petition that his people â—enders but with a smiling countenance If it be a faithfull petition he accepts it of them and receives it graciously It is an expression of Luther speaking of the prayer of a contrite heart The least sigh of a contrite heart so fills heaven with noise that there is no noyse of any thing in heaven or earth heard at that time but onely the noyse of prayer Certainly a faithfull prayer taketh the heart of God very much yea every faithfull prayer is recorded in heaven You keep your letters upon the file that you may readily find them when you have occasion to look on such a letter sent from such a countrey so God hath his file in heaven where all faithfull prayers are kept upon record As Princes have their paper offices where transactions between one State another are kept so the Lord hath his prayer-office where he keeps all the prayers of his Saints that ever were put up to him Revel 8.3 Another Angel came and stood at the Altar having a golden censer and there was given him much incense that he should offer it with the prayers of all Saints Where were those prayers of all the Saints that he must take a censer and offer incense with God had them recorded with him and now they were to be offered to him And see what great things follow upon the offering of the prayers of the Saints vers 4. The smoak of the incense which came with the prayers of the Saints ascended up before God out of the Angels hand And the Angel took the censer c. and there were voyces and thunderings and lightnings and an earthquake These followed upon the prayers of the Saints It signified the time wherein all should come in remembrance before the Lord as if an Angel were offering yea Christ the Angel of the Covenant hath a time to take the prayers presented long ago and to offer them to God with his own incense They are all recorded in heaven therefore they are not in vain When a petition is taken and put upon record the petitioner petitioneth not in vain his petitionis not thrown out If a petition be presented to the Parliament and they take it and tell you it shall be kept on record and charge the Clerk to keep it there and say they will take due time to consider of it you will not say such a petition is in vain God doth so to all his people he takes their petitions and recordeth them they are all filed in heaven Yet further there is no faithfull petition but God puts his fiat to the bottome of it at the instant that it is put up to him There is a decree in heaven issued out for mercy at the very instant that the petition is put up God dealeth not with us in this kind as men do who are counted very gratious if they please to tell us they will consider of our petition no but your petition is presently gtanted A petitioner when there is time taken to consider of his petition trembles and shakes for fear it should not be granted but the petitions of the seed of Jacob are granted presently When Daniel had been seeking God at the evening sacrifice an Angel comes to him tells him that at the beginning of his prayer there was a decree to grant it and that he was sent to him at the beginning of his prayer Dan. 9.23 Psa 56.9 When I cry unto thee then shall mine enemies turn back this I know for God is for me Did not David cry oft and yet his enemies did not turn their backs when he cryed He cryed oft when his enemies prevailed yet he saith When I cried then mine enemies turned back and This I know why for God is for me The meaning must be this that at that instant that he cryed there was a decree in heaven the thing was done He looked on it as done even as certainly as if he had seen it with his eyes This is the reason that the Saints after they have prayed though the thing be not actually done fall to praising and blessing of God We have a notable example in Jehoshaphat of whom we reade 2. Chron. 20.3 that being in a great fear had set himself to seek the Lord and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah He did not seek God slightly but set himself to seek the Lord. And what his prayer was ye may see from vers 6. to 12. And Jehoshaphat said O Lord God of our fathers art not thou God in heaven and rulest over all Kingdomes Mark how he pleadeth with God for the Covenant he had made vers 8. Speaking of the Sanctuary they had built for his names sake If when evil commeth upon us as the sword judgement or pestilence or famine we stand before this house and in thy presence for thy name is in this house and cry unto thee in our affliction then thou wilt hear and help He urgeth the promise made to Solomon at the dedication of the Temple For that prayer of Faith which Solomon made and God accepted hath the strength of a promise in it O our God saith he wilt thou not judge them for we have no might against this great company that commeth against us neither know we what to do but our eyes are upon thee Though he profest that his enemies were so many that he knew not what to do and that they had no might to resist them yet after his prayer was done and before the battell began when he had consulted with the people he appointed singers unto the Lord and that should praise for the beauty of holinesse as they went out before the Army and to say Praise the Lord for his mercie indureth for ever vers 21. Mark he had not yet gotten the victory the battell was not fought yet as soon as he had ended his prayer he praised the Lord for his mercie indureth for ever He made account that the thing was done It was decreed in heaven Therefore surely the people of God do not seek him in