be once stopt and a trade rightly carried on for eternity he will raise what storms he can and send out many pyrats either â—o surprize or draw it back again Many are the snares and temptations hinderances and impediments which the Saints do meet with in their way to heaven whereas hypocrits and formall professors go on in their course without opposition or difficulty But let none mistake as if hereby a pretence were ministred unto the laziness stoth and negligence of such as are in the right way certainly the zeal activity and diligence of those who are without shall stop thy mouth and make thee inexcusable in the great day if thou thus rest upon an orthodox profession and if thou be in Christ and art led by his Spirit (p) 1 Joh. 4.4 Stronger is he who is in thee then he who is in the world thou hast another kind of help and assistance for doing good then others O then let thy work be answerable If in any good motion we can discern one or moe of those wicked designs we may be jealous least Sathan have a hand in it and should guard against his devices which when espied may serve as so many marks and characters whereby we may know the print of his foot though he be disguised appearing in white rayment To which these few may be added 1. As to the matter If in prayer our desires be meerly or mainly selfish and natural Sathan may concur and blow up the coal of carnal heat within And thus there may be much enlargement of affections much fervency and importunity without the help of the Spirit as in that people Hos 7.14 when they assembled themselves and howled for corn wine Isa 26.16 and when they multiplied their prayers and sacrifices Isa 1.15 11. Esau may weep for want of an earthly blessing Gen. 27.34 though he undervalued and little minded the marrow of the blessing the love and favour of God But none can without the Spirit of God say with David one thing have I desired that will I seek after that I may behold the beauty of the Lord Ps 27.4 And with Asaph whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon earth I desire besides thee Ps 73.25 Who is able seriously to pray for help to pluck out the right eye and cut off the right hand and to part with his darling lusts and affections unless he be acted and strengthned by the Spirit of God Who can with Agar say give me not riches least they proven snare Prov. 30.8 9. unlesse the Lord breath into his heart such a desire Sathan will not help thee to (q) Mat. 6.33 seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness and in thy desires to prefer holiness to riches heaven to earth and Gods glory to thy own self-interest 2. As to the end Sathan may stir thee up to (r) Jam. 4.3 ask that thou mayest consume what thou gettest upon thy lusts but who doth desire any thing from God that he may be (s) Ps 35.27 magnified and that what he giveth may be employed for his honour unless he get help from heaven Only the Spirit of God can elevate our desires to so high and noble an (t) Of the ends of prayer Part. 2. ch 1. end and make us honestly obey the exhortation 1 Cor. 10.31 He who must do all must also pray to the glory of God and this of our selves we cannot do 3. As to the maner Sathan can stir us up to pour out absolute and peremptory desires for outward things and faint lazy moderate and submissive desires for grace Sathan makes us invert the right order and method he will not protest though thou ask mercy pardon of sins c. that conscience may be stilled and satisfied but thou must not be too earnest and anxious concerning those things and thy desires must not be boundless and illimited a little of grace saith he will do the turn and any kind of desire though never so â—old and formall is sufficient 2. Sathan can move thee to ask the world for it self and to make self thy last end but the Spirit of God must enable us to deny our selves and to ask outward things in subordination and in relation to the great end If Sathan prescribe our lusts must reign and grace must be the hand-maid and be only so far sought as it is subservient to our carnall ends and for a quiet and peaceable fulfilling of our lusts 3. Sathan can beget in the heart a child-like expectation and confidence though thou be a stranger he can make thee expect the portion of a son he will not suffer thee once to question thy state and acceptance least if conscience were awakened thou shouldst seek after a change But it is the work of the Spirit to beget in us childlike affections and make us love God delight in a communion with him and be loath to grieve him and he only can enable us to call him in truth Abba Father Rom. 8.15.4 Sathan can move thee to what is good unorderly by making thee leave thy place and station and invade another mans office (u) 2 Sam. 15.4 Oh! that I were made Judge in the land said Absolom and mayest thou say prayer-wayes Thus also Saul would offer sacrifice 1 Sam. 13.9 and Vzziah burn incense 2 Chr. 26.16.19 They would go out of their own sphere and exercise the ministerial Function wherefore the Lord justly punished both the one and the other It was good and a commanded duty to offer sacrifice but it did not belong to Sauls office it was fit that supplication should be made to the Lord but it belonged not to Saul to do it in a publick and ministerial way as it would appear Saul then did v. 12 it was necessary that incense should be burnt before the Lord but it did not appertain to Vzziah as Azariah told him v. 18. but to the Priests the sons of Aaron who were consecrated to that office But the Spirit of Christ moveth orderly making us to contain within our own sphere and to abide in the same calling wherein we were called according to his commandment 1 Cor. 7.20.24 A heart acted by the Spirit can with David Psa 131.1 say when he maketh his supplication to God O Lord my heart is not haughty nor mine eyes lofty neither do I exercise my self in great maters or in things too high for me The Lord will have all things done decently and in order and is not the author of confusion 1 Cor. 14.40.43 and as he leadeth not his children out of the way So neither doth he bring them to dark and unpassable paths it is not from him that weak Christians especially these of the female Sex do meddle and vex themselves with dark questions and intricat disputes or that the most strong and learned do dive too curiously in things not revealed and in the secrets of the Almighty He knoweth that to be an
THE SPIRITUAL SACRIFICE OR A TREATISE Wherein several weighty Questions and Cases concerning the Saints communion with GOD in Prayer are propounded and practically improved By Mr. Alexander Pitcarne Minister of the Gospel at Dron in Strath-Ern PART 1. Concerning the qualifications 2. Concerning cases belonging to the practice 3. Concerning the return and answer of Prayer Jam. 5.16 The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much Joh. 14.13 14. Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name that will I do c. Edinburgh Printed for Robert Brown and aâ—â— to be sold at his Shop at the Sign of the Sun on the north side of the Street over against the Cross TO The right honourable LADY The VISCOUNTESSE of STORMONT MADAM FRom the beginning it hath been one of the great designes of hell for promoving of which the old Serpent and his seed from time to time have imployed all their wit and might to raise slanders and cast reproaches upon holiness circumspection tenderness and zeal for God as if these were opposit unto generosity magnanimity society ease joy delight satisfaction profit promotion and to what not And the enemy of all righteousness hath so far prevailed by this subtile stratagem with poor foolish vain blind men as to make them judge light to be darkness and their happiness to be their shame and misery What age might not joyn with the famous (a) Salvian wrote about the year 460. Salvian in his complaint concerning his time That the Noble and great ones were forced to be evil lest they should be 1 accounted vile and to become Sathans slaves lest they should lose the honour of their Nobility Yea have not meer Moralists observed and how pathetically do (b) Cicero lived after Caesar came to the Empire Cicero (c) Seneca was Nero's Master Seneca (d) Juvenal wrote his Satyrs about the year 90. Juvenal and others lament this folly and madness and have left it on record as the blemish and reproach of the age in which they lived That vertue 2 was envyed and all was filled with treachery and deceit that there was no place left for shame honesty and goodness that the wicked were accounted honourable and the vilest men were promoted while the good and virtuous were despised as base singular humourous and saith Seneca as 3 foolish useless and selfish creatures Ah! what an evidence is this of Sathans (e) See here Part 1. ch 9. pag. 352. power to lead (f) 2 Tim. 2.26 captive at his will those who are once catched in his snare And did not sad experience convince us hardly could we imagine that they in whom are any relicts of reason and discretion I need not add conscience and religion that god of this world having blinded their minds lest the light of the glorious Gospel should shine unto them 2 Cor. 4.4 could be thus fascinated and so far bewitched Ah! is it credible were it not that (g) 2 Thess 3.2 unbelievers are unreasonable that those who (h) Lnk. 16.8 are so wise in their generation such State-politicians and so active in proclaiming their own knowledge prudence and parts yet should be such strangers unto and ignorant of that which floweth so manifestly from the first principles of reason and which nature it self teacheth and so convincingly holdeth forth to all men I do not say that that dark lantern is able fully to discover the right way yet it may serve to confute the madness of such a prejudice against true virtue and holiness Time would fail me if I should endeavour to transcribe what Plato Euripides Cato Cicero Juvenal Plutarch and many other Heathens have written to this purpose nay the whole Works of Plato and Seneca may well bear this inscription An Apology for Piety and Virtue And what is the scope of Juvenal and Perseus their Satyrs but to declaim against the vices of their time We shall then only from those rich Gardens collect and gather some few Flowers containing some known principles of moral Philosophy in opposition to the former calumnies which are so easily believed and to the course which is so generally followed by blind Atheists Ah! saith the Satyrist virtue and goodness is the only true Nobility he deserveth no praise whose praise is only from his Ancestors since as Seneca 5 observeth the womb and the grave are two great levellers all being alike as to their birth and death and therefore none can be more noble or magnanimous then another but he who hath the most generous spirit and who is most eminent in virtue and goodness and he as Plato saith must be most base and miserable who is most wicked and flagitious And accordingly Euripides 6 well concludeth that it is a great abuse to call profane godless wretches noble and excellent albeit they had never so many followers and great possessions And hence the old Romans did so situat 7 the temples of virtue and honour that there was no access to that of honour but by the other of virtue and thus also honour from the great 8 Philosopher and great 9 Orator is commonly described the reward of virtue And as thus the good and virtuous are the only honourable and noble So they are according to Cicero the only rich and happy 10 true wealth consists not in moveables what can be lost or taken from us is saith he neither mine nor thine and virtue is that only treasure that cannot be removed he who driveth that trade needs not fear storms or pirats by Sea nor robbers and perils by Land nay as Euripides saith death cannot take away its 11 praise or reward but that will follow us when we must leave all earthly pleasures honours and injoyments Ah! Madam is it not lamentable to consider how many great ones do bury all their Honour Nobility Parts Riches and Possessions in the grave of infamy and reproach and leave no other Trophies behind them but the stinking savour of their debauchery and profanity upon whose Tombs there can truly be put no other ingraving but that here lyeth such a one who was the discredit of his holy profession and the shame 12 of an ancient and noble family How few be they who by their practice do not verifie the Poeâ—s sad verdict Greatness 13 and goodness do seldom meet together and should I not rather have said that word of truth not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many noble c. 1 Cor. 1.26 27 28 29. What will the worlds Gallants be able to say in the day of accounts for their opposing the way of piety and virtue which hath gotten such a testimony from Pagans And therefore do we now offer this brief lecture of Divinity from these Moralists that it might appear that none can forsake and oppose the way of righteousness and holiness but he who hath cast off both reason and humanity and who doth become a brute lest he should be a Saint Ah! how
and his free grace in Christ held forth in the promises adventuring soul and a l upon it this may prove a sufficient ground of acceptable confidence and boldness which will prevail and will not be sent away from the throne of grace empty Here we may reach a word 1. to the proud Pharisee 2. to the mocking Atheist 2. to the disconsolat 4. to the enlivened and strong Saint First then from this point I may reach a rebuke to him who presuming on his parts and eloquence or with that boast ng hypocrit Luk. 18.11 on his own worth and goodness doth thiâ—k that he hath at home provision enough for the work and so mindeth nor neither seeketh help from above but dare draw nigh to God in his own strength Ah! what doth the Almighty regard the acting of parts and the moving of the tongue though with much art and elegance He knoweth the mind of the Spirit the meaning of the least sigh and groan poured out in his strength Rom. 8.27 26. but will not acknowledge or hearken to the voice of thy spirit it is too weak whatever conceit thou mayest entertain concerning its might and excellency to wrestle with and overcome the Almighty but (t) Isa 41.14 worm Jacob was strong he got power from above and in it he wrestled with God and at length prevailed and carried the day Câ—n. 32.25 he prevailed by weeping and supplication Hos 12.4 What strange weapons were these for a conquerour and durst the potsheard strive wiah his Maker the Angel of the covenant appearing in a created shape Ans Yes the Lord alloweth us to fight and wrestle with such weapons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. 4.12 to strive as it were in an agony and not to faint nor give over till we get the victory Nay but we must not dare to wrestle with God but by his own strength Deus in Jacobo fuit seipso fortior God did lend Jacob more strength then he did fetch against him he did saith (u) Dicitur ergo Deus vinci a nobis quando virtute spiritus sui nos confirmat reddit in exâ—ugnabiles inâ—o facit ut trium phum agamus de tentationi bus si singula reputamus talis est tunc partitio ut Deusmajoreâ—â— partem suae virtuâ—isa parte nostra staere velit tantum sumat partem magis infirmam ad nos tentandos vel experiendos aâ—qui si Iacob suo marte pugnassâ—t non poterat ferre umbram ipsius Dei quin conciâ—eret redactus suisset in nihilum nisi opposita fuisset major virtus quam bominis hanc similitudinem inquit adducere soleo quando loquor de lucta quotidianis â—ertaminibus quibus Deus exercet pios quod pugnet nobiscum sinistra manu quod nos tueatur dextra sua c. Calvin comment in Hos 12.3 4. Calvin uphold Jacob and continually upholdeth the Saints in all their tryalls and combats with the right hand and fought against him only with the left But you will say Iacob is said by his strength to have power with God Hos 12.3 Ans There can be as (x) Nulius est melior titulus quam donationiâ—ut vulgo dicunt Deus solet in nos transferre quicq uid conâ—ulit ac si nosirum esset distinguere ergo prudenter necesse est hic inter viâ—tutem bominis quam habet aseipso id est a naâ—ura eam quam Dominus in ipsum contulit Calv. ibid. Calvin saith no better title then donation what strength the Lord out of his free mercy had bestowed on Iacob during the combat was Iacobs strength the Lord had freely given it to him and doth allow that it be called his O! but there is no prevailing over the omnipotent but by his own strength if thou draw nigh to him in thy pride thou mayest fear his hand he resisteth the proud and will not yield he is angry with them and they shall not be able to stand before him Secondly A word to the blasphemous Atheist who dare mock the Spirit of God rather then the Saints while he upbraideth them with having and being led by the Spirit and if any infirmity be espied in such that must be reckoned in the first place amongst the works of the Spirit It s true there is a generation of vile deluded sectaries who father all their wicked and enormous actings upon the holy Spirit I plead not for such monsters let them bear their own just punishment ignominy and reproach but for any upon this pretence to mock and flout humble self-denied and circumspect Christians who dare not brag of their having the Spirit but labour to maintain and prize his presence and to bring forth these fruits of the Spirit mentioned Ephes 5.9 Gal. 5.22 these mockers do evidence that they have not Spirit for if they had they durst not make a jeer of having it and if thou hast not the Spirit of Christ thou art none of his Rom. 8 9. thou art a dead man the sentence of death is already past upon thee and thou art destitute of the Spirit of life ver 13.10 and thy mocking the Saints is as if the dead could mock the living because they do live and have a principle of life I will not say with a learned (y) Mr. Baxter Divine that to mock the Spirit and to attribute his work as the Pharisees did Christs to the devil is that unpardonable sin against â—he holy Ghost but certainly it is near in kin to it and from thence our blessed Lord took occasion to speak of that sin Mat. 12.31 32. compared with ver 24. and let such mark that this unpardonable blasphemy is there called speaking against the holy Ghost O! but all those who live in the Spirit walk in the Spirit Gal. 5.25 let the fruits of the Spirit appear in your conversation let your goodness righteousness and truth (x) Eph. 5 9. stop the mouth of mockers dare ye also reproach his holy name all the balsphemies of Atheists do not so much (a) Heb. 6.6 put the blessed Spirit as it were to an open shame as the miscarriages of the Saints and these often prove and are called 2 Sam. 12.14 a great occasion to the enimies of the Lord to blaspheme Thirdly Rejoyce O ye (b) Zech. 9.12 prisoners of hope cast off your fears and complaints and do not say my sins are so many my deadness and indisposition for duty so great and my spiritual enemies so strong and fierce that my hope is cut off I have no strength to wrestle with such mighty adversaries and to remove such great mountains of impediments I grant if thou wert Helpless thy condition were Hopeless but all thine enemies are not able to stop the way and to intercept thy supplie from heaven what though creature-help did fail what though those pools were dried up yet thou mightest run to the full fountain the Lord himself is thy helper his Spirit will
