Service you must not walk as you list but as your Master pleaseth Aristotle makes it the property of a Servant to be one that cannot live as he would that hath no will of his own but hath given up himself to be commanded and directed by another and sometimes contrary to his own inclination They are Rebels and not Servants that said our tongues are our own Psal. 12. 3. Your tongues are not your own to speak what you please not your hearts your own to think what you please not your hands your own to do what you please You are Gods servants therefore must be wholly at his will The Angels that are Gods Ministers when they are described they do his pleasure Psal. 103. 21. So your business is to do the will of God not to please your self Men or the flesh but to please God to do the will of God without any respect to your own inclinations and worldly interests and therefore your hearts will rise against sin upon this account when you are tempted to do any thing that is contrary to the will of God O I am not my own these members are Christs You look upon every thing as Gods to be employed to his Service Secondly Those that would have the Word to be established why must they be Servants of the Lord 1. God doth not look to the work but to the qualification of the Person God will not accept a man for one good work one Prayer but he looks to the qualification of his Person The Prayer of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord Prov. 28. 9. How is that not only when it is managed in a careless fashion when a wicked man prays wickedly no let him do his best for 't is said Prov. 21. 27. The Sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination How much more when he bringeth it with a wicked mind at best it is an abomination God will not accept of a Sacrifice at his hands and therefore the qualification of the person is to be regarded when we pray for a blessing promised Iames 5. 16. There is the qualification of the Prayer it must be fervent effectual a Prayer driven with Life and Motion that hath Spirit and Life I but it must be of a Righteous Person As Naturallists speak of a Jewel which if put into a dead mans mouth loseth all its vertue and efficacy So Prayer in the mouth of a wicked carnal man loseth its efficacy with God When one that had revolted from the Romans sent gifts to the Roman General he made him this Answer he should first return to his obedience to the State of Rome So God saith to wicked men first let them be Gods Servants and then they shall have the blessing of his Promises 2. It is agreeable to the Covenant for the Covenant is mutual I will be your God and you shall be my People All Promises relate to a Covenant Now in every Covenant there is ratio dati accepti something required as well as something given for it binds mutually therefore if we would have God give us Grace we must yield Obedience Precepts and Promises go hand in hand and therefore they that would have Promises performed they must observe Precepts And mingle resolutions of Duty with Expectations of mercy That 's the Covenant way of Dealing with God There must be a sincere Purpose and endeavour to serve God I am thy Servant therefore stablish thy Word to me Use. To press you to become Gods servants I might bring Motives both from the time past present and to come 1. From the time Past You are obliged to be so You are his Creatures you have Life Being and all things from him We cannot receive a small kindness from man but it doth produce respect I am your Servant Shall a kindness from God less affect us who made us and gives us Life Breath and all things We take no notice of what comes from an invisible Hand Here 's the wonder that the great God who hath no need of us so often provoked by us that is of such Excellent Majesty so far above us should take notice of us Therefore if God made us keeps us and maintains us from Day to Day and that he abaseth himself to behold us to look after us this should engage us And then from what is Present the honour that is put upon you it is a great advancement to be Gods servant The meanest Offices about Princes are accounted honourable Jesus Christ himself as Mediator he hath this Title put upon him my righteous Servant 53. Isa. 11. and the Angels they are your fellow Servants Psal. 103. 2. they are called Ministers of God Likewise for the present you have free access to God Gods servants may stand in his Presence and they have Liberty to ask any thing they need of The Queen of Sheba said concerning Solomon in the 1 Kings 10. 8. Happy are these thy Servants which stand continually before thee and hear thy Wisdom Much more may it be said concerning Gods servants Blessed are those that stand in his Presence that have such free leave to hold Communion with God To come and have assurance of welcome when ever they come And for the time to Come Gods service will issue it self into everlasting Blessedness Gods servants have Excellent wages Iohn 12. 26. If any man serve me he shall be there where I am and my Father will honour him Christ and his Father will study what honour they can put upon him Therefore be Gods servants that you may please him for the present and comfortably wait for his everlasting Blessing Thus I have gone over the first thing namely the request Stablish thy Word unto thy Servant Secondly The Motive and Argument who is devoted to thy fear The word may be rendred either Which or Who as relating either to thy Word or thy Servant 1. Thy word for in the Original Heb. the posture of the verse is thus Stablish to thy Servant thy word which is to the fearing of thee That is given that thou mayest be feared There being in the word of God the greatest Arguments and Inducements to fear and reverence and obey him The word of God was appointed to this use to plant the fear of God in our Hearts and to increase our reverence of God Not that we may play the wantons with Promises and feed our Lusts with them I rather take our own Translation as more accommodate and it hath such a Sence as that 109. Psal. 4. But I give my self unto Prayer In the Original 'T is But I prayer And 2. Stablish thy word to thy Servant Who is to thy fear Our Translators add to make the Sence more full addicted devoted to thy fear that is that makes it his Business Care and Desire to stand in fear of God Now this is added as a true note and Description of Gods servants as being a main thing in Religion Psal. 111. 10. The fear of
is the best Judge of opportunities therefore all must be left to his will and pleasure Faith will not count it long for to the eye of Faith things future and afar off are as present Heb. 11. 1. Faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen 'T is said Isa. 28. 16. He that believeth shall not make haste Sense and carnal confidence must have present satisfaction but Faith contents its self with Promises Love will not count it long For seven years to Iacob seemed as a few days Gen. 29. 20. Sufferings for Christ would not be so tedious where love prevaileth Patience would not count it long Cannot we tarry for him a little while Heb. 10. 37. Yet a little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We love our own ease and therefore the â—…ross groweth irksom and tedious 3. God is a God of Judgment Isa. 30. 18. And therefore will the Lord wait that he may be gracious unto you and therefore will he be exalted that he may have mercy upon you for the Lord is a God of judgment Blessed are all they that wait for him Mercy will not come one jot too soon nor one jot too late In the fittest time for God to give and for us to receive Heb. 4. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the time of need We think we stay for God but he stayeth for us If we were ripe for mercy God is always ready for he is a present help Psal. 46. 