Christ told the Disciples That if in any house they came to preach peace there were not a Sonne of peace Luke 10. on whom the message might take place and their peace rest Your peace saies hee shall returne unto you againe So is it if your prayers take not place §. 4. Good often in the end casts such out of our prayers hee intends not to heare us for 4. If wee have prayed long for those whom God â—ntends not mercy unto hee will in the end cast them out of our prayers and hearts and take our hearts off from praying for them That which he did by a revelation from heaven to some Prophets of old as to Samuel and Ieremiah the same hee doth by a more undiscerned worke that is by withdrawing assistance to pray for such by withdrawing the spirit of supplication from a man for some men and in some businesses Now thus he did with Samuel Why dost thou mourne for Saul The Reason 1. Sam. 16. 1. So with Ieremiah Jer. 7. 16. Pray not for this people and this he doth because he is loath when his people doe pray but to heare them and would not that such precious breath as that of prayer is should bee without its full and direct successe or be in vaine therefore when he meanes not to heare he layes the key of prayer out of the way so desirous is hee to give answers to every prayer It falls out in this case of praying for another as in reproving another One whom God intends not good unto God will lock up a mans heart towards such a man that hee shall not bee able to reprove him when towards another God doth inlarge it as much where hee intends good thus it is sometimes in praying for another so as in praying a man shall not be able to pray for as not to reprove such a man though his heart was to doe both but it fareth with him as God threatneth concerning Ezekiel towards that people that he makes his tongue cleave to the roofe of his mouth Ezek. 3. 26. §. 5. God sometimes answers those prayers in some others whoÌ„ we prayed not for 5. God will heare those prayers for and answer them in some others in whom wee shall have as much comfort as in those wee prayed for and so it often proves and fals out God The reason to shew he lookes not as man lookes nor chooseth as hee chooseth lets our hearts be set on work to pray for the conversion or good of one hee intends not mercy to and then answers them in some other whom Hee makes as deare unto us When God had cast off Saul still Samuels heart lingred after him and hee mourned for him but God at the same time when hee bids him cease mourning for Saul 1. Sam. 16. to shew that yet hee accepted that his mourning as it came from him Goe saies hee and anoint one of the sonnes of lesse 1. Sam. 16. 1. Samuel desired to see a good successor in that government and he having been their ruler it was his speciall care and he having anointed Saul it exceedingly grieved him that he should prove so wicked and God saw and answered the ground of his desires and therefore immediately upon his prayers sent him to anoint the best King that ever was upon that Throne who was the issue and Man-childe of those his prayers And again when Samuel came to anoint one of the sonnes of Iesse when he saw Eliab ver 6. Surely saies he the Lords anointed is before me If Samuel had been to choose hee would have chosen him and would have prayed for and desired him but God seeth not as man seeth ver 7. and chooseth not as man chooseth but in David was his praier fully heard and answered and that better So Abraham he had prayed for Ishmael and Oh let Ishmael live in thy sight Gen. 17. but GOD gave him Isaac in stead of him So perhaps thou prayest for one childe more then for another out of thy natural affection looking on his countenance and stature as Samuel did on Eliabs but yet thy prayers being sincere in the ground of them in that thou desirest a childe of Promise God therefore answers thee though in another for whom yet haply thy heart was not so much stirred who yet when he is converted proves to thee as great a comfort and it is as much as if that other thou diddest most pray for had bin wrought upon Chap. 4. CHAP. IV. The third Case about such prayers wherein others joine with us How therein to discern the influence of our own prayers THe third Case to bee considered is when a man prayes for something with others or which others likewise pray for with him so as he is not alone in it how then should he know that his prayers have a hand in obtaining it as well as theirs For in such cases Satan is apt to object though the thing is granted indeed yet not for thy prayers but for the prayers of those others joyned in it with thee §. 1. If our hearts were affected in praying with the same holy affections wherewith others that prayed with us were 1. If thy heart did sympathize and accord in the same holy affections with those others in praying then it is certaine thy voice hath helpt to carry it If two agree on earth sayes Christ Matt. 18. 19. the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is if they harmonially agree to play the same tune for prayers are musick in Gods eares and so called Melody to God Ephes 5. 19 It is not simply their agreeing in the thing prayed for but in the affections for it is the affections that make the consort and the melody now if the same holy affections were toucht and struck by Gods spirit in thy heart that in theirs then thou doest help to make up the consort and without thee it would have beene imperfect yea without thee the thing might not have been done for God stands sometimes upon such a number of voices and one voice casts it as when he named ten righteous persons to save Sodome when therefore the same holy motives and affections acted thee in thy prayer which did them in theirs it was the worke of the same spirit both in them and thee and God hath heard thee Especially if God did stir up the same secret instinct in thee Especially when this sympathy is unbeknowne each to other to sympathize with another in praying for such a thing unbeknowne one to another as sometimes it falls out then surely thy prayers are in it as well as his You shall observe sometimes a generall instinct of the Spirit put into Gods peoples hearts generally to pray for or against a thing without each others stirring up one another even as Ezekiel by the river Chebar prophecied the same things Ieremiah did at home at Ierusalem Thus against the time that Christ the Messiah came in
the flesh there was a great expectation raised up in the hearts of the godly people to look and pray for him Luke 2. 27. and 38. §. 2. By some speciall evidence as first sometimes by some notable circumstance 2 God doth usually often evidence to a man that his prayers contributed and went among the rest towards the obtaining of it as 1 By some circumstance as for example sometimes by ordering it so that that man that prayed most for a thing of concernement should have the first newes of it when it comes to bee accomplisht which God doth as knowing it will bee most welcome newes to him God doth herein as wee doe with a friend who we know is cordiall in and wisheth well to a businesse hee sends him the first word of it who was most hearty in it prayed most about it Good old Simeon had surely been earnest in seeking the Lord as wel as the rest in Ierusalem to send the Messiah into the world to restore and raise up the ruines of Israel for God did reveale to him that hee should see him before he died and therefore to evidence to him his respect to his prayers God carryed the good old man into the Temple just at the time when the Child was brought into the Temple for to bee presented to the Lord Luk. 2. 27 28. And in like manner good Anna who had served God with fasting and praier night and day God ordereth it so that she must also come in at the same instant Luke 2. 38. By some such like peculiar circumstance or other doth God often use to witnesse to a mans heart that hee hath heard him in businesses prayed for in common with others Secondly by the hearts being filled with much ioy in the accomplishment 2. By filling the heart with much joy in the accomplishment of what a man prayed for which is an evident argument that his prayers did move the Lord to effect it as well as the prayers of others Thus that good old Simeon seeing his prayers now answered hee was even willing to die through joy and thought he could not die in a better time Lord now let thy servant depart in peace For when the desires have vented and laid out much of themselves then when the return comes home they have an answerable part and share in the comfort of it and as desires abounded in praying so will joy and comfort also in the accomplishment As when a Ship comes home not onely the chiefe owners but every one that ventured shall have a share out of the returne in a proportion to the adventure so here though some one whom it mainly concerns hath especiall interest in the mercy obtained yet thou shalt have thy prayers out in joy from God that the thing is granted S. Paul had planted a Church at Thessalonica but hee could not stay to water it with his owne preaching yet when absent hee waters those Plants which hee had set with prayers night and day 1. Thes 3. 10. Night and day praying exceedingly for you sayes hee and as his prayers were exceeding abundant for them so was his joy as aboundant in them when hee had heard that they stood stedfast and fell not back againe Now wee live if yee stand fast in the Lord ver 8. And what thanks can we render to God for all the joy wherewith wee joy for your sakes before the Lord ver 9. 3 By thankfulnesse for it when accomplisht 3. If God give you a heart thankfull for a blessing vouchsafed to another prayed for by you with others it is another signe your prayers have some hand in it S. Paul knew not what thankes to give for the answering of his prayers as in that forementioned place Old Eli had put up but one short ejaculatory petition that wee reade of for Hannah that was The Lord grant thy petition 1 Sam. 1. 17. for the returne of that one prayer when Hannah related how God had answered her ver 26 27. hee returned solemne thankes And he worshipped the Lord there ver 28. § 3. Especially when the thing obtained cōcernes a mans own particular And lastly in case the thing concerned thy self which was prayed for by others helping thee therein what cause hast thou but to thinke that it was granted for thy owne prayers and not for theirs onely seeing God stirred up their hearts to pray for thee and gave thee a heart to pray for thy selfe and besides gave thee the thing which thou desiredst which argues thou art beloved aswell as they and accepted as well as they I know this shal turn to my salvation through your prayers saith S. Paul Phil. 1. 19. though their prayers went to the businesse yet had not S. Paul beene accepted himselfe the prayers of all the men in the world would have done him but little good God may heare the prayers of the godly for wicked men when they doe not pray themselves in temporall things so hee did heare Moses for Pharaoh Abraham for Abimelech and he may heare godly men the sooner for others prayers so hee heard Aaron and Miriam the sooner for Moses his sake Numb 12. 13 But if God stirs up thy heart to pray for thy selfe as well as others for thee then God that gave thee a heart to pray hath heard thy prayers also and hath had a respect to them more in it then to theirs because it concerned thy selfe as a more speciall mercy unto thee Chap. 5. CHAP. V. Common directions helpfull in all cases and prayers First from such observations as may be taken from before and in praying HAving premised these Cases I come now to more generall and common directions to help you in discerning and observing the minde of God and his answers to you in your prayers All which directions are such as may be helpfull in all the forementioned cases and in all sorts of prayers whatever And they are taken from observations to bee made upon your prayers c. Both before in and after praying § 1. Before when God prepares the heart to pray First Before praying when God bespeakes a prayer as I may so speak that is when God secretly speakes to the heart to pray much about a thing I expresse it thus according to that phrase of David Psal 27. 8. Thou saidst seeke my face and I said Thy face Lord will I seeke now God then speakes to the heart to pray when not onely hee puts upon the duty by saying to the conscience this thou oughtest to doe but Gods speaking to pray is such as his speech at first was when hee made the world when hee said Let there be light and there was light so hee sayes Let there be a prayer and there is a prayer that is hee powres upon a man a spirit of grace and supplication a praying disposition hee puts in motives suggests arguments and pleas to God all which you shall finde come
so in some cases there is the like testimony for the obtaining of some eminent thing we have asked Which particular speciall faith doth in a kind of similitude answer to the faith of miracles of old whereby a man had a particular confidēce that God would doe such a miracle by him so in by meanes of prayer in some things there may be a particular strengthning assuring the heart that God will doe such a thing for a man which I confesse is rare and extraordinary as also that immediate testimony concerning our persons is which many want that goe to heaven And haply this other concerning the accomplishment of speciall mercies is much more rare and but in some businesses and is a thing which some men are not acquainted with but yet may bee in some cases existent to some mens spirits as it was to Davids in the thing mentioned And concerning this also I will also adde a Caution A caution that herein a conditionall evidence be not taken for absolute as about the former That it doth not alwayes fall out upon all such kind of evidences made to a mans spirit and that by God that the thing prayed for doth come to passe For these very perswasions stirred up by God may bee and are often but conditionall though thus immediately made to a mans spirit and are so to bee understood and not peremptory and absolute It cannot bee imagined that all these should alwayes be of greater absolutenesse and peremptorinesse than were many of those revelations made by God to the Prophets wherein Hee manifested his gracious purpose towards such a man or people either to vouchsafe them such a mercie or bring such a judgement which forewarnings though they were particular and expresse yet limited and intended with a condition according to the performance or not performance of which it fell out either the judgement expresly threatned was diverted or that good thing which was as directly and fully promised was not bestowed as it was in the case of Ionas threatning the destruction of Nineveb and so in the promise concerning Ely's house 1. Sam. 2. 30. I said indeed that thy house and the house of thy father should walke before mee for ever but now the Lord sayes it shall not bee so For they had broken the condition which was implied in it they had despised the Lord and them that despise me sayes God there I will despise In like manner is Gods meaning expressed towards us in such like perswasions wrought in us by prayer to be understood as that such mercies will surely come to passe but still under a condition of obedience and performing of those vowes which a man joyned with those his petitions to move the Lord to grant the things which if a man faile in or ceaseth to goe on to beleeve it may and doth often come to passe that things fall out contrary to that perswasion and then wee are apt to question whether it was from God or no which it might bee and truely wrought by his Spirit and yet not alwaies absolutely meant that was your mistake so to take it but conditionally onely For in such great requests of the soule unto God there use to passe mutuall covenants betweene God and us and Indentures are drawne and sealed unto by us that is we in prayer offer and promise to doe thus and thus if God will vouchsafe us such a mercy and pleade it to God to move him to bestow it and God hee thereupon it may bee seales a covenant on his part to grant the thing works such an undoubted perswasion but if wee in that interim of waiting for that mercy doe deale falsely in that covenant which we made and this even whilest wee are yet in dependance upon God for it whereby it appeares that we would have done so much more after wee should have received it once in this case God denies the thing and yet notwithstanding that perswasion and evidence was from God that heard the prayer He said indeed he would doe thus and thus for thee as he told David I would have given thee much more because thou saidst to him thou wouldst walke thus and thus or didst vow this or that to him thou failest in thy word upon which God uttered his and thereupon sayes God as to Ely Now it shall not be so and yet God had spoken it afore and not Satan nor thine owne heart onely §. 5. Whē God puts a restlesse importunity into the heart to pray for a particular mercy 4. When God doth put a restlesse importunity into the heart maugre all discouragements So in that Psalme 27. 4. One thing I have desired and I wil seek after it that is as I have sought it so I will not leave seeking to God for it when God maintaines this in the heart it is a signe he heares and will answer for you know the Parable that the unjust Iudge heard her for her importunity therefore when God puts an importunity into the heart he meanes to heare Onely this likewise is to be added in this A double importunity one accepted not the other There is a double importunity one out of such an inordinate desire to a thing as the heart knows not how to be without such a mercie and so continues to ask but asketh amisse and so receives not Iam. 5. But there is an importunity joyned with a subjection to Gods will which when it runs along with it then God hath stird it up and then looke for something to come otherwise you may bee importunate as they seeke mee daily when yet God heard not Esay 58. 2. Chap. 6. CHAP. VI. Further Observations to be made on the dispositions and carriage of our hearts after Prayer untill the issue of the thing prayed for NExt after thou hast prayed observe what God doth towards thee § 1. Whē God gives an obedient dependant heart in walking before him As first how hee doth guide thy feet and heart after praying there is much in that that which was the Spirit of supplication in a man when he prayed rests upon him as the spirit of obedience in his course so as that dependance hee hath upon God for the mercy hee seekes for is a speciall motive meanes to keep him fearefull of offending and diligent in duty to looke to his paths to walke and behave himselfe as becomes a suitor as well as to come and pray as a suitor Thus David he walked by this principle Psal 66. 18. If I regard iniquity in my heart God will not heare me that consideration still came in as a curb unto sinne and without this a man provokes God and so casts himselfe behind-hand againe and by sinning loseth what ground hee had got by praying Therefore David Psal 145. 8 9 10. when he was to pray even as for his life as then he did it being a deliverance from his enemies he sought he specially prayes God to