know when the Spirit with-draweth his help from supplicants Page 600 Sect. II. A two-fold deadness and indisposition one privative by the departure of the quickening and strengthening influence of the Spirit another positive into which we are casten by the opiat of sin Page 602 Divers kinds of causes of this evil Page 603 Among externals Sathan is the chief Page 604 But the root of the matter is within us hereditary sin a mother sin Page 605 To which some gross pollution or conscience-wasting sin being super-added the heart must be very much straitned in it's approaches to God Page 606 What are these sins against which the Saints should especially guard Page 607 What be these sins which more formally and efficiently straiten the heart and occasion deadness and wandering thoughts Page 607 1. Earthly-mindedness 2. irreverence and want of fear 3. hypocrisie 4. want of feeling 5. distrust and unbelief 6. excess and surfeiting either bodily or spiritual 7. wantonness and a spirit of lust 8. discontent with our condition family-contention and whatsoever distemper of the passions anger grief c. 9. not watching the heart 10. nor guarding the outward senses 11. taking unseasonable times for performing these duties 12. disuse omission and want of frequency 13. a giving way to a slight and superficial way of performance 14. ill company ibid. Positive directions and remedies 1. strengthen and fortifie the heart with the cordial of love 2. let us rouse up and awaken our sleepy hearts 3. let us beg the quickening presence of the Spirit of Christ bewailing more the want thereof then the want of his consolations 4. let us diligently mark and observe when the Spirit draweth nigh and when he with-draweth 5. when we set upon any duty let us renew our resolutions to hold our hearts fixed at the work 6. in the intervals of prayer let us give our selves unto holiness 1. do not stint thy self to such a measure of holiness 2. imitat the best examples 3. converse much with the Saints 4. frequent the Ordinances diligently and 5. be diligent in thy particular calling 7. arrest thy heart at the present exercise and work 8. remember 1. the greatness and excellency 2. the goodness and bounty 3. the presence and all seeing eye and 4. the holiness justice and terrors of him with whom we have to do 9. use such a gesture as may be most helpfull to raise the heart 10. thou mayest while indisposed have recourse to a set form and then 11. let frequency supply the want of continuance and enlargement 12. whatever success thou meetest with yet leave not off but still follow on to seek the Lord in his Ordinances till thou find him do not faint nor weary for c. Page 620 Sect. III. Whether our deadness and indisposition will excuse our negligence and omission of duty Page 637 Six or seven reasons for the negative ibid. Our deadness should rather send us to then hold us from the throne of grace Page 640 Motives to stir us up to shake off our laziness indisposition negligence c. Page 640 What copy should we set before our eyes as to our diligence and activity for eternal life Page 643 When and what wandering thoughts do nullifie our prayers and hinder their success Page 644 The testimony of some Divines Page 645 Deadnesse and wandering thoughts a grievous burden to the Saints Page 646 Whether we may be too much inlarged in prayer or meditation Page 648 Of the Popish mystical Theology Enthusiasme c. ibid. Whether the Saints be alwayes precisely limited to the present work in which they are imployed Page 650 Whether sincere supplicants use to be be more inlarged in private or publick ibid. Whether it be a mercy to have our prayers answered when we are cold and formal Page 651 CHAP. III. Whether we may pray for any evil either of sin or suffering Page 652 Some distinctions Page 653 We may not pray for any evil either absolutely or relatively ibid. Five arguments Page 654 Objections answered Page 657 Far less may we pray and wish evil to our brethren Page 663 A word concerning the evil of sin ibid. CHAP. IV. Whether it be lawfull to imprecat the question propounded and limited Page 664 It is certain we may 1. pray against the sins and 2. against the plots of the wicked and 3. that we may complain of their cruelty and 4. that we may pray the Lord to break their snare of success and prosperity and 5. that justice may be executed upon malefactors ibid. But we must not curse 1. without a cause nor 2. for our own cause nor 3. our relations Page 665 The question answered negatively and objections obviated Page 666 CHAP. V. What it is to pray alwayes Page 668 The Euchits confuted Page 669 Whether Pelagians taught that it was needless to pray Page 670 Six conjectures rejected Page 671 The exhortation to pray alwayes and without ceasing supposeth a spiritual disposition Page 674 It answereth the question when should we pray ibid. It importeth assiduity and frequency ibid. It requireth 1. constancy and 2. universality 1. in respect of the object 2. in respect of the seasons time and opportunities whether set or occasional Page 676 An omission cannot be imputed to us unless we be called and oblieged to do Page 677 The least that can be allowed for a set course of prayer is twice a day Page 678 What time of the day fittest Page 679 Scripture-instances with some variety Page 680 How we may discern the occasional season of prayer Page 681 What is done in it's season whether set or occasional is said in Scripture to be done alwayes Page 683 There ought also to be an universality in respect of the subject Page 684 Lastly it importeth perseverance Page 684 How much time should be spent and how long should we continue at prayer Page 685 Whether it be lawfull to use repetitions and what repetitions in prayer Page 687 A word concerning ejaculatory prayer Page 691 The Saints have continued for a considerable time at prayer Page 692 An exhoration to frequency Page 693 A word of caution take heed lest custom and frequency make us customary and superficial in prayer Page 695 PART IV. Of the return of prayer CHAP. I. Of the success of prayer Page 695 Sect. I. The Christian is the only worthy and invincible man Page 696 Prayers and tears the arms of the Church Page 697 How the holy Spirit expresseth the power and prevalency of prayer Page 698 Sect. II. The Atheists great objection all things come alike to all answered Page 701 What the Lords hearing of prayer importeth Page 703 Hence several arguments proving that the wicked receive nothing in answer to their prayers Page 704 Why then doth the Lord bestow mercies upon them Ans Page 706 Four wayes of the Lords hearing the prayers of his servants Page 710 A delay to give or denial of the particular askt may be a gracious answer of
more readinesse yeelding and condescension in him then in the Father that he interceeds and deals with the Father that he may come that length 5. There is but one Mediatour between God and men the Man Christ Jesus 1. Tim. 2.5 As to the places objected To the 1. Chrysostom and Theophylact think that by the Spirit Rom. 8.26.27 is meant the miraculous gift of Prayer then poured out not only upon the Apostles but on others whom God occasionally called to be the mouth of and to speak in their Christian meetings But that gift being 1. temporary continuing only with the Christian Church in her infancy And 2. being peculiar only to some and at certain times when they were assembled with others And. 3 not agreeing with the context And 4. the word not being found in that sense in any other place For the Spirit of grace and supplication promised Zech. 12.10 was to be poured out upon all the saints and converts of the house of David and amongst the inhabitants of Jerusalem we cannot approve this interpretation 2. Ambrose by Spirit there understands the new nature and regenerat part So the word is frequently used in Scripture and we can see no inconvenience that can follow upon this interpretation yet when we compare this with other places which seem to be parallel with and exegetick of it we think the third and most common interpretation should rather be embraced that the Spirit there is said to make intercession for us not properly as if the holy Ghost did pour out a Prayer for us but effectively because he helps and enables us to interceed and pour out acceptable Prayers thus the Spirit is said to be sent in our hearts (i) Clamat dupliciter tum quia fiduciam filialem intus in cordibus excitat tum quia foris ore clamare facit Paraeus in Gal. 4.6 crying that is making us to know that God is and inabling us to call him Abba Father Gal. 4.6 Rom. 8.15 And we may observe how the one place explains the other and the text in the objection for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the spirit crying Gal. 4. is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the spirit whereby we cry Rom. 8. and the Spirit of your father speaking in you Math. 10.20 And thus we may see that the Spirit interceeding must be nothing else but the Spirit whereby we are inabled to interceed if we must thus interpret the Spirit crying why not also the Spirit interceeding Is there any greater inpropriety in the one phrase then in the other especially since they are parallel both holding out one and the same thing the worke of the Spirit on our heart inabling us to cry and pray Yea though we made no comparison and did not reflect on other Scriptures the words themselves carry in their bosome a clear confutation of that fond glosse in the objection and point out the true sense and meaning For. 1. hath the Spirit a tongue to cry And. 2. to whom would he cry Abba Father whose (k) Cur urus filius sit alius non sit filius de patre est filius de patre est Spiritus sanctus sed ille genitus est iste procedens Non omne quod procedit nasâ—itur quamvis omne precedat quod nascitur c. August cont Max. Arrian lib. 3. cap. 14. Son is the spirit As to the other if the Spirit doth truly interceed for us then whose are those (l) Spiritus non gemit sed docendo efficiendo ut nâ—s gemamus c. Camer praet de Eccl. pag. mihi 221. groans that cannot be uttered 3. What force is there in that reason added to shew that the Spirit helpeth our infirmities and teacheth us how and what to ask if his intercession be not causall by helping and inabling us to pray and while he doth thus inspire and breath-in Prayers and supplications in us by these as his own work he may be said to interceed for us our (m) Non autem Spiritus sanctus in seipso seu secundum eipsum orat aut postulat sed quod in nobis habitans secundum actus nostros postulat postulantes nos facit postulationem nobis inspirat Cajetan in locum intercession being the effect and result of his assistance enlargement and manifestations and so may denominat him and be called his as the cause though not properly and as the subject And thus unlesse we will divide what are conjoyned and pluck out this one word intercession from what goeth before and followeth after there is no occasion offered from this place to Gerhards mistake in which he goeth alone having none either popish or protestant Divine except one whom (n) Camer loc cit Camero calls (o) If that doctissimus Interpres be the learned Beza as Would appear from his Annot on Joh. 14.16 though he pleadeth that the Spirit in some sense may be called our Advocat which we do not deny yet he is far from thinking that the Spirit doth formally interceed but imputeth such an assertion to the Arrians Vid. Annot in Rom. 8.26 doctissimum Interpretem who joyneth with him of these we have perused But all the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all the Arrians Macedonians Acatians these fighters against the God-head of the holy Ghost may run to this Glosse as their city of refuge And of late Mr. John (p) See this impudent man judiciously refuted by Mat. Pool in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bidle though he professeth that he doth not deny the Deity of Christ yet he taks much pains in arguing against the Deity of holy the Ghost and Gerhard his (q) Though he doth assert yet neither he nor any other I have seen do debate the point concerning the Spirits intercession and therefore breifly we offered some reasons for refuting that conceit glosse of this text is one of his main pillars As to the other Scripture Joh. 14.16 We answer that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is well rendered Comforter in our translation it comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which hath diverse significations and according to the subject matter may be (r) Vid. Seap. Pasor Leigh Crit sac in verb. rendred to comfort as it should be in the place cited to exhort to plead or to pray But 2. granting that the word there and as applyed to the holy Ghost might be rendered advocat yet that place can to little purpose be made use of for proving the conclusion there laid down For he is a poor Advocat or he must have a weake cause who leaves off to plead and begins to supplicat for his client The word when rendered Advocat as (s) D. Hammond on Joh. 16.8 D. Hammond observes is taken from and must be so interpreted as it agrees with the custome of pleading causes among the Jews none of which was to supplicat or pray for the plaintiff to which customes he applyeth the Spirits pleading Christs cause against the
up and what crop could then be expected from that stony ground Thou mayest indeed make some steps towards the right way and yet weary and sit up long ere thou come to it but canst thou tell me the man who took this course and constantly pursued it who continued instant in prayer and met with a repulse Let Antimonians then bark and declaim against duties and the use of the means God hath appointed yet rest thou on Gods Word who hath said (h) Mat. 7.7 ask and it shall be given you whoever thou art thou art not excluded unlesse by refusing to perform the condition thou exclude thy self seek and ye shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you But what ground of hope and expectation can these Seducers hold out unto thee if thou wilt not ask I know not Though the Lord hath been (i) Isa 65.2 found of them that sought him not yet there is none found of him whom he stirreth not up to ask so that if thou do not ask thou shalt never receive there is (k) I speak of the adult the Lord hath a way unknown to us for saving young ones none in heaven who were not supplicants on earth But Ah! though none of you do seruple concerning your duty and though you think your labour would not be lost yet how many of you are practical Antimonians though all of you abominate their doctrine yet too many of you make it the rule whereby ye walk ye will not speak against prayer yet whoever heard your voice in prayer except in a customary formal way ye will not condemn them who pray and yet will rather damn your own souls then pray ye dow not away with the doctrine of deluded sectaries and yet ye dance as their pipe playeth What is said of hereticks Tit. 3.11 may well be applied to such Atheists they are self-condemned they are (l) Rom. 2.1 unexcusable in judging Antimonians while they walk according to the rule they set before them I have too long insisted on this point But my main aim was to hold out a caveat for preventing this practical Antinomianisme which accompanieth an Orthodox profession and I will say no more now to the speculative Antimonians these wretched opiniators after I have mentioned their cruelty not only to the wicked in shutting the door on them but also to the Saints in excluding or as we may call it excommunicating them from this solemn and soul-comforting Ordinance yea then when they stand most in need of consolation to wit in their sad nights of desertion when neither sun nor moon doth shine upon them when the Lord withdraws the refreshing beams of his countenance and the sealing and witnessing testimony of his Spirit that (m) Job 29.3 candle of the almighty whereby we might be guided and encouraged in the greatest darkness occasioned by the ecclipse of creature-comforts when they are thus as it were hopelesse and helplesse when they cannot see to read their names written in the book of life nor discerne any seal at their charter and thus are in hazard to draw sad conclusions against themselves O! then must these (n) see Ephr. Pagit loc cit miserable comforters say to these children of light while they are thus walking in darknesse beware that ye draw not nigh to God since ye are not assured of your adoption and reconciliation for if ye have the least jealousie and suspicion the least scruple and doubt concerning his love ye may provok him to become a consuming fire unto you if you should draw nigh to him nay say they these legall terrors and spirit of bondage and the want of assurance do not only evidence some present distemper and fit of unbeliefe but also the want and absence of faith and therefore those doubters must be enrolled with unbeleevers and such must be (o) See Pagit loc cit legall preachers who exhort either the one or the other to pray CHAP. VI. Of the object to which we should direct our Prayers Whosoever calleth upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved Rom. 10. v. 13. How shall they call on him in whom they have not believed v. 14. 1. We will shew to whom we may and should direct our prayers 2. To whom we may not bow the knee not to Saints or angels nor to any other creature and accordingly this Chapter may be divided in two parts Sect. 1. To whom should we pray NOt only 1. the word of God and 2. the practice of all the saints but 3. the very light of nature these reliques of sound reason yet abiding in corrupt man and 4. the practice of heathens and pagans do clearly shew to the blindest ey that prayer and every part of worship should be directed to God for although the nations were foolish and ridiculous in their apprehensions of God yet whatever they fancied to be God to it they did present their supplications We need not then spend time in demonstrating so clear and unquestionable a truth for not only 1. Gods soveraignity in governing the world according to his good pleasure 2. his omniscience 3. his power 4. his mercy and tender bowels ready to pittie and relieve his creatures c. but all the grounds and reasons that hold out the necessity of this duty do also prove that it should be directed to God But whether or not we should pray to Christ as Mediator and perform any point of worship to him under that formality is questioned in the schooles I say that its disputed whether or not Christ should be worshiped under that reduplâ—cation and formality for otherwise its certain and will be denied by none who professe the name of Christ except the blasphemous Arrians and Socinians these fighters against the God-head of the Mediator and yet these do not agree in this amongst themselves Socinus himself with many of his Disciples pleading for the adoration of Christ against Franciscus Davidis and his party though not (a) Franciscus Davidis challengeth Socinus of idolatry for woâ—â—â—â—i 〈◊〉 ameer creature and Socinus denyeth that such should be acknowledged for brethren who will not worship the redeemer vid. Socin de ador Chris advers Christ Franken in epistol Hooâ—nb Soc. conf tom 1. lib. 1. cap. 9. consequentially to his principles all Divines I say whether Popish or Protestant agree in this that the Mediator should be worshâ—ped adored and invocated that we should trust in him and pray to him who is over all God blessed for ever amen Rom. 9.5 Yet there be two particulars that here fall under debate 1. under what formall reason and consideration Christ should be worshipped 2. whether or not our worship be terminated in his humane nature if it doth share with his God-head in that worship which is tendered up to the Mediator in whom the divine and humane nature are personally united But since these questions belong to another subject and here only occasionly fall in as