1. God is our refuge and strength a very present help in trouble I come now to the second Clause His longing desire after it Saying When wilt thou comfort me That is David was ever and anon repeating and saying Lord When The Hebrews express their wishes by way of question Oh that thou wouldest comfort me III. DOCT. When our Hope and Help is delayed we may complain to God for want of comfort 1. What is the comfort which David intendeth In the general Consolation is opposed to Grief and Mourning Sin hath woven Calamities into our Lives and filled us with Griefs Troubles and Sorrows so that we need comfort Comfort is either Eternal Spiritual or Temporal First Eternal 2 Thess. 2. 16. Everlasting consolation and good hope through grace Luk. 16. 25. Remember that thou in thy life-time receivedst thy good things and Lazarus evil things but now he is comforted and thou art tormented Secondly Spiritual which is of two sorts 1. Comfort against the Trouble of Sin In which respect the Holy Ghost is called the Comforter In this respect the Holy Ghost biddeth them comfort the penitent incestuous person 2 Cor. 2. 7. 2. Against Affliction So God is said to comfort those that are cast down 2 Cor. 7. 6. and Psal. 94. 19. In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul. 2 Cor. 1. 3 4. Blessed be God even the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort Who comforteth us in all our tribulation that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we our selves are comforted of God Thirdly Temporal So God is said to comfort those whom he freeth from Afflictions Psal. 71. 21. After deep and sore Troubles Thou shalt increase my greatness and comfort me on every side So the Lord comforteth his People not by word only but also by deed not only by speaking comfort to them but also by relieving them and refreshing them and freeing them from their Troubles So Isa. 52. 9. Sing ye waste places for the Lord hath comforted his people he hath redeemed Ierusalem Though God's People lay low for a time yet his blessing can exalt them beyond all expectation and bring about such happiness as may make them forget their sorrows and miseries This is intended here Lord when wilt thou give that deliverance which I pray for and wait for at thy hands Let it not seem strange that temporal deliverance should be owned as a comfort to God's People Partly because they are Acts of God's Providence and Dispensations of his Grace sought not in a way of Faith and Prayer Zech. 1. 17. The Lord shall yet comfort Zion and shall yet chuse Ierusalem Partly because by these he seemeth to own them and confirm them in the priviledge of his peculiar care and that they have an interest in his favor which by sad afflictions seemed to be annulled and made void But hereby God giveth proof of his favor to them Psal. 86. 17. Shew me a token for good that they which hate me may see it and be ashamed because thou Lord hast holpen me and comforted me That in their affliction Godliness may not suffer nor wicked men be hardned in their insolency Partly as hereby Promises are made good and so Faith confirmed Isa. 57. 18. I will heal him and restore comforts to him and to his mourners Partly as they are helps and encouragements to love and praise God and to live in a thankful course of holiness when not stopped or diverted by fear of enemies Isa. 12. 1. In that day thou shalt say O Lord I will praise thee though thou wast angry with me thine anger is turned away and thou comfortedst me We may serve God more cheerfully then Partly because as they have seen his Wisdom and Justice in their Troubles so now his Power and Grace and Truth in their Deliverance They are more comfortable because there is much of God discovered in them Psal. 115. 1. Lastly because they are comfortable to the natural life They are not so divested of all humane respects Yet therein the Saints moderate themselves they do not count these things their highest consolation so 't is said of the wicked Luke 6. 24. Wo unto you that are rich for ye have received your consolation And Luke 16. 25. Thou receivedst thy good things Yet a sense they have otherwise how can we be humbled under Crosses or give thanks for Blessings 2dly We may complain of the delay of comfort God's Children have done so Psal. 6. 3. But thou O Lord how long Psal. 13. 1. How long wilt thou forget me Lord for ever how long wilt thou hide thy face from me So ver 2. How long shall mine enemies triumph over me Psal. 94. 3. Lord how long shall the wicked how long shall the wicked triumph How long shall they utter and speak hard things and all the workers of iniquity boast themselves Reasons 1. Partly because Prayer giveth ease 't is a vent to strong affections 2. It reviveth the work of Faith Hope and Patience 3. Though God knoweth when to bestow Blessings yet he will not blame the desires of his Children after them USE Well then let us seek comfort and complain not of God but to God Complaints of God give a vent to murmurings but complaints to God to Faith Hope and Patience 1. Refer the kind
I am afflicted very sore O Lord quicken me Doct. We must not give over Prayer though our afflictions be never so great and heavy Why because 1. Nothing is too hard for God he hath ways of his own to save and preserve his People when we are at a loss This was the glory of Abraham's Faith that he accounted God was able to raise up Isaac from the dead Heb. 11. 19. difficult cases are fit for God to deal in to shew his Divine Power When means have spent their allowance then is it time to try what God can do Psal. 142. 4 5. I looked on my right hand and beheld but there was no man that would know me refuge failed me no man cared for my soul. I cried unto thee O Lord I said Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living When all things fail God faileth not 2. We must still pray Faith must express something above sense or else living by Faith and living by sense cannot be distinguished In desperate cases then is the glory of Faith seen Iob 13. 15. Though he should kill me yet I will trust in him In defiance of all discouragement we should come and profess our dependance upon God Use. To condemn those that despond and give over all treaty with God as soon as any difficulty doth arise whereas this should sharpen Prayer rather than discourage us This is man's temper when troubles are little and small then to neglect God when great then to distrust God A little head-ach will not send us to the Physician nor the scratch of a Pin to the Chyrurgion So if our troubles be little they do not move us to seek after God but we are secure and careless but when our troubles are smart sore and pressing then we are discouraged and give over all hopes so hard a matter is it to bring Man to God to keep an even frame neither to slight the hand of God nor to faint under it as we have direction to avoid both Extremes Heb. 12. 5. to cherish a due sense of our troubles with a regular confidence in God That he prays you have seen Now what he prays for He doth not say deliver me but quicken me Doct. Strength and Support under Afflictions is a great Blessing to be sought from God and acknowledged as a Favor as well as Deliverance 1. You shall see this is promised as a Favor Isa. 40. 31. They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength That is shall not faint nor be weary but mount up as it were with wings as Eagles they shall have a new supply of grace enabling them to bear and hold out till the deliverance cometh They that wait upon the Lord do not always see the end of their troubles but are quickned comforted and strengthned in them they shall renew their strength 2. This is accepted by the Saints with thanksgiving and valued by them as a special answer of prayer they value it more than temporal deliverance itself many times as 2 Cor. 12. 9 10. Paul prays for the removal of the thorn in the flesh thrice when God only gives him this answer My grace is sufficient for thee saith Paul then I 'll rejoice in mine infirmities so I might have strength and support in grievous weaknesses reproaches and afflictions whatever they be So Psal. 138. 