat wretches as made a cursed use of it encouraging themselves thereby to continue in their wicked wayes But let none mistake what we say we do not we dare not pass a peremptory sentence concerning the state of others especially those whose guiltiness was not so great notour and scandalous and though we know but a few who grosly and palpably came under these marks who did evidence a sensible and considerable measure of saving repentance and in such a case when it is real it will not be small yet we did not deny but the Lord might have a secret work on the hearts of some on their death-bed which he will not make so discernable to others that all may be afraid to follow such a course of life and that none might presume and delay to the end of the day yet since none may limit the Lord Ministers must not turn their back on such as if their case were altogether desperat but they must warn and exhort them commiting the event and success to him who can abundantly pardon and show mercy when and to whom he will But supposing thee who art thus awakned and pricked in heart who art sensible of thy danger and now on the right way to escape to be one of that small number whom the Lord will make a miracle of mercy I have a sixth word and that a very necessary one to thee beware that thou quench not this as former motions of the Spirit Ah! let not this storm be like the noise of thunder terrible for the time but of short continuance and then thou might'st be afraid least there remain no more sacrifice for thy sins but a certain fearfull looking for of judgment and fiery indignation Heb. 10.26 27. because saith the Lord I have purged thee and thou wast not purged thou shalt not be purged from thy filthiness any more till I have caused my fury to rest upon thee Ezek. 24.13 If then thou be such a one as is supposed thou wilt not thus draw back after the Lord hath begun to awaken and purge thou wilt take no rest till a saving change be wrought in thee and till thou lay hold on the rock of salvation and then with what inlarged affections wilt thou admire and praise the riches of his goodness and mercy who hath pitied and pulled such a desperat sinner out of the snare thou wilt become a new creature indeed and all who know thee will have reason to praise God for thee and from that time forth thou will walk humbly circumspectly and exemplarly thou wilt often look on the skar of thy old wound
soul-deceiving and desperat folly if thou hast but attained to the first elements of this Christian and heavenly art it will send thee to trade where thou mayst gain most and will drive thee from the empty cisterns and lead thee to the full fountain it will teach thee to go to him who hath said (n) Joh. 14.13 ask of me what ye will it shall be given you wisdom hath long cryed to you worldlings discovering your folly and pointing out the remedy Isa 55.1 2 3. ah when will you hearken and obey when will you be convinced of your folly and learn to be wise 16. Heaven hell and earth may be our monitors and set us a work 1. wouldst thou yet stay a while in this poor and miserable Inn perhaps that thou mightst do God more service in thy generation or that thou mightst be better fitted and prepared for death c. prayer may add to and lengthen the lease of thy life as it did Hezekiahs Isa 38. 1 2 5. Jam. 5.15 But 2. is hell terrible unto thee and heaven thy joy and delight art thou afraid of the day of judgment and is it the one thing thy soul desires to be accounted worthy then to stand before the Son of man O! then hearken to Christs counsel watch and pray alwayes Luk. 21.36 We need not descend unto particulars for what is that lust thou wouldst have subdued what is that grace thou wouldst have strengthened what is the judgment thou wouldst have averted or what rod or calamity removed what is the mercy whether spiritual or temporal yea what the comfort or consolation though peace of conscience that passeth all understanding joy of the holy Ghost and assurance of thy salvation c. There is no evil so terrible and astonishing that the effectual fervent prayer of the righteous may not remove and no mercy so great and excellent that it cannot procure by the blood of Christ pleaded at the throne of grace Mat. 7.7 Joh. 14.13 14. c. Here is a large field where we might reap a plentifull harvest but we proceed adding only one head moe with its several branches We have heard how the Lord doth call and invite us by his Word and Works by his commands threatnings and promises c. by these the Lord points out out way to the throne and when we turn (o) Isa 30.21 either to the right hand or to the left we may hear the voice of some one or other monitor saying this is the way walk ye in it but though there be so many who thus lift up their voice (p) Isa 58.1 like a trumpet who cry aloud in our ears and spare not yet there is one voice moe a (q) Ps 29.4 powerfull voice and full of majesty and we would hear what it saith and thus 1. the Lord absolutely considered 2. relatively and the several persons