THE RETVRNE OF PRAYERS A TREATISE WHEREIN this Case How to discerne Gods answers to our prayers is briefly resolved WITH OTHER OBSERVATIONS UPON PSAL. 85. 8. concerning GODS speaking PEACE c. BY THO GOODVVIN B. D. HAB. 2. 1. I will watch to see what he will say to mee LONDON Printed for R. Dawlman and I. Fawne at the signe of the Brazen Serpent in Pauls Church-yard 1636. TO THE MUCH HONOVRED KNIGHT SIR NATHANIEL RICH. SIR GOd who from all eternitie hath had an infinit Masse of grace and glory lying by him to bestow upon his Church and did accordingly provide a treasury and Magazin sufficient wherein to store up all the Bosome of his Sonne in whom are hid Ephes 3. 8. riches so unsearchable as cannot bee told over much lesse spent to all eternity Hee hath as richly shed his holy Sprit on us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tit. 3. 6. that we who could never have known of any thing bequeathed us nor what to pray for as wee ought might both fully from him know all that God hath given us and through him lay claime thereto who maketh intercession for us and so doth furnish us with a privy key to all that Treasury which otherwise is fast shut up to all the world Through which Spirit of of prayer and supplications thus powred foorth beleevers come to bee at once anointed to the fellowship and execution of those three glorious Offices of Christ their head Not only 1. of Priests by offering up their prayers as spirituall sacrifices acceptable to GOD through Jesus Christ but 2. of Kings to rule with God Hos 11. 12. Being hereby made of Privy Councell to the King of kings Psa 20. 4 5 so as their Councels and desires exprest in their Petitions are said to be fulfilled and their decrees in their Praiers made Iob 22. 27 28. ratified and establisht Nay further by vertue of this priviledge advanced to such height of favour Hos 12. 3 4 as by their strength in praier alone to have power with God himselfe and not onely with him but also over him and in their wrestlings to prevaile Yea to command Himselfe hath said it Thus saith the Lord the holy One of Israel and his Maker ASKE of me of things to come concerning my sonnes and concerning the worke of my hands COMMAND ye ME Isai 45. 11. which so transcendent priviledge of power is likewise by the expresse words of this great Charter universally extended unto all transactions of this lower part of his dominions whether Ecclesiasticall which doe concerne his sonnes that is his Church or what ever other the more ordinary works of his hands that appertaine to common providence And for as much as these grand affaires of this his Kingdome Mat. 6. 10. as future and to come are commended to their praiers as their most proper subject about which they are to treate Aske of mee of things to come in this respect they doe become as truely 3. Prophets also though not in so full and compleate yet in some kinde of true resemblance not by foretelling yet by forespeaking in their prayers things that come to passe To demonstrate which God who made and upholds this world and all things in it by the word of his power doth likewise rule and governe it by the Presidents and prescript rules of the word of his will exactly dispensing unto men Psal 25. 10. both rewards and punishments according to the tenour of some or other of his promises and threatnings and former like proceedings therein recorded though with such various liberty in respect of the particulars that his wayes remaine unsearchable and past finding out That looke how he appointed in the heavens those ordinances of the Sunne Moone and Starres by their light heate and motion to rule the day and night to divide and cause the severall seasons of the yeare and all the changes and alterations that doe passe over this animall and naturall world in like manner hath hee stretched out that so exceeding broad expanse of his word and law Psal 119. 96. to which the Psalmist doth assimulate it over this rationall world Psal 19. 1 2 3 4. compared with Rom. 10. 18. of Angels and Men and therein set his Statutes and his Judgements that by the light of Precepts and their influences in rewards and punishments they might order and direct these his creatures reasonable and all their actions also dispose and set out all the issues of them And seeing his Saints they are a people in whose hearts is his Law and their delight is to meditate therein both day and night they daily calculating and observing the various aspects conjunctions and mixt influences of those innumerable precepts promises and threatnings which themselves and others Nations or Men stand under and by a Judgement thence resulting Ier. 8. 7. so farre as they have attained endeavouring to frame their supplications and petitions according to Gods will Hence their praiers oft full happily succeed and aforehand doe accord to those issues and events that afterwards fall out That like as it sometimes falls out that the earth comes to bee just under the Sun and Moone in some of their conjunctions so their desires and praiers sometimes in a direct line fall under and subordinately concurre with Gods secret purposes and some revealed promise met in conjunction to produce such and such effects The Spirit also herein helping their infirmities sometime so guiding and directing them by a gracious preinstinct though unbeknowne to them to pitch their requests upon such particulars as God hath fully purposed to bring to passe becomming thereby as it were the Spirit of prophecy unto them respectively in some measure and degree Thus doth that great King imploy his nearest servants as his under-Officers and Sherifes to serve his Writs executions upō his Enemies to execute the Judgement written in his threatnings Psalm 149. 9. and to accomplish his mercies written also by putting all the promises in suit to be as man-midwives as Hezekiahs allusion when hee sent a visiting to the Prophet Esay Esay 37. 2 3 4. for his voice and suffrage seemeth to import to help and assist his promises and decrees in their travell with mercies and deliverance Zeph. 2. 2. when these their children doe come unto the birth and there is no strength to bring them forth In all which they shall therefore have the honour to bee accounted Co-workers together with God in his greatest works of wonder And at the latter day when that great and last Edition both of all Gods works and likewise ours then compleate and finished shall be published to all the world they shall finde their names put to them together with his owne and the same by him acknowledged to be as truely the works of their hearts and prayers as that they are the sole worke of his hands and power Such honour have all his Saints And if all the
thankes to him for hearing your prayers Psal 116. 1 2. I love the Lord because hee hath heard my voice and my supplication and therefore he goes on to thanke him throughout the whole Psalme You are to watch unto prayer with thanksgiving Col. 4. 2. and therefore as to watch to observe and recollect your owne wants which you are to pray for that you may have matter of requests to put up so also to observe Gods answers for matter of thankesgiving and many fill that common place head full of matter to furnish them for petitioning but as for this other of thankesgiving they watch not unto it against they come to pray nor study matter for that head also and if any study will furnish you this way it is the studying out of Gods answers to your prayers The reason you pray so much and give thankes so little is that you minde not Gods answers you doe not study them When we have put up a faithfull prayer God is made our debtor by promise and wee are to take notice of his payment and give him an acknowledgement of the receipt of it hee loseth of his glory else 6. As God loseth Reas 6. We lose much experience so your selves also the experience which you might get hereby 1. Of Gods faithfulnes to us 1. Both experience of GOD and his faithfulnesse which will cause in you hope and confidence in God another time when you have found him againe and againe answering your prayers It was a speech of one eminent in holinesse upon occasion of the accomplishmēt of a great request made to God by him That God having never denied him any request I have tryed God often now sayes he henceforth I will trust him if the hearing the prayers of another will encourage us to goe to God as Psal 33. 5. For this cause shall every one that is godly pray unto thee much more when we observe and have experience that our owne are heard Therefore sayes David Psal 116. 1 2. The Lord hath heard me and I will call upon him as long as I live as if hee had said Now that God hath heard mee now I know what to doe this experiment if I had no more is enough to encourage me for ever to pray unto God I have learned by it to call upon him as long as I live And also 2. by observing Gods answers to your prayers 2. Of our owne hearts and wayes towards him you will gaine much insight into your own harts and wayes and prayers and may thereby learne how to judge of them So Psal 66. 18 19. Davids ansurance that he did not regard iniquity in his heart was strengthned by Gods having heard his prayers for thus he reasons If I regard iniquity in my heart God will not heare me But God hath heard me For 1. if God doth not grant your petitions it will put you to study a reason of that his dealing so you will come to search into your prayers and the carriage of your hearts therein to see whether you did not pray amisse according to that Ye lust have not because ye aske amisse Iames 4. 3. As if you send to a friend who is punctuall in that point of friendship of returning answers and useth not to faile and you receive no answer from him you will beginne to thinke there is something in it And so also here When a Petition is denied you will be jealous of your selves inquisitive What should be the matter and so by that search come to see that in your prayers which you will learne to mend the next time Or 2. if they be answered yet because that therein usually God deales in a proportion with you to your prayers as you might perceive if you would observe his dealings with you you would by this meanes come to have much insight into Gods acceptation and opinion of your wayes For you should see His dealings with you and yours with Him to be exceeding parallel and correspondent and hold proportion each with other So Psal 18. 6. In my distresse I called upon the Lord and so verse 7 8 c. hee goes on to describe his deliverance which was the fruit of those prayers and then at 20 21. verses c. hee addes his observation upon both According to the cleannesse of my hands hath he dealt with mee c. For with the pure thou shalt shew thy selfe pure 7. You will lose much of your comfort Reas 7. We shall lose much comfort there is no greater joy than to see prayers answered or to see souls converted by us Iohn 16. 24. Aske and you shall receive that your joy may be full the receiving answers makes joy to abound and overflow Yea even when we pray for others if our prayers be answered for them our joies are exceeding great much more when in our owne behalfe and therein even in the smallest things which a Christian doth enjoy doth his comfort exceed anothers that hee hath them by vertue of prayers and promises he knowes how hee came by them If stolne waters bee sweet And bread eaten in secret Pro. 9. 17. c. as Solomon saies to wicked men beg'd meat is much more sweet to godly men yea in the very praying for outward mercies there is more sweetnesse than they have in enjoying them As it is joy to a good heart to see any one converted but much more to him that is the meanes of it I have no greater joy saies S. Iohn then that my children walke in truth So to see God doe good to his Church and heare others prayers is a comfort but much more to see him do it at a mans own praiers Therefore when God restores comfort to a drooping soule he is said Esay 57. To restore comfort also to his mourners that is to those that prayed and mourned for him as well as unto that soule it selfe it being a comfort to them to see their praiers answered Comfort it is many wayes The heare from God as to heare from a friend though it bee but two or three words and that about a small matter if there be at the bottome this subscription Your loving Father or Your assured friend it satisfies abundantly so also To know that God is mindfull of us accepts our works fulfills his promises How doth it rejoice one to find another of his mind in a controversie but that God and we should be of one mind and concurre in the desire of the same things Mat. 18. 19. not two in the earth onely agree but God who is in heaven and we to agree this rejoiceth the heart exceedingly And thus it is when a man perceives his prayer answered Therfore you lose much of your comfort in blessings when you do not observe answers to your prayers Chap. 2. CHAP. 2. Three cases propounded The first concerning prayers for the Church and for the accomplishment of such promises as may fall
out in ages to come NOw as for rules and helps to find out Gods meaning towards you in your prayers and to spie out answers and how to know when God doth any thing in answer to your prayers this is the next thing to bee handled wherein first I will answer some cases and queries which may fall out in severall sorts of prayers about the answering of them 1 As first concerning prayers put up for the Church for the accomplishment of such things as fall out in Ages to come 2 Concerning praiers made for others of your friends kinred c. 3 Concerning those praiers whether for your selves or others wherein others joine with you For the first §. 1. The full answer to such prayers is to come First there may bee some prayers which you must bee content never your selves to see answered in this world the accomplishment of them not falling out in your time such as are those you haply make for the calling of the Iews the utter downfal of Gods enemies the flourishing of the Gospel the full purity and liberty of Gods Ordinances the particular flourishing and good of the society and place you live in all you whose hearts are right doe treasure up many such praiers as these and sowe much of such precious seed which you must bee content to have the Church it may be in after Ages to reape All which prayers are not yet lost but will have answers for as God is an eternall God and Christs righteousnesse an everlasting righteousnesse and therefore of eternall efficacie Dan. 9. 24 Being offered up by the eternall Spirit Heb. 9. 14. So are prayers also which are the worke of the eternall Spirit of Christ made to that God in his Name and in him are eternally accepted and of eternall force and therefore may take place in after Ages So the prayer that S. Stephē made for his persecutors tooke place in Saul when S. Stephen was dead So Davids prayer against Iudas Psal 109. 8 9. took effect above a thousand yeeres after as appeares Acts 1. 20. So the prayers of the Church for three hundred yeeres in the Primitive times That Kings might come to the knowledge of the truth and they leade peaceable and quiet lives in all godlinesse and honesty which S. Paul in Nero's time exhorted unto 1. Tim. 2. 2. were not answered accomplished till Constantines time whē the Church brought forth a Man-childe Revel 12 1 So Esay 58. after hee had exhorted to and given directions for fasting prayer in a right manner hee adjoyneth this promise Thou shalt raise up the foundation of many generations thou shalt be called the repairer of the breach namely for this because his fasting and prayers might have influence into many ages yet to come in the accomplishment of what was prayed for And that which Christ saies of the Apostles reaping the fruit of S. Iohn the Baptists ministery and the seed he had sowne is in like maner herein verified Iohn 4. 37. One soweth and another reapeth And in this sense that which the Papists say is true that there is a common treasury of the Church not of their merits but of their praiers there are bottles of teares a filling Vials a filling to be powred out for the destruction of Gods enemies what a collection of prayers hath there been these many Ages towards it and that may bee one reason why God will do such great things towards the end of the world even because there hath beene so great a stock of prayers going for so many ages which is now to be returned and herein it falls out to us in our prayers as in their prophecies to the Prophets of old 1. Pet. 1. 11 The Spirit in them did signifie the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow Vnto whom it was revealed that not unto themselves but unto us they did minister the things that are now revealed and thus is it in the spirit of prayer which is instead of the spirit of prophecy for wee pray through the guidance of the Spirit who teacheth us what to aske for many things that come to passe in after ages Onely at present §. 2. Yet they may have an answer at present in assurāce both that they shall come to passe and of the acceptation of our persons for them it may bee in prayer thou hast revealed unto thee by a secret impression made on thy spirit that these things shall come to passe and so hast thy faith confirmed in them and withall an evidence that even for thy prayers among others God will performe them and that the contribution of thy prayers doth help to make up the summe and upon such prayers God usually for the present also testifies the acceptation of a mans person and reveales himselfe most to him that hee is his as he did to Moses he never revealed his love to Moses more then when he praied most for Gods people And haply thou hast that as one of thy best evidences of the uprightnesse of thy heart that thou canst pray for the Churches good though for a long time to come which thou maiest never behold with thine eyes even as David also did and rejoyced in it §. 3. And in heaven we shall rejoyce at the accomplishment of them and at the day of Judgement And when they are accomplished and thou in heaven thy joy will surely bee the more full for these thy praiers as at the conversion of those thou hast prayed for so at the ruine of the Churches enemies c. whom thou didst pray against For if there bee joy in heaven at the conversion of a sinner as at the birth of a new Prince and Heire of heaven then haply in a proportion hee shall rejoyce most whose prayers had most hand in it and a speciall interest therein And so as thy other workes so thy prayers follow thee and the fruit of them Ier. 17. 10. as Ieremy speakes and how ever yet at the day of Judgement thou shalt rejoice as well as they that enioyed the fruit of thy prayers in their times thou having sowne the seed of their happinesse both hee that sowes and hee that reapes shall then rejoyce together as Christ sayes Iohn 4. 36. Chap. 3. CHAP. III. The second Case concerning prayers made for others of our friends c. How they are answered THe second case is concerning answers to our prayers for others for particular men as friends and kinred c. and likewise for temporall blessings Pray for others you know wee must Pray for others wee ought so the Elders of the Church for those that are sick Iam. 5. 15 16. Pray one for another sayes S. Iames as in case a man is troubled with a lust tell some private friend of it Confesse your sins one to another that when a man 's owne prayers are not strong enough to cast it out it may bee done by the help of