vain Nay it is not onely decreed but ere long God will satisfie his people and fill their longing souls with goodnesse Psal 107.9 A time shall come when they shall say their prayers are heard and that they have enough Yea the Lord giveth more sometimes then his people mention in their prayer they ask temporall blessings and he bestoweth spirituall yea he giveth them himself and that is all in all Surely then the prayers of the Saints are not in vain But wherein lyeth the efficacy of prayer What makes prayer so powerfull and present with God One thing is because God delighteth in mercy and in communicating himself to the children of men He taketh more pleasure in doing good then any can in seeking it yea then any can in enjoying it from him Our hearts cannot be so strongly set to seek for any mercy from God as he is to communicate mercy to
JACOBS SEED Or The Generation of Seekers And DAVIDS DELIGHT Or The excellent on earth By The late reverend preacher of the Gospel JEREMIAH BURROUGH Psal 27.8 When thou saidst Seek ye my face my heart said unto thee Thy face Lord will I seek Prov. 12.26 The righteous is more excellent then his neighbour Printed by Roger Daniel Printer to the Universitie of Cambridge 1643. To the Reader Christian Reader THou art presented here with a small Treatise of this reverend authour deceased who by his worthy works as Abel by his faith being dead yet speaketh Heb. 11.4 The work is but of small bulk yet hath many excellent truths contained in it concerning two of as necessary duties as fall within the compasse of a Christians course The seeking of Gods face a thing so needfull in these troublesome dayes and yet so generally neglected As also concerning the excellency in and the high esteem that true saints have of their fellow-saints which is so rare to find in these disjoynted and divided times The work had come abroad ere this had not the private ends of some been an obstacle in the way I am confident that of all the works of this worthy authour that have been published since his death there is none can so justly challenge him for the father as this both for matter and form as any one that used to heare him may perceive The former part of this work was delivered by him in two severall Sermons though now thought convenient to be joyned as one The former before the Right Honourable the Earl of Warwick in his own house The latter at Cree-church in London upon Novemb. 5. the annuall commemoration of our deliverance from the Gunpowder-plot it happening also to be a day of publick humiliation The last was preached in another church in London Accept the work then with the same candour as it is intended there and that thou mayest be furthered in holy walking by it is the desire of Thy Christian friend ¶ The contents of the ensuing Treatise The first part on ISAIAH 65.19 THe scope of the words page 1 Why the people of God are called the seed of Jacob page 2 The words opened page 5 Doctrine When God requires a people to seek him he will make it good to them that it shall not be in vain page 7 I. Evidences that it is not in vain to seek God 1. The great things recorded of prayer page 10 2. What the Saints have gotten by prayer page 11 3. No faithfull seeker of God will leave off ibid. 4. Wicked men seek him not in vain page 12 5. Godly men have given up themselves to it page 14 6. Godly men prize the prayers of others page 15 7. God is found of them that sought him not ibid. 8. God forbids prayer when he will shew no mercy page 16 9. Else a praying heart were not alwayes a mercy ibid. II What great things prayer doth 1. It is the right exercise of our faculties and graces page 17 2. It is the performance of our duty is creatures page 17 3. It is a tendring of homage and worship to God page 18 4. It shews we are on Gods side ibid. 5. God accepts every faithfull prayer ibid. 6. God grants every faithfull petition page 21 III. Wherein the efficacy of prayer lieth 1. God takes pleasure in doing good page 25 2. God hath made a covenant with his page 26 3. Prayer is Gods own work page 32 4. Right prayer seeks God for God page 33 5. It is part of Christs purchase page 34 6. Christ tenders them up to his Father page 35 7. God is a God hearing prayer page 36 8. It is a pouring out the spirit to God ibid. 9. The seed of Jacob are dear to God page 37 10. It is for Gods honour to heare his people page 38 IV. Objections against prayer answered Object 1. We have prayed and find not the issue page 39 Answ 1. Remember the times of old ibid. 2. God makes good his promise on believing page 43 3. God is great and we must wait page 44 4. We must seek God in prayer page 46 5. God answereth not vain prayers page 47 What makes prayers vain page 50 Object 2. It is in vain to pray page 54 Ans God heareth the seed of Jacob ibid. 1. Jacob was mighty in prayer page 56 2. He feared God ibid. 3. His heart was loose from the creature page 57 4. He was of a tender spirit page 58 5. He repaired to the covenant in his streights page 59 6. He was of an humble spirit page 60 7. He looked to his former condition ibid. 8. He was content with God alone page 61 9. Jacobs posterity were all of the Church page 63 10. Those of Jacobs seed have his inheritance page 68 11. Those of Jacobs seed are faithfull in their place page 70 12. They are taught of God page 71 13. They are carefull of their families ibid. 14. They are carefull of the Churches good when they be gone page 72 Object 3. I am a poore wretched creature page 73 Ans God hears the prayer of the destitute ibid. Object 4. The things we