3. In the day when I cried thou answeredst me and strengthnedst me with strength in my soul. That 's noted as a special answer of Prayer How did he hear him with strength in my soul. Though he did not give him deliverance he gave him support so that was acknowledged as a very great mercy 3. There are many Cases wherein we cannot expect temporal deliverance then we must only go for quickning and support when by a lingring disease we are drawing down to the chambers of death and our outward strength is clean spent and gone then have we support that 's a great mercy Psal. 73. 26. when strength fail and heart fail God is the strengtâ—… of my heart and portion for ever That is to have his heart quickned by God in the languishing of a mortal disease So 2 Cor. 4. 16. Though our outward man perish yet our inward man is renewed day by day There are many troubles that cannot be avoided and therefore we are then to be earnest with God for spiritual strength Use. Well then you see upon what occasion we should go for grace rather than for temporal deliverance we should pray from the new nature not deliver me but quicken me and if the Lord should suspend deliverance why that will be our strength in time of trouble Psal. 37. 39. The salvation of the righteous is of the Lord he is their strength in the time of trouble But more particularly let us take notice of this Request Quicken me saith he Doct. Quickning Grace must be asked of God 1. What is quickning 2. Why asked of God 1 First What is this quickning Quickning in Scripture is put for two things 1. For Regeneration or the first infusion of the life of grace as Ephes. 2. 5. And you that were dead in trespasses and sins hath he quickned That is infused life or making to live a new life 2. It is put for the renewed excitations of God's grace God's breathing upon his own work God that begins life in our souls carries on this life and actuates it Now this kind of quickning is twofold spoken of in this Psalm there is quickning in duties and quickning in afflictions quickning in duties that 's opposite to deadness of spirit quickning in affliction that 's opposite to faintness 1 Quickning in duties that 's opposite to that deadness of spirit which creeps upon us now and then and is occasioned either by our negligence or by our carnal liberty that deadness of spirit that doth hinder the activity of grace 1. By our negligence and sloathfulness in the spiritual life when we do not stir up our selves Isa. 64. 6. There is none that stirreth up himself to take hold on thee When Men grow careless and neglectful in their souls An Instrument though never so well in tune yet if hang up and laid by soon grows out of order so when our hearts are neglected when they are not under a constant exercise of grace a deadness creeps upon us Wells are the sweeter for the draining Our graces they are more fresh and lively the more they are kept a work otherwise they lose their vitality A Key rusts that is seldom turned in the Lock and therefore negligence is a cause of this deadness 2 Tim. 1. 6. Stir up the gift that is in thee We must blow up the ashes There needs blowing if we would keep in the fire we grow dead and lukewarm and cold in the spiritual life for want of exercise 2. This deadness is occasioned by carnal liberty Psal. 119. 37. Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity and quicken thou me
if we have any faith in him faith will work by love Gal. 5. 6. The soul may reason and discourse thus with itself Do I believe Christ Jesus did thus willingly give himself for my soul how can I be backward in God's service and hang off from him O let me live to Christ who loved me and gave himself for me Gal. 2. 20. What shall I be more backward to do for God than Christ was to die for me To go to the Throne of Grace than Christ Jesus was to go the Cross Can I hang off from such pleasing Noble Service when Jesus Christ my Lord refus'd not the hard work of my Redemption If his Will was in it certainly so should be yours Doct. 3. The third Point That these free-will-offerings are accepted with God They shall come with Rams speaking of the conversion of the Gentiles in terms proper to the old legal dispensation and they shall come with acceptance Isa. 6. 7. And Mal. 3. 4. Then shall the offering of Iudah and Ierusalem be pleasant unto the Lord. Upon what grounds and what way our acceptance with God is brought about our works in themselves cannot please God they are accepted not as merits but as testimonies of thankfulness 1. Our persons are by Christ reconciled to God and in worship he delights This is the proper importance of laying the Peace-offering upon the top of the Burnt offering Lev. 3. 10. 2. Our infirmities are cover'd with his Righteousness for Christ is the Propitiation the Mercy-seat that interposeth between the Law and God's gracious Audience We come to the Throne of Grace when we come to God in and by him Heb. 4. 16. 3. By his intercession our duties are commended to God As Aaron was to stand before the Lord with his Plate upon his forehead wherein was writ Holiness to the Lord why That he might bear the iniquity of the people that they might be accepted of the Lord. All our acceptance comes from Christ's intercession and alas our Prayers and Praises are unsavoury Eruptations Belches of the Flesh as they come from us a great deal of infirmity we mingle with them we mingle Brimstone with our Incense and Sweet Spices therefore provoke the Lord to abhor and despise us but there 's an Angel stands by the Altar that perfumes all our Prayers and Praises How should this encourage us against the slightings of the world and discouragements of our own hearts and look after the testimony of our acceptance with God Doct. 4. The fourth Point That this gracious acceptance must be sought and valu'd as a great blessing Psal 19. 14. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight O Lord. And it must be valu'd as a great blessing if we consider either who the Lord is or what we are or what it is we go to him for If we consider who the Lord is God all sufficient that standeth in no need of what we can do that cannot be profited by us he is of so great a Majesty that his honour is rather lessned than greatned by any thing we can do the great-Author of all blessings all our offerings come from himself first of thine own have we given thee And if we consider what we are poor impotent sinful Creatures will God take an offering at our hands And if we consider what we do nothing but imperfection there is more of us in it of our fleshly part in any thing we do yet that these things should be accepted with God SERMON CXIX PSAL. CXIX VER 109. My soul is continually in my hand yet do I not forget thy law IN this Verse and the next David asserts his Integrity against two sorts of Temptations and ways of Assault the Violence and Craft of his Enemies Their Violence in this Verse My soul is in my hand And their Craft in the next Verse They laid snares for me And yet still his heart is upright with God In this Verse observe 1 David's condition My soul is continually in my hand 2 His constancy and perseverance notwithstanding that condition Yet do I not forget thy law First Let me speak of the condition he was now in in that Expression My soul is continually in my hand The soul in the hand is a Phrase often us'd in Scripture it is said of Iephthah Judg. 12. 13. I put my life in my hands and passed over against the children of Ammon So Job 13. 14. Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth and put my life in my hand And when David went to encounter Goliah 1 Sam. 17. 5. it is said He put his life in his hand and slew the Philistines In exposing our selves to any hazard and dangers in any great attempt it is call'd the putting our life in our hand And the Witch of Endor when she ventur'd against a Law to please Saul and so had exposed her life this form of speech is used concerning her 1 Sam. 28. 