call to thee to pray for them for without them thou canst not obey the (c) Rom. 12.13 Rom. 13.7 8. c. commandment of paying tribute of owing nothing to any man thou canst not be hospital and distribute to the necessity of the Saints c. 4. And as the want of them doth thus hinder the performance of several duties so it is a great temptation to many sins O! saith Agur Let me not have poverty least I steal and take the name of my God in vain 5. Go to the Lyons and Ravens and they will teach thee thy duty they cry to God in their own way the eyes of all things wait upon him that he may give them their meat in due season Ps 104.21 27. Ps 145.15 Ps 147.9 They cry with the voice of nature and will not thou lift up thy soul and thy heart to God indigence maketh them groan and will it not send thee to the Throne and make thee cry to thy Father that he may pity thee 6. What we get by prayer hath a heavenly excellency in it though it were but a morsel of bread it hath more dignity in it then all the gems and diamonds and all the imperial Crowns of the world which come by the hand of a common providence all these things are but the bones without the marrow the whole Turkish Empire saith (d) Luth. in Gen. Luther as great as it is is but a crum which the Master of the family casts to the dogs but be it little or much that is given in return to prayer it is a blessing indeed and part of the childrens bread and it 's excellency appeareth in these particulars 1. In that it is a stream flowing from the purest fountain to wit the love and good will of our Father it is a fruit of love and a seal and pledge of love and as it cometh from love So 2. it tendeth to love it is a coal to enflame our affections and to warm our heart it is a motive and layeth an engagment on us to love our kind Father who visiteth us every morning with his tender mercies but prayerless souls take no notice of Gods hand nor do they much value his love Hence 3. it is a mercy indeed a promised and covenanted mercy as it cometh without that vexation heart-cutring and distrustfull care and excessive toyl and labour so it is enjoyed with less fear and is free of the snares and temptations that otherwise use to accompany it the blessing of the Lord maketh rich and he addeth no sorrow with it Prov. 10.22 It is by prayer that the creatures become good to us and are sanctified as to their enjoyment and use 1 Tim. 4.45 4. The right and title of possession doth add very much to the worth and goodness of things though not in themselves yet as to us who possesse them for 1. Who doth value what a theef robber usurper or oppressor doth possesse 2. How quickly may he be called to an account and as in a moment with disgrace be stripped naked of all yes though there were not such hazard of losing them yet an ingenuous spirit yea a moral Pagan would rather chuse a little to which he hath a right then thus to enjoy great revenues Prov. 16.8 5. We use to judge and esteem of the worth of things by their price especially if laid out by a wise man and good merchant but every morsel of bread the meanest creature thou gettest in return to thy prayers is the purchase of blood it cost more then a world though thou wert the greatest Monarch on earth by all thy Crowns thou couldst not purchase a right and sanctified title to the meanest of the creatures silver and gold may give possession and a civil right but they cannot give a spiritual right unto and a sanctified use of the least crum of bread and therefore we must ask in his name who hath paid the price and in whose blood our mercies must be washen that they may become pure and sanctified and may prove blessings indeed O then since thou canst not enjoy these things in mercy and in love unlesse they be given in return to thy prayer let this be thy way which is not the way of the men of this world though it be an easie and safe way and though only the right and approven way but you will say who doth condemn this way Ans Though few dare with their mouth belch out such atheisme yet in their heart and by their life and practice too many say O let us rather chuse any other way let us imploy our wit care and industry and if that will not do the turn let us add falsehood and deceit and whatsoever course else though never so unlawfull and unjust yet if it be called our own and if we by it be thought to help our selves we will rather follow that way then rest on Gods care and providence 1. because think they if we may enjoy them without God we may be masters of them and dispose of them as we will we may cut and carve for our selves and like him Hab. 2.5 enlarge our desires as hell 2. Because we dow not away with such preciseness tenderness and circumspection in our whole conversation and such zeal and fervency in prayer as is required and therefore we rather work and toyl a week then pray half an hour we rather sweat at our calling then take such heed to our steps We know not we are not acquaint with we love not and cannot endure that way but we know our business and like our work and when it s done it s done and we are at rest but if we get any thing by prayer our work is but as it were to begin we must yet watch over our hearts and wayes and take heed how we use and employ what we have gotten we must return the sacrifice of praise to God for his bounty in giving c. And therefore the Apostle had reason to exhort us That in every thing by prayer supplication and thanks giving we should make our requests known unto God Phil. 4.6 Not as if the Apostle and we now while we are pressing this necessary though much slighted duty would have you enlarge your desires after these things or be too solicitous about them and peremptory in your requests and prayers for them No no if our zeal be spent that way as alas too often it is that will marre the acceptance of our prayers and bring down a curse rather then a blessing but the end and scope of this exhortation is that we would live in a constant dependance upon God committing to him our selves and all our affairs begging his blessing on all our wayes and endeavours and that whatever we get and enjoy be it little be it much it may prove a blessing and may be given in mercy and in love that we may have the sanctified use of all we enjoy and grace to improve
dayly offering violence to their own souls and what knowest thou but thy prayers may bind them Ah! therefore should every Saint with Samuel concerning a stubborn and wicked generation say God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you 1 Sam. 12.23 and couldst thou be a witness of the dishonour they do to God the scandal they give to the godly and the mischief they do to themselves and not warn and rebuke them if thou didst not thou shouldst partake of their sins Levit. 19.17 but if thou didst wouldst thou not desire and mightest thou not pray the Lord to bless thy reproofes But though thus we are obliged to pray for all men specially for our relations our brethren kinsmem magistrates c. Yet amongst all these the Elect should have the preheminence There is a peculiar bond lying upon us to desire and pray for their good and we may more comfortably and confidently perform that duty towards them then others then our desires and Gods (d) Though 〈◊〉 neither the decree nor providence of God be our-rule yet both are a comfortable motive to pray decree promise and providence do meet in one point and such prayers shall certainly at length be answered Christ prayed for all these Joh. 17.20 and his prayer is on record and now in heaven he reneweth it and still liveth to make intercession for such And should not we joyn and add our poor weak concurrence they are those with whom we must dwell for ever and with whom we must joyn in uninterrupted praises and shall we not now allow them any room in our prayers But yet there is a more special obligation lying on us towards them who already beleeve and are of the houshold of faith as we should specially do good unto them Gal. 6.10 so in a special maner we are obliged to pray for and desire their good They are the object not only of Gods benevolence but also of his beneficence and complacence they are actually in Christ and members of his body and must not then the union be intimate and strong And should not their communion answer and keep some proportion therewith and must there not be a tender (e) Amicorum est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist idem velle atque idem nille ea demum vera amicitia est Salust amicus quasi alter idem amicitia una anima in duobus corporibus Amicorum communia omnia dicta Pythag. sympathy amongst the members of one body they will together suffer and rejoyce together 1 Cor. 12.26 27. And as the feet will walk and the hands work for the good of the rest of the members should not also the tongue speak for their good The Saints have few friends but many enemies Sathan and the world do rage and will ye stand by they desire and expect your help and will you disappoint them you are the favourits of heaven ye have the Kings ear and will you not improve your moyen for the good of poor Saints shall your friends who expect your help be forgotten will ye prove so unfaithfull and so unkind and will ye thus by your negligence betray that trust that is lying upon you and not improve that price that is put in your hand you may be instruments of much good to others and will you defraud them of what they may expect yea and what as debt ye ow to them Gods command to you to pray for them is their bond whereby you are become their debters and which notwithstanding they are ready to pay you again in kind and in your own coyn and ye need not be afraid that the master will upbraid you for pleading for them they will not prove ungrate and make their mercies weapons of unrighteousness and your prayers as they may prove instrumental for the obtaining so for the right improvement of their mercies And as thus the obligation is great so also the encouragement What a refreshing and engaging motive was it to Paul to pray for the Ephesians when he heard of their faith and love Eph. 2.15 16. and for the Philippians when he considered their constancy and their fellowship in the Gospel Phil. 1.4 5 6. c. Hence from this duty we may infer another as we should pray for the Saints so we should desire and beg their prayers we should open up our case to them and (f) Jam. 5.16 confesse our faults one to another that they may know what to ask for us and if you will not you undervalue Gods care for you in ingaging them by command to perform this duty towards you 2. Ye undervalue his bounty in incouraging them by a promise of success Jam. 5.16 1 Joh. 5.16 Isa 45.11 3. Ye wrong the Saints in undervaluing their priviledge as if they were not Gods favourits and had not moyen with him these who are in Kings Courts will not want imployment And yet 4. ye dispise your own mercies and are not sensible of your own wants who will not make use of this promising mean of relief and it must either be foolish modesty or base pride that must occasion the neglect hereof ignorance can hardly be pretended in so clear a case what art thou a poor weak indigent creature ashamed to seek help (g) Dan. 2.17 18. Daniel (h) Esth 4.16 Esther and (i) Rom. 15.30 2 Cor. 2.11 Eph. 6.19 Colos 4.3 Phil. 1.19 Paul though eminent Saints and great favourits of heaven were not ashamed they knew the prevalency of joint prayer which to enemies is (k) Cant. 6.4 terrible like an army with banners and to friends comfortable like (l) Cant 4.15 streams from Lebanon As in the natural body the eye cannot say to the hand I have no need of thee c. 1 Cor. 12.21 So in this mystical body there is a mutual dependance of one member upon another there is no member so strong that it needeth not the help and concurrence of the rest no Christian should be so proud as not to desire the prayers of the brethren and none should be so uncharitable as to forget the fellow-heirs of the same Crown when they approach to the throne of Grace For conclusion we shall only add a word of encouragment to the Saints and of rebuke to the wicked intermixing a word of direction to both 1. To you who minde this duty and make conscience to perform it know that ye are honoured with this dignity to be men of publick spirits and to have a hand in the great affairs that concern the kingdom of Christ ye have the liberty to speak to the King as often as you will and to obtain what you desire and thus you may have if your negligence do no hinder a hand in all the mercies the Saints injoy whether national or personal temporal or spiritual thou mayest be instrumental in the procuring of these and none may say they ow no thanks to thee who art an honest
supplicant and favourit of the great King though thou hast not purchased their mercies with thy mony Ah! what hath the poor begger to give for an almes yet thy request hath prevailed and thy prayers have gotten a gracious return though the Lord hath blasted all means we essayed for our deliverance from the oppression of usurping Sectaries yet the Saints by their prayers have had a hand in it and who ever take to themselves the glory of the work yet the Lord knoweth that Scotish men and women who with fasting and supplications were wrestling with him did obtain this mercy as a return of their prayers And the hand of the Lord may evidently be seen in it he bowed the hearts of some and turned the hands of others employing them against their heart to hold the sword for the terror of those who were in armes or might rise to oppose the work which they themselves did as much hate whatever was the design of some of the chief leaders of the English army who went from Scotland in that service yet it is well enough known that the generality of instruments deserved little thanks as going about a work they neither loved nor intended O then let all and every one of us pray that this mercy may be improven for the glory of the giver the honour of the King and the good of those who did wrestle at the th one of grace till they obtained a grant And as the Saints are thus great adventurers for others and send many packs to sea in their name so there be many that are imployed in their business and who agent their cause as they are great Factors so they are great Merchants as they adventure for many so many for them The care of all the Saints lyeth upon every Saint And how pressing a motive should that be for thee O (m) Heb. 6.17 heir of the promise to pray for others while thou considerest that thy trade is going on while thou art a sleep and in as many places cities and families as call upon the name of our Lord Jesus and how should thy heart rejoyce when thou lookest upon such a town and incorporation such a house and family and canst say that 's my shop there they are treading for me there some are praying and wrestling at the Thron for some one mercy or other to be bestowed on me And how should the consideration hereof stir us up to be more and more free in opening up our condition one to another that we may know what in particular to ask for one another the (n) I shall now offer to your consideration a motion made by a judicious Divine with his regrate that few or none make conscience to seek after that promising remedy held forth by him there In such a case viz. of Spirituall desertion Commend saith he thy condition to the publick ' prayers of the Church especially upon dayes of solemn seeking God if persons be sick and in danger of death then a Minister shall have a bill handed to him to pray for their bodily health but I wonder that amongst all our bills there are no complaints of soul-sickness Oh! beloved It would do a Ministers heart good as we say to receive a score or two of bills upon a sabbath day to this purpose one that hath a hard heart that hath been often heated and is grown cold again one that hath been long under conviction and finds no gracious issue of it one that cries aloud after God and can have no answer one that is assaulted with fearfull temptations that cannot get any evidence of Gods love and goes heavily all the day long c. desires their prayers It may be God expects ye should thus make many friends to speak to him that thanks may be rendred by many on your behalf as the Apostle expresseth himself in a like case 2 Cor. 1.11 c. Sym. Ford Spirit of bond and Adopt 2. Treat Ch. 15. Pag. 30. if the Saints do thus need the publick prayers of the congregation must not ignorant secure hard-hearted sinners stand in far greater need of this help with what seriousnesse and fervency should they commend their condition to the prayers of the Church but alas many will rather perish then complain of their case and danger want of this liberty and freedom is in great part I dare say the cause why many walk so uncomfortably many are weak faint and disquieted and are ashamed to tell what alleth them and God punisheth their pride with desertion and suffereth them to (o) Psal 68â—3 ly amongst the pots till they call for help from their brethren I have sometimes reflected on Job 42.8 to know why the Lord did commend Eliphaz Bildad and Zophar unto Jobs prayers adding a threatning if they should presume to offer up a sacrifice to him till Job did pray for them though they were holy men and had pleaded zealously for the Lord yet for their mistake and want of charity towards Job though they should pray God would hide his face till Job joyned in the work but we may to good purpose apply that place to this case it may be a pardon is sealed in heaven but the sense of it is withheld till some one or other Job do pray for thee the Lord may make choice of thy brothers prayer rather then thine own as the messenger by whom he will send the mercy thou longest for now consider who this Job was 1. He was an eminent Saint a great favourit of heaven Noah Daniel and Iob Ezek. 14.14 as Moses and Samuel Jer. 15.1 are recorded amongst the worthies of the great King and that rather because of their power with him then over men and the case was rare such as that there mentioned in which they could not prevail and obtain what they askt what meanest thou O Saint thus to mourn and complain is there not a Saint on earth to whom thou mayest commend thy case and if thou be living under the charge of a faithfull Minister whâ—â— can be more fit to minister comfort and be an instrument of good to thy soul The Lord will bless his own Ordinance and he will have thee to run to it but what ever good may be expected from thence thou mayest imploy the help of others the mo joyn in the work and the more eminent they are for holiness their prayers will be the more prevalent when two or three are met together and when they agree in the mater of their supplication though they be in different places they may expect a special blessing Mat. 18.19 20. Faithfull Abraham could have obtained mercy for the abominable Sodomits if there had been ten righteous ones amongst them Gen. 18.32 and meek Moses was heard and did prevail for an idolatrous stubborn and most ungrate people Exod. 32. Exod. 33. 2. Job was one whom those his friends had wronged they added affliction to the afflicted and pronounced a rash and uncharitable
him with his free Spirit and that he would not utterly take away his holy Spirit from him that his mouth which for want of the breathing of the spirit for a while was slopt might be opened again Psal 51.12.11.15 What we are now to say concerning the help and assistance of the Spirit may be comprehended under thâ—â—â— three â—cads 1. We will bring some reasons holding forth its â—â—â—ssâ—ty 2. We will show how and after what maner the Spirit helpeth us to pray 3. How the motion of the Spirit may be distinguished 1. From satanicall suggestions 2. from the naturall motions of our own spirit sometimes pressing and drawing us to the Throne adding a word of application but reserving severall practicall questions to the cases Part 3. As for the first The necessity of divine help and assistance may appear 1. from our ignorance 2. from our impotency and inability 3. from our unwillingnesse and aversnesse and 4. from Gods justice and holinesse which otherwise would obstruct our accesse and acceptance 1. Then we are naturally blind and ignorant we know not spirituall things those most excellent and necessary things nay they are foolishness unto us untill the Spirit discover their excellency and our misery without them 1 Cor. 2.11 12 13 14. and therefore without the light and direction of the Spirit we cannot love and desire them nor pray for them what we (c) Ignotinulla cupidâ— know not we cannot love or prize Yea as to temporalls we are ready also to mistake and to ask a (d) Mat. 7.10 serpent in stead of fish and we are ready to be too peremptory in those foolish destructive desires We know neither what nor how to ask and therefore we stand in need of the help of the Spirit that he may teach us to pray as we ought and according to the will of God Rom. 8.26 27. 2. As we are thus foolish and ignorant so we are weak and impotent nay dead and without strength and cannot move one step towards God without his help untill he (e) Ezek. 37.6 blow upon those dry bones and put a new principle of life into them and then draw our heavy and dull though a little quickened and enlivened hearts up to the Throne of grace Eph. 2.1 Rom. 5.6 Ioh. 6.44 we are not able and sufficient of our selves to think one good thought 2 Cor. 3 5. nor to speak a right word none can beleevingly and with affections sutable to such an object say that Jesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost Cor. 12.3 such corrupt trees as we naturally are can bring forth no good fruit Mat. 7.18 unto the defiled and unbeleeving nothing is pure Tit. 1.15 his heart and conscience being polluted his best things his prayers and sacrifices are naught and loathsom they are an abomination to the Lord Pro. 21.27 and 28.9 and therefore unlesse the Almighty stretch forth his arme for our help we cannot look up to him we have no oblation which we can offer to him not a thought or word sutable to his Majesty and greatnesse and the nature of that heavenly exercise nay though we were translated from death to life yet still we labour under so much weaknesse and infirmity that we neither know nor are able to ask what or as we ought unlesse the Spirit (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a metaphore taken from him who goeth to lift a great weight which he is not able to meve from the ground and another stands over against him withwhom joyning hands they tak up the weight together see Edw. Leigh in vec 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 help our infirmities Rom. 8.26 Prayer is too great a weight for our weak armes to lift but when we are pulling and tugging to no purpose then the Spirit cometh and (g) Particula enim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad nes laborantes refertur quorum tomen vis omnis ab eo spiritu proficiscitur qui sicut nos penituscollapsos erexit ita etiam erectos regit Beza in Rom. 8.26 takes up the heaviest end and also upholdeth and strengthneth our hands for lifting the lightest and thus maketh the work sweet and easy to us the Spirit helpeth saith (h) Leigh loc cit Leigh as the nurse helpeth the little child who by it self can neither stand nor walk and thus by the hands of the nurse taking it by the steeves it is inabled to go as she directeth so weak Saints c. But 3. as we are thus blind and weak so we are unwilling wicked and obstinat We have much enmity against God and aversnesse from a communion with him the carnall mind is enmity in the abstract against God and spirituall things it is not subject to his Law and Ordinances neither indeed can be Col. 1.21 Rom. 1.30 Rom. 8.7 and how shall this enmity be removed and the foolish self-destroying potshard be made be made to submit to its maker and the rebel subject to make his supplication to the King only the Spirit of Christ dwelling in us can make us yeeld and lay down our weapons and resolve to fight no more against God the Spirit of adoption of enemies can make us sons and beget filiall affections in us that we with confidence may draw nigh to God and call him Abba Father v. 9 14 15.16 Gal. 4.6 4 Our acceptance and welcom depends upon the help and concurrence of the Spirit as weare enemies to God so children of his wrath haters and hated of God wa'king contrary to him and he to us Eph. 2.3 Lev. 26.23 24.27 28. Psa 18.26 O! but the Lord knoweth the mind of the Spirit and will accept those desires that are breathed in the heart by him Rom. 8.27 The Lord knoweth not our howling and crying he regards not our tears and prayers they are an abomination to him Prov. 28.9 Though all the spirits of just men made perfect and all the Angels in heaven would joyn with us yet they could not purchase accesse to us by one Spirit saith the Apostle Eph. 2.18 we have accesse unto the Father and â—â—ere is none beside him that can obtain an entrance for us It s true Christ is the door Joh. 10.7 but the Spirit must open the door and get us accesse he must take us by the hand and bring us to the Father and put acceptable words in our mouth yea after he hath made our peace with God and breathed in us the Spirit of life yet if he do not constantly actuar and quicken that principle our prayers will want life and â—eat and can no more â—e called spiritual sacrifices then the levitical offering untill (i) Lev. 9.24 sire which was of a heavenly descent was brought from the Altar to burn it 'T is true there may be much fervency and heat there may be much fire brought from natures furnace but that common fire is strange fire though it be brought from our own châ—mney yet it is extraneous and unfit for