need are great page 74 Ans Not to great for God to give ibid. Object 5. But I pray in the time of affliction page 75 Ans Yet God will heare prayer ibid. Object 6. But my afflictions are for sinne page 76 Ans Yet God will heare prayer ibid. Object 7. But God hath determined what he will do page 77 Ans Yet God must be sought by prayer ibid. It is not in vain to pray 1. Because we have had many mercies already page 79 2. God denyes in granting grants in denying page 80 3. God delights in a praying as a praysing voice page 81 4. God stayes to bring a great deal together page 82 5. Our vessels are not sometimes capable page 83 Application 1. There are great things that God will do for the Church in these latter dayes page 84 2. The honour of those that are the seed of Jacob ib. 3. It is a great priviledge to have a praying friend page 86 4. To set the crown on prayers head in the mercies we have from God page 88 5. Reproof to those that begin to seek God and continue not page 92 What God hath done of late and the use of it page 93 1. To be humbled page 95 1. For our unbelief ibid. 2. For our murmuring ibid. 3. For being discouraged in Gods wayes page 96 2. To love prayer page 97 3. To be resolute in Gods cause page 99 4. To give God reall praise page 100 5. Not to let God call on us in vain page 102 The second part on PSAL. 16.3 The scope and dependance of the words page 105 Doctrine 1. The saints of God are the excellent in earth page 108 The doctrine opened page 109 They are excellent 1. Because they have holinesse the image of God page 111 Grace expressed in Scripture by
onely tell them that they should seek me but I shewed by what way and means they ought to seek me in a right manner that my speaking to them might not be in vain For if a Minister come in Gods name to put you upon any duty and exhort you to do such and such a thing and barely tell you what you should do without showing how you should do it where you shall have strength and in what manner you should do it he shall speak in vain There are abundance of Sermons in vain when onely good things are commended to people and they are taught what they should do but not the way how and the manner and where they should have strength to do it then the word is in vain But saith God I said not unto you in vain that is I did not onely bid you seek me but I taught you the way how and in what manner you should seek me Thirdly and lastly I suppose that the principall scope of the holy Ghost is that which the words plainly present to our view I required not the seed of Jacob to seek me to no purpose that nothing should come of it but I required that they should seek me and they have found abundance of good by seeking of me So then this point ariseth plainly out of the words When God requires a people to seek him he will make it good to them that it shall not be in vain Before I open this point I will give you a Scripture or two one in the old Testament and another in the new Deut. 4.7 For what Nation is there so great who hath God so nigh unto them as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for Here is an experiment of the fruit of seeking God and it is spoken to shew the honour of Gods people the priviledge of the seed of Jacob and the eminent condition they were in God is nigh to them in all things they call upon him for therefore they are not required to seek God in vain So Matth. 21.22 And all things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer believing ye shall receive A very strange expression Here might seem to be a tautologie One would think that it had been large enough to have said Whatsoever ye shall ask ye shall receive but here is all things whatsoever We would not speak so in ordinary language I will give you all things whatsoever Yet it may be this may be intended and I believe it is And all things here is the generall promise that all things that ye ask ye shall receive and whatsoever may referre to particulars every particular thing that ye ask ye shall receive You will say Any one that understands reason or Logick knoweth that particulars are included in the generall But there is this illogicall reasoning of unbelief that though we agree to the premises in generall yet when we come to particulars we think they will not be made good to us I suppose you find your unbelieving hearts so irrationall that though they believe the generall promise yet when it comes to particulars and you cannot but say that such a particular is in the generall yet your hearts will not come up to it Therefore our Saviour saith not onely all things in generall but also whatsoever in particular So Jam. 5.16 The effectuall fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much There is but one word in the originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the working prayer but it is translated by two effectuall fervent Surely then prayer and seeking of God is the ordinance which he hath appointed for the turning about of the great affairs of the world This is the engine that doth it inwardly There are indeed a great many outward wheeles used but the spring of all is within prayer turns all about God never made use of any created power so much as of this He never did such great things by any created power as by the ordinance of prayer The Word is appointed for the converting of souls but a great part of the blessing of the Word dependeth on prayer In the opening of this point I will First give you some evidences of it Secondly shew you what great things prayer will do Thirdly wherein the efficacy