21. I have put my life in my hand Briefly then By Soul is meant Life and this is said to be in his hand I go in danger of my life day by day as if he should say I have my Soul ready divorc'd when God calls for it it not only notes liableness to danger but resolution and courage to encounter it In a sense we always carry our Souls in our hands our life hangs by a single thread which is soon fretted asunder and therefore we should every day be praying that it may not be taken from us as the Souls of wicked men are Iob 27. 8. Luke 12. 20. but yielded up and resign'd to God But more especially is the Expression verifi'd when we walk in the midst of dangers and in a thousand deaths my soul is in my hand that is I am expos'd to dangers that threaten my life every day Secondly Here 's his Affection to God's Word notwithstanding this condition Yet do I not forget thy law There is a twofold remembrance of things Notional and Affective and so there 's a twofold forgetfulness 1 Notional We forget the Word when the notion of things written therein are either wholly or in part vanish'd out of our minds 2 Affectively We are said to forget the Word of God when though we still retain the Notion yet we are not answerably affected do not act according thereunto and this is that which is understood here I do not forget thy Law Law is taken generally for any part of the Word of God and implies the Word of Promise as well as the Word of Command As for instance 1. If we interpret it of the Promise the sense will be this I do not forget thy Law that is I take no discouragements from my dangers to let fall my trust as if there were no Providence no God to take care of those that walk closely with him Heb. 12. 5. when they fainted they are said to have forgotten the consolation which spake unto
be had thereby Others not as Talents and so are more indifferent whether they get good by them yea or no but when all these are regarded we act best in any service or Ordinance Now as this is true of Ordinances in general so especially of Prayer which is a sweet means of Communion with God not to be done as a task herein we make an Immediate address to God and come to set him a work and to take proof of his Power and Goodness to see what he will do for his People We put it I say to the Trial as in that extraordinary Case Elijah puts his Contest with Baals Priests upon this issue that God that should answer by Fire he should be God 1 Kings 18. 24. so ordinarily we put in Prayer to Trial whether God hath any respect to his People and that with Gods own leave and incouragement for he hath said that none shall seek his Face in vain Isa. 45. 19. We put it to proof whether he will keep touch with his people and be able and willing to perform what he hath promised Therefore we use this duty in vain and in a Cursory way if we be not earnest for an answer which the Saints dare not do II. Not looking for an Answer proceedeth from an ill Cause 1. Heedlesness not considering what they do and then their prayers are the sacrifice of Fools Eccl. 5. 1 2. Surely attention to holy Duties and that we should consider what we are about 't is the most serious and important part of our lives Now men that do not consider why thy pray are heedless and unattentive and rash 2. Atheism There is a touch of it in this sin Heb. 11. 6. He that cometh unto God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him Gods Being and his Bounty that there is a God and that he will be good to them that seek him these they do not believe stedfastly these primitive and supream Truths of Gods Being and Bounty Essence and Providence but only comply with the common custom and fashion for were they perswaded that there is a God and that he is good to Mankind and will reward those that Worship him sincerely they would see what cometh of their Duties and Prayers to him 3. Distrust which is next a kin to Atheisme Iob 21. 15. What profit have we if we pray unto him Mal. 3. 14. Ye have said 't is in vain to serve God what profit is it that we have kept his Ordinances c. Now when you look for nothing we do in effect say so for you carry it as if nothing would come of your prayers and fasts They that are perswaded that God heareth them they will wait for the answer of their Prayers 1 Ioh. 5. 14 15. And this is Confidence that we have in him that if we ask any thing according to his Will he heareth us and if we know that he hears us whatsoever we ask we know that we have the Petitions that we desired of him But low and slight thoughts of God and his Service begets this Carelesness something they do but never look after what they do 4. It argues some dis-esteem of Gods favour and acceptance they care not whether he hath any respect for them yea or no for they do not so much as enquire of it Oh how contrary is this to the temper of Gods People if God hide his face they are troubled Psal. 30. 7. he is the Life of their lives Lord list thou up the light of thy Countenance upon us Psal. 4. 7. The seasoning of their Comforts is Gods accepting their Works Eccl. 9. 7. How passionately do they beg for a glimpse for a token for good Psal. 86. 17. Nothing goeth so near their hearts as when the Lord hideth himself from their prayers Psal. 22. 2. I cry in the day-time and thou hearest not in the night season and am not silent Iob 30. 20. I cry unto thee and thou dost not hear me I stand up and thou regardest me not A dumb Oracle is a great trouble they make a business of Prayer therefore 't is very grievous to have no answer not to see their signs to have no token for good The Church taketh it bitterly to heart Lam. 3. 14. Thou hast covered thy self with a Cloud that our prayers should not pass through that Cloud is his Wrath by reason of sin Now to have no affection this way argueth a stupid sottish Spirit These are two Reasons of the Point III. If we do not look after Gods answer our loss is exceeding great We lose our labour in prayer yea return worse than we came with more hardness of heart and neglect of God Yea that 's not all the loss of a prayer with a degree of Spiritual Judgment but we lose Confirmation of Faith for answers of prayer are notable Props to the Soul to support our Faith in the truth of Gods Being Psal. 65. 2. O thou that hearest Prayer unto thee shall all flesh come Every one shall own thee for God So many answers of Prayer so many Arguments against natural Atheism We have challenged him upon his word and find there is a God So of the truth of the promises Psal. 18. 30. thy Word is a tried Word I will build upon it another time you have put them in suit and ever found them good Now all these Experiences are lost if we do not look for an answer of our prayers 2. You lose Excitements to Love and Obedience Nothing so much increaseth our Love to God as when we see that he is mindful of us upon all occasions especially in our deep necessities Psal. 116. 1. I will love the Lord because he hath heard the voice of my Supplication Every experience in this kind is a new fewel laid on to encrease the Fire 3. We lose incouragements to pray again Psal. 116. 2. Because he hath inclined his ear to me I will call upon him so long as I live The Throne of Grace shall not be neglected and unfrequented by me I see there is Mercy to be had help to be had One Adventure succeeding encourageth another Psal. 32. 6. For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee Because David found such ready Audience and Dispatch 4. You lose the benefit of sensible Communion with God Taking Communion for familiarity it lyeth in Donatives and Duties Prayers and Blessings and there is a Commerce between the Heavens and the Earth by Vapours and Showres Prayers go up and Blessings come down As it was told Cornelius Acts 10. 4. Thy Prayers and thine Alms are come up for a Memorial before God and down come the Blessings upon us 5. God loseth Honour and Praise and thanksgiving if we do not look for an answer For the Answer as 't is matter of Comfort to us so it should be matter of Praise to God Psal. 50. 15. Call upon me in the day of