in readily and of themselves and that likewise with a quickning heat and inlargement of affections and with a lingring and longing and restlessenesse of spirit to bee alone to powre out the soule to God and to vent and forme those motions and suggestions into a prayer till you have laid them together and made a prayer of them And this is a speaking to the heart and observe such times when God doth thus and neglect them not then to strike whilest the iron is hot thou hast then his eare it is a speciall opportunity for that businesse such an one as thou mayest never have the like Suitors at Court observe mollissima fandi tempora their times of beging when they have Kings in a good mood which they will be sure to take the advantage of but especially if they should finde that the King himselfe should beginne of himselfe to speake of the businesse which they would have of him and thus that phrase of Psal 10. 17. is understood by some that God prepares the heart and causeth the eare to heare that is hee fashions it and composeth it into a praying frame And sure it is a great signe that God meanes to heare us The difference between Satans unseasonable urging us to pray and Gods moving us when himselfe shall thus indite the Petition And by the way let me give this note of difference betweene these speakings to the heart and those whereby Satan puts us upon such duties at unseasonable houres and times as when we are otherwise necessarily to be imployed in our callings to eate or to sleepe c. then to put upon praying is a device of his he useth to tire out new converts with The difference will appeare in this the devill comes in a violent imperious manner upon the conscience but inlargeth not the heart a whit unto the duty but whensoever God at such extraordinary by-times doth call upon us hee fits and prepares the heart and fills the soule with holy suggestions as materialls for the duty for whatsoever he calls to he gives abilities withall to the thing he calls for And thus usually when hee will have any great matters done effected hee sets mens hearts a worke to pray by a kinde of gracious pre-instinct hee stirres them up and toucheth the strings of their hearts by his Spirit sent downe upon them Thus against the returne of the captivity he stirred up Daniels heart Dan. 9. 1. Hee knowing by bookes the time to be neere expiring was stirred up to seek God Dan. 9. 2. and so hee that made this Psalme Salvation being then nigh ver 9. 10. then God stirred him up to pray and pen this prayer for their returne which God had foretold hee would doe Ier. 29. 10 11 12. For having promised ver 10. I will cause you to returne after seventy yeares Then sayes he ver 12. shall ye call upon me and ye shall goe and pray unto mee and I will hearken unto you he speakes it not onely by way of command what it was they ought to doe but as prophecying also what they should doe for then he meant to stirre up their hearts as then hee did as appeares by those forementioned instances Therefore observe what things God thus by an instinct doth inlarge thy heart to pray for at times and sometimes at extraordinary by-times when haply thou diddest not think to pray about any such thing yet hee then stirred thee up most it may be as thou wert walking c. and having spare time he drawes thee into his presence and moves thee in that maner specified §. 2. 2 In praier Gods speaking to the heart in prayer an evidence of hearing which may be discerned Now secondly as God thus speakes to the heart to pray so also in praying and his speaking to the heart in prayer may bee discerned by these particulars 1 By giving a quiet rest of spirit about the thing prayed for in and by prayer 1. When God quiets and calmes and contents the heart in prayer which is done by speaking something to the heart though what is spoken be not alwayes discerned If you should see one who was an earnest and importunate suitor and exceeding anxious when he went in to a great man but behold him after comming out from him contented and quieted and cheerefull in his spirit you would conceive that certainly something had beene said to him which gave him encouragement satisfaction and contentment in his suit Thus when thou goest to God and hast been importunate in a businesse as suppose for Christ Oh give me Christ or else I die and thy desires were exceedingly up for it But thou risest up with thy minde calmed and satisfied and feelest the anxiousnesse the solicitude of thy heart about the thing taken off and dispelled This is a good sign that God hath heard thy Prayer and hath spoken something to thy heart which makes it thus composed When Hannah out of much bitternesse and with strong desires which by a long delay had bin made more violent so as her heart was much disquieted for Prov. 13. 12. Hope and by the same reason desire also deferred makes the soule sick when out of the abundance of her griefe shee had poured her soule out before the Lord 1. Sam. 1. 16. Eli the Priest joyning in prayer also for her The Lord grant thy petition after that prayer she found her heart so quieted that shee looked no more sad as the Text sayes there She arose quieted and calmed and it was that prayer that did both fill Elies mouth with that word of prophecie and her heart with quietnesse and a secret word from God accompanying it that did still those waves and accordingly God gave her a Son a Son of her desires And the like God doth now by speaking as I said something to the heart as by dropping in some promise or other into the heart or some like consideration saying as it were to the heart even as Eli from God did to her The Lord grants thy petition As to S. Paul when he was earnest with God about removing his buffetings by Satan which whether they were the stirring up a lust or temptations of blasphemy I doe not now dispute I besought God thrice that is earnestly sayes hee that it might depart and to this hee had an answer in the meane time given him till it should bee taken away enough to still and quiet him so 2. Cor. 12. 8 9. And he said that is in prayer the Lord did put in this consideration and promise into his thoughts And he said unto me my grace is sufficient for thee and my power is made perfect in weaknesse This answer thus comming in this promise thus seasonably suggested stayed and quieted Pauls heart In like manner thou hast it may bee been long praying against poverty or the like distresse and God le ts fall this or the like promise into thy heart I will never leave thee
Heb. 13. 5. nor forsake thee which quiets and contents thy minde This is an answer and observe such answers for they are precious 2 When God drawes nigh and reveales His love in and upon such a petition 2. If whilest thou art a praying God doth draw nigh to thy soule and revealeth himselfe to it in and upon such or such a particular petition As in case thou didst mainely intend when thou diddest begin to pray to set thy selfe to beg some temporall mercie at his hands some great matter for the good and prosperity of the Church as Daniel Chap. 9. did set himselfe to seeke God for the returne of the Captivity and even before thou commest to aske it or in asking it God smiles upon thee welcomes thee falleth about thy neck and kisseth thee This thou art to observe as a signe hee heares thy prayer and accepteth both thee and it when there is such a strong sense of Gods favour and presence whilest thou art upon such a suit and request more then at other times or then in other passages of the same prayer this is a token God heares thee in that particular and thou art to observe this his speaking to thy heart When thus thou shalt no sooner come into his presence to enquire of him but hee sayes Here I am as the promise is Esay 58. 9. Therefore Psal 69. 17 18. Heare me speedily sayes David and that I may know thou hearest mee draw nigh to mee therefore when God drawes nigh to thee it is a signe hee heares thee Daniel having fasted and prayed for three weekes together Dan. 10. 2 3 Then an Angell came and one of the three Persons came and told him hee was a man greatly beloved ver 11 and 19. when in like maner God by his Spirit comes downe and meets thee and tells thy heart in secret that thou art His beloved and Hee is thine then thy prayers are certainly heard for if hee accepts thy person much more thy prayers 1. Iohn 5. 19 20. Men false men false upon the ballance as David speakes when they come to bee tried and weighed they will out of cunning use suitors most kindly then when they meane to put them off and deny them their requests But God who is truth and faithfulnesse it selfe doth not use so to deale but when he means to answer the prayer Hee withall sometimes reveals his free grace most to the end they may see and acknowledge the fountaine of all to be his everlasting love and so take the thing granted as a fruit of it and thereby come to bee the more abundantly thankfull Onely let me adde this Caution A caution That yet this is not alwayes an infallible signe the thing is granted though that the prayer is accepted which may bee of great use to you That it is not alwayes infallibly true that when God drawes nigh to you in a particular request that that request in particular shall bee granted in that maner you desired but it is a certaine evidence that thy prayer is heard and that the thing thou askest is agreeable to his will and that hee approves of thee and thy request exceedingly and thinketh the better of thee for it and hee will give thee it or something that is better There may be herein and sometimes is a mistake of Gods meaning to thinke that alwayes then the thing shall be granted when God drawes nigh to a man experience sometimes shews the contrary Quest But you will say Why doth God draw so nigh if he meanes not to grant it Answ 1. He shewes thereby His approving will of the thing prayed for Now GOD approves many things hee decrees not The reasons why God sometimes drawes nigh when he grants nor the thing There is his approving will and his decreeing will God may shew his approving wil of the thing thou askest as suppose it bee in view a matter which is of great consequence for the Church which hee doth for thy encouragement but yet it followes not that his decreeing wil is for the accomplishment of that very thing in particular 2. God may accept the person and the prayer when hee doth not grant the thing prayed for and by that drawing nigh witnesse his acceptation of thy person and the prayer Yea 3. That revealing of himselfe is oftentimes all the answer he intended to such a prayer and it is answer enough too to enjoy in the stead of a particular mercy the assurance of Gods love As suppose thou didst pray against some evill comming upon his Church which he yet intends to bring which hee did set thy heart a worke to pray against thereby to manifest the sincerity therof and then hee seeing thee thus sincere drawes nigh to thee and tells thee however it shall go well with thee and that thou art greatly beloved of Him Thou art sometime to take this for all the answer hee meanes to give And this hee doth sometimes also to content the heart and prepare it for a deniall in the thing whereas otherwise the deniall of what a Christian hath been earnest in might occasion as in many it doth a questioning and doubting of Gods love §. 4. God some times stirs up a particular faith of assurāce in some businesses 3 When God stirres up in the heart a particular faith in a businesse as sometimes He doth and upholds the heart to wait for it maugre all discouragements So hee did in David Psal 27. 3. David was then in great hazards by reason of Saul or Absalom and those such and so often as that to sense and outward probabilities hee was like never to live quietly againe at Ierusalem and enjoy Gods Ordinances there in peace but for this David had prayed and had made it as the grand request of his whole life as every man hath some one great request of all other even as Hee hath some speciall grace above all other or gift c. so request to God next to His salvation as haply for his Ministery or the like therefore sayes David verse 4. This one thing have I desired and accordingly God gave him a speciall faith in this thing above all other because it was his great request In this will I be confident verse 3. And though an hoste of men should againe and againe incompasseme saies he yet in this I will be confident that I shall still escape and see Ierusalem againe and enjoy the Ordinances and live in peace and though his faith failed him often as in the persecution of Saul it did for he said he should one day perish by the hand of Saul 1 Sam. 27. 1 yet at other times his faith was marvellously upheld and hee was confident in this Hee used not to be so in other requests thus absolutely particularly and distinctly and therefore he sayes In this c. As there is a witnesse of the Holy Ghost immediate to the heart sealing up adoption to a mans person
17. that others may see it and be ashamed and such tokens doth God often make small circumstances to bee Things small in themselves may bee magna indicia great signes and tokens for example Moses and Aaron and the Israelites had long cryed to GOD for the deliverance of his people and laid up many prayers their cry came up as was said and when God doth deliver them what tokens were there of good and of GODS hand in it and of his answer to their prayers The Text notes as was observed before that a dog did not barke at their going out Exod. 11. 7. which was a small circumstance but it was magnum indicium and so intended by God for the Text addes That ye may know that God puts a difference between the Israelites and the Egyptians This was a â—oken of Gods hand to over-rule the tongues of rude bruit creatures that use to stir at such unusuall noises and at travellers especially in the night So when Isaac and Abraham and his servant also had prayed for a Wife for Isaac see by what a token God shewed he had heard their prayers Rebekkah was the first that came out to the servant sent to bring a wife for him and if shee be the woman appointed for Isaac saies the servant Let her offer me drinke Gen 23. 13 14. and my Camels also this was a small thing in appearance but a great indicium of Gods hand in it and therefore the servant bowed at it and worshipped and the signe in it selfe was such as argued a good nature in her and a kinde courteous disposition which therefore it may bee hee singled out as a token of a meet wife as a thing especially to be looked at in the mariage choise § 3. Observation from the time wherein the thing prayed for is accomplisht as Againe the consideration of the time wherein the things we have asked are granted may much help us to discerne whether it be in answer to our prayers For God who doth all things in weight and measure shewes his wisdome and love as much in the season as in giving the thing it selfe GOD considereth all times of thy life and still chosseth the best and fittest to answer thy prayers in In an acceptable time have I heard thee So Esay 49. 8. As David in like maner sayes hee prayed in an acceptable time Psal 69. 13. So accordingly God answers in the best and most acceptable time to us for he waits to be gracious for he is a God of judgement Esay 30. 18. that is Hee is a wise God that knowes the fittest times and seasons wherein to shew kindnesses and to deale forth his favours in 1 Sometime the thing is accomplisht about the time wherin we are most instant in prayer As first it may be that at that very time when thou hast beene most instant and earnest yea even whilest thou art a praying or presently after the thing is done and accomplisht To this purpose is that of Esay 65. 24. That as sometimes he heares before they call which argues much love to give mercies unsought so also whilest they are speaking I will heare and grant the thing which argues no lesse love and he culs out that time on purpose that they might rest assured that it was in answer to their prayer Thus to assure Hezekiah his prayer was heard God sent the Prophet in unto him whilest hee was a praying and weeping with his head turned towards the wall So Isaac going out to pray in the field meets his Rebekkah then a comming Gen. 24 63 that blessing of a good Wife being surely the great request temporall hee was then in Treaty with God for this Rebekkah was the fruit of many prayers So when S. Peter was in prison the Church being gathered together to pray for him S. Peter comes and knocks at the same houre Acts 12. from the 12. ver to the 18. So as it often falls out herein as to the Ruler in the Gospel Iob. 4. 52. who inquiring diligently found that the same houre that Christ had said to him Thy sonne liveth his son recovered and so he beleeved and his whole houshold So also here that sometimes the thing is done or the newes of it comes the same houre or soone after wherein a man was praying about it and haply then when the heart was most stirred about it more then at any time else this is a signe it was an answer of prayers and may help to confirme a mans faith in it as that also did his 2 When granted in the fittest time Or secondly when it is the most acceptable and every way the fittest time to have the thing granted At that time 1. when thou hadst most neede and 2. when thy heart was most fit for it For in answering prayers God aimes especially at two things 1. To shew his mercy that a man might magnifie and exalt that And 2. To have the heart satisfied and filled with joy and contentment in his answer and the thing made sweet and a mercy indeed to him in briefe that his goodnesse might be delighted in and his mercy exalted The fittest time knowne two wayes And for these two purposes he culs out such times when we have most need and also when our hearts are most subdued and our lusts mortified For then we are fittest to rellish his goodnesse alone and not to bee drawne away with the carnall sweetnesse that is in the thing The one you have exprest Esay 30. 18. Hee waits to bee gracious to have his mercy exalted The second intimated Iames 5. Ye aske and receive not because ye aske amisse to consume upon your lusts Such prayers whilest the heart is in this temper the Lord denies or deferres in mercie till the heart bee weaned 1 When wee have most need For the first of these As suppose thou diddest pray long for assurance of salvation and joy in the Holy Ghost and when thou hadst most need of it either when thy spirit would have failed without it as Esay 57. 16. Or against some great affliction approaching or some great encounter with the world for the Name of Christ then God filled thy heart with it c. that was the fittest time now hath God heard thy prayer As S. Peter hee was in Prison and had beene so for many dayes as appeares by the fourth and fifth verses Acts 12. God could haue delivered him at any time while the Church prayed for him ver 5. But God kept him in on purpose till that very night when in the next morning Herod meant to bring him forth to execution and then God delivered him at the prayers of the Church then was the most fit time As the Psalmist sayes The full time to have mercy on him was come Psal 102. 1â— And then to receive an answer is a signe God did it out of speciall love which love hee would have exalted by thee as Esay