and power of it lyeth Fourthly the objections of troubled unbelieving spirits against it And then come to apply all The evidences hereof are first the many famous records in Scripture of the noble and glorious exploits of prayer If any of you should come to me to ask as that King did of the prophets servant 2. Kings 8.4 What great things hath thy master done so what great things hath prayer done in the world truly we might spend houres and dayes in returning you an answer a great part of holy Scripture being spent in this very argument And it is a very good exercise for you in the night when you cannot sleep or at other times when you are troubled to do as that King did Esther 6.1 call for the book of the Records of prayer You that reade the Scriptures mark what you reade The word of God will tell you how prayer hath stopped the Sunne in the firmament opened heaven and shut it again raised from death to life opened the prison doores and what not Secondly all Gods people are able to tell you great stories of what they have gotten by prayer This poor man cryed saith David of himself Psalm 34.6 and the Lord heard him Who is it that cannot tell histories of Gods gracious dealing with him upon his seeking of him To be sure our Nation hath many things to say this way and every particular godly soul hath many things to say they would not lose their income of prayer for all the world Thirdly surely it is not in vain to seek God for there was never any faithfull seeker of him that ever would leave off but would continue as long as he lived seeking him he would seek his face evermore if it had been in vain he would have left off When we see a Bee stick on a Flower and will not be driven off or if she be driven off she will come again we conclude certainly it finds honey there So all the Saints of God that have ever sought God truly they would never be beaten off this way Let the world do what it will persecute them set spies to watch them in their meetings of prayer let it punish and imprison them let all the malice and rage of men be against them yet they cannot hinder them either from praying in their closets or from injoying the benefit of the communion of Saints in prayer Daniel had rather lose his life then be kept from his prayers though but for a day but pray he would and that openly yea three times a day as he was wont he would not forbear one time He did stick to prayer finding honey and sweetnesse in it Oh how unlike are we to Daniel
though the performance of this duty was exceeding hazzardable to Daniel yet he would not be deterred from it but every light trifle taketh off our hearts Again it is not in vain for the seed of Jacob to seek the Lord for it is not in vain for wicked men to seek him though they are not able to seek God as they oughâ— The prayer of the wicked is abominable Prov. 15.8 That is not to be understood of the prayer of every man that is unregenerate wickednesse is not so to be taken in that place For we know that God hath regarded the prayers of men unregenerate The prayers and fasting of Niniveh were regarded of God the prayer and fasting of Ahab was regarded of God God hath granted the wicked some mercies he hath looked on them as his creatures Though God seeth enough in their prayers to cast them off yet God hath manifested his regard to them Therefore if it be not in vain for the wicked to seek the Lord much lesse is it in vain for the seed of Jacob to seek him Yea the Lord heareth the cry of the very Ravens and the beasts Psalme 147.9 and Psalme 104.21 27 28. Therefore the people of Niniveh would have the beasts eat nothing that they might cry unto God Jonah 3.7 8. Surely if the brute beasts and the fouls be heard when they cry it is not in vain for the Seed of Jacob to seek God Again it is evident that it is not in vain because the people of God that have been wise and have conversed with God and have known much of the mind of God have given up themselves and all their strength to this duty Now it were a weak part and an idle thing for any one to give up his strength and all his might to that which were vanity and whereby there is no great thing to be obtained It is said of Jehoshaphat 2. Chron. 20.3 that he feared and set himself to seek the Lord. It is translated composuit faciem suam he set his face he gave himself up fully to seek the Lord. They know what they do that give up themselves wholly to seek God Indeed carnall hearts condemn the people of God because they see them so earnest in those things that they think to be vain For it argueth weaknesse in any man to give up himself with all his strength to things that are vanity and have no strength in them Therefore because carnall men look upon the way of Religion as a thing that hath no end they think it foolish for men to be so earnest to give up their strength and their whole souls for it But the Saints of God know what they do when they give themselves up to seek the Lord they know it is not in vain Again this is an evidence that there is much advantage by prayer because men that were wise and holy have so prized the prayers of the Saints and made such high account of them Mark the expression of the Apostle writing to the Saints for their prayers Rom. 15.30 Now I beseech you brethren for the Lord Jesus Christs sake and for the love of the Spirit that you strive together in prayer with me in your hearts to God for me The Apostle Paul so great a man and one that had a mighty spirit in prayer writing to private Christians in the Church of Rome he beseecheth them for the Lords