presence (h) Gen. 3.10 O! but the Spirit removeth that terror and dread and faith to the fugitive and trembling sinner what Christ by an audible voyce to the paralitick Math. 9.2 Son be of good cheer thy sins be forgiven thee and if thou be a Son what needs discourage thee if a child then an heir an heir of God and joynt heir with Christ Rom. 8.17 and so you may ask what you will it will be given to you will the Father withhold any part of the portion from the heir or needs the son be afraid to draw nigh to his kind Father Thus the Spirit of adoption by discovering and witnessing our relation doth enable us to come with 1. boldnesse 2. confidence and 3. importunity crying which is a token as of seriousnesse so of boldnesse and who but the Kings son and child dar cry in his presence (q) Abba is a Syriack word signifying Father coming from the hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from which it only differeth in the termination it may be thought strange that the learned Augustin did herein so grossly mistake as to say that Abba was graecum Vocabulum August epist 178 where we have his dispute rather then an epistle with Poscentius the Arrian Lamentius being arbiter Abba which sheweth the familiarity and confidence which every son hath not the liberty to use but must make choyce of another kind of compellation importing greater distance and reverence Abba Father thus doubling the word to be an evidence of fervency and importunity Rom. 8. 15. Galat. 4.6 It s true this confidence and boldnesse admitteth a latitude but every step and degree of it must come from the Spirit by 〈◊〉 only we can have accesse Eph. 2.18 and therefore that accesse with any measure of boldnesse and confidence mentioned Ch. 3.12 But though it must come from the Spirit yet not alwayes by that witnessing act whereby he testifieth to our Spirits that we are the sons of God Rom. 8.16 but by applying other grounds and making some sort of confidence arise from thence as 1. Sense of our need and wants will banish shame and fear yea and sometimes modesty necessiâ— as non habet legem necessity shakes off all bonds it made those lepers 2 Kings 7.3 5. venture to go to the camp of the Syrians and Esther go to the King with her life in her hand Esth 4.16 Extreamity will make a dumb man speak will it not open a mouth morally shut while once it opened the mouth of Craesus son which nature had closed I am ashamed to beg saith the unjust steward while he lived in abundance Luk 16.13 but stay till he was stripped naked of all and he can see no remedy his (r) Durum telum necessitas extreamity would banish away his shame If the conscience were once awakned as in the Saints to see our guilt and misery and our need of Christ though we wanted the immediat light of Gods countenance and manifestation of his favour yet would we venture and go boldly to the Throne resolving if we should perish to perish if it were posible there This is the first and lowest step and rather of our boldness to pray then boldnesse in prayer which may 2. be promoved from the sense of our obligation flowing from the command conscience of duty may pull and strongly draw us to the throne in obedience to him who hath commanded us to call upon him and pay him this homage though we be not assured of the successe of our work But 3. and more properly this boldnesse may arise from hopes of successe which though grounded upon certainties viz. the command of him who never said to the seed of Iacob seek ye my face in vain his gracious attributes his mercy compassion forbearance c. his invitations intreaties expostulations promises threatnings and judgments upon the disobedient who will not call upon his name the success that others have met with c. Though the soul doth not doubt of these in the general and as to others yet as to thee while thou sittest in darkness and wants the light of assurance flowing from the inward testimony of the Spirit these can only beget a probable hope and thereby raise up the heart to a proportionable boldness and confidence banishing slavish fear despondency of spirit and such discouragments as may draw off the heart or weaken the hands and thus 1. negatively viz. by removing obstructions the foundation-stone of confidence is laid 2. and positively enlivening and quickning the soul by a rationall expectation of success But betwixt this probable hope and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the full assurance of faith Heb. 10.22 There is a middle and third kind of confidence arising from divine argumentation the Spirit breathing upon and sealing all the propositions of the practical Syllogisme but especially the minor by discovering to us the reality and sincerity of our graces and thus enabling us to assume and say I love and fear God keep his commandments c. From which supposing the knowledge faith of these general discoveries held forth in the major the conclusion concerning our state and condition doth clearly and necessarily flow You will say if the conclusion do clearly follow it must beget as full an assurance as the immediat testimony of the Spirit Ans We will not now compare the immediat and direct irradiation and evidence of the Spirit with the mediate and argumentative reflex by a practical Syllogism in which the word is applyed and from thence a conclusion drawn concerning our state and condition or compare as I may speak the Spirit 's wit-nessing to our spirit and (Å¿) Rom. 8.16 bearing witness to our spirit But to the question we grant that a great measure of confidence and boldness may be had both wayes and whensoever the soul can say with her Cant. 6.3 I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine by whatsoever means this assurance be attaiâ—ned h may draw nigh to God in full assurance of faith grounded upon this particular interest in him but often by reason of the small measure of irradiation from the Spirit the assent given to the minor is so weak that it diffâ—reth not much from a meer opinion having much fear and jealousie mixed with it so that albeit an assent be given to the assumption yet cum formidine partis oppositae and thus the conclusion as the effect must be in part tainted with that imperfection as of the cause and so cannot be the foundation of such a measure of confidence and boldness as mâ—ght arise from a clear evidence and full assurance But here there is a great latitude concerning which we shall now say no more but that if there be such a measure of assent as doth banish and calm the storm boistrous winds of dispair distrust unquietness anxiety c. and doth carry the soul to trust and stay it self upon God and to adhere rely and depend upon him
the name of attention as being not an act of the mind but of the will and so more fitly as also it is sometimes by (i) Art cit in corp Aquinas called the (k) Velle attendere non est pâ—atinde in re Cajet in Sum. 1.2 quaest 83. art 13. purpose and intention How would those Rabbies declaim against hereticks if they had fallen into such a gross mistake and confusion its true the object of that intention is attention for thereby we purpose to attend but who is so childish as to confound the act and the object for so we might take quidlibet pro quolibet And yet attention cannot alwayes be the object of their intention especially when they go to pray in an unknown language for how can they resolve to attend to what they know not unless it be to the sound and pronunciation of the letters And thus Parrots may as well be said to pray to God as Papists Hence our first argument they who teach plead for a brutish way of worship must be the followers and admirers of (l) Rev. 13 4. and 16.2 the beast who have his mark upon their fore-head But beasts having learned to utter words may pray to God in the popish way without reverence and attention Ergo But it is not strange to see them who make so many gods of idols and images in giving them divine worship and honour to make an idol of the true God and to serve him as if he neither knew nor (m) Jer. 10.5 could do good or evil Hence 2. Who dare thus mock a King or Ruler Will any speak to such and not take heed what he faith If thou didst (n) Mal. 1.8 offer such irreverence to thy Governour would he be pleased with thee 3. If God be a Spirit he must be worshiped in spirit and truth Joh. 4.24 What doth the holy Lord value the gesture of the body and the moving of the tongue if the heart be not imployed in the work there must be as (o) Ratio redditur ex parte naturae ipsius Dei quia scil natura ejus est non corporeum aliquid sed spiritus propterea oportet adorantes eum adorare in spiritu veritate ut adoratio conformis sit adorato Sub spiritu voluntas sub veritate intellectus comprehend itur In spiritu non cultu temporale non lingua sed interiore cultu consistente in spiritu hoc est in adnimo c. Cajet in Joa 4 23 24. Imo ipse Suar. loc cit cap. 4. § 4. fatetur adorationem Dei requirere attentionem mentis aliaâ— fieri solo corpore non in spiritu quia licet adoratio in spiritu non excludat actionem corporis requirit tamen principaliter spiritus influxum ut sit vera adoratio Cajetan confesseth a conformity between our worship and him whom we worship We must seek to the father of Spirits with our spirit and whole soul the mind must attend and direct and the will must intend and follow the pursuit otherwise the name of God is taken in vain and the holy one is not worshipped but dishonoured by our babling we may thus fear to meet with a return in wrath and that the Lord will deal with us according to our folly but have no (p) Non remisse nec mente huc vel illuc evagante eo quod talis non solum non impetrabit quod petit sed magis Deum irrit abit Basilius apud Thom. dict art ground to expect an answer in mercy and that God will accept such vain oblations 4. We may argue from the nature of this exercise What is prayer but a lifting up of the soul to God Psa 25.1 and 86.4 Or as commonly from (q) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ascensus mentis ad Deum Damascen it is defined an elevation of the mind to him And this as (r) Suarez loc cit § 5. Suarez confesseth is essential to prayer So that there can be no prayer unless the soul and mind be thus elevated to God but it were ridiculous ro imagine that the mind is lifted up to God when it doth not attend but wander and run away from him and divert to other objects Ergo 5. How did the Apostle abominate this strange doctrine while he would not permit that any man should utter words in prayer before others which they did not understand albeit the speaker did well know their meaning But saith he I will pray with the spirit and will pray with the understanding also and in the Church and before others he would rather speak five words to their understanding then ten thousand in an unknown tongue 1 Cor. 14.14 15.19 Hence some of the Papists themselves yea some of their great (Å¿) Ex hacâ— Pauli doctrina habetur quod melius ad edificationem Ecclesia est orationes publicas quae audiente populo dicuntur dici lingua communi clericis populo quam dici laâ—ine Cajer in 1 Cor. 14. ad 17. Quod si populus intelligat orationem benedictionem saecrdotis melius reducitur in Deum devotius respondet amen Lyra in 1 Cor. 4.15 Doctors have been forced to acknowledge that it were better and more profitable for the people that their prayers and publick service were performed in their vulgar language that all might understand and joyn in the work then in latine which few or none except the Priest yea haply not he doth understand thus Lyra and Cajetan And as for private prayers (t) De privata autem oratione non improbabiliter dici potest utilius esse personis idiotis vocaliter orare in sua lingua vulgari quam in latina vel alia sibi ignota nam per se loquendo hoc videtur fructus sius ad fiuem orationis Suar. loc cit cap 5. § 4. Suarez granteth that it were more fit and convenient that the multitude and rude people should pray to God in their own language then in latine whereof they are ignorant You will say what then can be the reason why still they retain that ridiculous practice and at other times plead so earnestly for it Ans The Pope and his Cardinals being earnestly sollicited and pressed with fear had almost yeelded at the Council of Trent to reform this and several other abuses from which little gain might be reaped and whereby the Popes treasure was not much encreased till at length they considered that this was an ill preparative and might prove dangerous if thus once they suffered the foundation concerning the Popes infallibility (u) Nihil-ominus ex istis ritibus quovis uno mutato subrui conti nuo fundamen ta prorsus omnia Ecclesiae Romanae prudentis esse non tam principia quam fines rerum animadvertere c. Sva Pol. hist conc Trident. lib. 7. pag. mihi 775. to be shaken for thus the people might be brought to believe that they who had erred in these
since we come not in our own name but in his and ask not for our own worth goodness but for his sake who hath paid our debt and purchased our peace and acceptance through his own blood and who doth concur with us in our supplications why should we fear the Father alwayes heareth him Joh. 11.42 and therefore must also hear us with whom he alwayes joyneth the Father cannot reject us and our prayers unless he also hide his face from the Son of his love which since he will not and cannot do we may rest confident and secure but as the Father hath promised and freely disponed and the Sun purchased all the good things we can ask So 3. the holy Ghost doth enable fit and prepare us both to ask and receive he draweth and helpeth weak ones to ascend to the throne and putteth words in their mouth and teacheth them what to say Rom. 8.26 27. Joh. 14.16 17. And will the Lord reject those prayers that are breathed into us by his Spirit but as the Spirit doth thus help us to pray so to pray in faith as he helpeth our infirmities by enlarging the heart and filling it with spiritual affections so also by working in us a child-like confidence and making us cry not only with the mouth which were no great matter but with the heart having made an impression and sense of it there Abba Father Rom. 8.16 As he leadeth the Saints into all truth and putteth to his seal to the whole Word of God Joh. 16.13 Joh. 14.26 so particularly to the promises concerning the success of their prayers that if they knock it shall be opened if they seek they shall find c. Oh! what a blasphemy were it once to imagine that God could lie and would not perform these promises or that the Spirit of truth would put to his seal to an untruth The Lord pity and pardon our unbelief that having to do with such a compassionat and condescending Lord who hath stoopt so low and come so nigh to us who hath held forth himself to us under the nearest most amiable and engaging relations and who hath taken upon him so many bonds to do us good we notwithstanding will yet doubt of his good will and of his faithfulness in performing his promises Oh! 1. what a dishonour do we offer to our kind Master thus to question his love care and fidelity 2. what a shame to our holy profession 3. what a base return do we make for the many mercies we still receive and 4. what loss and damage do we bring to our selves we expect little and receive little we will not trust God and he will not satisfie our desires Jam. 1.6 7. Are ye now convinced of your folly and guiltiness in thus distrusting the Lord and is it the desire of your soul to have this evil cured O! then 1. ponder frequently and seriously these and such like considerations if this were the matter of your daily meditation if these things did sink down into your hearts and did abide upon your spirits they might prove a notable preservative against your unbelief doubtings and jealousies 2. Let us exercise our selves in the Scriptures especially laying hold on such promises as are most pertinent and sutable to our condition faith must have a word of promise whereon it must rest and the more express and particular that it be our faith will proportionably cleave to it the more firmly O! but what atheisme must there lodge in that heart that dare doubt where it hath this warrand thus saith the Lord 3. Labour to know more of God his love mercy power fidelity c. Ignorance of God his nature and attributes is the mother of jealousie and infidelity but they who know his name will put their trust in him Ps 9.10 With what zeal and success did Moses plead from Gods attributes Numb 14.17 18 19.4 Since sensible demonstrations are so concludent and prevail so much with us who live too much upon sensible objects let us observe and keep a register of the gracious returns from time to time made to the prayers of Gods people and honest servants 1. Our own experiences would be kept on record he who can say with David the Lord hath delivered me out of the paw of the Lyon and of the Bear will be able the more confidently to say with him the Lord will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine 1 Sam. 17.37 experience begetteth confidence But 2. we should also observe the dispensations of providence towards others the Saints experiences are recorded in Scripture for our instruction comfort and encouragment Rom. 15.4 If God regard the prayer of the destitute this must be written for the generations to come Psa 102.17 18. the success that others have met with will encourage vs to follow the like course 5 Let us be exact and circumspect in our walk if our conscience condemn us we will fear the Judge every blot in our life doth darken and obscure the promise and dazle the eye of faith when the Saints fall their faith doth shake guiltiness is the mother of jealousie when we do ill we become suspicious and are ready to question his love and kindness to us when we prove ungrate and come short of our duty to him O! but if we would believe without staggering let us not halt in our walking let us be conscienciously diligent in every point of duty and (z) 1 Pet 1.14 holy in all manner of conversation if we would plead the promise and ask in (a) Jam. 1.6 faith nothing wavering Hence for trial this will be a good negative mark whereby we may know who cannot pray in faith if we do not walk as children we cannot call God Father nor with confidence expect that he will hear us What son will not be afraid and ashamed to look his father in the face after he hath dishonoured him and how will he blush to mention that relation and to call him Father to whom he hath not paid the debt of love reverence and obedience And if any perfidious and rebellious son should be so impudent as with (b) Herod having given to his son Antipater his Authority as he speaketh his favour his secrets his heart and crown in a will signed with his hand yet that unnatural monster could not stay a little till his fathers death but laboured by all means to prevent nature particularly by sedueing and perswading Pheroras to poyson the King yet having the boldness to offer to kiss his father after he was informed of his conspiracy though the traitor knew not that his conspiracy was discovered met with this terrible repulse Avaunt thou murderer of brethren and father the kiss of a father was not instituted for thee Behold Quintilius thy Judge c. Nich. Caussin holy court part 1. lib 4. pag. 133. Antipater to offer to salute and kiss his father he might expect such a welcom and reward as he met