So Hannah having obtained Samuel by prayer shee returnes him unto God 1. Sam. 1. 27 28. For this childe I prayed and God gave me my petition and therefore also I have lent him to the Lord as long as hee liveth If therefore thou findest this his dealing with thee in answering thee to be a kindely motive to cause thee to mourne for sin and to bee as a restraint against sin it is a signe it was the fruit of praier Thus it wrought with David Psal 6. 8. Away from mee yee that work iniquity God hath heard the voice of my weeping Also if thou rejoycest in God more than in the thing obtained so Hannah begins her song when she blesseth God for her child My heart rejoyceth in the Lord c. 1. Sam. 2. 1. Shee rejoyceth not so much in the gift as in the giver and his favour more in this that her prayer was answered then in the thing obtained this is a signe of having obtained the mercy through prayers when it is thus sanctified unto a mans spirit §. 2. Prayer answered enlargeth the heart with thankfulnesse 2 Prayers answered will inlarge thy heart with thankefulnesse and thus usually they doe selfe-love makes us more forward to pray than to give thankes for nature is all of the craving and taking hand but where grace is there will be no eminent mercie gotten with much strugling but there will be a continued particular thankfull remembrance of it a long while after with much inlargement and As prayers abounded so will thanksgiving abound also Hannah shee makes a Song 1. Sam. 1. 2. Great blessings that are wonne with prayer are worne with thankfulnesse such a man will not ask new but he will withall give thankes for old Thankfulnesse of all duties proceeds from pure grace therefore if the spirit stirs thee unto it it is a signe he made the prayer What thankes shall I render to God for the joy I have in you saith S. Paul 1. Thess 3. 9 10 So in all his other Epistles all those hee writes to as he prayes for them so hee tells them he gives thanks for them and for their graces which he had prayed for And if answering prayers for others makes S. Paul so thankfull what when for himselfe Prayer and thanks are like the double motion of the lungs the ayre that is sucked in by prayer is breathed forth againe by thanks Is thy heart afresh inlarged as to mourne for past sins long since committed so in like manner to give thankes for past mercies wonne with long prayers and this for a long while after it is a sign that they were obtained by prayer §. 3. If this encourageth thee to go to God againe 3 If the mercy obtained doth encourage thee to goe to GOD another time to pray againe the more confidently and fervently it is a signe thou hast got the former that way For the Holy Ghost having once shewed thee this way of procuring mercy hence it is thou art thus ready to take the same course another time Psal 116. 2. The Lord hath heard mee and I will call on him as long as I live I know sayes hee now what course to take if I be in any want even to call upon him and he calls upon others to doe so too § 4. It makes a man carefull to performe his vows made in prayer to obtaine it 4 When God having heard thy prayers upon solemne vowes made by thee thy heart is made carefull to pay those vowes which thou didst make in the time of thy suing to GOD for that mercy this may be an argument to thee the thing being granted that thy prayer was heard For first it argueth that thy heart it selfe doth secretly make such an account that upon them God did grant the thing and thou dost therefore make conscience to return all again to God in service as the condition of thy Indentures made with him and as an homage due and an acknowledgement for ever that such a mercy was won by prayer and by this preservest the memory of the receit of that mercy vowes being of the nature of homage and secondly in this also it is an evidence that the thing was obtained by prayer in that God cals for those vowes from thee by his Spirit in thy heart and stirs thee up to perform them it argues that in relation to thy prayers answered He takes them as dues from thee that having dispatcht thy suite He now calls for what was agreed to bee given him when it should bee performed And thirdly in that also he doth accept the payment of these thy vows of thee he acknowledgeth that those vowes and prayers were heard for as Manoah said in another case If hee meant to have destroyed us Iudg. 13. 23 hee would not have accepted a sacrifice so in this case it may be said if God had not heard thy prayers hee would not have accepted thy vowes after thy praying Thus David Psal 66. 13 14. I will pay thee my vowes which my lips have uttered and my mouth hath spoken when I was in my trouble the reason follows v. 17 19. because that Verily God hath heard me when I cryed to him and so Eliphaz in Iob doth connect and hang these two together Iob 22. 27. Thou shalt make thy prayer to him and he shall heare thee and thou shalt pay thy vowes This which he speakes of paying his vowes was not onely as it was to be his duty but also as a consequent that would follow the other that when his prayers should be heard he thereupon would performe his vowes for his scope is to move Iob to turne to God shewing what benefit would accrue to him by it and amongst others this The hearing his prayers and performing his vowes 5 If a man sees by faith and acknowledgeth God ◠sole han◠in the accomplishment 5 When thou art inabled by faith to see cleerly Gods hand shewed forth in the effecting of that mercy over and above the power of second causes and to acknowledge it to his glory for the truth is one maine cavilling reason in our blinde hearts whereby wee are usually hindred and put by from apprehending our prayers to be answered when yet the thing is done wee shall find to be that our eyes are terminated and bounded in second causes and not raised to see Gods hand in the thing therefore on the contrary when God inableth thee to see that hee hath done thee this kindnesse so as thy minde is cleere in it this is a fruit of his hearing thy prayers And this you will usually finde to be true that so much faith and dependance as you had upon God in prayer for the obtaining of a mercy so much faith and acknowledgement you will have in the accomplishment of it Parallel with this rule is that other which in another case is usually given that in performance of duties so much as the soul did
goe out of it selfe to God for strength to performe them so much when they are performed will the heart acknowledge Gods assistance and be humbled And this is a signe of prayer being heard upon this ground because Gods end of hearing prayers is that wee might glorifie him So Psal 50. 15. Call upon me in the day of trouble and I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorify mee Therefore when the heart hath prayed much for a mercy with dependance before the obtaining of it and then is enabled to exalt God when it is obtained it is a signe that God did it in relation to those prayers For there is that connexion made betweene these as between the cause and the effect I will heare thee and thou shalt glorifie me David when he was delivered out of all his troubles as when hee made that 18. Psal he was as appeares by the title of it then at the 6. verse he relates how he had prayed and how hee was heard and see thereupon how his heart was enlarged to acknowledge God alone to have done all in the rest of that Psalme so from the 27. and also from the 31. ver When wee see Angels from God beyond the power of second causes descending it is a signe that prayers as Angels first ascended and obtained that mercy Thus also the Church Esay 26. having obtained those deliverances by prayer ver 17. for which there she makes that song by way of thankfulnesse she ascribes all unto God ver 12. Thou hast wrought all our workes for us and ver 18. Verily we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth §. 6. With the mercy sometimes a speciall evidence comes in that it is obtained by prayer 6 When with the mercy there commeth the assurance of Gods love and an evidence of his favour when GOD sends not a bare token only but a letter also with it to beare witnesse of his love in which the token is wrapt I need not make that a sign for when this comes with a mercy it carries its owne evidence you will then know well enough that it is the fruit of prayer §. 7. By the evēt things obtained by prayer prove reall and stable mercies 7 Lastly it will be evident by the event things obtained by prayer have few thornes in them the curse is taken out but what comes but by ordinary providence comes as it were up of it selfe alone and like the earth untilled is full of thornes and bryers and many vexations The reason is for what comes in by prayer comes as a blessing and so no sorrow is added to it and also because prayer killeth those inordinate lusts which is the cause of that vanity and vexation which is in the things enjoyed But when the blessing of God maketh rich he addeth no sorrow with it Prov. 10. 22. Things long deferred at last obtained by prayer prove most cōfortable and in a setled manner such they prove standing and stable blessings and what trouble the heart was put to in the deferring it is recompenced by the more setled constant immixt sweetnesse in the enjoying prayer having long perfumed it and the thing being steeped therein it proves exceeding pleasant So Prov. 13. 12. Hope deferred makes the heart sicke but when the desire comes it is a tree of life and heales that sicknesse and abundantly comforts the heart Thus Isaac found Rebekkah a great blessing and a comfortable wife to him Gen. 24. ult Such a comfort also was Isaac to Abraham Gen. 17. 18 19. A sonne indeed a sonne of laughter as his name signifies and such was Samuel to Hannah shee had not onely a sonne of him but a good son a blessed son a Prophet and the Judge of the people of God whereas Iacob getting the blessing but without prayer how imbittered was it to him though a blessing to him in the event by twenty yeeres banishment from his mothers house When Israel themselves set up a King but not by me as God saies what a punishment was he to them given in wrath and taken away in anger Hos 13. 11. Chap. 9 CHAP. IX Considerations to quiet the heart and to help it to discerne an answer to and acceptation of the prayer when the thing is not accomplisht § 1. The thing prayed for is not alwaies granted when yet the prayer is heard BUt now the next and more difficult question is When the thing is not granted how shall we then discerne and know that God doth notwithstanding heare the prayer Concerning which I must premise this that it is true that alwayes the very thing it selfe desired is not granted when yet the prayer is heard Christ prayed the Cup might passe from him which though some interpret the word passing for the short continuance of the brunt and that therefore in that respect hee was heard directly in what he asked yet if so why was that clause if it be possible added that argues his petition was for a totall removall yet with subjection to Gods will for he knew there was no great impossibility in a short removall of it nay it was impossible but that it should passe Acts 2. 24. But howsoever it is plain in Moses about his going into Canaan Deut. 3. 26. I besought the Lord sayes hee ver 23. and hee was angry with mee and would not heare me ver 26. Likewise ere I come to resolve the case an objection is also to be removed which is That if the Spirit of GOD doth make every faithfull prayer in us as Rom. 8. 26. it is said Hee doth wee know not what to pray for but the Spirit helpeth our infirmities c. and he searcheth the deep things of God as it is said 1 Cor. 2. that therefore hee knowing that GOD will not grant such a thing you may think that he should not stirre up the heart to pray for that which God meanes to deny but alwayes guide the heart aright and not let us erre or misse in the things wee pray for To this in briefe by way of answer An objection answered 1. The Spirit makes not prayers in us alwayes according to what Gods secret will and foreknowledge is That though the Spirit knows Gods mind and teacheth us what to pray for yet the thing prayed for may not bee granted but according to his revealed will to us both in his word and in his providence as things therein are presented to us and doe lie before our view and so not alwayes according to what hee meanes to doe but according to what it is our duty to pray most for for hee concurres to assist us to pray as he doth in preaching or using other such like meanes and Ordinances wherein though the spirit knowes whom God meanes to convert whom not yet he assists us Ministers in our spirits oftentimes as much to preach to those hee meanes not to convert as to those hee meanes to convert Hee dealing with us
workes of GOD are so exceeding great and his thoughts therein so very deep Psal 92. 5. that every Iota of them doth deserve our deepest studies and intentions and thereunto require a proper skill and wisedome to reade his hand peculiar unto the Saints ver 6. whereunto there must be adjoined the most diligent search Psal 77. 6. and attentive observation to finde out his meaning in them and withall a speciall inclination and delight to be conversant therein Thy workes are very great sought out of those that have pleasure in them Psal 111. 2. And if of all the rest those choiser pieces his workes of mercy may challenge our best regard in which his heart and delights are most Mich. 7. 18. on which his wisedome hath laid on the richest workmanship in the most curious contrivements of his love Then surely that selected volume of more speciall mercies His Epistles vouchsafed in answer to our prayers is above all other most exactly to be studied and most diligently to bee perused by us Wherein God doth unbosome himselfe and lay open his heart more sweetly more familiarly unto us which are directed and in a maner dedicated more particularly unto our selves alone Many of them written with his owne hand in a more immediate maner discovered and appearing in them and all of them come sealed with the impresse of everlasting love and downe laden with the enclosure of the most precious tokens of his speciall favour Ps 107. 43. Who so is wise will observe these things and they shall understand the loving kindnesse of the Lord. Neither have such favours onely more of mercy in the things themselves bestowed but are further indeared to us by being made our owne mercies by a more peculiar title to them by which the kindnesse in them is rendred double For therein wee have that royall liberty to become our owne choosers and contrivers of our owne condition having all the promises throwne downe to us with blanks for us to write our names in which of them wee please which is the greatest liberty And Wee have withall his Spirit secretly directing and fixing the needle of our desires to the same point wherein his great intentions towards us doe meete with our best good which is indeed the truest liberty And to be made our selves whom we love so well and therefore delight to do good unto the chiefest instruments under him of our owne greatest happinesse is a priviledge then which the creature is not made capable of a more transcendent royalty And yet when the greatest love thus rectified which possibly we can beare our selves hath opened its mouth widest and stretched our desires in praying to their utmost compasse then will Gods infinite vast love not onely fill them but doe for us above all that we are able to ask yea to thinke exceeding abundantly above all as farr above as his thoughts are above our thoughts which is farre more then the heavens are higher then the earth All which when put together if well considered how would it provoke us to call in all that precious stock of our time thoughts and intentions which wee cast away on trifles to lay out the choisest portion of them in this thriving trade of entercourse with God the returnes whereof are better then the merchandise of silver and the gaine therof then fine gold It is the praying Christian that alone imployes the riches of the promises which wee usually let lie by us like dead stocke unimproved whilst hee like a wise and diligent Merchant looks abroad upon all the affaires of Iesus Christ that are afloat here in this world and adventures in them all is watchfull to spy out all advantages and with an holie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intermedleth in every businesse that may bring in glory unto God good unto the Church grace and comfort to his owne soule And how infinitely rich must that man needes become that puts even Gods riches out to use with the increase of ten Talents for one yea an hundred fold The due estimate whereof would no lesse quicken us to as diligent an inquiry what becomes of all those goodly adventures the prayers we make to listen what haven they arrive at how and when and with what fraught they doe returne In which great duty and most necessary property of all true Merchants yet many of the best and greatest dealers that are diligent enough in praying are still found failing and deficient that omit no gainfull opportunity of adventure but are carelesse and unobservant of their returnes Some through ignorance it may be that this is at all a duty or of any such importance are carefull onely how to lade in praiers enough not expecting to finde any of this bread cast upon the waters untill that great and generall returne of themselves all the world with joy bringing their sheaves with them Others though at present many of their praiers come home after a few daies and richly laden yet through want of skill to reade those Bills of Exchange which God often writes in an obscurer character they lie unregarded by them Many when voyages prove long though to their greater advantage when once they doe returne yet in the meane time through discouragement they give all for lost as we doe ships at Sea we cannot heare of The most are commonly complaining that their adventures still miscary and that little or nothing comes of all their prayers And All are negligent of keeping their bookes of accounts to cast up their commings in and goings out the one with the other By which they lose the chiefest portion of that comfort which for the present God hath here allotted us to live upon the revenues of their prayers And God also is not onely robbed of that Custome of his glory which should thence accrew but wronged also by standing still as debtor in their accounts to many prayers in the return of which he hath been creditor long agoe I have endevoured therefore in this small Treatise to convince beleevers of the grand importance of this duty which is so full of gaine To discover likewise the causes of the neglect herein and remove the temptations and discouragements which doe occasion it and have briefly resolved such cases as doe more usually occurre in the practise of it But principally my desire was to give in some few experiments and observations which may help to teach the weaker sort though not perfectly to reade yet here and there to spell and especially out of the impressions in their own hearts Gods meaning towards them in his answers I have cast in some scattered calculations of broken praiers cast up which though they wil not amount to make generall and perfect Tables out of yet may serve as Instances and examples for yong beginners to direct them in the exercise of this most usefull skill and wisedome how to compute and ballance their accounts by comparing their prayers and their returnes together This