sake and for the love of the Spirit that they strive in prayer for him He knew that there was much to be had this way Yea further God is found of them that sought him not Isaiah 65.1 then surely it is not in vain for the seed of Jacob to seek him yea yet further God when he intends to shew no mercy giveth a streight charge to his people not to pray or he shutteth up their hearts that they are not able to pray This is an argument that prayer is prevalent because when God will not shew mercy he would not have such a precious thing lost and spent in vain Lastly it is not in vain because if it should then a praying heart were not alway a mercy from God but certainly it is Therefore though perhaps you cannot find the thing granted that you pray for yet to have a continuall praying heart know that it is a great mercy from God And those that are spirituall prize more the continuance of a praying heart many times then the granting of the thing they pray for All these put together are full evidences that it is not in vain to seek the Lord. There be many other evidences which I passe by on purpose that I may have as much time as may be for application But now wherein doth it appear that it is not in vain to seek the Lord what doth prayer do First it is not in vain to seek God if there were nothing else in prayer but the right exercise of the faculties of our souls and of our graces this alone were worth our time The graces of our souls must be exercised about somewhat Now prayer serveth for the exercise of all graces Secondly it is not in vain if it were nothing but the performance of our duty as creatures to God There are many people that are weary of prayer because they have not that by it that they expect But know that there are two arguments to prayer the performance of duty and the obtaining of mercy If there were but onely the former that alone should suffice to keep thee praying as long as thou livest Thirdly it were not in vain if it were nothing but the tendering that homage and worship that we ow to God Prayer is not onely a duty but a great part of the worship that God hath in the world While we are worshiping of God it is worth the time Again it is not in vain if there were nothing but this that we come and shew what side we are of that we joyn and side with God against his adversaries and for his people But these are not the things here intended Further it is not in vain because there is no faithfull prayer that ever was made but God accepts of it in heaven There was never one of the seed of Jacob that ever put up a faithfull petition to God but God took it in his hand and read it A King or any superiour when you come with a petition may refuse to take it but God never refuseth to take any petition from a faithfull soul Therefore saith the Psalmist Psal 6.9 The Lord hath heard my supplication the Lord will receive my prayer He will take it and look on it and read it not onely so but he will also accept it and take pleasure in it A Prince may take a petition and look on it and after frown and shew anger in his countenance but God doth not so with the prayers of his people The prayer of the upright is his delight Prov. 15.8 he never reads a
30.10 11. Therefore fear thou not O my servant Jaoob neither be dismaied O Israel for lo I will save thee from a far and thy seed from the land of their captivity and Jacob shal return and be in rest and quiet and none shal make him afraid For I am with thee saith the Lord to save thee though I make a full end of all nations whither I have scattered thee yet will I not make a full end of thee but I will correct thee in measure will not leave thee altogether unpunished There is somewhat that God doth but yet still he remembers his promise in the middest of affliction that he will leave nothing of that undone therefore though his people be under great afflictions the Lord will be good to them according to his promise Now again the Lord will regard the prayers of the seed of Jacob the efficacy of their prayers depends upon this because it is Gods own work That which is the work of God is not in vain God made none of his works in vain Now all their seeking of God It is from God it is Gods own work and a most glorious piece of the work of God Every prayer that comes from the poorest of the seed of Jacob every gratious and faithfull prayer it is a glorious piece Gods work It is a work of the holy Ghost and therefore it is not in vain Again as their prayers come from God they seek God from God so they seek God for God they seek the Lord for himself If the seed of Jacob did seek God onely for Corn and Wine and Oyle if they did seek him onely for their own ease and outward liberties and accommodations and for the lives of their enemies perhaps they might seek in vain No but when they seek God they seek God for God and thence they prevail so much with God Ye ask amisse that ye may spend it on your lusts James 4.3 You pray to God oft to be delivered from enemies and you think your prayers if it be in such a time as this they come in vain No marvell if so you pray that you may have liberty to trade and deliverance from taxations these may be sought but the house of Jacob seeks God for his name that that may not be dishonoured and for his Gospel that that be not taken away and the power of godlinesse trodden as dirt in the street when they seek God for God no marvell if it be not in vain But the great efficacy of prayer is this it is part of the purchase of the bloud of Christ that God might hear the prayers of the Saints it comes from