glances and imperfect knowledg of our estate and so are not affected as we should a particular view of things most works with us Look as Christ the more particularly he is set forth the more taking is the object when the lump of sweetness is dissolved then it is tasted The more particularly we pry into our estate the more we are affected and the more we shall see of the deceitfulness of our own hearts When every one shall know his own sore and grief 2 Chron. 8. 29. 4. It will be of great advantage in the spiritual life to declare often our whole estate to God for the more men know themselves the more they mind God and their heavenly calling Those men that make conscience of declaring themselves to God will ever find lusts to be mortified doubts to be resolved graces to be strengthned A man that doth not look after his estate it runs into decay insensibly before he is aware So when men grow negligent of their hearts and never think of giving an account to God all runs to wast in the soul. Searching and self-examining Christians will be the most serious Christians for as they have a more distinct affective sense of their condition so they always find more work to do in the spiritual life They come to know what are their sins and assaults and conflicts and what further strength they may have in the way of holiness and by this account they are engaged to walk more exactly that they may not provide matter against themselves 1 Pet. 3. 7. that their prayers be not hindred that they may look God in the face with more confidence USE 1. Let us clearly and openly declare our condition to the Lord our griefs and sorrows and so our sins First Our griefs and sorrows Two things will quicken you to this 1. The inconvenience of any other way What will you do If you swallow your griefs that will oppress the heart The more we unbosome our selves to a friend the more we find ease vent and utterance doth lessen our passion An Oven stopt up is hotter within so the more close we are the more we keep our own counsel the greater is our burden Look as wind when it is imprisoned in the caverns of the earth it causeth violent Convulsions and Earthquakes but if it find vent all is quiet so it is with the heart when troubles are kept close then they become the greater burden they make the heart stormy full of discontent but when we open our selves as Hannah did her case to God 1 Sam. 1. 8. we are no more sad or if we go to any thing on this side God our troubles encrease When a man hath sorrow upon his heart it is not the next ditch will yield him refreshing and comfort but he must go to the fountain of living water If we be afraid of an enemy without our business is to strike in with God Prov. 16. 7. When a mans ways please the Lord he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him God hath the command of all things he is first to be treated with then there is hope and relief in God When we are humble and tractable in our affliction when we come and represent our case to him the very thing gives us some hope for the Lord doth all out of mercy Therefore the very representing our misery as David Psal. 69. 29. But I am poor and sorrowful that we are in a miserable forlorn condition if you have nothing else to plead this is that which moves God and works upon his bowels Look as beggars to move pity will uncover their sores that as it were by a silent Oratory they may extort and draw forth relief from you so go to the Lord and acquaint him with your condition some hope will arise hence Lord I am weak and poor deliver me that 's all the argument 2. As to sins let me tell you Go to God with clearness and openness reveal your whole state tell him what are your temptations and conflicts and how your heart works Though he knows it already by his own Omnisciency yet let him know it by your own acknowledgments Let him not know it as a Judg take notice of it so as to punish you but go deal plainly and confess your sins To this end 1. There will be need of light that you may be able to judg of things Heb. 5. 14. They have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil When a man hath not only a speculative knowledg but hath his senses exercised able to judg of the workings of his own heart he can discern what 's of flesh and what 's of spirit and so can give an account to God When we have not only some naked Theory we shall be able to see what 's a temptation where our help and where our weakness lyes 2. There needs observation of the workings of our own hearts A man that would give an account to God need to observe himself narrowly and keep his heart above all keepings David that saith here I declared my ways saith elsewhere I considered my ways It is but a formal account we can give without serious consideration We must therefore keep our hearts with all diligence Prov. 4. 23. 3. There needs in many cases a serious search for instance in deep desertion when God withdraws the light of his countenance and men have not those wonted influences of grace those glimpses of favour and quicknings of spirit and enlargings of heart Psal. 77. 6. I call to remembrance my song in the night I commune with mine own heart and my spirit made diligent search When under any despair of soul trace it to its original cause wherein I have grieved the Spirit of God So Lam. 3. 40. Let us search and try our ways There needs a very distinct and serious enquiry into the state of our souls that we may deal ingenuously with God and lay open our selves before him II. The second clause And the Lord heard me Doct. After an ingenuous and open declaration of our selves to God we find audience with him So did David and so do all the Saints He was never yet wanting to his people that deal sincerely with him in prayer How doth God manifest his audience either inwardly by the Spirit or outwardly by Providence First Inwardly by his Spirit when he begets a perswasion of their acceptance with God leaves an impression of confidence upon their hearts and a quietness in looking for the thing they had asked Before they have an answer of Providence they have a perswasion of heart that their Prayer hath been accepted There 's a great deal of difference between accepting a Prayer and granting a Prayer Gods acceptance is as soon as we Pray but the thing we beg for is another thing and distinct 1 John 5. 14 15. This is the confidence that we have in him that if we ask any thing according to his Will he
here they would be incouraged by his Example cheerfully to expect the same deliverance from God In the Example of one sufferer there is a pawn given to all the rest 't is for the Edification and Encouragement of others to be acquainted with our Experiences of God's Mercy to us Psalm 66. 16. Come near all ye that fear God and I will declare what he hath done for my Soul all are concerned for they have the same necessities have interest in the same God the same Promises the same Mediator and the same Covenant so that to be acquainted with the passages of Divine Providence towards others is a great help to teach us more of God that we may learn to magnisy his Power And partly by this means their hearts are more knit to one another in Spiritual Love when they pray for one another as for their own Souls and rejoyce as in their own deliverance it maintaineth Unity among us God loveth to pleasure many of his Children at once and to interest them in the same Mercy and so we receive the Mercy others intercede for and give thanks for it Love in the Spirit is seen in praying and Praising God for one another And partly too because it doth oblige us to more frequent acts of Worship we can never want an errand to the Throne of Grace or an opportunity of Worship for our selves or others to Pray with them or to offer Praise with them and for them 4. Joy is Communicative Mourning apart is good Peter went out and wept bitterly Matth. 26. 75. And Ieremiah saith when he would weep for the People Ier. 13. 17. My Soul shall weep in secret places for your Pride And Zach. 12. 