small and imperfect embryon I have presumed to send forth into the world and directed it first of all to present its service unto you and make an honourable and thankefull mention of your Name Your worth deserves a more costly large and lasting monument for this inscription Your owne abilities of learning eloquence and depth of wisedome in humane affaires would you be perswaded to lay them out as you are able would erect such a remembrance and sumptuous memoriall of you when you are gathered to your Fathers as would beare some proportion to your great worth But that which emboldned me was the neere affinity which meditations of this nature doe hold with those other your more retired thoughts you thinke to none but God and your owne soule You have beene long a frequent and constant dealer in this blessed way of entercourse with God in private Those that know you know your strict observance of those exchange houres you have devoted to meet with God and enjoy communion with Him But above all it was that personall obligation under which a great and speciall all favour from you long since brought me upon which I devoted with my selfe the first of my labours unto your service And it became one great reliefe unto my thoughts weighing the many inconveniences of appearing thus in publique that it gave so full occasion to pay my vowes thus openly before all the world which having now done God that is rich in mercy to all that call upon him fill you with all Grace and grant all your petitions so prayes Your Worships obliged to love and serve you THO GOODVVIN THE TABLE CHAP. 1. The maine observation That Gods people are diligently to observe the answers of their prayers Pag. 5. The sinfulnes of the neglect hereof demonstrated by seven reasons 7 1 reas An ordinance of God taken in vain ibid. 2. reas Gods attributes taken in vain 12 3. reas God in answering made to speake in vaine 16 4. reas God provoked not to answer 19 5. reas We shall not returne thanks 21 6. reas We shall lose much experience 23 1. Of Gods faithfulnesse ibid 2. Of our own wayes towards him 25 7. reas We shall lose much comfort 28 CHAP. 2. Three Cases The first concerning prayers for such promises as may bee accomplished in ages to come 32 1 § Such prayers the Church to come doth reape 33 2 § Yet wee at present may have an answer about them 39 3 § In heaven and at the last day wee shall rejoyce for their accomplishment 40 CHAP. 3. Second Case Concerning prayers made for others of our friends c. How answered p. 42 1 § Such prayers oft granted 44 2 § Yet not alwayes in the very thing prayed for 46 Such promises but indefinite 49 As all temporall promises are 51 Our faith towards them not required to be assurance 53 Vnlesse God give a speciall faith 58 3 § Such prayers returned into our owne bosomes 61 4 § God in the end casts some out of our prayers 65 5 § Those prayers answered in some others 68 CHAP. 4. Third Case How the influence of our owne prayers when others pray also for the same thing with us may bee discerned 72 1 § If our hearts are affected with the same holy affection 73 Vnbeknowne each to other 75 2 § By some speciall endeavor as 1 Some notable circumstance 76 2 By joy in the accomplishment 79 3 By thankfulnesse for the accomplishment 81 3 § This lesse to be doubted when the thing prayed for by us doth concerne our owne particular p. 82 CHAP. 5 Common directions helpfull in all cases and prayers taken first from observations from Before and In praying p. 85 1 § BEFORE when God prepares the heart 86 Difference between Satans motions to prayer and Gods 89 2 § IN prayer Gods speakings in prayer are evidences of hearing and discerned by 4 things 93 1 Giving a quietnes by praier about the thing prayed for ibid 3 § 2 By revealing his love in and upon such petitions 99 A caution herein 103 Reasons why God draws nigh when he grants not the thing 104 4 § 3 God sometimes gives a particular assurance 107 A caution herein 111 5 § 4 By giving a restlesse importunity to pray for a particular mercy 117 CHAP. 6 Observations made upon the disposition of the heart AFTER prayer Vntill the ISSVE of the thing prayed for p. 119 1 § When God gives an obedient dependant heart pag. 119 2 § when God gives an heart waiting for and expecting it 123 CHAP. 7 Observations made AFTER prayer Vpon the ISSVE first If Accomplisht whether as the fruit of prayer or of common providence 125 1 § God sometimes answers the prayer in the very thing and maner desired 126 2 § Directions to discerne that things thus obtained are in answer to prayers 134 1 From the maner of Gods performance A more then ordinary hand discovered in things accomplisht by prayer instanced in 5. particulars ibid 1 By bringing it to passe through difficulties 135 2 By facilitating all meanes 137 3 Effecting it suddenly 139 4 With addition of other mercies above what was desired 141 5 By some speciall circumstance as a token of his hand in it 142 3 § 2 From the Time wherein it is accomplisht 146 As first when we were most instant in prayer 147 2 In the fittest time for us Then 150 1 When we have most need 151 2 When the heart was best prepared to receive it 154 4 § 3 From the proportion which may bee observed betwixt Gods dealings in the accomplishment and our prayers 158 CHAP. 8. Seven observations more from the Effects which the accomplishment of the mercy hath upon the heart 163 1 § If it draw the heart nearer to God ibid 2 § Enlargeth the heart with thankfulnesse 166 3 § And encourageth the heart the more to pray for other things 169 4 § If it makes more carefull to performe the vowes made to obtaine it 170 5 § If by faith a man sees and acknowledgeth Gods sole hand in the accomplishment 174 6 § By an assurance which comes sometimes with the mercy 178 7 § By the event Things obtained by prayer prove stable mercies 179 CHAP. 9. Considerations to quiet us and to helpe to discerne an acceptation of the prayer when the thing is Not Accomplisht 183 1 § The thing not alwayes granted when yet the prayer is heard ibid. An objection answered 186 2 § Some blessings not absolutely promised nor absolutely to be prayed for 188 In which a deniall is to bee interpreted as best for us in Gods judgement 190 3 § There may be a reservation in the deniall for some greater mercy ibid 4 § There may bee a transmutation into some other blessing of the same kind 193 5 § God when hee denies yet answereth to the ground of our prayers 196 6 § And yeelds farre in it to give satisfaction to his child 203 7 § Wee may
know that the prayer notwithstanding is accepted by the effects upon the heart which are 4. 206 1 If we acknowledge God righteous in the deniall ibid. 2 If God fills the heart with contentment in the deniall 207 3 If the heart bee thankfull out of faith 209 4 If not discouraged but prayes still 210 CHAP. 10. Application A reproofe of them that pray but looke not after the Returnes of their prayers The causes of this neglect are 212 1 Temptations 1 From want of assurance that our persons are accepted 216 2 From the weaknes of our prayers three answers to it 221 3 From not obtaining what wee formerly prayed for answered by 4. things 227 2 More sinfull discouragements as 231 1 From slothfulnesse in praying 232 2 Looking at prayer as a duty only and not as a meanes to obtaine 236 3 Falling into sinne after prayers 240 Sixe Observations more out of the Text. 1 Observ That God doth sometimes not speake peace to his owne people 245 2 Obser The cause thereof some folly 251 3 Observ God only can speak peace 258 4 Observ God easily can give peace 267 5 Observ God will certainly speak to his people 278 6 Observ After peace spoken his people should returne no more to folly 283 The sin and folly of relapsing shewne by 7. reasons 29â— Temptations from relapse into the same sinne after peace spoken answered By Scriptures 32â— By 3 Examples 33â— By 4 Reasons 34â— 5 Cautions 36â— FINIS THE RETVRNE OF PRAYERS PSAL. 85. 8. I will heare what God the Lord will speake for He will speake peace unto His people and to his Saints but let them not turne againe to folly The Coherence of the words THis Psalme was penned in the name and for the comfort of the whole Church of the Iewes both as a Prophecie of and a Prayer for their returne out of the Babylonish Captivity and the flowing in again of that ancient glory peace administration of Justice liberty of Gods Ordinances plenty and increase which formerly they enjoyed but had now suffered an ebbe of seventy yeares continuance And first he beginneth with Prayer from the first verse to this wee have in hand putting the Lord in minde of and urging Him with His graciour dealings in former times unto His Church this is not the first time saith he that the Church hath beene in Captivity and that thou hast returned it as out of Aegypt c. and therefore wee hope that thou wilt doe so againe Thou hast beene favourable unto thy Land c. His Prayer being finished and hee having spoke he now stands and listens as you use to doe when you expect an Eccho what Eccho hee should have what answer would bee returned from Heaven whither his Prayer had already come I will heare what the Lord will speake or as some reade it I heare what the Lord doth speake for sometimes there is a present Eccho a speedy answer returned to a mans heart even ere the Prayer is halfe finished as unto Daniel Dan. 9. 20. 21. And in briefe it is this The Lord will speake peace unto His people this answer hee findes written at the bottome of the petition but with this clause of admonition for time to come added But let them not returne againe to folly a good use to bee made of so gracious an answer Chap. 1. CHAP. I. The maine observation and subject of this Discourse thence deduced That Gods people are diligently to observe the answers to their Prayers The reasons of it THese words being especially spoken in relation to the answer of God returned to his Prayer made therefore in that relation I meane principally to handle them The observation is this That when a man hath put up Prayers to God hee is to rest assured that God will in mercy answer his Prayers and to listen diligently and observe how his Prayers are answered both are here to bee observed I will heare what God will speake that is how Hee will accomplish them and withall he confidently expresseth an assurance that God will speake peace Thus doth the Church Mich. 7. 7 8. I will looke to the Lord I will wait my God will heare mee Shee was both sure of gracious audience with Him my God will heare me and she will wait till hee answers her and observe how hee doth it I will looke to the Lord and vers 9. I will heare the indignation of the Lord till he plead my cause So Habakkuk hee having made a Praier against the Tyrannie of Nebuchadnezzar in the first Chapter having ended it hee begins the second Chapter thus I will stand upon my watch tower and see what hee will answer mee The sinfulnesse of the neglect hereof demonstrated by 7. reasons and in the end an answer comes vers 2. and as hee thus waited for a Vision for sometime their Prophecies were in answer to their prayers so should wee for an answer unto ours 1. Reason Reas 1. Hereby an Ordinance of God is taken in vaine which is Gods Name because otherwise you take an Ordinance of God in vain in your hearts which is to take Gods Name with whom in that Ordinance you deale in vaine for it a signe you thinke your prayer not an effectuall meanes to attain that end it is ordained for and say secretly in your hearts as they Iob 21. 15. What profit have we if we pray to him for if we use any meanes and expect not the end it is a signe wee thinke the meanes vaine to accomplish that end Whereas every faithfull prayer is ordained of God to bee a meanes to obtaine what wee desire and pray for and is not put up in vain but shall have answer 1. Ioh. 5. 14 15. This is the confidence that we have in Him that if we aske any thing according to His will He heareth us t is true God heareth an enemy but to heare with favour is the hearing there meant and is so used in our ordinary speach as we say of a Favourite that he hath the Kings eare and if a man bee obstinate to a mans counsell we say hee would not heare though hee give the hearing so here to heare is a word of gracious inclination to doe the thing required and thus Gods eares are said to bee open to their prayers and so it followes there that if he heareth us whatsoever we aske wee know that we have the petitions that wee desired of Him Assoone as wee have prayed wee are said to have our petitions that is they are then granted and we may be confident they are assented unto by God although in regard of outward dispensation the command for accomplishment is not yet come forth even as a petitioner is said to have his suit when the word of the King is gone forth that it shall be done though it passeth not the seale or bee not signed a good while after And like as when a wicked man sinneth assoone as the act
is committed so soone doth sentence from God goe forth against the sinner but the Execution overtakes him not it may bee a good while after according to that of Solomon Sentence against an evill doer is not presently executed Eccles 7. 11 it is presently sentenced as the words imply but not executed so in like manner falleth it out when a godly man praies that as soone as the praier arrives in Heaven which is in an instant so soone is the petition granted So Dan. 9. at the beginning of his praier the Command came forth ver 23. though the Angel who brought the answer arrived not at him till towards the end in the Evening ver 21. but the reall accomplishment of it may be deferred So as no prayer in respect of an answer to it is in vaine but where God hath given a heart to speake Hee hath an eare to heare and love to returne answer which not to regard is to take an Ordinance in vain which is Gods Name And secondly Reas 2. Wee take the Attributes of God in vaine not simply Gods name as in an Ordinance made knowne but also His name that is His Attributes are taken in vaine For it is a signe you thinke of that God you pray to that either his eare is heavy that hee cannot heare or his hand shortned that he cānot save or his heart straitned and his bowels restrained that he will not And thus you rob him and despoile him of one of his most royall Titles whereby he styles himselfe Psal 65. 2. a God that heareth prayers who is so regardfull of them that in the first of Kings 8. 59. they are said to be nigh the Lord day and night they are all before him and he sets them in his view as wee doe letters of friends which wee sticke in our windows that we may remember to answer them or lay them not out of our bosomes that wee might be sure not to forget thē so the petitions of his people passe not out of his sight till hee sends an answer which is called speaking here God speaking as well in his workes as in his word But you by your neglect herein make an Idoll God of him such as were the vanities of the heathen as if hee had eares and heard not eyes and saw not your need c. Such a God as Elias mockt You must speak aloud saith he he may be in a journey c. Even such a God doe you make the God of heaven earth to bee whilest you put no more confidence in him or make no more reckoning of your prayers to him then the heathens did of their sacrifices to their Gods Petitioners do not onely put up their requests but use to wait at great mens doores enquire and listen what answer is given unto them and it is part of an honour to great men that we doe so and for the same end are wee also to waite on God As an acknowledgement of his greatnesse and our distance from him and dependance upon him as the eyes of the servants looke to the hand of their Masters Psal 123. 2 so doe we saith David on thee till thou hast mercy on us And Psalm 130. after he had prayed ver 2. Hee saith hee waited more then they that watch for the morning like those that having some great businesse to doe on the morrow long for the day light and looke often out to spy the day so hee for a glimmering and dawning of an answer The like we have Psal 5. 3. In the morning will I direct my prayer to thee and looke that is for an answer Againe Reas 3. If God give an answer we make him speake in vaine 3. If God doth give you an answer if you minde it not you let God speake to you in vaine when you doe not listen to what hee answers if two men walke together and the one when himselfe hath said and spoke what hee would listens not but is regardlesse of what the other answers hee exceedingly slights the man As non respondere pro convitio est not to answer againe is contempt so non attendere not to attend to what one sayes Now our speaking to God by prayers and his speaking to us by answers thereunto and to study out his dealings with us by comparing our praiers and his answers together which are as Dialogues between us and him is one great part of our walking with God It is said of Samuels prophecy 1. Sam. 3. 19. that not a word of it fell to the ground and so it may bee said of our prayers and so it ought to bee of Gods answers not a word of them should fall to the ground as there doth if you by your observation and listning therunto catch them not as Benhadads servants are said to doe Ahabs words apprehend and observe them not by the same reason that you are to observe the fulfilling of Gods promises you are of your prayers also now 1. Kings 8. 56. it is said not one word failed of all hee promised Solomon had observed this by a particular survay and register made of all that God had spoken and done for them and found not a promise unperformed and there is the like reason both of answers to prayers for prayers are but putting promises into suite and for our observing of them and therefore Salomon brings those words in there to this very purpose to confirme firme their faith in this that no prayers made would faile being grounded on a promise thereby o encourage others and his owne heart to diligence herein as also as a motive unto God to hear him for vers 59. hee inferres upon it Let my words be nigh thee c. Seeing thou alwaies thus performest thy good word unto thy people 4. Yea Reas 4. God may be provoked not to answer at all you will provoke the Lord not to answer at all he will forbear to answer because hee sees it will be thus in vain When a man is talking to one that listens not to him hee will cease to answer and leave off speaking and so will God So as that which the Apostle saith of faith Heb. 10. 36. that it is not enough to beleeve but when you have done the will of God you have need of patience to eke out faith that you may inherit the promises may bee also said and is alike true of praying it is not enough to pray but after you have prayed you have need to listen for an answer that you may receive your prayers God will not fulfill them else As he said the Sermon was not done when yet the Preacher had done because it is not done till practised so our prayers are not done when yet made but you must further waite for and attend the accomplishment 5. If you observe not his answers Reas 5. We shall not return thankes to God for hearing us how shall you blesse God and returne