the merits of Christ it is a part of his purchase that God should regard them it is in his name that we pray so we are taught It is by Christ that we have accesse to the throne of grace our priviledge of seeking God is that which Christ hath purchased by his bloud So that our seeking of God is not onely a duty and beneficiall to us but it is a high priviledge purchased by the bloud of Christ by him we have accesse with boldness the word is with liberty of speech liberty of speech is by the bloud of Christ that we may come before the Lord and open our minds fully certainly there is a great deal of efficacy in prayer Whatsoever our prayers are as they are from us though they be vain as they are from us yet take them as Christs purchase here lies the great efficacy of prayer Think not that the efficacy of prayer lies in earnestnesse or enlargement though it be a comfort and an evidence that God enlargeth us by his Spirit it is not parts that enlarge but the Spirit but the virtue of prayer lies not here the strength whereby prayer doth great things it lies in the engine lower in secret in the purchase of Christ Again Christ takes all the prayers of the seed of Jacob and renders them up to his Father for acceptance We have a more glorious way of coming to God then Adam had in innocency yea in some respects then the Angels themselves by having such an Intercessor that takes all our prayers and carries them to his father Yea not onely so but he joynes with us to the Father There is a place in the Hebrews quoted out of the Psalms that shewes that Christ praiseth God in the congregation it is not onely the Saints that praise God but Christ himself Heb. 2.12 I will declare thy name unto my brethren in the middest of the Church will I sing praises unto thee Christ in the middest of the Church sings praise to God When people meet to praise God Christ praiseth him It is a mighty encouragement in praising God So in prayer when we meet to seek God Christ seeks him for he is at the right hand of the Father making continuall intercession for the Saints Christ himself joynes with them in the work that they seek not in vain Again it is the stile and title that God glories in to be a God hearing prayer therefore he will not let it be in vain Again prayer is the pouring forth of the spirit to God the spirit that is so beautified with the graces of his own spirit now the pouring forth of such a precious spirit to God so beautified and principled with the graces of the holy Ghost certainly this cannot be in vain Indeed the Scripture saith of the heart of the wicked that it is little worth Let their heart be poured fourth God doth little mind or regard it but the heart of the righteous is much worth it is very precious before God therefore when their hearts are poured out and God sees the beauty and glory of his graces on them it is exceeding delightfull to him and such pouring out of their hearts cannot be in vain If God have a bottle for all their tears he hath a bottle also for all their expressions and pouring out of their hearts in prayer Further the exceeding delight that God hath in the seed of Jacob must needs cause God to regard their seeking that it be not in vain They are his darlings now there is no man that loves to deny a suit to any that he delights in We have a notable expression concerning the seed of Jacob when they pray Thou art my King O God command deliverance for Jacob. Psal 44. There comes a commanding power from God for the deliverance of Jacob when Jacob comes to sue to God Lastly it were not for the honour of God to send away his people empty that they should seek him in vain It is reported of Titus though he were a heathen Emperor yet he would not that any man should go sad out of the presence of the Prince God accounts it an honour that none should go sad out of his presence Therefore those are called on to rejoyce that seek the Lord. Let the hearts of them rejoyce that seek the Lord
we provoke not God now but attend upon the word more then ever we did Lastly doth God say to us we shall not seek him in vain Let not God call to us in vain If when we seek God our seeking is not in vain then when God seeks us let it not be in vain There is all the reason for it in the world If God be so gracious to poor base worms sinfull creatures that if we do but chatter our prayers are not in vain is it not reason when God calls that he should not call in vain When God calls out of his word to perform such and such duties God seeks thee then make use of this text I have called upon God and I never called in vain and now I go to heare the word and out of the word he calls me and seeks me let him not seek in vain but say Lord what sayest thou to thy servant The Lord is ready to heare your cry be you ready to heare his and go on go on with incouragement the Lord hath incouraged us this day And let all your prayers and indeavours break through all difficulties and the Lords mercy shall break through all oppositions for he hath not said to the seed of Jacob Seek ye me in vain Psalme 16.3 But to the Saints that are in the earth and to the excellent in whom is all my delight IN the beginning of this Psalme David prayes to God for preservation and for deliverancc out of some great evil that it seems was upon him or that he was in danger of The argument that he useth is First his trust in God In thee do I put my trust And it was not an ungrounded and unwarranted trust but that which proceeded from his interest he had in God O my soul thou hast said unto the Lord thou art my Lord