with from the hand of Herod and to find the severity of a Judge in stead of the love a Father and yet are there not multitudes Ah! how many are there who have the boldness to deal thus with the father of Spirits Who Judas-like with a (c) Every reigning sin is treason and rebellion against the great King and interoretatively Deicide and Regicide and every sinner doth comply and conspire with Sathan and take up arms for him against his Master and Lord. treacherous heart dare offer to kiss him in whom they live move and have their being who is their Father by creation and who offereth unto them and entreateth them to accept of the inheritance of children Such think themselves to be sons and dare call him father though they have the heart of an enemy such have a kind of faith confidence and hope which is nothing but presumption delusion and groundless imagination suggested by the father of lies and maintained and cherished by their own foolish and deceitfull hearts This their faith is not built upon the word it hath not for its warrant thus saith the Lord but only thus saith the murderer and great impostor thus saith the deceiver and our deceitfull and deceived hearts It doth not arise from the Promises as having no foundation there but only from some principles of Sathans Catechism which he carefully instilleth into the ears and minds of his disciples and among the many articles of that anti-scriptural and cursed Creed this to our purpose is one If we have some form of devotion and now and then speak some few words prayer-wayes it 's no matter how we live our prayers will make amends for all God is mercifull and therefore will Sathan say and they upon his word think he will pity his poor creatures and servants and hear them whensoever they cry to him nay such will be ready to apprehend that it were cruelty and injustice to reject such well-meaning supplicants We may not now confute that soul-destroying delusion but what the Apostle said of doubting Jam. 1.7 may far rather be applied to this mad and desperat presumption and confidence Let not such seeure bold wretches think that they shall receive any thing of the Lord though too many be ready to think they shall receive yet saith the Apostle let them not think so or if they do they will but deceive their own souls and whatever for the present may be the dispensations of a common providence yet ere it be long they shall know and be convinced that they received nothing in mercy and in return to their prayers and nothing from the Lord as their God and Redeemer he was better acquaint with the mind of God and did not mistake who said If Iregard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear me Psa 66.18 And it was an acknowledged principle that he who was born blind urged against the Jews in his apology for Christ Joh. 9.31 For saith he we (d) Let bold finners consider how gross their delusion must be who contrary to this known truth dare presume and draw nigh in any ordinance without fear know that God heareth not sinners but if any man be a worshiper of him and doth his will him he heareth Neither would the Saints themselves think they were not concerned in this caveat for albeit the Lord will pity them in the day of their trouble and hear their prayers yet if they step aside from the approven path the Lord will hide his face hence the Psalmist having asserted Gods care of his Saints and People and that he would speak peace to such yet he addeth a necessary caution and warning but let them not turn again to folly as if it had been said though they were Gods people his Saints and precious ones who have prayed and wait for an answer yea though they have asked in faith and have met with access and acceptance so that a message of peace is dispatched and is as it were on the way towards them in return to their prayers yet if they should through their folly turn aside from God and in that interim commit some known sin he would recall as it were his former grant and draw back his hand and would not speak peace to them who had made peace with sin Now come we to some positive evidences and marks of the prayer of faith And 1. when the affections are much enlarged when we meet with a gale from heaven filling the sails we may and usually do expect that voyage will prove successfull when God openeth the heart and filleth the mouth with more then ordinary boldness fervency and liberty we readily will apprehend that he purposeth to fill our hands and will not send us away empty according to that word Psa 81.10 Open thy mouth wide but (e) Only he who is said to open the ears Psa 40.6 Isa 50.5 to open the eyes Psa 146.8 and to open the heart whose messenger and interpreter the lips are Act. 16.14 He only can open the mouth to ask aright he only can open it wide both extensively and intensively and make us desire and ask great things greatly grandia granditer ut loquitur August loc cit who is sufficient for such a work unless the Lord put to his hand and I will fill it We may believe he will fill that mouth with songs of praise for his gracious answers which he hath opened so wide in fervent and importunate prayers when we have spiritual boldness in pleading with God we will also have confidence as to the success and therefore these are joyned together and both ascribed to faith Eph. 3.12 We have boldness and access with confidence through faith If the Lord lift up the soul to him if he quicken and inflame the affections with a more then ordinary ardor and zeal we will not readily doubt of our acceptance when fire from heaven thus falleth upon our sacrifice we will be very confident thus Psa 27. we have both Davids fervency and confidence One thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seck after c. v. 4. this was his importunity but then his faith did act strongly and vigorously v. 1.3.5 6. I grant our lusts may add wings to our desires and be as oyl to the wheels and make us very diligent in our pursuit there may be a natural and carnal fervency and importunity which will rather add to our fears then make us in faith rest upon Gods word love and care but the difference may easily appear though we will not now prosecute it because that holy zeal and importunity is 1. spiritual as to the motives and end 2. humble and joyned with much self-emptiness and denial 3. tender of Gods gloty and honour and 4. submissive to his will whileas the natural importunity is 1. carnal 2. proud and selfish 3. careless of Gods glory and interest if it might be satisfied and 4 impatient under a frustration and disappointment
given to him and the holy Spirit proceeding from the Father and Son carrieth on the work of salvation in all them whom the Father hath elected unto life and for whom the Son hath laid down his life thus in time effectuating what the Father from eternity had decreed and applying the medicine the Son hath purchased and prepared for us 2. While it s ask't what the Spirit worketh by virtue of this economy Ans When thou comest home to thy fathers house and seest his face either thy curiosity shall be silenced or satisfied but now if thou only askest what we may rather ask what not Are not all the gracious actings of the Spirit and the whole work of sanctification first and last the sweet fruit of this economy covenant and transaction and without which our case had been as bad and desperate as the devils and now the Spirit by virtue of that covenant not only works but creates grace in subjecto inhabili where there was no inclination fitness or preparation till he began to work and not only actuatch grace where he hath wrought it and concurreth with it but also supplieth the defect of the cause and principle it self which still remaineth incompleat till he perfect it in glory which is another kind of providence nor what is afforded to natural agents And holiness sanctification and illumination being the third great work of God which by virtue of that voluntary transaction remained to be wrought towards the sons of men that did lie upon the third person of the blessed Trinity and thus by this eternal covenant holiness was fitly appropriated to the holy Spirit And thus we may see that there is not a full enumeration in the three-membred distinction of mission so often ininculcated in the Schools 1. per imperium or by command which supposeth the subjection of him who is sent 2. per consilium or by counsel and advice which supposeth weakness and ignorance in him who is sent 3. per originem or by natural descent as trees send forth their branches and this say they kind of mission only hath place among the persons of the Trinity but we may doubt if any where in the Scriptures the word mission or sending is put to signifie the natural procession of any of the persons of the Trinity but however from what hath been said it may appear that this three-footed distinction doth halt and wanteth one of its legs ye◠and that member which is most usefull and necessary and which as we conceive only hath place in the Scriptures viz. by mutual consent agreement and covenant and none can question that this sort of mission may have place among equals Before we come to the application Concl. 10 let us add this tenth Concl. We are not so limited to conceive of the divine nature under one or more personal properties and distinct subsistences that in prayer or any other point of worship we may not draw nigh to him as the alone Jehovah and true God we are not so obliged to conceive of the divine nature relatively and as subsisting in the Father Son and Spirit as that we may not apprehend him absolutely as God abstracting as it were from the different subsistences of the God-head though not excluding them And thus the Jewish Church used to worship him and for ordinary made their adress to him as that one true and living God laying hold rather on his essential and glorious attributes then on his personal properties or relations But (u) A word of warning and caution 1. It were to be wished now under so full a discovery of this mysterious unity and Trinity that in beholding the infinite nature of the one Jehovah and true God we might adore the glorious Trinity of persons yet not suffering our thoughts so to expatiat and be scattered in musing on three as distinct objects of worship but still fixing our eye upon the unity of the divine nature and God-head which is the formal object of worship and which is not multiplied nor divided in the several persons for as (x) Vna est enim Patris Filii Spiritus sancti essentia quam Graci 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vocant in quâ non est aliud Pater aliud Filius aliud Spiritus sanctus quamvis personaliter fit alius Pater alius Filius alius Spiritus sanctus Aug. tom 3. de fid ad Pet diac cap. 1. fol 48. Austin saith albeit in the Trinity there be alius alius yet not aliud though there be a distinction of persons yet not of natures nor a distinct object of worship but the same God-head is in all the persons and therefore whether one or mo or none of the persons be named the object of worship is the same and we should in the unity of nature (y) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 autor expos apud Forhes loo cit cap. 33. behold the admirable Trinity of persons and in that Trinity the glorious unity of nature without division or confusion multiplication or alteration But 2. Albeit we may name any one of the persons particularly as being the true God and a fit object of worship yet we must not imagine any special respect and honour thereby to be given to him as if the other two were less worshiped in that act of worship and therefore albeit the Saints do frequently make their adress to the Father yet 1. they do not exclude the Son and holy Ghost nor 2. imagine that the Son and holy Spirit hath not an equal hand with the Father in all their mercies and thus 3. they do not come to the Father as another and greater God to whom more honour and reverence were due then to the Son and Spirit and 4. they do not apprehend that thereby the Father is engaged more to help them then the other two which are not named 3. As we should not stumble at the Arrian and Socinian cavils against the mystery of the Trinity which is an object of faith so far beyond the reach of our dark-sighted reason and apprehension and is such a depth as our shallow understanding and short measure is not able to sound So on the other hand we would beware least our belief of the Trinity make us encline towards the pagan conceit of plurality of Gods that it tend not nor lead that way as too freqently it doth in the rude and stupid multitude contrarily to the dictates of (z) Vide Scot in 1. sent dist 2. quaest 3. reason it self which hath convinced many Pagans of the impossibility of mo Gods then one which necessary point is so clearly held forth in the Scriptures of truth that he who runs may read Deut. 6.4 Mark 12.32 1 Cor. 8.4.6 c. But hoping that sober Christians will abominat these and such like gross conceptions of God that which we would mainly here take notice of and improve is that gracious economy of the glorious persons of the ever blessed Trinity
in dispensing of mercies to us and that eternal covenant and transaction whereby in time all good is conveyed to us and which we should eye and make use of in our addresses to God And thus we may hearken to the voice of the Father as from all eternity saying How do my bowels yern towards the sons of men I am willing to pardon all their iniquities and receive them graciously (a) Joh. 3.16 Behold I so love the world as to give my only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life I pity poor foolish self-destroying sinners and I will (b) Hos 14.4 heal their back-slidings (c) Is 53.5 with the blood of my dear Son and will love them freely (d) Is 63.7 according to the multitude of my loving kindnesses And we may behold the Son himself concurring and consenting to that blessed motion and saying O! let the ungrate rebel have a pardon though it should be subscribed with my blood let bankrupt sinners have a discharge and all their debts be laid on me I am willing to lay down my life that they may live Lo I (e) Ps 40.7 8. 1 Joh. 4.10 come to be the propitiation for their sins I delight to do thy will O Father and to (f) Tit. 2.14 give my self for them to redeem them from all iniquity and to purifie by my blood a peculiar people zealous of good works And we may hear the holy Spirit saying Behold I am willing and ready to tender to them the gracious offer of peace and reconciliation to perswade and allure them to embrace that offer and to convince and (g) Cant. 1.4 draw them after thee to (h) Jer. 31.33 write thy Law in their hearts to (i) Joh. 14.26 comfort and strengthen them and (k) Rom. 8.26 help their infirmities to defend and keep them from all evil and to fit prepare and (l) Joh. 14.16 preserve them unto eternal life But it would be remembred that though virtually and as to our apprehensions these several steps may be distinguished in that gracious transaction yet properly there cannot be such a stipulation such conditions offers consenting and as it were consultation where there is but one nature will and understanding but that there was such a Covenant having eminently these things in it cannot be denied by any who acknowledge our salvation to be carried on according to an eternal Covenant between the Father and the Son and when we shall understand that conference and as it were consultation concerning the creation of man Gen. 1.26 we shall be more able to comprehend this transaction concerning the salvation of man but now let none from thence imagine the love of the Father to be really different from the love of the Son and holy Ghost and that they did not contrive and had no hand in predestinating us to life but as consenters and approvers of the Fathers free purpose of love For albeit predestination be ascribed to the Father by some sort of appropriation as being according to that mysterious order in the Trinity the first person yet we must not think that there is such a priority or distinction of persons as doth import a distinction of nature or a real difference among the essential attributes as they are in these glorious persons and so conceive that there is another will power and understanding in the Father then in the Son and holy Spirit and accordingly different acts flowing from these different principles O! let us not rob these blessed persons of the honour of being (m) Phil. 2.6 equal with the Father and having the same nature and divine properties because they of their meer good pleasure have stoopt so low to exalt us and do us good and because voluntarily and of their free accord they have undertaken an economy and dispensing of offices for us to make us happy and have received as it were a commission the Son to redeem us and lay down his life for us and the holy Spirit to sanctifie and prepare us for the heavenly inheritance and have thus undergone a sort of (n) Inaequalitat officiorum non tollit aequalitatem naturae aut personarum inferiority dependance and subordination in being sent to execute these offices which they undertook in mercy and love to us O! who is able to (o) Eph. 3.18 19. comprehend what is the breadth and length and depth and height of this love of the Son and holy Spirit which passeth knowledge O! let us praise and magnifie God the Son and God the holy Ghost for undertaking an economy and as it were ministry for us now unto the ever glorious and blessed Spirit of grace and unto him that (p) Rev. 1.5.6 1 Pet. 2.5 loved us and washed us in his own blood and hath made us Kings and a royal Priest-hood be glory and dominion for ever and ever Amen And O! let us thankfully and diligently improve this noble and and admirable way of conveyance of all good to us and let us in all our adresses to God desire and wait for every mercy from the Father through the Son and by the holy Spirit looking upon Christ as the inexhaustible treasure and (q) Col. 1.19 store-house of all blessings and depending on the Spirit as the great dispenser giver and disposer of all that fulness and riches that is in Christ from the (r) 2 Cor. 1.3 Father of mercies and God of all comfort of (Å¿) 1 Cor. 8.6 whom are all things as the fountain and first person of the Trinity who laid the foundation of our redemption and who is the Father of our blessed Lord and Saviour We cannot perform any duty acceptably we cannot praise God nor pray to him unless we come in the name of Christ as our Mediator and Advocat and wait for the help of the Spirit and depend on him as our shield strength leader and guide and yet we must look over that economy and dispensation and close with the Father Son and holy Spirit as that one God to whom in every part of worship we should come as to the chief and ultimat object to which primarily it is directed and in which it doth rest Here we will stand we can go no further and praise be to his name who hath brought us this length albeit our light be darkness in respect of the light of glory yet the light of the ancient Church was but like the morning star before the Sun (t) Mal. 4.2 which now shineth before our eyes And O! when will that day come when we shall behold so much in this mystery as shall ravish our hearts and fill our mouths with songs of joy admiration and pâ—aise to all eternity when we shall not see through a glass darkly but face to face when we shall not know in part but as we are known when we shall be like him and see him as he is 1 Cor.