12 13. They shall mourn every Family apart the Family of the house of David apart and their Wives apart c. Sorrow affecteth Solitude and retiredness where no Eye seeth but God's but joy doth best in Company and in Consort as the Woman called her Neighbours to rejoyce with her Luke 15. Because she had found the lost Groat So we must stir up one another to rejoyce in God Besides Mercies may be told to many but not our griefs therefore the Godly will be flocking together to help them in Praises as well as Prayers 'T is not onely commendable to beg their help in Prayer but we should call upon them to Praise God with us Psalm 34. 3. O magnify the Lord with me and let us exalt his Name together We are bound to be witnesses of one anothers thankfulness and to assist one another in the Praises of God Use is Information of Five things 1. It sheweth us the Lawfulness yea the Conveniency yea in some sort the Necessity of Publick Thanksgiving for Private Mercies 'T is Lawfull we read of paying Vows in the great Congregation Psalm 22. 22. Psalm 40. 9. 'T is highly convenient and usefull partly that the People of God may flock together and make a Crown of Praise for God Psalm 22. 3. He inhabiteth the Praises of Israel he delighteth to be in the midst of his People when they Praise him And partly that by the thankfulness of others we may be quickened to remember our own Mercies as one Bird sets all the Flock a cherping And partly that we may quicken others by our help And partly to shew a Christ-like Love to them by being affected with their Miseries and rejoycing in their Mercies Well these things should quicken us to joyn with others in their thanksgiving for their private Mercies so to raise a spirituall affection in us in the performance of those duties And as 't is Lawfull so 't is Necessary other men's Mercies may be our Mercies as well as theirs you are concerned in the Mercy if you have Prayed for it We are to love God for hearing our Prayers for others as well as for our selves Eli gave thanks and solemnly worshipped God for Hannah's sake because he had before prayed for her and therefore Praised God for her who had heard his Prayers in her behalf Compare 1 Sam. 1. 28. when Hannah told him what the Lord had done Eli falls a worshipping the Lord he had prayed for her before in the 17 verse The Lord grant thee thy Petition which thou askest of him Every answer of Prayer is a new proof or fresh experience of God's Love and special Respect to us 't is a sign that God regardeth us and is mindfull of us nay 't is a sign of God's Favour when he will not onely hear us for our selves but for others also If a man come to a King he will say if you had asked for your self I would have granted you 't is a special honour to interceed for others which God putteth upon his choice Servants Gen. 20. 7. Abraham shall pray for thee and thou shalt live Job 42. 8. My Servant Iob shall pray for you and him will I accept God will hear his Servants for others when he will not hear them for themselves If our Prayers had returned into our own Bosoms as David's for his Enemies Psalm 35. 13. if God as an answer had given you onely the comfort of the discharge of your duty Luke 10. 6. If they be not worthy your peace shall return to you again This were matter of Praise much more now the Mercy is obtained All this is spoken to shew that there should be more Life and Spiritual affection in those Duties which we perform in the behalf of others 2. It informeth us of the excellency of Communion of Saints there is such a Fellowship and Communion between all the Members of Christ's mystical Body that they Mourn together and Rejoyce together the Grace vouchsafed to one is cause of rejoycing to all the rest they drive on a joint trade for Heaven and rejoyce in one anothers Comforts as if they were their own in one anothers Gifts and Graces as if they were their own in one anothers Supports and Deliverances as if they were their own We read of Joy in Heaven at the conversion of Sinners they rejoyce at our welfare praising and lauding God so there is also Joy on Earth when any spiritual Benefit is imparted if any be gotten to a God like Nature they give thanks to God They that fear thee will be glad when they see me Acts 4. 32. The multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one Soul there was a great multitude many thousand Souls here was the primitive simplicity the Christians were so united as if they had but one Heart and Soul among them and it was an usual saying Aspice ut se mutuo diligunt Christiani see how the Christians love one another 't was otherwise afterwards no wild Beasts are so fierce to one another as one Christian has been to another Surely it concerneth all that fear God and hope in his Word to be of one Heart and of one Mind as much as may be Lesser differences should not make void this Christ-like Love
want of those good things for which he comes and his unability to supply himself with any thing without God nay his ill deservings how just he might be denied of God and cursed by all manner of plagues how he hath forfeited all manner of blessings this must be at the bottom 2. The Sacrifices implied an eying of the Redeemer by vertue of whose oblation and intercession we are accepted with God for every one that came with his Sacrifice was to lay his hand upon the head of the Beast to put his sins there to shew Christ bore the iniquity of us all and in every Prayer we make there is this Evangelical Equity by vertue of the old Sacrifice remaining upon us that we should eye the Redeemer even Christ Jesus our Lord Who hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savor Eph. 5. 2. He is the Expiatory Sacrifice and therefore in all our supplicatory or gratulatory offerings to God we must still look to him The word an offering relates to things destitute of life that were dedicated to God as Flour Oil Frankincense that which was signified thereby was accomplish'd in Christ And for the other word Sacrifice gave himself as an offering and sacrifice The Beasts whose blood was shed those things which had life in them were call'd a real Sacrifice offer'd to God to appease his justice Thus Christ Jesus was given as a Sacrifice to obtain all manner of blessings for us We should look upon God as an Allsufficient Fountain of grace and the Author of every good gift depending upon him for his goodness and bounty for Christ's sake 3. In Sacrifices there was implied a renewing of Covenant so the Lord saith Psal. 50. 5. Gather my Saints together that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice As they did dedicate the Beast offer'd to God so was the Worshipper to dedicate himself to God Now we must renew this dedication of our selves to the Lord's service all this was morally in the Sacrifices and is to be done every day in our future prayers with brokenness of heart eying our Redeemer casting our whole dependance upon him and in a sense of his love dedicating and devoting our selves to God Secondly For the other duty of Thanksgiving and Praise for mercies receiv'd Every point and passage of his undeserv'd favor to be own'd and praise thereof to be given to God and still to look on all done not for our sakes but for the sake of Christ Jesus You read under the Law Lev. 3. 3. when the thank-offering was brought to God it was to be laid upon the top of the burnt-offering First they were to bring the burnt-offering and offer that to God then to lay upon it the peace or thank-offering to shew that first we must be reconcil'd to God and by vertue of that all mercies descend and come down upon us and then upon this solemn occasion they were to give up themselves anew to the Lord. So the Apostle presseth this Rom. 12. 1. I beseech you Brethren by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service And this is one part of the offering of our lips namely when we come solemnly by vertue of every mercy receiv'd and promise obedience anew and afresh to God To apply this 1 Are you Priests 2 Do you offer Sacrifices of prayer and praise to God continually First Are you Priests unto God Are you Priests by separation Hath God call'd you out from amongst men Psal. 4. 