thou art mine But what if David should now perish in his distresse should God be any looser by it David seems to acknowledge this that though he should not be preserved yet God was bound to preserve his own name and his own cause my goodnesse extendeth not to thee Though I should live yet it is little that I could do for thee But to the saints that are in the earth Though my goodnesse extend not to thee yet I may be usefull to thy people unto thy Saints while I live it extends to them and they are they that my soul closeth with O I desire to live and to be preserved that I may be of use to them It is a great argument to prevail with God when any of you are in danger and seek for preservation if your hearts work thus to God that the desire you have to be preserved is that whatever you are and what ever you can do may extend to the Saints that you may live to be of use and service in the world to Gods people Many of you when you apprehend your selves to be in danger you cry to God to be preserved but to what end wherefore would you be preserved wherefore would you live If we may judge of your ends according to your practise you would live that you may have more time to satisfie your lusts that you may have more time to dishonour God that you may have more time to do mischief in the places where you live There is this in the heart and God sees it God sees whatsoever will be after in your lives God sees before what was in your hearts when you cryed to be preserved But now one that is gracious he desires therefore to be preserved O that I might live to be of use in the place where God hath set me If God should take me away now my conscience tells me that it is little service that I have done for him I have been of little use in the place where God hath set me O that I might be preserved for this end that what I am or have might extend to the Saints in earth even the excellent in whom is all my delight Thus you have the scope of the words and the dependance of them And in them there are these two things First the high esteem of the Saints they are the excellent of the earth And secondly the sweet delight that Davids heart had in them in whom is all my delight For the first the high esteem that David had of the Saints and that Saints that were on earth the excellent The point is this that The Saints of God those that are godly are the excellent in the earth Then secondly from this that he saith in whom is all my delight Observe this that A gracious heart takes the most contentment in the Saints of God he is much delighted in them The first is but a preparation to the second therefore I shall passe it over briefly They are the excellent in the earth therefore my delight is in them They are the excellent in the earth Let them be what they will in regard of their outward meanness yet there is an excellency in them Job scraping upon the dunghill and Jeremy sticking in the mire in the dungeon yet they had more glory and beauty upon them then the great ones of the earth when they sate upon their thrones Though they lie among the pots as the Psalmist saith yet are they as Doves their wings are the wings of Doves whose feathers are of gold and silver Psal 77.13 beautifull and glorious You know the judgement that the holy Ghost passeth upon the Saints in old time that were outwardly mean enough there was as much meanness on them as the malice of the world could put the text saith they had tryalls of mockings of scourgings of bonds and imprisonments they were sawen assunder they were tempted they wandred in sheepskin and goats skins destitute aflicted tormented What kind of creatures were these surely they were some wretched men and women that were thus hunted up and down to wander in sheeps-skins and goats-skins destitute afflicted and tormented No such matter they were sâ—ch of whom the world was not worthy v. 38. that is the judgement of the holy Ghost upon such the world was not worthy of them The men of the world would have thought did think that they were such as were not worthy to live in the world but the judgement of the holy Ghost was such that the world was not worthy of them I remember Chrysostome hath this interpretation of the phrase they are such as are worth more then all the world more then many thousands of the world one of them is worth more then all the men of the world besides It is a truth so one Saint of God though never so mean one poor youth one servant that is truly gracious is worth more then all the men of the world besides that are not so All the Monarchs and Princes on earth have not that excellency in them that one poor child or servant hath that is gracious But the ordinary interpretation
heirs to all that Abraham had that is as far as concerns them therefore they that are his heirs are heirs likewise of the world So the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 3.18 All are yours and you are Christs and Christ is Gods So that God and the creatures are theirs here is a mighty priviledge Again the priviledges that they have in all the good of the Covenant of grace Whatsoever good there is in the Covenant of grace all the rich promises in the Covenant of grace are the priviledges of the godly It is admirable priviledges that the precious promises in Scripture speak of to have interest in them all Besides not onely the promises btu the immunities that come from the Covenant of grace as this that they are not to stand or fall for their eternall estate by any thing that they are able to do themselves they are freed from this their eternall