himself but alwaies for the good of his honest servants withdraw his Spirit in some measure from these who have not by their negligence or folly procured it they being most regular and exemplar in their walk yet 1. since most usually the Lord withdraws for sin and 2. since we alwaies deserve and may if the Lord would deal in justice with us by our failings provoke the holy Spirit to depart and forsake us and 3. Since the Lords high and holy ends and designs are secret and cannot well at the first view be discerned by us therefore it is alwaies our duty and should be our work when we meet with straitning deadness c which are the symptoms of the Spirits withdrawing to search after our waies and to examin our hearts that if our conscience condemn us not we may be comforted or having found out the cause and the particular sin for which the Spirit hath withdrawn we may repent and forsake it but we would not rest on a superficial veiw of our waies nor because we cannot at the first discern therefore conclude there is no cause in us but let us according to Elihu his counsel to Job say unto God that which I see not teach thou me Job 34.32 Let us impartially deal with our own heart and ask conscience and set it a work let us again ponder our waies and let our enquiry be more particular and of a larger extent and readily we will espie one of the following causes to have procured and brought on this malady and will perhaps be forced with him (o) Tu me non deseris nisi prior ego te deseram August tom 9. sâ—liloq cap. 14. fol. mihi 166. sto say Lord thou didst not leave me till I first left thee And thus we come to the second thing propounded what are these sins for which the Spirit is provok't to withdraw and forsake the Saints and not help them in prayer or any other spiritual performance at least not in such a measure or maner as formerly But it would be remembred that this question must be limited to the fourth and last case viz. when the Spirit doth hide his face for sin and when our iniquities separat between us and our God as Isa 59.2 For in the three former Cases when the Lord for our trial and for high and holy ends known to his majesty doth depart albeit then it be our duty to search and enquire whether by our folly we have procured that stroke that seeing our fault we may amend our waies and how ever we may walk more closely and circumspectly and follow after him while he withdraweth from us yet then no such cause can be discerned and found out because as is supposed the Lord in that dispensation doth not pursue a quarel against us 2. We would distinguish between the comforting presence of the Spirit and his quickning and strengthning presence there may be much life vivacity activity fervency and heart-melting in prayer or any other ordinance when through the want of assurance the Saints may mourn and pour out many a sad complaint before the Lord now albeit both those cases belong to the general head of desertion and have some place here in reference to prayer since our enlargement in that duty doth not a little depend upon and might be much promoved by the assurance of our adoption reconciliation and God's favour yet since there needeth nothing be here added to what belongs to the general case we shall remit that part of the question that concerneth the comforting presence of the Spirit to its own place and now only speak of the causes why the Spirit withdraws his help and assistance especially since the causes and cure both of the one and the other will be found the same and alike if not altogether yet for the most part as the Spirit useth to withdraw his comforting when he withdraweth his quickning presence So what means would be used for recovering the quickning may also prove instrumental for regaining the Spirits comforting presence albeit the one may prevent the other and the Spirit may for a while quicken and assist before be comfort Before we descend to particulars it would be observed that the holy Spirit may be provokâ—t to depart 1. more directly immediatly and by way of affront as when any indignity is immediatly offered to his majesty and holiness or to his work 2. mediatly as it were and indirectly by way of demerit when through our folly we transgress any of the commandments of God and thus more directly sin against him as Law-giver King and Lord rather then as our helper and comforter And here we shall especially speak of the (p) Yet not excluding the second nor denying its-influence in these provocations first sort of causes as being most proper to this place referring the other to the following Section As to the first the Scripture holds forth the unkindness affronts and indignities offered to the Spirit of God under several expressions as of 1. (q) 1 Thess 5.19 quenching 2. (r) Eph. 4.30 grieving 3. (Å¿) Isa 7.13 wearying 4. (t) Ps 78.56 provoking 5. (u) Act. 5.9 tempting 6. (x) Act. 7.51 resisting 7. (y) Isa 63.10 vexing 8. (z) Isa 63.10 rebelling against and 9. doing (a) Heb. 10.29 despite unto the Spirit of grace We will not enter upon an explication of these phrases nor particularly enquire after their importance or diffirence but we may at the first view take notice of some kind of gradation from the less to the greater for the most part if not in all according to the order they are here placed and albeit there must be an inequality for according to the measure and degree of the offence the provocation must be the less or the greater yet all and every one of these indignities in whatsoever degree doth deserve and may justly provoke the Spirit to depart but we shall now only instance some few particulars as being the most ordinary and the epidemical distempers of this generation and we shall name them as so many branches of the first head viz. quenching the Spirit which being most general may well be extended to the several particulars As (b) That we may improve the meâ—aphor and fimilitude used by the holy Ghost fire may be quenched either by with-holding fewel and matter whereon it should feed or by casting water upon it to choak and extinguish it so the Spirit may be said to be quenched either negatively by not cherishing or positively by opposing and abasing his office or work either by omission or by commission 1. Then negatively the Spirit may be quenched these three maner of waies 1. by not opening to him and yielding to his motions thus while Christ came to the spouse door knocking and crying open to me my sister my love my dove my und-filed c. She holds him out pretending trifling excuses for her folly and unkindness why she
had put off her coat and couâ—d not put it on she had washen her feet and would not defile them therefore Christ withdrew his Spirit and departs and when she laying to heart and repenting of her folly sought him could not for a while find him she called but he gave her no answer Cant. 5.2 3 6. Thus also while the Spirit of God cryed to Israel and they would not hear and testified to them both by his servants the Prophets and by his motions and inward suggestions but they would not hearken nor obey he withdrew and gave them up to the lusts of their own heart since they would not follow his counsel and directions he left them to themselves and to follow their own counsels Psa 81.8.10 11 12 13. But secondly though the spouse be not so incivil and unmanerly as to hold Christ at the door yet if she do not welcom him and give him entertainment suitable to his worth and kindness his Spirit will not stay if thou dost not make ready and prepare the heart to receive him he will not stay in any other room if the affections be not enlarged and roused up to wait and attend him he doth not value the empty complements of the fancy and imagination if the will which is the mistris and supreme do not welcom him he regardeth not the attendance of the inferiour faculties if thou be in a spiritual lethargy when the Spirit cometh to visit thee if thou meet him with a dead and dull (c) See Sect. 2. heart if thou be fearless of his terrible majesty if thou keep not a due distance casting off that filial reverence and tender respect which is due to so great and compassionat a Lord he will depart and forsake thee res delicatula saith an ancient est Spiritus Dei ita nos tractat sicut tractatur the Spirit of God is tender and sensible of all the affronts and injuries we offâ—r to him and will deal with us accordingly if we dishonour him he will afflict us and lay us low he will go away and then our (d) If the glory departed with the Ark which was but a symbol of Gods presence 1 Sam. 4 21. far rather when the Lord himself departs glory departs if we do not welcom the Spirit with the whole heart and entertain him with suitable and enlarged affections he valueth not our empty profession and vain oblations Luke-warm Laodiceans will be spued ous of his mouth Rev. 3.16 these who would not (e) Ps 81.10 open their mouth wide to receive his comforts shall have their heart filled with his terrours and shut that it shall not receive his influences But thirdly though there be not a total deadness or laziness though there be some life activity and diligence yet if there be a decay of love and zeal if we do not so cherish and entertain the motions of the Spirit as formerly this may grieve and quench the Spirit if love wax cold and if there be a decay of respect and affection that will bring on some sort of distance between married persons and will hinder friends from conversing so frequently and familiarly together and for this the Lord threatneth not only to remove the presence of his Spirit but also the candelestick and outward ordinances which were the means of conveyance of the Spirit from Ephesus Rev. 2.4 5. because thou hast left thy first love c. As the Spirit may thus be quenched negatively and by omission So 2. positively and by commission as 1. when we prostitute and subject the gifts of the Spirit his work and interest to our selfish and carnal ends desiring a name and taking up a porfession of godliness that with (f) Act. 8.9.19 Simon Magus we may seem some body when we make piety a cloak to cover our pride covetousness c. or use it as a stirâ—op whereby we ascend to some high place and station in the world c. 2. When we have low and undervaluing thoughts of the gifts and graces of the Spirit though they have some room in our estimation and affection yet if we prefer other things unto them not prizing them according to their worth and excellency nor regarding as we ought the condescension and kindness of the giver we dishonour and grieve the Spirit and he may justly take away those love-tokens thus when we will not lose our favour with man our moyen and interest with the creature our name place and possessions for his truth ordinances c. yea when we so far undervalue these precious things as to be ashamed of them before men when not only fear but also shame will make us dissemble our profession and conceal our graces duties c. may we not be afraid lest as the (g) Luk. 9.26 Son will be ashamed of such when he cometh in his glory So the Spirit when he cometh to manifest himself in the ordinances of life But 3. when not only his gifts and graces his love and his kindness are undervalued but also his commands and authority are despised his motions and sweet insinuations are choaked and opposed while as the contrary suggestions of Sathan the enemy are entertained cherished and cheerfully obeyed must not the Spirit be much displeased and highly provok't with such an indignity would an earthly King endure such an affront nay what friend is he who seeing thee but slight his counsel entreaty and request while thou didst welcom his enemy and gratifie him in what he desired could digest such a disparagement and indignity And 4. so much of illumination which is the work of the Spirit light knowledge and conscience is choaked and opposed by the sinner whatever be the particular transgression so far the Spirit is dishonoured and disparaged and provok't to depart and withdraw nay in every formal disobedience viz. when the command and counsel of God is known there is much not only of contempt but also of rebellion and what will provoke if that do not And thus albeit for distinctions sake we did put a difference between sins some of them being more directly against the Spirit his work and office that being as it were their object yet there is no known sin which may not be said to be against the Spirit of God and his work And thus we come to the second sort of provocation whereby the Spirit is not so directly opposed and quenched his peculiar office and work not being the matter and object of such sins albeit it be (h) The work of the Spirit is thus opposed quasi in obliquo indirectly and as a concurring circumstance but not in recto quasi objectum opposed and choaked by the sinner and here we have a large field if we would come to particulars but the (i) Gal. 5.19 works of the flesh are manifest and their opposition and contrariety to the Spirit of grace and holiness is no less evident Gal. 5.16 If we (k)
The opposition will be more clear if the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be understood impertatively do not fulfill with Bezâ— in hiâ— translation which â—areus maketh use of albeit in his Commentary he read them indicatively non per ficietis fulfill the lusts of the flesh we cannot walk in the Spirit the Spirit will not abide with us nor direct our steps for what concord can there be between lâ—ght and darkness and the Spirit of holiness and the spirit of lust As Doves leave their place when it becomes nesty and unclean So the holy Ghost who in the likeness of a Dove descended upon Christ will not lodge in that heart that is defiled with filthy lusts and is (l) Rev. 18.21 become the habittaion of devils and the hold of every foul spirit and a cage of every unclean and hatefull bird Every reigning sin is another Lord and takes up the house and the Spirit will not dwell in a corner nor (m) Prov. 1.14 cast in his lot with another lord and master yet some do drive the Spirit farther away then others the more gross crying scandalous and conscience-wasting the sin is the more the Spirit is grieved and the distance becometh the greater if David though otherwise a man according to Gods heart fall into murder and adultery it will cost him many a tear and prayer before he recover the comforting presence of the Spirit and his bones must be broken and the Spirit come against him as an enemy before he prove a healer and pour in the oyl of gladness in his wounds Ps 51.3 8. And its observable that this penitent doth first pray that God would create in him a clean heart and renew a right spirit within him ver 10. before he beg the presence and joy of the Spirit ver 11 12. thereby intimating that the Spirit will not dwell in an unclean heart as he had found by his sad experience all the while he continued in his (n) For impenitence is both a continuation and some sort of justification of our sin impenitence Thus you see the cause and if ye find the wofull effects of the Spirits departure O! its high time to consider your wayes and to repent of your evil doings and to seek the Lord till ye find hm this is no state to be rested in ah what stupidness security folly ingratitude and contempt must it be to sit down content while thy God thy husband thy life and happiness is departed ye have taken away my gods said Micah of his idols and what have I more and say ye unto me what aileth thee Judg. 18.24 Ah! shall he weep cry and so bitterly lament the loss of a supposed deity and happiness expected from its presence and shall not we lament when the true God the fountain of real happiness is departed or rather when through our folly and unkindness we have banished and driven him from us O lay to heart thy loss I thy fruitfull vineyard is now become a barren wilderness thou who formerly wast a (o) Cant. 4.12 garden inclosed and fenced art now laid open to all the beasts of the forrest thou who once hadst a (p) ver 15. fountain of living waters how are thy streams now cut off (q) ver 13.16 thou whose plants were an Orchard of pomegranats with pleasant fruits and whose spices did flow out while the north and south wind did blow upon thy garden art now become as the (r) 2 Sam. 1.21 mountains of Gilboa upon which neither dew nor rain doth fall nor fields of offerings Thou who (Å¿) Cant. 7.6 5. wast fair and pleasant for delights when the King wast held in thy galleries art now become black and pale while thou livest as a widow in solitariness and art suffered to wallow in the mire when thou art (t) Hos 2.3 stripped naked of all thy ornaments and left in a dry and parched land where there is no water now thy (u) Lam. 4.1 8. gold is become dim and thy visage darker then a coal then who wast fed with manna from heaven and didst (x) Cant. 5.1 eat the honey with the honâ—y-comb mai'st now cry out my leaness my leaness while thou pinest away for want of the heavenly influences Oh! who can enumerat the several evils that befall him who is forsaken of God nay though thou wert a Saint and to such only we now speak and though the Spirit did not totally withdraw yet he may so far leave thee that to thy sense and apprehension thou may'st appear to be (y) Hos 2.3 stript naked and set as in the day that thou wast born where are thy comforts and spiritual consolations now where is thy furniture and strength for doing thy duty where is thy armour and shield now thou art exposed to Sathans fiery darts to the snares of an alluring and tempting world and to the rageing and impetuousness of thy lusts which seemed and were in great part mortified and subdued The Saints themselves when the Spirit withdraws are ready to fall 1. upon the least temptation 2. into the most gross and vile sins and 3. without recovery and to live and die in that filthy pudle unless he return as certainly he will do to his own for his great names sake awaken them and pluck them out of the snare Peter David Solomon c. are sad instances of the fraiâ—ty and naughtiness of the strongest Saints when left to themselves 1. how long did David lie in that vile sin of adultery without repentance and 2. with what craft and policy laboured he to cover it and when other covers would not do the turn he added to his adultery murder committing that crying sin with much deliberation and afterwards rejoiced in the death of his faithfull servant Vriah which he had so cunningly plâ—tted and contrived 3. Did not Peter once and again deny his Master and relapse into the same sin yea and 4. did he not fall where he seemed to be strongest his zeal for his Master his courage and resolution appeared to be very great when he protested that though all should yet he would not deny him Mat. 26.33.35 and yet at the voice of a damsel he denied him thrice with an oath and cursing the unbelief of Abraham the father of the faithfull Gen. 12.11 12. The passion of Moses the meekest of men Numb 11.15 Psa 106.33 The impatience of Job the pattern of patience Job 3.3 Job 6.8 9. are manifest evidences that the strongest Saints may fall into those sins that are contrary to the graces in which they are most eminent And 5. they may be so far forsaken as to be permitted not only to commit but also to justifie and plead for their sin and with Jonah to say they did well to be angry against God for exercising mercy and forbearance towards others and for removing their gourd Jon. 4.9 10. c. But particularly as to the present case the spirit of
prayer and supplication may be for a season totally withdrawn but though the Saints be seldom laid so low yet there may be a partial departure accompanied with many sad effects which may easily be discerned if we reflect upon the several fruits of the Spirit mentioned Part. 1. Chap. 9. and those infirmities which he helpeth and removeth if then 1. thou dost not so prepare thy heart to seek the Lord if 2. thy ends be not so pure and spieitual if 3. thou art unwillingly drawn as it were to the throne rather by the enforcement of conscience then out of love to the duty if 4. thou pray not so frequently nor 5. so fervently and feelingly nor 6. so confidently nor 7. with such complacency and delight if 8. thy communion with God in that ordinance hath not such influence upon thy heart to warm and quicken it and to engage it for the Lord and against sin as sometimes it hath had c. it is an argument that the Spirit hath in part withdrawn It s true the most watchfull and zealous Saints do not alwaies and without interruption enjoy the comforting quickning presence of the Spirit the wind doth not constantly blow after one the same maner upon the most fruitful garden therefore we must not measure our state by some present indisposition unless there be some notable considerable and abiding decay and abatement of our spiritual life but when that is observed we have reason to mourn and to lay to heart our loss and the greater and more eminent and longer continued we should be the more affected and sensible of this evil what a misery and sad judgment was it to Sampson and Saul to have but the common gifts and operations of the Spirit removed from them for as we may suppose Saul never to have had So Sampson never to have been totally deprived of the saving and sanctifying presence of the Spirit we may read their lamentation Jud. 16.28 30. 1 Sam. 28.15 And what is the chiefest measure of gifts and common priviledges and excellencies in respect of the least portion and degree of grace Ah! do not then sit down content when the breathings of the Almighty are withdrawn but go and cry to the (n) Cant. 4.16 north wind to awake and to the south wind to come and (o) If the wind blow not thy ship cannot come to the haven but being tossed to and fro by contrary tides is left to be a prey to pirats blow upon thy garden that the spices thereof may flow out go in faith ye have a promise for your encouragment the Father will give the holy Spirit to them that ask him Luk. 11.13 We will not insist on directions but reserving those in great part to the following Section let us now remember that if the unclean spirit return after he hath been cast out and find the house empty and swept he will enter in again and lay claim to his former possession Mat. 12.44 Nay though the house be not totally desolate yet so much room as he findeth empty he will seek to possess so far as the Spirit withdraweth so much the nearer Sathan approacheth if the Spirit withdraw his holy motions Sathan will improve the advantage and will fill the heart with vain idle impertinent and sinfull motions as Pirats may easily surprize the ship when the Pilot is gone So having entred it and finding it empty they will not fail to loaden and fill it with their trash and stoln wares Sect. 2. What may be the cause of that deadness and indisposition and these wandring thoughts that arise in the heart upon the Spirits departure and what course should be taken for removing this evil and for recovering and maintaining the presence of the Spirit and a praying frame and disposition Psa 81.11 12. But my people would not hearken to my voice and Israel would none of me So I gave them up unto their own hearts lust and they walked in their own counsels Hos 4.11 Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart IF the Sun be set and leave our hemisphere it must be night with us and darkness must cover the face of our earth if the soul be separated from the body the man must be dead and coldness must seize upon the liveless carrion So if the Spirit which is our Sun and life depart what darkness deadness and emptiness must be in the soul But as if it were too little to be dead and destitute of life foolish sinners will kill themselves and harden yet more the heart which already is harder then the adamant or flint and when the sun goeth down they will shut the doors and windows yea and pull out their own eyes that they may not see and thus as Seducers in respect of a total privation of life are said to be (a) Jude 12. twice dead So the Saints themselves many a time in respect of their partial deadness and the gradual departure of the Spirit of life may be said to be twice hardned blinded and indisposed for duty Not only doth sin provoke the holy Spirit to depart and thus morally and by way of demerit it stops the fountain of life but also by its poison and venomous nature it doth pollute and infect the heart it leaveth such a blot and tincture upon the soul as disposeth it for blindness and deadness Sin is not only of it self and formally opposit to grace but it maketh upon the heart as it were efficiently such a contrary impression to grace and matterially indisposeth it for a communion with God and spiritual exercises and thus stealeth and taketh a way the heart Hos 4.11 And albeit every sin hath more or less of this malignant quality in it yet their be some sins which in a special maner do produce this wofull effect after which we shall now enquire having in the preceding Section spoken of the former head viz. of the withdrawing of the Spirit and of these sins which did most directly and immediatly bring on that sad stroke but there being such a connexion between our deadness and the departure of the Spirit of life and the causes and cure of (b) Viz. of the with drawing of the Spirit and of our deadness and indisposition for duty both those evils being much alike and the same we may without any culpable confusion here speak to those joyntly especially since we referred to this place one sort of those (c) Viz those causes which did not so directly and by way of indignity and contempt of his office and work but rather condignly and by way of demerit prrooke the Spirit to depart causes which did provoke the Spirit to depart Before we speak of the remedy we will search after the causes which we shall rather name then enlarge and insist on at any length First then as to the causes of deadness indisposition and wandring thoughts in prayer for all these cursed branches may spring