qualifications in him but onely an indefinite act as I may so call it of recumbency and submission casting and adventuring our selves upon him for the performance of it to us not knowing but he may in his outward dispensations make it good to us yet with submission to His good pleasure if otherwise Hee disposeth it Though of assurance to the promise in generall yet not in the application of it It is true indeed that that act of generall assent which faith is to give to this promise in the generall abstract truth of it is to bee an assured certaine perswasion and beleefe that God hath made this promise and that He certainely will and doth performe it unto some according to his purpose expressed therein which act of generall assent is that beleeving without wavering namely of the truth of the promise in general which S. Iames calls for in prayer Iam. 1. 6. But yet that speciall act of application as Divines call it required in this faith wherby I am to rest upon it for my owne particular is not required to be such an undoubted perswasion as to thinke that I shall certainly have this particular promise in kinde fulfilled to me for the truth purpose and intent of the promise is not universall but indefinite So as it is but an it may bee as God elsewhere expresseth such promises as Zeph. â— 1 2. That it shal be performed to mee and yet because it may be God wil perform it unto mee therefore my duty is to cast my self upon God and put in for it with submission to His good pleasure for the performance of it to me So that so farre as the truth and intent of it is revealed to be infallible certain so far a man is bound to have an answerable act of faith of certaine and infallible perswasion towards it as to beleeve without wavering that God hath made such a promise and will perform it according to His intent in making it which is unto some but yet withall because the tenour of it is but indefinite and in that respect whether it shal be performed to mee or no is not therein certainely revealed Therefore God requires not of mee in the application of such a promise an absolute full perswasion that He will performe it to mee in such or such a manner c. But only an act of dependance and adherence with referring it to his wise and righteous good pleasure towards me And yet againe if God should at any time give a man such a speciall faith concerning any such particular temporall blessing for himselfe or another Yet when God sometimes gives a speciall faith then we are to bee assured the thing shall bee done then hee is bound to beleeve it thus in particular as when Hee gave power to any to work miracles as to his Apostles Hee did with a Commission to work them then they were bound to beleeve that such and such a miracle should infallibly bee wrought by them as that the Devils should be cast out by them c. And therefore in this case Christ rebukes His Disciples for not beleeving thus upon such particular occasions Matth. 17. 20. And then it is also true that if God give such a faith Hee will infallibly perform it and thus those his words are to bee understood Matth. 27. 22. Whatsoever yee aske in faith beleeving An objection prevented yee shall receive hee speakes it of the faith of miracles for 21. ver he had said If ye beleeve and doubt not yee shall say to this Mountaine remoove into the sea and it shall be remooved so that when God works such a faith and wee are called to it we are bound to beleeve with a certain perswasion that such a thing will be done and it shall bee done but unto such a kinde of speciall faith in temporall promises for our selves or others God doth not now alwayes call us If indeed at any time wee did beleeve and doubted not by reason of a speciall faith wrought by God that GOD would remove a mountaine into the Sea or bestow any outward mercy it should be done for he that stirred up such a faith would accomplish the thing but it is not that which God requires of beleevers that they should without doubting thus beleeve concerning outward things the promises thereof being not universall but indefinite and therefore answerably a man is not absolutely bound to beleeve that God wil certainly bestow such a temporall blessing on him no not though he should have the qualification which the promise being not universal made â—o all so qualified but indefinite to some of such so qualified The case is the same of beleeving promises made to our praying for others which is the thing in hand §. 3. Such prayers for others are often returned into our own bosome 3. When the prayers â—re thus made out of concience of our duty for such whom yet God doth not intend that mercy unto then they are returned againe into our owne bosomes to our advantage even as S. Paul saith that his rejoycing that others preached though they lost their labour should turne to his salvation Phil. 1. 20. So prayers for others though to the parties themselves we prayed for they prove in vaine yet they turne to our good So Psalm 35. 12 13. When his enemies were sick David he praied and humbled himselfe and my prayers saies he returned into my bosome David did by this his prayer in secret for his enemies testifie the sincerity of his heart to God and his true forgivenesse of them for it is the usuall disposition of Gods children to pray for them that are the greatest enemies to them and this prayer though it did not profit them yet it turned to Davids owne good it came back and home againe to him with blessings to himselfe God delighting in and rewarding such a disposition in his childe as much as any other The Reason because therein we resemble Christ so truely and shew that God is our Father and our selves to have his bowels in us and God stirreth up this praying disposition in his children for their enemies not alwaies that he means to heare them for them but because he meanes to draw forth and so have an occasion to reward those holy dispositions which are the noblest parts of his image in them and wherewith hee is so much delighted and so their prayers returne into their owne bosome and it is taken as if they had prayed for themselves all that while Thus in like maner when Moses prayed so earnestly for the people of Israel God offered to returne his prayer into his owne bosome and doe as much for him alone as hee had desired that God would doe for them Exod. 32. 10. I will make of thee a great Nation saies God to him for whom I will doe as much for thy sake as thou hast prayed I should doe for these As in preaching the Gospel
direct him and keepe him that hee might not sin against him for he knew by sinning hee should enervate and spoile all his prayers not onely heare me speedily sayes he but also Cause me to know the way wherein I should walke Teach me to doe thy will this he especially prayes for and more then for deliverance for else he knew God would not heare him Therefore when thou art in treaty with God for any mercy observe doth God still after praying keep thee in a more obedient frame of spirit it is a signe hee intends to answer thee as in like manner when hee keeps thee from using ill meanes c. When hee meant to give David the Kingdome hee kept him innocent and his heart tender that it smote him but for cutting off the lap of Sauls garment he was not so tender after Therefore in Psal 18. when hee was delivered from all his enemies hee sayes God dealt with him according to his uprightnesse for I kept my selfe from mine iniquity So also Psal 27. 11. 2 Whē God gives a heart to waite for expect the mercy 2 When God after prayer strengthneth the heart to wait for the mercy So Psal 27. ult David having prayed sayes to his soule Wait on the Lord be of good courage and he will strengthen thy heart Honest men when they nourish hopes in one that is in dependance on them who waiteth and is obsequious upon the hopes he hath of a suite use not to deny him it were dishonesty in thē to keep a man underhand and then frustrate his expectations Therefore when God keeps thy soule after praying in such a dependant frame looke for some good answer And indeed when a man hath prayed long in the end he begins to wait as I may so say rather thā pray though he pray still because now he looks God should performe before and at first he told the Lord he desired it but now he can with some boldnesse tell him that he waits for it and expects it The hope of a godly man and his expectation should make him ashamed if it were not answered therefore in this case answers use to come Both these two last we have together joyned Psa 37. 34. Wait on the Lord keep his waies and he shal exalt thee Chap. 7. CHAP. VII Observations to be made after prayer upon the issue of what was prayed for and first if accomplished whether as the fruit of prayers or out of common providence Helps herein WHen a man hath thus waited and kept his way then let him observe the issue and conclusion of what he sought for how things are cast by God Now of necessity one of these two must fall out that either the thing desired is accomplished or not accomplished and in either of these he may come to spie out answers to his prayers for prayer may be answered though the thing be not done I meane to insist severally on these §. 1. God sometimes answers the prayer fully in the way and manner desired 1 If the thing thou prayedst for doth come to passe then what needst thou doubt of an answer and whether God heard thee or no For thou beholdest it with thine eies and so often it falls out that God doth grant according to the desires of a mans heart and not only so but also fulfils his counsell therein as it is Psal 20. 4. that is fulfils not onely his desire and aime of his prayer but in that very way by that very meanes which his judgement and counsell pitcht upō in his own thoughts The desire of the heart may be satisfied when God gives some other thing but the counsell of the heart is then fulfilled when a man is answered in that particular which his own judgment pitcht upon as best for him For counsell is an act of the understanding deliberating about meanes to an end directing to choose a particular meanes tending to an end so that as Eliphaz sayes to Iob 22. 27 28. Thou shalt make thy prayer to God and hee shall hear thee decree a thing and it shall be established to thee that is a man is guided to decree and pitch upon such mercies in his prayers as God makes good in particular hee saies what he would have and God performs it and this priviledge thou shalt have sayes Eliphaz there if thou wilt turne to him and be acquainted with him and receive the Law from his mouth thou shalt not erre in praying but what thou settest upon to pray for shall be accordingly granted to thee such a man shall have the priviledge Fingere sibi fortunam in a right sense to be his owne chooser and carver of his owne mercies and as Christ said Be it according to thy faith so God sayes sometimes Be it according to thy prayers and Eliphaz speaks of it as of a speciall favour that whereas other mens prayers are answered obliquely thine sayes hee shall be answered directly which is more comfortable as direct beames are and have more heate in them then collaterall and oblique Thus if a man will heare God and obey him God will heare him for if a man be subject to Christ Kingly Office his Propheticall Office shall guide him and cause him not to erre in his Petitions but by an unerring providence preinstinct infused by his spirit God will so guide him as to ask evē that very thing which GOD intends to give whereas of himselfe hee knowes not what nor how to aske So David asked long life and God gave it him Psal 21. 2 3 4. God not onely gave him his hearts desire but the request of his lips v. 2. Hannah askt a sonne and God answered her in the very thing shee desired and therefore shee called him Samuel 1 Sam. 1. 20. Because sayes she I askt him of the Lord and Verse 27. For this child I prayed and the Lord did not give another thing in stead of it but hath given me my Petition I asked of him So 1. Chro. 4. 10. labesh called on God t is said and God granted him the thing hee requested And thus God often deales with his children And to this end hath God given us his Spirit and made Christ Wisedome unto us who knowes what is good for us though we doe not And hath therefore also commanded us to spye out mercies for our selves and then come to him for them and to this end hath made such particular promises of particular mercies which he would have us have an eie unto in our prayers all which is because often he means to bestow the very things we aske And yet because Yet our hearts are often jealous whether it be an answer to prayer or out of common providēce although we have the very things wee did aske and desire such is the jealousie infidelity of our hearts that we often discern not nor acknowledge that it was our prayers that obtained them from God but we are
apt when once wee have them either to look but to things below and the second causes of them though before wee did earnestly seeke them of God or else still distrustfully to questiō whether or no it was at our prayers that hee granted them or out of common providence Thus Iob in his distemper Iob 9. 16 although I had called and God had answered me yet sayes he I would not beleeve that he had hearkened to my voice that is not that he did it in respect to my prayer and request because he now deales so feverely with me For hee breaketh me with a tempest Ver. 17. And thus doe our distrustfull hearts which are apt to bee unsatisfied with all the cleerest pledges of Gods favour and still to misconstrue and pervert them although God doth answer us upon our calling upon him yet we will not beleeve that he hearkened to our prayer in it Therefore that you may be further inabled to discerne how and when things you prayed for come in by prayer I give you these further directions §. 2. Directions to helpe to discerne this 1. When God doth a thing in answer to prayers hee often doth it in such a maner that his hand may bee in a more then ordinary maner seen in it 1 From the manner of Gods performance God discovers a more then ordinnary hand of providence in things accomplisht by prayer instanced and discovered in 5. particulars There are few prayers wherein a man hath sought God much but in the answers of them God discovers himselfe much and turnes many great wheeles in the accomplishment of them and manifests as David desires Psal 17. 7. his marvelous loving kindnesse and indeed when GOD heares prayers that have beene a long while a making Hee shewes usually halfe a miracle one way or other Now GOD discovers his immediat hand in the answers of prayers many wayes 1 By bringing it to passe through many difficulties 1. When hee carries a thing through many difficulties when there were a great many crosse wards in a businesse prayed for the least whereof would have kept the key from turning when GOD shall make as it were a key on purpose to unlocke it when God plots and contrives all the passages in a businesse thou didst pray for and so accomplisheth it This is a signe it is a fruit of prayer and that prayer had been a making that key all that while So in bringing David to the Kingd me Ioseph out of prison Mordecai to honour and likewise S. Peter out of prison which was done at the prayers of the Church Act. 12. He was sleeping betweene two souldiers if they had waked he had beene discovered and hee was in chaines but they fall off ver 6. 7. And the Keepers stood before the doore but they mind him not ver 6. and when one watch is past hee passeth quietly through another ver 10. and when both those were past an Iron gate flyes open of its own accord ver 10. Now such difficulties are there in many businesses which yet in the end are accomplished by prayer Iron chaines fall off Iron gates enemies hearts flye open of their own accord and though not in that miraculous manner by the meanes of an Angell yet no lesse wonderfully Or secōdly by facilitating all the means causing them to conspire to accomplish it Or secondly when God facilitates all meanes to accomplish the thing which was prayed for so as all meanes doe in view conspire and combine in it that thou hast winde and tyde and a faire day and all the way paved or as David sayes hast thy way made plaine before thee and there falls out a great conjunction and meeting of many circumstances together to effect it which had influence into it whereof if any one had beene wanting haply the thing had not been done when the thing prayed for is thus granted prayer then hath done it Thus when hee delivered the people of Israel out of Egypt which was the accomplishment of their long desires and prayers their cry came up the Text sayes how were all things facilitated they that detained them doe themselves come and intreate them to goe out yea are urgent sayes the Text and that at midnight nay hire them to goe out with their eare-rings and Pharaoh himselfe then parts lovingly and fairely with them and desires their prayers Exod. 12. 31 33 35. Ver. 32. Blesse me also Yea to shew there was no resistance the Text sayes a Dog did not move his tonguee The bruite Creatures did not disturb thē though at midnight when those Creatures use to be most obstreperous through noises 3 By bringing it to passe suddenly and unexpectedly 3. When hee doth it suddenly and accomplisheth the thing thou hast long prayed for ere thou art aware of it as the returne of the Captivity of Babylon which was the conclusion of many prayers was done in a trice they were as men in a dream Psal 126. 1. they could scarce beleeve it was so when it was done it was because they had sowen many prayers which came up on the suddaine ver 5 6. So Peter hee was fast asleepe and did not so much as dreame of deliverance So Iosephs delivery out of prison and advancement to bee the greatest man in the Kingdome the suddennesse of it shewed it was Gods remembring of him and hearing his prayers 4 By doing above what was desired with addition of other mercies 4. When God grants the thing with an overplus above what wee did ask casteth many other mercies in together with that which we long prayed for this also may be a signe God did heare our prayers in it for when he doth heare indeed hee useth to doe above what wee did aske or thinke thereby the more to overcome the heart So David asked long life and he gave him more then he asked Psal 21. 2 3 4 5. So Solomon he asked but wisdome and hee gave him more then he asked Peace Riches Honour and all with it 1 Kin. 3. 12 13. Hannah shee asked but one male childe 1 Sam. 1. 10. but God gave her three sonnes more and two daughters Chap. 2. 21. When prayers are answered usually mercies come thicke they come tumbling in the thing we prayed for comes not alone as when sinnes are punished then miseries also they come like armies in troops upon us as temptations likewise come together and we fall into many of them at once Iam. 1. 2. as S. Iames speakes Thus doe mercies also 5 By adding some speciall circumstance as a token of Gods speciall hand in it 5. When the thing is granted by prayers there is often some particular circumstance of providence concurrent with it which is a token for good and sealeth to us that it is from God such often as a man himselfe takes notice of and which others take notice of also Shew mee a token for good sayes David Psal 86.