3. The Lord hath set apart the man that is godly for himself Hath God call'd you off from sin to holiness from Self to Christ from the Creature to God For these are the three things wherein Conversion consists From the Creature to God as our last end from Self to Christ as the onely means to come to God and from sin to holiness as the onely way to get an interest in Christ. Are you call'd off from the common course of living wherein most men are involv'd that you may live and act for God Are you Priests by Unction Are you anointed by the Spirit as to gifts and graces and qualifi'd and made meet for this holy ministration unto God Christ hath purchas'd gifts in some measure for his people For as we were maim'd in Adam not only as to graces but also as to gifts so is our restitution by Christ that the plaister may be as broad as the sore We have necessary gifts given us by vertue of his Ascension whereby we may lay open our state and case to God Indeed all God's people have not a like measure of gifts and carnal men may come behind in no gift therefore have you the grace of prayer Zech. 12. 10. I will pour upon them the spirit of grace and supplication Have you a heart qualifi'd by grace made meet to converse with God The tendency and disposition of your souls that carrieth you to God Grace that seeks a vent and utterance in prayer and holy converses with God And are you Priests by Purgation Every Priest was to be washt in the great Laver Are you washt and purg'd from sin that you may serve God acceptably Mal. 3. 3. first they must be purifi'd then offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness God will not take a gift out of a carnal man's hand and therefore you should look to this that you be purifi'd and purg'd Secondly Do you offer spiritual Sacrifices to God of Prayer and Praise 1. Prayer a duty very kindly to the Saints It is natural to them it is as it were the sphere of their activity the Spirit discovers himself to men in Prayer as soon as they are converted to God they will fall a praying and be dealing with God often in this kind therefore the children of God are described by this as a duty wherein they are most exercis'd Zeph. 3. 10. My Suppliants And Psal. 24. 6. This is a generation of them that seek thee To shew this is a vital act a usual and constant expressing of the new nature that is put into them surely they that love God will be always seeking him and a broken heart sensible of its condition can never want an Errand to the Throne of Grace You are to offer Sacrifices as they did under the Law now under the Law there was a daily Sacrifice every morning they were to offer a Lamb without spot Num. 28. 3. to shew that every morning they should come and sue out their pardon by Christ and every evening to look to the Messiah the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the World that was the intent of the Type Now I reason thus certainly we have as much need as they we are sinners as well as that people which liv'd under that dispensation therefore every morning we must look to the Lamb of God Nay we have more reason for
glorified it and will glorifie it again There was the innocent inclination of his humane Nature Father save me from this hour and the over-ruling sense of his duty or the obligation of his office But for this cause came I to this hour We are often tossed and tumbled between inclinations of Nature and Conscience of Duty but in a gracious heart it prevaileth above the desire of our own comfort and satisfaction the Soul is cast for any course that God shall see fittest for his Glory Nature would be rid of trouble but Grace submitteth all interests to Gods Honour that should be dearer to us than any thing else were it not selfishness and want of zeal that would be our greatest interest SERMON CXXXIV PSAL. CXIX VER 122. Be Surety for thy Servant for good let not the proud oppress me USE It informeth us what reason there is to pray and wait with submission to the will of God God will answer us according to our trouble not always according to our will He is wiser than we for he knoweth that our own will would undo us If things were in our own hands we would never see an ill day and in this mixt estate that would not be good for us But all Weathers are necessary to make the Earth fruitful Rain as well as Sun-shine We must not mistake the use and efficacy of prayer We are not as Sovereigns to govern the World at our pleasure but as Supplicants humbly to submit our desires to the supream Being Not to command as Dictators and obtrude any module upon God but to sollicite as servants Do good in thy good pleasure to Zion Psal. 51. 18. If we would have things done at our pleasure we should be the Judges and God only would have the place of the Executioner Our wills would be the supream and chief reason of all things But this God cannot endure therefore beg him to do good but according to his own good pleasure 1. Let us submit to God for the mercy it self in what kind we shall have it whether temporal spiritual or eternal If God see ease good for us we shall have it if deliverance good for us we shall have it Psal. 128. 2. or give us strength in our souls or hasten our Glory We should be as a Die in the hand of Providence to be cast high or low as God pleaseth 1 Sam. 3. 18. It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good 2. Let us submit for the time Though Jesus loved Lazarus yet he abode still two days in the same place when he heard he was sick Iohn 11. 6. It is not for want of love if he doth not help us presently nor want of power Christ may dearly love us yet delay to help us even in extremity till a fit time come wherein his Glory may shine forth and the mercy be more conspicuous He doth not sleight us though he doth delay us he will chuse that time which maketh most for his own Glory Submit to Gods dispensations and in due time you shall see a reason of them 3. Let us submit for the way and means We know not what God is a doing Iohn 13. 6 7. Then cometh he to Simon Peter and Peter saith unto him Lord dost thou wash my feet Iesus answered and said unto him What I do thou knowest not but thou shalt know hereafter No wonder we are much in the dark if we consider first that the Worker of these works is Wonderful in counsel and excellent in working Isai. 28. 29. infinitely beyond Politicians whose projects and purposes are often hidden from us therefore much more his Secondly That the ways of his working are very strange and imperceptible for he maketh things out of nothing Rom. 4. 17. And calleth those things that be not as though they were one contrary out of another as light out of darkness 2 Cor. 4. 6. meat out of the Eater Enemies catched in their own Snare Thirdly That his end in working is not to satisfie our sense and curiosity Isai. 48. 7. They are created now and not from the beginning even before the day when thou heardest them not lest thou shouldest say Behold I knew them Isai. 42. 16. I will bring the blind by a way they know not I will lead them in paths that they have not known He chuseth such a way as may leave enemies to harden their hearts Mic. 4. 12. But they know not the houghts of the Lord neither understand they his counsel for he shall gather them as the Sheaves into the Floor Secondly I now come to the literal explanation and there we have I. The evil deprecated Oppress me II. The persons likely to inflict it The proud I. The evil deprecated Let not the proud oppress me The Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let them not calumniate me The Septuagint take this word for oppression or violent injustice and therein are followed by St. Luke Chap. 3. 14. Chap. 19. 8. Doctr. Oppression is a very grievous evil and often deprecated by the people of God 1. I shall shew you what oppression is It is an abuse of power to unjust and uncharitable actions That it is an abuse of power appeareth by the object of it who are those that are usually oppressed that is either the poor and needy Deut. 24. 