of the blessed Trinity and 3. the attributes and divine properties do call and invite us to the constant and serious practice of this duty And 1. the great Jehovah who is and beside whom there is (r) Isa 43.11 none else the all-sufficient and independent being to whom our goodness and service (ſ) Ps 16.2 cannot extend nor any of his creatures be (t) Job 22.2 Rom. 11.35 36. profitable yet he calls for our prayers 1. as a part of that homage we owe to him 2. by way of gratitude and in testimony of our love to him and of his delight in us then the Lord will have us thereby to testifie 1. our reverence and subjection to him 2. our dependance on him and 3. our own indigence and his propriety that we are beggers and hold all as an almes from heaven and 4. that we may thus be the more engaged to improve what we receive for his honour and may be the more (u) It is a sure rule saith Dr. Preston Saint exer serm 1. what we win with prayer we wear with thankfulness ready to return to him the sacrifice of praise c. but not only as his creatures do we owe to him this point of duty and service but also as his favourits and by way of gratitude 1. to testifie our love to him and delight in him if these be s incere a communion with him in this most immediat part of his worship must be sweet when we may thus enter the Kings chambers we will rejoyce and improve the importunity Cant. 1.4 Cant. 2.4 5. 2. He calls for our prayers to testifie his delight in us and in our work O my dove let me see thy countenance let me hear thy voice for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comely Cant. 2.14 Poor Saints are ready to complain and say I have no gifts nor parts and am of no account in the world and alas I can do no service to God in my generation ah if thou be poor shouldst thou not beg and though thou be weak yet thou art not dumb canst thou not then cry and importune him who is able and willing to help and strengthen thee thy prayers are good service to God they are great and acceptable sacrifices the prayer of the righteous is his delight Prov. 15.8 Yea Pagans by the light of nature did come to the knowledge of this point the divine moralist (x) Plato tom 1. Alcibiad 2. pag. mihi 137. Plato tells us that the Athenians observing the gods alwayes to favour the Lacedemonians more then them resolved to consult their Idol Ammon and to ask the reason hereof especially since the Lacedemonians were careless what sacrifices and oblations they offered to God and the Athenians did spare no cost and were more frequent and sumptuous in their oblations then all the Grecians To whom the Oracle or rather Sathan transforming himself into an Angel of light to those whom he held fast in his snare if that Author here relate a history and do not as is usual to him alledge this passage in a parabolick way and for the application but the Oracle saith he gave this response that the Lacedemonians good (y) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. interprete Ficino bona verba words which (z) Albeit Plato by way of dialogue brings in Socrates making this interpretation according to his usual maner which Ficinus in his life prefixed to his works ascribeth to his modesty and gratitude toward his Master Plato interpreteth to be nothing else but their prayers did please God better then all the worship and costly offerings of the other Grecians and then he proceedeth in the commendation of this spiritual exercise and to show that God looks more to the inward frame of the heart then outward performances though never so specious and that it were blasphemous to make the holy Lord like a wicked usurer and to think that he can be bribed to hearken to sinners and grant their desires because of their hypocritical devotion and great oblation I wish that Book
nor purpose to give nor his love and fatherly affection toward us can hinder the Lord from saying to us in reference to all our mercies what he said to his ancient people Ezek. 36.37 concerning the mercies there promised I will yet for this be enquired of by my people to do it for them It is true the Lord often (c) We heard the Jesuit Tolet confessing that the prime and principal mercies both in nature and grace are previous to our asking part 1. chap. 8. pag. 317. with whom Salmeron joyneth tom 5. in evang tract 45. in haec verba scit enim pater vester quid opus sit vobis antequam petatis prevents us with his mercies Isa 65.24 but not to take us off but the more to engage and encourage us to pray and praise him As to the place Joh. 16.26 27. Christ doth not there deny that he will pray for them that being contrary both to his promise and practice but he would there lead his disciples in to the fountain and principal cause of all their mercies viz. the eternal love and free grace of God which did put a difference between them and others from which fountain through his blood all our mercies do stow so that not only our weak and imperfect prayers but also his most effectual and powerfull intercession is but a mean for