30. 18. 2. When the heart was best prepared to receive it and most weaned from it If 2. when thy heart was most fit for the mercy it was granted then art thou also heard in an acceptable time for God doth not with hold mercies from those that are his out of want of love neither so much for what is past as for the present evill disposition of their hearts whereby they are unfit to receive them and in this sense likewise may that bee understood that God prepareth the heart and heareth the prayer Psal 10. 17. As first when thy heart is most weaned from that temporall mercy supposing it such granted thee upon seeking of it So David when had hee the Kingdome in possession given him then when hee was as a weaned child and had his high thoughts which haply at the first newes of it had risen in his minde purged out Psal 131. 2. I have no high thoughts c. sayes hee then Thus when thy heart had let all carnall ends goe and had betaken it selfe alone to God for thy portion to be had alone out of him then the thing prayed for comes to passe this was the fittest season Object But you will bee ready to say To have a thing when my heart is taken off from it and even contented not to have it makes it to be as no mercy for where there is no desire there is no rejoycing Answ If thy desire bee taken off the thing then thou wilt rejoyce the more in GOD now and though the thing of it self should now give thee lesse satisfaction yet God by the thing wil give thee more and he will make it up for thou wilt rellish his love and sweetnesse in it now which is better then life and therefore much better than that thing enjoyed and indeed the violence of the desire before would have made it lesse sweet for the thing alone would not have filled and contented that desire when it was an inordinate lust and so thou wouldst have beene vexed with it rather than satisfied and found a greater vanity in it but now when it is become a subordinate desire unto God that the desire is downe and the heart quieted and contented with God in the thing the heart sayes as she said I have enough So 2. likewise thou maist have an affliction thou prayedst long against taken off then when thy heart was most willing to accept thy punishment as Moses's phrase is Lev. 26. 41 and to submit to God in it § 4. A third sort of observations from the answerable proportion betweene Gods dealing in the accōplishment of it and our prayers A third thing you are to observe concerning the accomplishment of the thing prayed for whereby you may discern whether granted in answer to prayers is when thou seest God in his dealings with thee and answering of thee to deale in a kinde of proportion with thy manner of praying and seeking of him and of walking with him whilest thou were dependant on him for such or such a mercy And as you may see a proportion between sinnes and punishments which are the rewards of them that you can say such a sin brought forth this affliction it is so like the Father so you might see the like proportion betweene your prayers and your walking with God and Gods answers to you and his dealings with you So did David Psal 18. 24. According to the cleannesse of my hands hath he recompenced me c. His speech notes some similitude or likenesse as for example The more by-ends or carnall desires you had in praying and the more you mingled of these with your holy desires and the more want of zeale fervency c. were found in your prayers the more you shall it may be finde of bitternesse mingled with the mercy when it is granted and so much imperfection and want of comfort in it so sayes David in the same Psal verse 25. 26. With the pure thou wilt shew thy selfe pure Pure prayers have pure blessings è contra With the foward thou wilt shew thy selfe froward and againe as you in praying sometimes slackened and grew cold so you might see the businesse in like manner to coole and cast backward as when Moses hands were downe Amalck prevailed but when they were lifted up Israel had the better Exod. 17. 12. God let him see a proportion which argued his prayer was the meanes of prevailing A man findes in praying that his suite sometimes sticks and goes not on as he expected this is because he gives not so good a fee as he was wont and doth not ply God and solicite him but on the contrary when hee was stirred up to pray then still hee found things to goe well by this a man may clearely see that it was the praier which God did heare and regarded Thus likewise when a man sees hils and dales in a businesse faire hopes often and then all dasht againe and the thing in the end brought to passe let him looke back upon his prayers didst not thou in like maner just thus deale with God When thou hadst prayed earnestly and thought thou hadst even carried it then dash all againe by interposing some sin and thus againe and againe Herein God would have you observe a proportion and it may help you to discern how and when they are answered and obtained by prayer because God deales thus with you therein in such a proportion to your prayers Chap. 8. CHAP. VIII Seven Observations more from the effects which the accomplishment of the mercy hath upon the heart c. §. 1. If the thing obtained drawes the heart neerer to God and to reioyce in his favour in it more than in the thing FOurthly thou mayest discerne whether they bee in answer to thy prayers by the effects upon thy heart As 1. If the thing that is granted upon thy prayers draw thy heart more neere unto God it is then certaine that it was granted as an answer to thy prayers Things granted out of ordinary providence onely doe increase our lusts and are snares to us as Saul gave David his daughter Michol to be a snare to him Psal 69. 22. So their full tables are made snares so GOD gave the Israelites their will the things they desired but withall gave them up to their lusts Psal 106. 15. hee gave them their requests but sent leannesse into their soules the Quailes might fat some of their bodies that survived yet their soules grew leane there was a curse upon their Spirits this new delicate food made their bodies more lustfull they did eate and drinke Exod. 32. 6 and rose up to play But things obtained by prayer are sanctified to us for every thing is sanctified by prayer 1. Tim. 4. 5 so as it shall not insnare nor intangle our hearts a thing obtained by prayer as it came from God so a man will returne it to God and use it for his glory
therein according to what is our duty not according to what is his decree Againe secondly that phrase helpes to answer this when hee is said to helpe our infirmities and therefore not according to his owne vast knowledge doth he frame our prayers but so as hee applies his assistance to our infirme weake and narrow apprehensions and stirres up desires in us to such things as according to our knowledge wee are in duty to conceive and which by all wee can see by what is afore us revealed in his providence we thinke to be most for our good and his glory and God accepts such desires as from us but yet doth for us according to the largenese of his owne love §. 2. A mistake to pray absolutely for such blessings as are not absolutely promised And so now to come to the case propounded and therein unto helps to pacifie and direct the heart about those prayers at which the things are not granted And first how diddest thou frame thy prayer for that thing which is denyed thee Didst thou pray for it absolutely and peremptorily as simply best for thee thou must not then think much if such a prayer bee denyed for therein thou wentest beyond thy commission but if thou didst pray for it conditionally and with an if as Christ did if it be possible which instance is a strong ground for such kinde of prayers and not my will but thy will be done so as thou didst referre it unto and trust Gods judgement in the thing and not thine owne onely didst put him in mind as thy duty was of what was represented to thee as best for thee in view and so left it to him to cast and didst referre it to His will and wisedome In which when we are denied we are to rest in Gods judgment as best for us and so interpret the prayer answered Then thy prayer may be most fully answered and heard and yet the thing denied and thou art to interpret and God takes meaning and mind revealed in the event in the best sense which way soever it falls for otherwise CHRIST had not been heard when yet the Text sayes Hee was heard in all hee feared Hebr. 5. 7. § 3. There may be a reservation in the denial for some greater mercy 2. Observe if there were not a reservation in that denial for some greater and further mercy whereof that deniall was the foundation Thus 1 oftentimes some great crosse is prevented by the deniall of a thing which we were urgent for if we had had many of our desires we had been undone So it was a mercy to David that his childe was taken away for whose life he was yet so earnest who would have been but a living monument of his shame It was also a mercy to David that Absalom was taken away whom surely he prayed much for for hee loved him much who if he had lived might have beene the ruine of him and his house As a wicked mans deliverance and the granting his request layes a foundation and is a reservation of him to a worse Judgement So the deniall of a Godly mans prayer is for his greater good and is laid as a foundation of a greater mercy 2 and againe oftentimes the very deniall breaks a mans heart and brings him nearer to God puts him upon searching into his wayes and estate and in his prayers to see what should be amisse therein which alone is a great mercy and better then the thing seeing by the losse of that one thing hee learns how to pray better and so to obtaine a hundred better things afterward Christ desired the Cup might passe it did not and that was the foundation of our salvation the way to His glory Hee being to passe through that suffering into His glory The woman that had the bloody issue though shee used many meanes and haply prayers among the rest and all in vaine yet none tooke effect that in the end shee might come to Christ and have both body and soule healed at once §. 4. There may be a transmutation of the thing denied into some other blessing that is better of the same kind 3 Observe if there be to a transmutation and a translation or turning of â—he thing desired into some other greater blesâ—ing of the same kind for God all whose wayes are mercy and truth to His people doth improve husband and lay out the precious stocks of their prayers to the best advantage in things whereby the greatest returns and gains may accrue as old Iacob laid not his Hand of blessing as Ioseph would have guided them but laid the right hand upon the yonger Sonne whom Ioseph did set at his left So often doth God take off his hand of blessing from the thing we prayed for and laies discovers it in another more for our good and as God giving Isaac the power and priviledge to blesse a sonne though Isaac hee intended it for Esau yet God unbeknown to him transmitted it to Iacob yet so as the blessing was not lost Thus is it in our prayers for blessings both upon our selves and others There is often a transmutation never a frustration of them which may as truely and directly bee called an answer to the prayer As if a factor beyond Sea when the owner sends for such and such commodities supposing them more vendible and advantagious but the Factor knowing the state of things and the prices sends him â—ver in stead of them such as shall sell better and bring in more profit may be said to answer his letters and that better then if hee had sent those very commidities he writ for Thus Abrahams prayers for Ishmael were turned for Isaac Davids for the Childe to Solomon §. 1. God answers to the ground of our prayers 4 Observe if in the end God doth not answer thee still according to the ground of thy prayer that is see if that holy end intention and affection which thou hadst in prayer be not in the end fully satisfied though not in the thing thou didst desire for God answers Secundum cardinem according to the hinge which the prayer turnes upon As when a General is sent out with an Army by a King or a State who give him many particular directions how to order and dispose and manage the war although in many particulars that fall out wherein they could not foresee to give so punctuall and particular directions he swerve from the directions yet if he keeps to the intent of their Commission and doth what is most advantagious for their ends he may bee said to keepe to his Commission For as they say of the Law Mens leg is est lex the mind of the Law is the Law not the bare words it is printed in so the Meaning of the Spirit is the prayer Rom. 8. 27. and not simply the things desired wherein wee expresse those our desires and still the meaning the intent the ground of our
prayers shall be answered To open this the maine ends and meanings of our hearts in our requests are Gods glory the Churches good and our owne particular comfort and happinesse we can desire but comfort and a man looketh out and spieth out such a particular mercie which hee thinketh tends much to Gods glory and his happinesse and yet that thing is denied yet notwithstanding God will answer him according to the meaning of his prayers his glory shall certainely be advanced even for that prayer of his some other way and his comfort made up which is the common desire of all mankinde and thou canst have but comfort let the thing bee what it will that conveighs it to thee and God will take order that that comfort thy soule desired thou shalt have come in one way or other which when it doth thou canst not but say thy prayers are heard For as God fulfils his promises so hee heares prayers there is the same reason of both now God hath promised Hee that leaves Father and Mother shall have an hundred fold not in specie as we say in kinde this cannot alwayes bee fulfilled for an hundred Fathers he cannot have God fulfills it not therefore alwayes in the same kinde but in some other things which shall be more then a hundred Fathers would bee Moses hee prayes hee might goe into Canaan God answers the ground of his prayer though not in the matter in it expressed and desired and that both for Moses his comfort and his owne glory for hee takes him up to heaven the true Canaan whereof that Canaan was but a type and hee appoints Ioshua a fresh and a young man comming on in the world and one whom Moses himselfe had tutored and brought up and was his pupill servant and attendant Num. 6. 11 28. and this was more for Gods glory for Ioshua was therein to bee he type of Christ leading us to heaven which the Law of which Moses was the type could not bring us unto by reason of the weaknesse of it and he being yong did it better and it was not so much also for Gods glory that one man should doe all and whereas Moses desired to have the honour of it in that his servant that attended him and had been brought up by him and had all from him that hee was the man should doe it was well nigh as great an honour to Moses as if hee had beene the leader himselfe And so David when hee desired to build the Temple and an house to God for the like reasons God denied it but yet honoured him to prepare the materialls and to draw the patterne as also in that his Son did it who was therein also the like type of Christ being a Prince of peace but David a man of blood and war and likewise God accepted this of David as if he had built it and will recompence him as much §. 6. God when hee denies yet sometimes yeelds far in it to give satisfaction to his childe 5. Observe if in the thing which thou hast prayed much about though it be denyed thee yet if God doth not endeavour to give thee as I may so speake all satisfaction that may be even as if hee were tender of denying thee and therefore doth much in it for thy prayers sake though the conclusion proves otherwise as being against some other purpose of his for some other ends As when hee denied Moses to goe into the Land of Canaan hee did it with much respect as I may so speak with reverence to Moses he yeelded as far as might bee for hee let him leade them till hee should come to the very borders and hee let him see that good Land carrying him up to an hill and as it is thought by a miracle inabled his sight to view the whole Land and the man hee chose to performe this work was his servant which was a great honour to Moses that one brought up by him should succeed him So when Abraham prayed for Ishmael Oh let Ismael live in thy sight Gen. 17. 18. God went as far in granting his request as might be for sayes hee ver 20. I have heard thee and I have blessed him and I will make him fruitfull and multiply him exceedingly and hee shall beget twelve Princes but my covenant I will establish with Isaac So likewise when in casting that thing thou didst seeke at his hands he shews an extraordinary hand in turning it it is a signe he had a respect to thee that hee would vouchsafe to discover his hand so much in it let the thing fall which way it will if Gods hand appeare much in it thou mayest comfortably conclude that there is some great thing in it and that prayer wrought that miracle in it to dispose it so and that there is some great reason why hee denies thee and a great respect had to thy prayers in that he is pleased to discover so extraordinary a providence about it §. 7. Observe the effects that denials have upon the heart As first if a man doth acknowledge God righteous in it c. Lastly looke into the effect of that deniall upon thine owne heart as 1 If thy heart be inlarged to acknowledge God to be holy and righteous in his dealings with thee and thine own unworthinesse the cause of his denying thee Thus we often find the Saints expressing themselves in their prayers that Psal 22. though typically made of Christ yet as it was penned by David and as it may concerne his person it may serve for an instance for this I cry in the day time but thou hearest not this might have made him jealous of God but saies he Thou art holy c. and dealest now with me in an holy manner and art just in it Others have called on thee and have been heard though I now for my unworthinesse am denied But I am a worme It might have put a man off when he should think others are heard but not I but it puts not him off but humbles him I am a worme c. And Thou art holy Secoâ—â—â—y if God fill the heart with a holy contentment in the deniall 2 If God fill thy heart with an holy contentmeÌ„t in the deniall if he speak to thy heart as he did to Moses when hee denied him Deut. 3. Let it suffice thee if as to S. Paul when hee was so earnest about removing that buffeting if thou gettest but such an answer as that to him My grace is sufficient or that some such like consideration is dropt in that stayes thee It was the effect of Davids seven dayes fasting that he did so contentedly beare the losse of the Childe which his servants thought would have overwhelmed him 2. Sam. 12. 19 20 21. But a consideration was dropt in which was the fruit of his prayer That he should goe to him not hee returne hither and his minde was comforted thereby in so much as it is said