14. Thou shalt not oppress an hired servant that is poor and needy whether he be of thy brethren or of thy strangers within thy Gates the fatherless and the widow are mentioned Ier. 7. 6. Ye shall not oppress the stranger the fatherless and the widow the stranger Zach. 7. 10. And oppress not the widow nor the fatherless the stranger nor the poor and Exod. 22. 21 22 23. Thou shalt neither vex a stranger nor oppress him for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt Ye shall not afflict any widow or fatherless Child if thou afflict them in any wise and they cry at all to me I will surely hear their cry 2. The Subject or Agent by whom 't is practised The proud the mighty rich great man at least comparatively in regard of the wronged party Eccl. 4. 1. And on the side of their oppressours there was power but the oppressed had no comforter Job 35. 9. By reason of the multitude of oppressours they make the oppressed cry and by reason of the arm of the mighty Secondly The base and mean when they get power into their hands to oppress the rich noble and honourable Isai. 3. 5. And the people shall be oppressed every one by another and every one by his neighbour the child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient and the base against the honourable It is commonly more insolent and cruel and contemptuous and despightful Prov. 28. 3. A poor man that oppresseth the poor is like a sweeping rain that leaveth no food When men do unjust and uncharitable actions as when men bear it proudly or insolently towards them throwing them out of
Trouble and I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie me So Col. 4. 2. Continue in Prayer and watch in the same with thanksgiving We are to gather up matter of Praise to God we should not be so barren in gratulation if we did observe more of these experiences You would not only be glorifying God by way of invocation but Commemoration you may Commend him to others from your own experience Psal. 34. 8. O taste and see that the Lord is good 1. Use. Is to reprove them that throw away their Prayers and never look after them that play with such a Duty as this as Children that shoot away their Arrows and never look where they light Surely this argueth great Contempt and low Thoughts of God Formality in prayer and Stupidness of Heart It bespeaks low thoughts of God and of his Providence for if they did believe such a particular Providence reacheth to all persons and things they would study to produce some of these Experiences to be able to say I was in such a streight and God delivered me Psal. 34. 6. This poor man cryed unto the Lord and he heard him Great Formality in Prayer for if we pray not out of Course but in good earnest we cannot but hearken after the speeding of our requests Great stupidity of Spirit hearts that have any sense of life in them are observing Gods dealings and suit their Carriage accordingly Lively Christians are putting Cases 2. Use. Is to press us to hearken after the Answer of our Prayers Gods Children do so and get much Comfort thereby and Evidence of his Love Psal. 66. 18 19. But verily God hath heard me he hath attended to the voice of my Cry 't is no small favour and respect we have from Gods love to us 't is a great owning of our Persons our Mercies are the sweeter there is a double lustre and beauty put upon them when they come in the way of prayer out of the hand of God not by a Common Providence but by Covenant and by vertue of the Covenant put in suit by us as well as granted by God which is a pledge of God's respect to us To this End 1. Be perswaded that God will hear you and answer you when you pray according to his Will 1 Ioh. 5. 14. And this is the Confidence that we have in him that if we ask any thing according to his Will he heareth us This is absolutely necessary for all that will pray aright and mind what they do for none can come to God aright but those that are perswaded they shall be the better for coming to him Iames 1. 5. Pray in Faith nothing wavering There must be a relying upon God if indeed we pray to him He that expects little in Prayer will neither be much in it nor serious about the answer of it 2. This Answer must be heedfully observed Careless Spirits will not easily discern it Psal. 130. 5 6. I wait for the Lord my soul doth wait and in his Word do I hope My soul waiteth for the Lord more then they that watch for the Morning I say more then they that watch for the Morning As those that watched in the Temple for the dawning of the day this earnest waiting is an happy Token when we make much of prayers they are not lost Therefore as they watched for the Word Brethren so must you wait upon God for some discovery of his Love by a gracious answer and return unto your Prayers 3. Sometimes God giveth an answer presently sometime it may be after some competent space of time 1. Sometimes presently as Cornelius in the time of Prayer and while the duty is a doing God giveth in some tokens of Acceptance as an Angel was sent to Cornelius at the ninth hour which was the hour of prayer to assure him that his prayers were heard and duties accepted Acts 10. 3. Peter and Iohn went up to pray at the ninth hour Acts 3. 1. So Daniel Whilst I was speaking and praying and Confessing my sin yea whilest I was speaking in prayer the Man Gabriel was caused to fly swiftly The Lord is ready to answer the prayers of his servants in the very instant of their praying So Acts 4. 3. While they prayed they were filled with the Holy-Ghost The Cases brought are singular and extraordinary as to the token and manner of Assistance but as to the substance of the Blessing 't is the common practice of Gods free Grace Isa. 58. 10. When they call I will answer while they are yet speaking I will hear Acts 12. 12 18. A Company was met together in Prayer when Peter in Prison heard of the time of his Deliverance 2. Sometimes a good while after the prayers are in Gods book Mal. 3. 16. Now these must be waited for My God will hear me Mich. 7. 7. We cannot say assoon as the prayer is made for he saith I will wait for the God of my Salvation Paul prayed thrice for the removal of the Messenger of Satan 2 Cor. 12. then God said My grace is sufficient for thee We must knock again and again God heareth assoon as the prayer is made but he taketh his own time to dispatch an answer Abraham prayeth for a Child but many years pass over till he hath him in his Armes 4. When God giveth an Answer own it as an Answer sometimes we will not take notice of what is before our Eyes out of deep distress of Spirit 't is said Iob 9. 16. Though I had called and he had answered yet would I not believe that he had hearkned to my Voice Thus we mis-interpret Gods dealings in our troubles that we will not own Gods work as an Answer 5. Consider the several ways how God giveth Answer to his Peoples prayers 1. Extraordinarily as in Ancient time so an Angel was sent to Cornelius to tell him his Prayers were heard So to Daniel so to Abel Heb. 11. 4. probably by Fire from Heaven by Vision to Abraham by Voyce or visible token to Moses and the High-Priest in the Tabernacle of the Congregation from above the Mercy-seat But these returns were proper to those times 2. Ordinary and this several wayes 1 Either by granting the Mercy prayed for as to Hannah 1 Sam. 1. 27. For this Child I prayed and the Lord hath given me the Petition I asked of him So to David Psal. 21. 2. Thou hast given him his hearts desire and hast not with-holden the request of his lips So often to his People when they have humbly sought to him Sometimes instantaneous at the very praying 1 Sam. 7. 9 10. And Samuel cryed unto the Lord for Israel and the Lord heard him and as Samuel was offering up the burnt-offering the Philistines drew neer to Battel against Israel and the Lord discomfited the Philistines Or by degrees when God is preparing Instruments before he giveth Consummate deliverance Acts 7. 34. I have heard their groanings and I will send thee into Aegypt Their