obtaining and conveighing to us those mercies which our gracious Father of his meer good pleasure and love in Christ Jesus hath appointed and prepared for us from all eternity as we have shown at length and vindicated this place Part 1. Chap. 5. Sect. 1. Pag. 68. Christs scope there is not to exclude his intercession but to prefer the Fathers love and his death and to prevent that mistake that is incident to mourning sinners ah think they Christ is mercifull and tender-hearted toward sinners else he would not have shed his precious blood for them but we are afraid lest God prove a consuming fire to us and pursue us with his justice O but saith our blessed Lord I would not have you even after your eyes are opened to see my love in laying down my life for you and going to heaven to prepare a place and to intercede for you so to look on my death and intercession and my kindness toward you thus sealed and manifested by such convincing demonstrations as to exclude the father and to imagine that he hated you and were unwilling to do you good for saith he the father himself loveth you And though I did not intercede for you yet having elected you to obtain salvation through my blood he would show mercy on you no less then on your forefathers who had not the benefit of my intercession the love of the Father is the first fountain of all our mercies for though we were elected in Christ yet the free love of God who is Father Son and holy Ghost in order did preceed every thing that can fall under the notion and consideration of a mean hence it s said that God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son c. Joh 3.16 1 Joh. 4.9 10. And now we may (d) It s observable that all the objections here may be as we have shown made use of as so many arguments and motives to encourage us in going about this duty where can we then look and not see some one or other motive and encouragment since all that can be alledged by devils or men against this work may serve as a mean to stir us up to the diligent performance of it retort this and the preceeding objection which are so far from holding forth a discharge from and discouragment to pray that in both we have a notable encouragment and engagement to this duty ah what can more sweetly and strongly draw a poor indigent sinner to the rich treasure then the cords of the free promises and where is there such a cordial for a fainting soul that dare not look up to the throne of grace as the consideration of Gods mercy and fatherly love toward us in Christ and what madness must it then be to make these become a heavy burden and so many weights to press us down while we would lift up our hearts to the Lord and to make those healing medicines become deadly poyson to us Ah! had not the Lord prevented us with his free love and gracious promises in Christ what warrant had we more nor devils to draw nigh to God but now having such a loving Father such gracious Promises and so great a Mediator and Advocat we may come with boldness unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need Eph. 3.11 12. Eph. 1.13 Act. 26.6 7. 1 Joh. 3.1 and 4.10.2 2 Cor. 7.1 Heb. 4.16 c. As to the question whether we intended by our prayers to move God its commonly answered and but briefly and in a word that prayer works a change in us but not in God who of himself is willing to give if we were ready to receive he (e) Isa 30.18 waits only that he may be gracious and (f) 1 Chron. 4.10 bless us indeed and prayer enlargeth the heart and those pleas and arguments we use in prayer do serve to strengthen our faith and to beget such a holy humble and confident frame of spirit as the promise of audience doth require and which will be ready to receive mercie aright and to improve them to the honour of the Giver and thus prayer is that rope whereby as the Jesuit g Salmeron from the supposed Dionysius saith we pull our vessel to the rock (q) We do the rather take notice of this allusion as being owned by a Jesuit who otherwise teacheth according to the principles of of the pelagian School that God will concursus scil in actu primo seu voluntas qua Deus statuit cum causis secundis concurrere c is determinable by the will of the creature to this or that act Est ergo inquit oratio que madmodum magnus ait Dionysius de div nominib cap. 3. veluti catena aurea è caelo demissa per quam qui ascendunt videntur quidem cattnam ad se trahere sed revera ipsi potius ab ea trahuntur in caelum dum precamur Deum ' non ipse sit aptior paratior ad nos audiendos sed nos capiendis illius beneficiis preparatiores Salm. in evang tom 5 tract 45. prope finem vid etiam Toletum in Joan. cap. 16.26 27. but not the rock to us But albeit upon the matter this be a truth yet not a satisfactory answer to the question for clearing of which we would offer these few considerations 1. it cannot be denyed that as the exercise of every grace is a mean for the growth and strengthening of it and quickning the heart for for a communion with God So in a speciall manner that spiritual and