ver 24. That he comforted Bath sheba also Thirdly if the heart be thankfull out of faith when denied 3 If thou canst bee thankfull to God out of faith that God hath cast and ordered all for the best though hee hath denyed thee and although thou seest no reason but that the thing prayed for would have beene for the best yet art thankfull upon the deniall of it out of faith resting in Gods judgement in it As David in all those forementioned places was Thou art holy that inhabitest the prayses of Israel he praises God for all this David before he did eate after his seven dayes fasting for the childe arose And went first into the Temple and worshipped 2. Sam. 12. 20. and of what kinde of worship it was appeares by his anointing himselfe and changing his raiment which was in token of rejoycing and thanksgiving and it fell out to him according to his faith for presently after Solomon was begotten vers 24. §. 4. If the heart be not discouraged for continuing still to pray for other things 4 If thou canst pray still and givest not over although thou standest for mercies which thou missest if when thou hast mercies granted thou fearest most and when denied lovest most and art not discouraged thy prayers are heard Psal 80. 4. Though God seemed angry with their praiers yet they pray and expostulate with him and give not over for they made that Psalme as a Prayer And how long wilt thou be angry against the prayer of thy people So Psal 44. 17. Though wee are cast among Dragons yee wee have not beene false in thy Covenant So say thou I will pray still though I never have an answer in this life It moves ingenuous natures to see men take repulses and denialls well which proud persons will not doe and so it moves God Chap. 10 CHAP. X. Application A reproofe of those that pray but looke not after the returne of their prayers The causes of this neglect THe use of all is A reproofe of those that pray but looke not after the returne of their prayers to reprove those who put up prayers and are earnest in begging but looke not after them when they have done no more than if they had not prayed who still venture have a great stock of prayers going but looke not after the returns that are made cast not up their commings in and gainings by prayers and when they have prayed sit down discouraged as not making account in earnest that ever they shall heare of their prayers againe even as if they had been but as words cast away as beating the ayre as bread cast upon the waters which they thinke sinks or is carried away and they shall finde it no more but herein you despise Gods Ordinance and erre not knowing the power of prayers and yee contemne the Lord But you wil say as they in the Prophet said Wherein in doe wee contemne him if you askt a man a question and when you had done did turne your back upon him as scoffing Pilate askt in scorne of Christ What is truth but would not stay for an answere did you not contemne him as not to answer when a question is asked you is contempt so not to regard the answer made when you have beene earnest in begging is no lesse contempt also if you had writ letters to a very friend about important businesse and had earnestly solicited him for an answer and hee were carefull in due time to send one if you should make account to heare of him no more should you not wrong him in your thoughts Or if hee did write if you should not vouchsafe to reade over his answer were it not a contempt of him so is it here when you have been earnest with God for blessings and regard not the answer and because verily this is a fault among us I will therefore endevour to discover to you the causes and discouragements The causes of this neglect are of two sorts which though they keepe you not from praying yet from this earnest expectation and reall and true making account to heare of answers of your prayers onely my scope is not to shew you so much the reasons why God denies you many requests as why even in your owne hearts you are discouraged after you have prayed as if they would not bee answered although God doth answer them These discouragements are partly temptations partly sinfull impediments wherein wee are more faulty 1 Temptations want of assurāce as 1. That because your persons are not accepted your prayers are not 1 Because your assurance that your persons are accepted is weake therfore your confidence that your prayers are heard is weake also For as God doth first accept the person and then our prayers so the beliefe that God doth accept our person is that which also upholds our hearts in confidence that our prayers shall be granted this you may finde in 1 Iohn 5. 13 14 15. in the 13. vers he sayes These things have I written to you that ye may know you have eternall life and upon that assurance this will follow Vers 14 15. And this is the confidence that we have in him that if we aske any thing according to his will he heares us c. And if we know he heares us we know we have the petitions wee desired of him Marke how he links these three together as effects and consequences each of other 1. These things I write unto you that you may be assured that life and heaven is yours as in 12. and 13. verses And upon that 2. this confidence wil follow in your hearts That God hears you that is that you have his eares open to you and his heart enlarged towards you and then 3. if you be assured that God heares you then from this will follow an assurance that You shall have any thing granted you desire yea and he makes this one of the maine and immediate effects of Assurance of justification therefore he sayes this is the confidence that we have in him that is this effect there is of this confidence for whereas they might say what benefit will accrue to us by this assurance why this saies hee which is one of the great and maine priviledges of a Christian even assurance that God will heare him and not only so but grant him all his prayers For when a man is assured God hath given him his Son he will then easily be induced to beleeve and expect How shal he not with him give mee all things Rom. 8. 32. If once he looks upon God as a Father he will then easily conceive that which Christ sayes If Fathers that are evill can give good things to their Children how much more shall not your Father give his spirit and all good things to them that aske them and if he gave his Son when wee did not pray to him how much more shall hee not with him give us
done expecting have forgot their prayers and then hee doth things Isai 64. they looked not for § 2. A 2. cause are sinfull discouragements which are three Other discouragements there are wherein we our selves are more faulty and which are our sins more then our temptations which yet weaken the expectation of having our prayers answered as 1 Slothfulnesse in prayer 1 Slothfulnesse in prayer when wee doe not put to all our might in praying and then no wonder we doe not onely not obtaine but that our owne hearts misgive us that we look for little successe and issue of such prayers Qui frigidè rogat docet negare he that shews himself cold in a suite teaches him he sues to to deny him if wee see one seeking to us faintly and slightly wee are not then sollicitous to deny him but thinke hee will be easily put off and not thinke much so accordingly when wee shall observe so much by our selves and see our selves slothfull in praying and praying as if we prayed not no wonder if by reason of that consciousnesse wee looke not after the successe of such prayers which in the performance wee slighted when wee pray as if wee were willing to bee denyed wee knowing that the Scripture sayes that the fervent prayer onely prevailes that prayer which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that sets all the faculties on worke Iames 5. 16. How should wee then expect that God should grant any good thing to us For though God sels nothing to us for our prayers but gives freely yet hee would have his gifts accepted now without large desires and longings they would not be accepted and what is fervent prayer but the expression of such fervent desires Iacob wrestled when he obtained many seeke to enter sayes Christ but you must strive Now when wee know these things and yet are slothfull how can wee expect any answers at all will not the consciousnesse of it quell all our expectations and hence it comes to passe that God proportioning his dealings with us to our prayers because we seeme to pray and yet pray not to purpose therefore God hee sometimes seemes like one asleepe and then sometimes to wake and make faire offers to helpe and yet falls as it were asleepe againe because we were thus drowsie in our prayers those prayers that awaken God must awaken us Those prayers that stir God must first stirre us to lay hold on God as Isaiah speakes as obedience strengthens faith and assurance so fervency in prayer begets confidence of being heard In all other things slothfulnesse doth discourage and weaken expectation doth any man expect that riches should come upon him when hee doth his businesse negligently for it is the diligent hand that maketh rich doth any man expect a crop and a harvest if hee takes not pains to plow and sowe his Corne no more if you doe not take paines with your hearts in Prayer can you expect an answer or indeed will you 2 Discouragement looking at prayer as a duty rather then as a meanes to obtaine blessings 2 Cause or sinfull discouragement herein is looking at prayer onely as a duty to be performed and so performing it as a taske and not so much out of desires stirred up after the things to be obtained nor out of faith that we shall obtain them which is as if a Physitian having a sick servant to whom he prescribeth and commandeth to take some physicke to cure him and his man should take it indeed because it is commanded and prescribed by his master looking at it as an act of duty as hee obeyes him in other businesses but not as looking at it as a medicine or meanes that will have any worke upon him to cure him and therefore orders himselfe as if hee had taken no such thing Thus doe most in the world pray to God take prayer as a prescription only but not as a meanes they come to God daily but as to a Master onely in this performance not as to a Father and thus doing no wonder if they looke for little effect of prayers for our expectation never exceeds or reaches further then our end and intention which we had in any businesse If I perform any Ordinance but as a duty then I rest therein and expect no further as if a man preacheth for filthy lucre onely he performs his duty and then lookes for his hire but lookes not after any other effect of his Sermons so nor will men doe after their prayers for answers to them when they performe them as duties onely Now to help you in this you are to looke to two things in prayer A directiō Two things to be lookt at in praying Acōmand A promise First to a command from God Secondly to the promise of God and so to consider it in a double relation first as a duty in respect to the Command secondly as a means to obtaine or procure blessings at Gods hand in relation to his promise therefore in prayer first an act of obedience secondly an act of faith is to bee exercised aske in faith nothing wavering Iam. 1. Now the most in the world performe it as an act of obedience only and so rest in the present performance and acceptation of it but if a man pray in faith hee will pray with an eye to the promises and looke on prayer as a meanes for time to come to obtaine such or such a mercy at Gods hands and if so then he is not satisfied till hee hath an answer of his prayers and till then will wait as the Church sayes Shee would wait till hee did arise and plead her cause 3 Discouragement falling into sins againe after praying A third sinfull discouragement is returning to sinnes after prayers when a man hath prayed for some mercy and riseth full of much confidence that his prayers are heard and so a while he walkes yet falling into a sin that sin doth dash al his hopes undoes his prayers as he thinkes and calls them backe againe meetes as it were with the answer which is Gods messenger and causeth it to returne to heaven againe How often when God had even granted a petition and the decree was a comming forth and the grant newly written and the seale a setting to it but an act of treason comming betweene stops it in the seale and deferres it blots and blurreth all both prayer and grant when newly written and leaves a guilt in the mind which quells our hopes and then wee looke no more after our prayers and this especially if when we were a sinning such a thought came in as often it doth to restrain us are you not in dependāce upon God for such a mercy and have prayed for it and are faire for it how then dare you doe this and sin against him when in this case the heart goes on this blots all the prayer and discourageth a man for saith the conscience will God hear sinners as he
most then so thy selfe most and to be more watchfull over thy own heart thou art then apt to returne to folly if thou takest not heed as when a man hath beene very hot or sweat much hee is apt to take the greatest cold Hezekiah after GOD sealed peace to him and answered his prayers and renewed the lease of his life his heart got cold he did returne to folly The reason is because then the heart is apt to grow lesse watchfull and to thinke it selfe fortified enough against any tentation As S. Peter having seene Christ transfigured in the Mount grew confident in his own strength And know that the Devill watcheth such an opportunity most for hee gets a great victory if he can foile thee then after hee hath beene foiled himselfe and when thou art most triumphing over him how many battels have beene lost through security of victory and recoyling of the enemy and besides our corrupt nature so farre as unrenewed is apt to gather heart to it selfe to slight sinne as thinking its pardon easily gotten Therefore when thou art tempted labour often to renew those thoughts which thou hadst of thy sinne at that time when thou wert suing for peace before thy peace was gotten when thou wouldest have given a world for Gods favour also what thoughts thou hadst of it when God spake peace how thou didst abhorr it yea thy self look what sin was most bitter to thee an enemy to thy peace as if uncleannesse Idlenes neglect of prayer ill company c. and preserve in thy heart those bitter apprehensions of it say of it thou hast bin a bloody sin to me as Moses wife said of her husband and though I have got peace my life saved yet it was a bloody sin to Christ his blood was shed to purchase this my peace shal I return to it And when tempted to it again have recourse to the kindnes God shewed thee in pardoning and say how shall I do this and sinne against God say as he said Is this thy kindnesse to thy friend 2. Sam. 16. 16. and what shall I Absalom-like now I am new reconciled to my Father fall a plotting treason again what shall I make more worke for prayer more worke for God breake my bones again lie roaring again Think thus I was burnt in the hād afore I shal be racked surely now Sin no more lest a worse thing befall thee Vse 3. The doctrine of assurance if not abused and of Gods speaking peace to men is no dangerous doctrin to make men secure and presumptuous in sinning when peace is preached in any mans heart this use naturally flowes from that Doctrin returne no more to folly The very scope of the whole Epistle of S Iohn is to help all beleevers to assurance as appeares by the 1. Iohn 1. 4 5. and the 5. Chap. 13. These things I write to you that yee might have communion with God and that your joy might be full But this will open a way to all licentiousnesse No sayes S. Iohn Chap. 2. 1. These things I write unto you that ye sin not nothing guards the heart more against tentations then the peace of God it is said to guard the heart Phil. 4. 2. Yea and if you doe sin the assurance of Gods love is the speediest way to recover you so it followes If any one doth sinne wee have an Advocate with the Father c. And hee that hath this hope in him that is to live with Christ and knowes what manner of love the Father beares us purifies himselfe as hee is pure 1. Iohn 3. 1 2 3. If there were no more but selfe-love in a man it were then no wonder if he doth abuse it For selfe-love where the love of God is wanting is unthankfull and ungratefull willing to take all the love and kindnesse which is afforded and abuse it and work upon it for its owne advantage and it is true also that because wee have too much of this principle unmortified in us therefore God trusteth so few with much assurance because they would abuse it But where true love to God is seated and much of it implanted there the love of God the peace of God doth as kindly and naturally enkindle and enflame and set it awork even as arguments sutable to self-love doe work upon and stirre that principle For grace is more for GOD then for our selves it being the image of Gods holinesse whose holinesse consists in this to aime at himselfe in all and therefore when Gods free grace towards a man is revealed it raiseth him up to higher straines of love to God and hatred of sin And therefore it is observable Psa 51. 12. that David when he prayes for the restoring of the joy of his salvation hee prayes not simply for it or alone but withall prayes for a free spirit Establish me with thy free spirit that is a spirit of ingenuity which is kindly sweetly and freely wrought upon therefore when we have a free spirit wrought in us then that free love that is in God towards us will worke most kindly upon it and constraines us to love him that loved us first The love of Christ constrains us 2. Cor. 5. 14. Because we thus judge that if Christ died for all then they which live should not live unto thēselves but unto him that died for them S. Paul gives the reason why this love of Christ did thus constraine him because hee did thus judge that is this consideration of Christs love hee having a principle of love in his heart to Christ hee found to be a powerfull prevailing reason to perswade him to live to Christ Having a new judgement hee saw force and strength in the argument And so shall we if we thus judge and it will have this naturall consequence as naturally to follow upon it in our hearts as any reason in any other kinde hath that is brought to enforce any other conclusion And therefore as the minde is constrained as it were to assent to a truth proved by force of reason that if you grant this then this or that will follow so because we judge this reasonable by an argument drawne out of loves Topicks that if Christ died for all who otherwise must themselues have died that then they should live to him this will constraine us to love him and live to him Amor Dei est extaticus nec se sinit esse sui luris THis Text and admonition here gives a ust occasion to consider a little of that so often questioned case of Conscience concerning relapses of Gods Children into the same sinnes and folly againe The case of relapsing into the same sinne after peace spoken resolved and whether after peace spoken Gods people may returne againe to folly Some have held that a man after a second repentance could not fall into the same sinne again others if he did it excluded him from mercy for time to come For