estate hangs not on that which they can do Whereas others that are not saints that are not in the Covenant of grace their eternall estate hangs on their endeavours and actions God dealing with them according to the Covenant of works being in that condition though they may be such as may after come to be saints and as God hath elected and in love may look on them as he intends towards them but for the present they are in such a condition as that they know not but that their eternall estate depends on that which they do themselves Now to be delivered from this to have this immunity that such a thing of such a consequence as our eternall estate should depend upon a sure foundation upon that which is done by Christ and done already it is an infinite priviledge Others cannot challenge to themselves this priviledge that God will accept of their endeavours do what they can yet not being in the Covenant of grace those indeavours are not accepted That it pleaseth God to accept the will for the deed it is one of the priviledges of the saints that comes by the Covenant of grace but it belongs not to others they have not to do with this immunity and priviledge So I might name divers others but then I should go out too far Again this is a glorious priviledge of accesse to the throne of grace to come to God in prayer God gives them the key of all his treasures to come and open them and take what they will it is a glorious privilege that belongs to the saints in any condition God gives them a gracious praying heart and that is the key of all the treasures of God of all the excellencies of God that they have liberty to come and take out what they will be it unto thee as thou wilt These are the excellent of the earth that have these priviledges Again they are the excellent in earth in regard of that which comes from them As the work of grace is so excellent as hath been spoken of so every gracious action that comes from a gracious heart there is a wondrous excellency in it There is not any one gracious action but it hath more excellency then heaven and earth Not onely grace it self but any action that comes from grace hath more of God in it and God more delights in it then in all other things in heaven or earth It is an expression of Luther though he were a great advancer of faith yet he was also of holinesse as well as of faith therefore speaking of any gracious work of a godly man or woman saith he preciosa c. it is more precious then heaven and earth And then he goes on with another expression I had rather be able to perform any one gracious act of the poorest woman or maid of the poorest Christian that is then to be able to do all that ever Alexander or Julius Caesar had done The least act that comes from faith from a sanctified heart he had rather be able to do it then to get all the victories of Julius Caesar and Alexander all their triumphs and trophies were nothing to the least breathing of the work of grace in those that are godly that which comes from them are exceeding excellent Now I reason they must needs be excellent that have such excellent things come from them As when there were such excellent things came from the body of Paul that had such virtue in them that noted that there was a great deal of excellency that God conferred upon that Apostle and a gread deal of honour that was put upon him So when there comes flowing such precious liquor such precious things from the saints as any holy action is it shews that there is a great deal of excellency in them Which by the way should teach us to abound in holy duties though our actions as they are from us corrupted we look on them as despicable yet know that God looks on them as the most glorious things in the world any breathing of a gracious heart therefore he despiseth not the broken heart nor the sighing of a contrite spirit Psalm 51. God can despise Monarchs and Princes of the world but God cannot despise a broken heart nor any breathings from ti Though thou mayest despise it thy self and look on it as despicable the Lord cannot despise it he sees so much excellency in it though it be mixed with thy corruptions yet there is that remainder of excellency in it if there be but so much as may denominate it a gracious act it is a glorious thing in the eye of God Lastly to name no more the excellency of the saints appears in this the great use that they are of in the world As especially this is one thing that God attains in them his great aim and end in creating the whole world Were it not for a few gracious men and women what glory should God have in all the world They are those that hold up the glory of God in the world by which God hath his glory actively for that is it that God aims at It is true God can force glory in spight of mens hearts he will be glorified in spight of Devils but God hath no active glory but from gracious godly people I speak of the inferiour world it is onely the godly that God hath glory from Therefore were it not for them God in some kind had made all the world for nothing Now those that are imployed in such a great work and are of this great use in the world as to bring to God that which he made the world for the main and great end that he made heaven and earth for certainly these are principall in Gods esteem and excellent God can say I have my end in these Take any town where there are but two or three that are godly what glory hath God but of these So for other places where hath God glory but for a few contemptible ones They are these that God glorifies in high and great services these are