to open the gates of heaven Hence the exhortation to pray alwaies Luk. 18.1 2 Thes 5.17 c. importing at least that there should be no such intermission of prayer as may occasion deadness and indispose us for that duty 13. A giving way to a slight lazy dead and superficial performance of this solemn duty if we accustome our selves to do the work of the Lord negligently we will find no small difficulty to scrue up the pins and to bring the heart in tune again weak acts (h) Aliqui actus ab habitu procedentes diminumt ipsum ut pote cum neglig enter fiunt apud Thom. 1 2. quast 52. apt 3. in 〈◊〉 weaken the habit and principle and beget an inclination to do remisly and negligently or rather an impotency and inability to act (i) Ahorse that is used as mili orio carri burdens is not fiâ— for a journey be is so used to a slow pace that he will not leave it vigoriously and to purpose the sluggard will not purchase a meal by his work our lazy spiritual performances as they cannot procure So neither do they bring with them meat in their mouth whereon the soul should live they bring with them no heavenly in fluence and thus the new man for want of daily refreshment must become (k) We wil not now at any length debate the question concerning the growth and decay of grace with learned Mr. Ford affirming that no gracious babit can properly be said to grow or decay but only in respect of the acts that flow from it in that it may be clogâ—ed and obstructed as to its operations But remove these obstructions and grace will act as vigorously as ever it did Spir. of Adopt cha 43 pag. 499. We having here supposed as we thought with all Divines and asserted the contrary we shall only ad some few particulars in a word for preventing such a mistake And 1. that the great School-man Suarez professeth that he never read any Divine who affirmed that the habits of grace were so indivisible that they could admit no growth or decay yea or who durst deny that actually and de facto they did not grow and encrease Suar. de grat lib. 9. cap. 2. sect 3. Hence he doth not dispute but supposeth that in every grace there is a sufficient latitude of degrees within which as it may grow So it may decay ibid. lib 11. cap. 8. sect 1. It s true the popish Schoolmen albeit they plead for the growth of grace yet deny that actually there is any partial decay of it but upon such grounds as all orthodox Divines will abominate viz. Because all and every mortal sin doth not diminish but totally destroy and remove grace and venial sins as they do not abolish and take away So neither can they weaken and diminish the habits of grace Thom. 2 2. quoest 24. art to in corp Bannez in loc Suar loc cit Dur. alii in 1. sent dist 17. Lugo de fid disp 16. sect 4. Becan de chari cap. 22. quaest 6. But laying aside that vain distinction of mortal and venial sins and that opinion concerning the Saints apostacy none of them wiâ—l deny that grace may as truly be said to decay as to grow vid. Suar. loc cit lib. 9. cap. 2. sect 24. In gratia ipsa non deest latitudo graduum ratione cujus possit successive amitei ac prius minui quam omnino pereat nibil ominus tamen ex defectu causarum corrumpentium c But 2. to speak to these severally and first as to the growth of grace the Scripture is most express in several places this the Father of the possessed prayed for Mark 9.24 this we are exhorted unto 2 Pet. 3.18 Secondly if we come to particulars may not â—â—ith hope love c be encrealed and why do we use the means if our state be not be tered thereby and why do we trade any more if our talents do not multiply and encrease by a right and diligent imp ovement of them Thirdly shall not grace at length be perfected aed is it not now on the way to perfection and shall we imagine that there is no progress made in that way c. 2. As to the decay of grace through the withdrawing of the Spirit because of our negligence and folly 1. if Adam lost a greater stock as all grant albeit the learned Dr Twisse doubts whether or not he lost all grace vind grat pag. 751. why may not we who are weaker loss a part and some measure of ours Hence our Divines while they are pleading against the total and final apostacy of the Saints affirm that the perseverance of the Saints doth not flow from their own strength or from the nature and measure of grace they have received but from the fâ—â—e promise decâ—ee and appointment of God and the custody of the Spirit si fidem spectemus quoâ—d naturam suam amitti potest perire sed si c. Perkin de praedest libâ—â— err 8. â—ect 5 vid. etâ—am Twis in sect 4. It s true that according to the tenor of the covenant of grace the Jewel cannot totally be lost the seed of God must remain 1 Joh. 3.9 gracious habits cannot be lost saith Perkins secundum esse yet they may be diminished secundum gradam aliquem yea if we look upon them in their own nature or in relation to us they may altogether perish or decay ipse habitus inquit Perk loc cit sect 10. sive potentia fidei per se amitti potest sed propter gratiam confirmantem non perit fides secundum esse sed minuitur secundum gradum aliquem hinc sequitur posse minui communionem cum Christo sed non posse solvi unionem 2. If in different beleevers there be a different measure and degree of grace some being weaker some stronger why not also in one and the same subiect and why may not a strong Saint by his fall lose some of his strength and become weaker and why did David complain that his bones were not only weakned but as it were broken Ps 51.9.3 Why was the Church of Sardis exhorted to strengthen that which was ready to die Rev. 3.2 if their graces were not on the decaying hand I willingly grant that as the habits of grace are not produced by our acts So neither are they physically and efficiently encreased thereby or thus diminished by the contrary acts of sin yea the very Jesuits do affirm the same which also is aâ— some length confirmed by Jo. de Lugo de fid disp 16. sect 4. where also he sheweth the difference as to this point that is between natural and gracious habits sect 77. vid etiam Suar. de grat lib. 8. cap 4. but the Spirit being provokt to depart and withdraw his influence proportionably to his departure ob defectum causae conservantis and this decay of grace usually is accompanied with an obstruction of that little
to work he would delay no longer nor suffer such an opportunity to slip he would not choak the breathings of the Spirit but instantly runs to the throne and we have his prayer to the close of that Psalm enlargement of the affections sweetness and delight in any ordinance use to accompany and be the fruit of meditation Ps 23.6.5 Ps 104.34 And this was the course which the (q) 2 Sam. 23.1 sweet singer of Israel used to take when he found his harp to be out of tone Ps 77.5.12 Ps 143.5 c. Not as if ejaculatory prayer might not be intermixed with our meditation for alone we are too weak to wrestle with a dead heart a cry to heaven will bring help from thence this is (r) Vid. Prest Saints exer serm 2. said to have been Luthers practice and which from his own experience and the success he had met with he pressed on others and this seemeth to have been David's custom also before he prayeth for quickning we read of his meditation Ps 119.148 149. But whatever be our carriage while we are employed in the work of meditation Yet 3. We would seriously and solemnly beg of God his quickning Spirit and bemoan the deadness of our heart saying Lord I dare not I may not stay away and I am afraid to draw nigh to thee I must speak and I know not well what to say I miss my leader and guide and what am I but a poor blind guilty sinner Lord pity me and help my infirmities Lord (Å¿) Psa 119.159 quicken me according to thy loving kindness (t) Cant. 4.16 Awake O north wind and come O south and blow upon my garden that the spices thereof may flow out let my beloved who hath for a while withdrawn return unto his garden and eat his pleasant fruits (u) Isa 51.9.11 Awake awake put on strength O arm of the Lord awake as in former time that sorrow and mourning may flee away (x) Cant. 1.4 Draw me and I will run after thee (y) Psa 51.12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and uphold me with thy free Spirit and in your complaint bewail more the loss of the quickning and assisting then of the comforting work of the Spirit and be more afflicted because ye cannot serve God better then because ye find not that sweetness in his service which formerly ye have felt Ah! let us not be so much affected with our own loss as with the dishonour done to God by our empty and formal performances especially since we may well spare for a season the consolations of the Spirit but his help and assistance is necessary a child of light may for a time walk in darkness but he cannot live nor move without his leader and guide and unless the Spirit of life do breath though insensibly upon him You will say my loss is thus greater then I can be sensible of O! when I remember my former enjoyments while the beloved brought me to the banqueting house and his banner over me was love when he stayed me with flâ—gons and comforted me with apples O with what delight did I then sit down under his shadow and how sweet was his fruit to my taste Cant. 2.4 5 3. Such ar never tasted the honey-comb know not its sweetness O! but its a (z) Miserum est fuisse beatum sad thing to have been once happy Ans O! that the world knew and had once tasted the comforts of the holy Ghost I might ask with Eliphaz are the consolations of the Almighty smal and of little account with thee Job 15.11 But alas few are acquainted with and do experimentally know and therefore few value and prize this hidden manna And as for thee O disconsolated Saint though thou hast reason to lay to heart thy loss yet thou shouldst not idol ze thy comfort though spiritual and terminated in God thou should not prefer the gift to the Giver and the tokens and pledges of love to thy beloved his honour work and service 4. Then observe the frame of thy heart diligently and take notice when the Spirit manifests himself and when he withdraweth else 1. thou canst not prize his presence nor thankfully acknowledge his bounty and kindness and thus wilt provoke him to depart if we forget to give God the glory of his mercies if we take no notice of what he hath done to us and if we sacrifice to our own nets its justice with hm to draw in his hand 2. If we do not observe when he goeth away and are not affected with this desolate condition this will provoke him to stay away and to depart further 3. If we observe not when deadness first seizeth upon us and wandring thoughts interrupt Gods service we will not strive against this evil nor seek after a remedy and thus the disease will continually encrease and become the more incurable O! let us not then become secure and negligent let us often look in to our hearts and review our work and let us under the greatest enlargement say with him 1 Chr. 29.14 Who am I that I should be able to offer so willingly all things come of thee and of thine own have we given thee let us then be 1. the more humble 2. the more thankfull least by our pride and ingratitude we provoke him to depart by whom only we have access liberty and strength and without whom none can so much as say seriously and with a believing heart that Christ is Lord Eph. 2.18 2 Cor. 3.5 6 17 18. 1 Cor. 12.3 3. Let no former enlargement in duty make thee go in thy own strength but in all thy approaches to God lean to him who only can strengthen and establish thy goings thy vine will not bring forth fruit unless it lean to this wall Psa 119.116 117. 4. So soon as thou observest any decay of life and activity lay it to heart be humbled for it strive against it and complain to God of it if thou suffer deadness by little and little to creep on it will turn to a habit which will hardly be shaken off principiis obsta remember Solomon he suffered his heart to be stollen away by his strange wives till at length he built high places to the abominations of the heathen yea and some think that he sacrificed to them 1 King 11. The longer thou delayest to return thou wilt depart the further from God but if we did call our selves to an account after every prayer and performance and did judge our selves for every wandring thought for our deadness and negligence in doing the work of the Lord what a notable mean might this through the blessing of God prove for the remedying these evils what we daily observe with a mourning eye we will watch against and will not readily commit but when we forget and do not lay this evil to heart it must continue and may daily grow worse and worse And thus 5. Let us
be enough bewailed these ravens have sucked all the marrow and fat out of thy sacrifice and have rendred it a vain and unprofitable oblation those (n) Eccles 10.1 dead flies cause thy ointment send forth a stinking savour They will overspread the whole duty command and captivate the man so that now they will not be repelled and thus they become constant abiding and universal these weeds over-grow and choak the good seed and what crop can be expected and thou willingly entertainest these robbers and evil guests and therefore thou art inexcusable This argument concerning wandring thoughts deserved a larger and more particular disquisition had it not been so fully and judiciously handled by others See Mr. Gurnal loc cit pag. 310. to pag. â—32 Morn Exerc. Serm. 19. Mr. Cobbet Part 3. Chap. 2. Only let us adn as in the like case Part 2. Chap. 3 some few passages from these modern Divines whose words may have weight with such disconsolate ones as are daily mourning under the burden of roving thoughts in holy duties Believe it Christian it is not thine (o) 2 Cor. 12.10 inevitable weakness nor thy (p) Mark 14.38 sensible dulness nor thy (q) Psa 73.21 22. lamented roavings nor thy (r) Gen. 15.11 opposed distractions nor thy (Å¿) 1 Joh. 5.13 mistaken unbelief it is not any nor all these that can shut out thy prayer if thou dost not (t) Psa 66.18 regard iniquity in thy heart Morn Exerc. Serm. 1. If we fail in the manner of our prayer and if it be a total failing if we pray without faith without any faith at all without zeal and the like farewell to the success of such petitions but if it be a partial failing and that failing strived against and prayed against the case is very different by the evangelical allay we do what we desire to do in Gods gracious acceptation our Advocate strikes in with us and begs his Father to regard the matter and not the manner of our prayers Mr. Newton on Joh. 17.24 pag. 499. Believers prayers pass a refining before they come into Gods hands did he indeed read them with their impertinencies and take our blotted coppy out of our hand we could not fear too much what the issue might be but they come under the correctors hand our Lord Jesus hath the inspecti-of them who sets right all our broken requests and misplaced petitions he washes out our blots with his own blood his mediation is the fine searse through which our prayers are boulted and all that is course and heterogeneal he severes from the pure what is of his own Spirits breathihg he presents and what our fleshly part added he hides that it shall not prejudice us or our prayers This was the sweet Gospel-truth wrapt up in the Priests bearing the sin of the holy offerings Exod. 28.38 Mr. Gurnal loc cit pag. 330. I have the rather added these testimonies because though it be too ordinary for the most part of titular Christians not to regard what they offer to the Lord though they come in their pollution and offer a corrupt thing to the great King yet their heart never smites them they rest in the work done not caring how it be done though the fowls come down upon their sacrifice and eat it up yet they will not be at the pains to drive them away nor do they lay their loss to heart nor mourn for it but though it be thus with the multitude yet the generation of the righteous will take heed what they offer to the Lord they know that their is no road more infested with thieves then that which is between heaven and earth and therefore when they pass that way they put on the whole armour of God imploring the conduct of the spirit and a convoy from heaven to guard them thither that they may with success carry on that precious traffick and they will follow their dull hearts as closely all the while as a Carrier will do the unruly Horse fearing least if for one moment they should not attend and drive their heart should stand still or start aside and yet notwithstanding all their care and diligence their hearts will mis-give them and those cheaters and robbers will draw on a parly and get advantage of them for the flesh will lust against the spirit so that they cannot do what and as they would Gal. 5.17 The law in the members will war against the law of the mind bringing us into captivity to the law of sin so that though to will be present with us yet how to perform we find not and thus the good that we would we do not but the evil that we would not that we do as the holy Apostle complained and lamenteth and where is the Saint on earth that may not take up the same complaint even when he is most spiritual and best employed in meditation prayer c Rom. 7.15 18 19 21 22 23 24. Though carnal hearts do not value a communion with God yet who knows what a sad affliction it is to the children of God to have their fellowship with him thus interrupted I verily believe saith (u) Mr. Burroughs gosp worsh pag. 281. a late Divine there are many that have already good assurance of Gods love in Christ that if God should speak to them as he spake to Solomon bidding him ask what he should give him who for themselves would put up this petition Oh! Lord that I may be delivered from a wandring spirit in holy duties and especially in the duty of prayer that I may thereby come to enjoy a more holy communion with thy self then ever yet I have enjoyed and such would account this to be a greater mercy then if God should give them to be Kings or Queens over the whole world O Christian is thy deadness and wandring thoughts thus thy burden and is it the great desire of thy soul to be rid of them and art thou striving and endeavouring against them I might tell you those glad tidings which one tendered to his friend in the like case who seing him oppressed with such distempers under such sad complaints came cheerfully to him said I can tel you good news the best that ever you heard viz. as soon as ever you are in heaven you shall serve Christ without interruption and weariness which words saith (x) Thomas Shiphard in a letter from new England pag mihi 39. my Author well thought on revived the man Though the Lord will not utterly y drive out these Canaanites out of the land that they may be for our trial exercise and humiliation yet it is through our fault and negligence if they be not brought under the yoke and are not already become tributaries (z) Judg. 3.4 and ere it be long the victory shall be compleat and they shall no more molest any true Israelite ah why should the Saints be too much discouraged they will not stay long in
perseverance in that exercise that we must not leave off and give over praying till we prevail and till the Lord declare his mind either by giving the particular or removing the occasion and all ground of hope Pleaders at the throne of Grace must alwaies attend their cause See Part 2. Chap. 2. Pag. 454. We must not saith (m) Cum Christus dicit oportet semper orare non deficere non intendit quod nunquam interrumpatur actus orationis sed quod non interrumpatur quasi nunquam resumpturus sicut faciunt quidam qui statim ut non exaudiuntur a Deo ab oratious desistunt Rain panth de orat cap. 7. Rainerius so pray alwaies as if we might never be otherwise employed but that we may never go away from that duty with a purpose not to return as may appear from that parable Luk. 18. propounded for this very end that we might learn by the example of that importunate widow from time to tim to renew our requests and not weary nor faint till we obtain our desire the season of praying doth not expire till the day the Lord hear and answer our desire and as such honest and importunate supplicants will not take So they will not get a nay say Luk. 18.7 And here is a good evidence of sincerity if delaies do not drive us from the throne for though carnal hearts may adventure for once or twice and take as it were a trial of Gods service the truth of the promises and the success of prayer yet when they see no in-come they quickly weary the hypocrit Will not alwaies call upon God Job 27.10 The begger goeth from the door before the almes be come and so looseth his labour but the Saints will cry again and again and wait and not weary till God shew mercy upon them yea when they obtain what they desired (n) Sine intermissione orate h. e. quando est aliqua gratia out mali liberatio quod premit praeâ—eâ—s aut imminet meâ—u cruciat impetranda non satis est senâ—el aut bis orare sed instaâ—ter petâ—everanter donec obtincaâ— ut decet exemplum vià uae Luk. 18 ceclesiae orantis pro Petro Act. 12. orandum ergo tam diu pro dono obtinendo donec illud impetremus 〈◊〉 ubi impetratum est ne illud omittamus pro ejus coâ—servatione est Deuâ— iterum a nobiâ—â—â—gandus c. Salmer loc cit their work is not done as they must pray till they prevail and get an answer So after the Lord hath heard them and filled their hands their mouth must be filled with his praise Psa 50.15 Job 22.27 Psa 66.13 14. What we get by prayer must be used with thanksgiving that it may prove a solid and stable mercy and thus as we must pray the Lord to give So after he hath given we must pray that he would strengthen what he hath wrought for us Psa 68.28 and that he would establish the work of our hands Psa 90.17 Then may we cease from praying when we shall stand in need of nothing and shall be no more exposed to wants trials dangers troubles and temptations and then our prayers shall be changed into un-interrupted praises So much for the two first branches of the first question viz when and how oft we should pray now we proceed to the third and last viz. how much time should be spent in prayer and how long we should continue in that exercise before we leave off Ans Since the holy Spirit doth not here limite the Saints who are we that we should take upon us to prescribe or to bind them to any rule but let every one according to his stock and measure of grace according to his present disposition and frame of spirit according to his calling and present exigence and condition c. stay longer or for a shorter while at the throne of Grace As there is a great variety in reference to these considerable circumstances So the Lord doth allow to us a proportionable latitude as to the time that should be employed in prayer but least any should abuse this tender condescension let us only in the general offer these few cautions 1. When we meet with new pressures and difficulties great tryals or strong temptations as we should add to the number So to the length of our prayers as we should pray more frequently So we should continue longer at the work especially when we add fasting to prayer and set some time apart to deprecate some special evil or to supplicat for some great mercy either to ovr selves or the Church But 2. Though thou didst meet with no new trial nor extraordinary pressure though thy outward state and condition be the same yet if thy strength and furniture be better if thou meet with more then ordinary assistance let thy work be answerable O! do not weary so long as the (o) Cant. 4.16 wind bloweth on thy garden and maketh the spices send forth a pleasant smell while the beloved (p) Caut. 2.3 4 5 6. stayeth thee with flagons and his fruit is sweeâ— to thy tast so long as he holdeth his left hand under thy head and embraceth thee with his right hand making thee sit down under his shadow with great delight do not withdraw from his presence O! do not go from the banquetting house while thy hunger continueth and the Master of the feast welcometh thee and spreadeth his banner of love over thee but while the honey-comb droppeth (q) Cant. 5.1 eat O friends eat abundantly O beloved while the heavenly gale lasteth do not take in thy sails thou art not yet near the harbour and if ye let the present opportunity pass it may cost thee much pains and sweat in plying the oars before thou shalt make up that loss And thus the judicious Austin having spoken of the short and frequent prayers of some holy men in Egypt did even from thence infer this conclusion for therefore saith he did they not stay long away from the throne least deadness should creep on and would they then leave the work so long as they met with enlargement Hence he (r) Ac per hoc etiam ipsi satis ostendunt hanc intentionem sicut non estoâ— tuntendasi perdurare non potest ita si perduraverit non ciâ—o esse rumpendam absit enim ab oratione multa loquutio sed non desit multa precatio si fervens perseverat intentio Aug loc cit scil epist 121. cap 10. concludeth that though much speaking vain babling and idle repititions be loathsom to the holy Lord Mat. 6.7 yet much prayer is very acceptable to him if it be accompanied with fervency and enlargement of heart and it is considerable that the popish Doctors these patrons of formal and lip-devotion do approve this caveat affirming that long prayers are only then prevalent and acceptable when accordings to Austins limitation they are fervent zealous and importunate
perat part of a day Mark 6.11 And thus young men cannot promise to themselves one dayes security from this sad stroke and old sinners have reason to fear least already they have let the acceptable time pass 4. Those who have been intrusted with many talents men of great parts wisdom learning honour wealth c who have not only hid those and not improven them to the honour of the Giver but which is worse made them weapons to war against him may fear the worst of themselves and least what is said of riches Eccles 5.13 be verified in all their mercies viz. that they are given and continued with them for their hurt Thus Julian the Apostat received many talents but he improved them ill and imployed his wisdom learning and imperial power against the Gospel which once he professed and for rooting out the Christian religion out of his empire and that was an evidence that God had rejected him and given him up to the lusts of his own heart Not many mighty not many wise not many noble c. 1 Cor. 1.26 Wisdom power and nobility being improven a right would prove no impediment but these being as too ordinarily they are abused the Lord quickly giveth such ungrate men over and passeth a sentence against them hence not many c. Saul Jeroboam Jehu Hered Korah Dathan Abiram the Scribes and Pharisees are sad instances of Gods displeasure against their ingratitud who have received much or whom he hath brought near to himself 5. Such as often resist the Spirit of God and the checks of conscience may fear least the Lord strive no more with them the Jews were famous for this as Stephen the first Martyr for the Christian faith testified to their face Act. 7.51 and accordingly our blessed Lord once and again applieth to them that sad threatning Isa 6.9 10. as Mat. 13 14. Joh. 12 40. and the Apostle Act. 28 26. Rom. 11.8 Albeit the inward motions of the Spirit usually accompany the outward preaching of the Word yet in one and the same ordinance these may be more powerfull and frequent to one then to others and the guiltiness of such a one in resisting and quenching the Spirit must accordingly be the greater It may be thou hast not been an hearer of the Gospel so long as others nor lived under such a powerfull ministry and yet haply thou hast had mo and stronger heavenly impressions perswasions and convictions for the (i) Joh. 3.8 wind bloweth where it listeth which if thou hast choaked till at length the Spirit hath withdrawn thou mayst fear least he never return but if the Lord not only thus by the inward motions of his Spirit but also by the outward dispensations of providence hath drawn and allured thee if the Lord hath given thee many mercies and these haply not ordinary but great or often or long continued and frequently delivered thee from thy fears c. and thus by some one or other circumstance in a speciall manner hath called upon thee and thou hast not hearkned to that voyce or if by several rods or some sharp or long continued affliction he hath warned thee and thou hast not heard what (k) Mic. 6.9 the rod said nor known who hath appointed it thou mayst fear least thy (l) Isa 6.9.10 heart be made fat thine ears heavy and that thine eyes be now shut that thou mayst not see with thine eyes nor hear with thine cars nor understand with thine heart that thou mightest be converted and healed 6. Such as were once brought (m) Mark 12.34 near the kingdom of God who had (n) 2 Pet. 2.20 escaped the pollutions of the world and were advanced some length in their journey looking towards Zion and yet turn back to Egypt again being intangled overcome and ensnared by the world it had been better for such never to have known nor entred in the way of righteousness 2 Pet. 2.21 Ah! how many half converts are there among us who once were awakened and convinced but the smell of the Egyptian onions and garlick hath drawn them back and the spies which they sent forth to view the way and the Land of promise being unfaithfull have terrified them by their ill report as these did the Israelits Numb 13.32 33. and now they will go no further the gyants and mighty sons of Anak are lying in wait and what can they do but with them Numb 14.2 3. return again to Egypt There be so many duties that must be performed such circumspection tenderness zeal and diligence is required and there be so many and strong temptations and tryals and such mighty enemies the devil the world and the flesh to be resisted that now they are wearied and can do no more such a course is not for them O but the flesh-pots of Egypt do please them well and the way thither is easie and broad and now they are at a point what to do we have a sad word concerning such back-sliders Heb. 6.4 5 6. It is impossible for such Apostats to return again to the Lord. But you will say though such went some length yet they were never brought so near as those of whom the Apostle speaketh nor was their apostasie so great for it may be supposed that these words are spoken of those who are guilty of the blasphemy against the holy Ghost Ans As there are degrees of illumination So also of apostasie and therefore proportionably also of desertion and induration but the least degree here is dangerous but supposing thou never tasted of the heavenly gifts and the powers of the world to come in such a measure as some others yet if thou hast diligently attended the ordinances and sought the Lord in these especially at some solemn occasion as in dayes of humiliation or at the Lords table c. I might ask whether thou didst not find some taste of the heavenly influences but granting thou hast not yet thou canst not deny but once it was better with thee then now thou once followed thy duty and madest conscience of thy wayes but now thou art loose negligent and livest at random and thus it hath happened according to the true proverb the dog is turned to his own vomit again and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire 2 Pet. 2.22 Thou mayest hear what the Lord saith unto thee O back-slider Heb. 10.38 If any man draw back my soul shall have no pleasure in him O but might some reply though the Lord be provokt by their back-sliding yet they may return again and do their first works and then the Lord will return from his anger Ans Though the Saints be liable to a partial decay of grace who after their fall will return and seek the Lord more diligently then formerly yet they will find by their sad experience that it was an evil and terrible thing even thus to have departed from the Lord but as for those who never were brought
Philippi the chief city of that part of Macedonia Act. 16.12 after such an extraordinary and promising invitation to come and help that people as he got Act. 16.9 and yet how small a harvest did follow there being by his ministry in that place converted only one merchant woman Lydia with her family and with much a do the jaylor for first the earth must quake and the prison-foundations shake and it's doors open before his stout heart did tremble or would yield and open to Christ ver 14 15.26.29 And now a dayes how few are they who make conscience of their wayes and are working out their salvation with fear and trembling Ah! do not the wicked lives of many who are reputed good Christians their formality in the worship of God their negligence neutrality and indifferency in maters of soul-concernment their pride avarice self-love and self-seeking make it too manifest though there were no such thing recorded in the Word that of the (f) Mat. 22.16 Mat. 22.14 c. many who are called and hear the Gospel only a few are chosen and shall be saved but ah who doth ponder and lay this to heart our neighbours and kins-folk are daily leaving us and going to the pit and yet we their foolish (g) Ps 49.13 posterity and acquaintance approve and follow their way and while we see them die as they lived and perish in their security and vain confidence we are ready to say their end was peace and they died well and is not this brutish stupidity an evidence that we are lying under a judicial stroke since thus (h) Mat. 13.14 15. hearing we do not understand and seeing we do not perceive nor lay to heart that we might escape the like snare and be converted and healed and were there no more but the want of sense and feeling while you hear or read such a terrible discovery of the lamentable state of so many among you that were enough to allarm you for had not your hearts been harder then an adamant with what terror and pricking of conscience would you have cryed out Wo's me I have too good reason to fear lest I be one of that number who are plagued and forsaken of God and who must perish eternally If there were any such marks whereby we could discover when men would die or suffer any considerable loss in their state and outward condition and if accordingly we did warn a whole Congregation that one of them should die in a day or weeks space how earnestly would all enquire yea would any be at rest till he knew whether or not he were the man The disciples were not more anxious when they heard that one of them should betray their Master nor did they more earnestly ask (i) Mat. 26.22 Lord is it I is it I then every one would ask and say is it I is it I that can live no longer But yet while not one in a Paroch but perhaps all except one are warned from the word of truth of the eternal ruine of both soul and body yet how negligent careless and secure are they and have we not then reason to lament and say ah desperat sinners (k) Gal. 3.1 who hath thus infatuated and bewitched you But to say no more to such sleepers who deserve not to hear one word more till they be awaked in hell I would turn me to others if I knew where to look Ah! are there none who will hear or lay their deplorable case to heart Ah! must I be silent or else suppose what I cannot see and imagine some to be so affected awaked and terrified by this discovery or any such like warning from whatsoever hand ah will none tremble while they see themselves to hing over the mouth of the pit by a small threed which may be broken before they draw their breath Is there no mourning captive who seeing himself taken and held by this wofull snare will in much anguish of spirit horror and confusion say ah is there no remedy though my case seem desperat yet is there no (l) Jer. 8.22 balm in Gilead are my wounds so incurable that the great Physician could not heal them are there not bowels in the God of mercy to receive me yet were it now in vain to lay out my desperat and hopeless condition to him would he not hear if I should call on him I have alas destroyed my self and hitherto rejected all his counsel and therefore it were a just thing with God to laugh at my calamity and mock when my fear cometh and to hide his sace from my prayers Prov. 1.26.28 To such as are in this sad condition I have some few things to say partly by way of warning and caution partly by way of counsel and direction and partly for supporting and strengthening (m) Heb. 12.1.2 the feeble knees and lifting up the hands that hang down And 1. beware lest thy fear and apprehended danger feed thy lusts and desperat security and make thee say with them Isa 22.13 1 Cor. 13.2 Let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall die if we must perish let us take a merry life of it so long as we may certainly that were a wrong course for being eased of your fears and that which would without remedy bring you to destruction the premisses are sad and terrible but the conclusion drawn from thence is mad and desperat and thus you bind as with strong cords that wofull threatning to your own backs and by making it a plea for thy brutish sensuality and desperat contempt of the means thou proclaimest thy hypocrisie and that thy fears were not real but pretended and thus makes it appear that thou indeed art the man who hast reason to tremble and fear as being caught in the snare out of which thou wilt never escape Ah! but were your fears real and if you did seriously desire to be eased of them you would rather take such a course as the people of Nineveh did in a case much like to this they being under a sad and as it would then have appeared most peremptory threatning yet say they who can tell if God will turn from his fierce anger and for their part they turned from their evil wayes and humbled themselves before the Lord crying mightily unto him and ye know what the event was God repented of the evil that he had said he would do unto them and he did it not Jon. 3. But let me tell thee O secure and desperat sinner who wilt be at no pains and yet complainest of the terrors of the Almighty as thou began with the mercy of God abusing it and encouraging thy self from thence to add sin to sin and to continue in thy wicked wayes So after thou hast served thy turn with that most glorious attribute which should have led thee in to repentance thou now takest thy self to his justice and threatenings as if these did chase thee away and hold thee
fore-tell the inevitable destruction of those wretches but also represent it in a prayer to God for the greater terror and conviction of those who should read their own names in that dreadfull imprecation But such as will not now cry to the (g) Deut 32.15 2 Sam. 22.47 c. rock of salvation and (h) Is 55.6 seek his face while he may be found shall ere it be long cry to the mountains and rocks to destroy them fall on them and hide them from his face Rev. 6.16 Now he lovingly inviteth you to draw nigh to him and offers you the help of his Spirit and ye will not come but nill ye will ye in that day of his wrath when ye shall not be (i) Rev. 6. â—7 able to stand before him ye shall be brought before his Tribunal to be judged 2 Cor. 5.10 such as in their life derided holiness and said it was in vain to call upon God will then say in vain with the foolish Virgins Mat. 25.11 Lord Lord open to us O! if thou wouldst know in this thy day the things that belong to thy peace before they be hid from thine eyes Luk. 19.42 Sect. 2. Objections answered and this Queree considered whether prayer may be said to move him with * Jam. 1.17 whom is no variableness neither shadow of turning Dan. 9.2 3. I Daniel understood the number of the years that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolation of Jerusalem and I set my face unto the Lord God to seek by prayer and supplications c. Jon. 3.8 9 10. Let man and beast be covered with sackcloath and cry mightily unto God And God saw their works and repented of the evil that he had said that he would do unto them and he did it not THere be scarce any material question and case handled in this Treatise from whence we could not gather some one or moe objections which might be here propounded as Obj. 1 1. Obj. I cannot pray I know not what to ask as I ought Ans See where our strength lyeth Ans and from whence help may be brought Part 1. chap. 9. Obj. 2 2 Obj. But I am dull and indisposed and am not in a fit condition and frame of spirit to speak with God Ans Ans How thou mayest maintain and recover a praying disposition see Part 3. chap. 2. Obj. 3 3 Obj. O! but the mercies I stand in need of are great and second causes are far off and I see litle probability of success Ans See supports for strengthening thy faith Ans Part 2. chap. 2. sect 2. and Part 1. from Christs intercession ch â— sect 1. and from Christs death chap. 8. Obj. 4 4 Obj. Ah! but I fear lest I be an enemy and the Lord prove a consuming fire if I should draw nigh to him and were it not better to stay away then to cast my self in the fire Ans Whatever be thy fear yet thou must draw nigh to him or perish if thou wilt come in sincerity Ans there is hope but otherwise he will come against thee to tear thee in peeces See thy duty vindicated obstructions removed and encouragements held forth Part. 1. chap 5. sect 3. Obj. 5 5 Obj. O! but I fear lest the day of grace and the acceptable time be past and that it were in vain for me now to seek the Lord. Ans Ye have this case discussed and this plea removed here Ans chap. 2. sect 2. Obj. 6 6 Obj. But I cannot call God Father nor follow that copy Christ hath set down and according to which every supplicant must frame his prayers Mat. 6.9 Luk. 11.2 Ans Either thou art a child of light walking in darkness Ans and thy case is propounded Part 3. chap. 1. sect 1. page 560. or thou art yet in the bond of iniquity but wouldst fain shake off those grievous fetters and then I have spoken to thy case Part 1. chap. 5. sect 3. And now let me only tell thee though God be not yet thy Father reapse à parte rei thou not being as yet begotten born and regenerated by his Spirit yet he is thy Father voto ac desiderio fortassè etiam decreto ac aeterna electione as to the longing and desire of thy heart and perhaps as to his secret purpose and decree otherwise if thou dost not so much as desire to have such a Father and to stand under the sweet relation of an obedient son thou hast no (a) Act. 8.21 part nor lot in this mater what hast thou to do to take his Covenant in thy mouth or to lay hold on any federal relation to him Ps 50.16 But if thou wish and desire if that be the one thing thou wouldst ask if thou wert put in Solomons case 1 King 2.5 whâ—t mayest thou not thus call him thy Father thou hast a sâ—rt of claim by this thy desire unto that high relation which the Lord will never challenge nor upbraid thee for laying hold on it unless thou forfeit that plea by (b) 2 Pet. 2.20 21 22. returning with the dog to thy vomit for sincere wâ—shes and (c) Mat. 5 6. desires pass as current money in the Kingdom of Heaven But not to insist on particulars which might here be multiplyed if that labour had not been prevented by handling them in their proper places neither could they have been there omitted without much confusion and deficiency and many needless repetitions here There is one objection which like (d) 1 Sam. 10.23 7 Obj. Saul among the people is by head and shoulders higher then all the rest and it is this many have what their (e) Job 21.7.14 15. Ps 73.7 qfq Ps 44 22. qgq 1 Cor. 4.13 hearts can desire and more who yet make no conscience to call upon God but cast off fear and restrain prayer before him and on the other hand the Saints for the most part are f killed all the day long and are counted as sheep for the slaughter and are g made as the filth of the world and the off-scouring of all things they ask but receive not they seek but find not they knock but it is not opened unto them what then doth prayer avail and what truth is there in the many promises that are made to it Ans This is that mountain which blind Atheists cannot look over Ans this is the stumbling block on which they fall and cannot rise again and which often hath proven a sore temptation tryal and exercise to the Saints therefore we spak to it at so great length here chap. 1. where we shew 1. that prayer could not want an answer 2. that no good thing was with-held from honest supplicants and 3. that no good thing was enjoyed but by prayer and that the mercies of prayerless souls were cursed and all the crosses of the godly were blessed c. We come now to the objections that