had said O woman great is thy faith be it unto thee even as thou wilt vers 28. Denials are to the Saints as water to the Smiths-forge when it is sprinkled upon it it is so far from cooling or quenching it that it makes it burn with the greater heat So the denials and discouragements Gods people meet with they serve for bellowes to blow up those sparks that are in them into a flame to make their desires stronger their affections to burn the hotter But now to an hypocrite denials and discouragements do take off the wheels of his affections and make them to move slowly and heavily Job 21. 15. What is the Almighty that we should serve him and what profit should we have if we pray unto him We get no good by it the mercies we ask are not yet in our hands Now this argues a sinful impatiency and a want of holy importunity 7. Holy importunity is kindled in the heart by the motions and operations of Gods blessed Spirit Gal. 4. 6. Because you are sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Sonne into your hearts crying Abba father In the time of the law those sacrifices that were accepted were burnt with fire from heaven Levit. 9. 24. There came fire out from before the Lord and consumed upon the altar the burnt-offering And so in Elijahs time 1 King 18. 38. When Elijah had laid his sacrifice upon the altar of the Lord Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt-sacrifice and the wood So the Heathens vestal-flames were kindled with sun-beams The true importunity is from above it is a fire kindled by God himself in the hearts of his people But there is another importunity that comes from natural principles from natural abilities a strong memory a profound judgement a ready wit a fluent tongue and these are very advantagious to the duty There is the gift of prayer as well as the grace of prayer Some are importunate in prayer out of flâ—thly respects Now this is but a counterfeit importunity And thus much for the fourth particular the difference between holy and natural importunity LUKE 11. 8. Though he will not rise and give him because he is his friend yet because of his importunity he will rise and give THe fift particular is this What are the reasons why Gods people must labour for this holy importunity in their prayers Reas 1 I answer 1. Because God hath tied and promised returnes not to the persons praying but to the qualifications of their prayers And when the Scripture makes mention of this duty of prayer it doth also make mention of severall concomitants that must goe along with it to make it acceptable To instance there are diverse concomitants which the Scripture holds forth to be necessary for the acceptance of our prayers 1. We must pray beleevingly Heb. 11. 6. He that cometh to God must beleeve Mar. 11. 24. Therefore I say unto you â—aith Christ what things soever yee desire when ye pray beleeve that yee receive them and yee shall have them He doth not say pray how you will you shall have them but pray in such and such manner pray beleevingly and then you shall receive very much to this purpose is 1 James 5. If any man want wisdome let him ask it of God Ver. 6. But let him ask in faith nothing wavering for he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the winde and tossed So that you see God lookes to the manner as well as to the matter of a performance 2. You must pray regularly according to the will of God 3. Dependingly resting upon Christs intercession 4. Waitingly 5. Preparedly but these I shall passe by because they doe not so properly concerne the Point in hand 6. We are commanded to pray earnestly and fervently and importunately So David did Psal 55. 17. I will pray and cry aloud and he shall heare my voyce A full place to this purpose is Rom. 15. 30. Now I beseech you brethren for the Lord Jesus Christs sake and for the love of the Spirit that yee stâ—ive together with me in your prayers to God for mee The word in the Greek is very emphaticall it is the same word that is applyed to Christ when he was in an agony when he sweat drops of blood He beseecheth them to contend and strive in their prayers we are to be as it were in an agony when we are in prayer Prayer is not a little booke labour it is not a lip labour onely but it is a raising up and putting forth the heart and affections in the worke So Rom. 12. 12. Bee continuing instant in prayer It is a metaphor taken from dogs A dog of all creatures is the best able to endure hunger he will run from place to place and never leave till he hath got his prey so you are to hunger after God and after mercy and not to rest satisfied till God doth grant the mercy you stand in need of pray and pray and pray againe and fight till you overcome pray till you get an answer Another place is Jam. 5. 16. The effectuall fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much The word in the originall is significant Some expound it a working prayer It may be interpreted a prayer well wrought in the heart and so a prayer that comes from the heart A prayer wrought in us by the Spirit and carried on by faith Another place to the same purpose is Acts 26. 7. Unto which promise our twelve Tribes instantly serving God The word is rendered by some continually daily constantly but it signifies most properly a serving of God with the utmost of ones strength to be as a man upon a rack to use the very all of their power or it may be it is borrowed from one that runs a race wherein men stretch out their limbs to the utmost The word is the same here that is used Acts 12. 5. Prayer was made without ceasing or as it is in the margin of your booke and more agreeably to the Originall instant and earnest prayer was made for Peter The prayers of Gods people were so earnest that they opened the prison doores for him So Colos 4. 12. Epaphras who is one of you a servant of Christ saluteth you alwayes labouring fervently for you in prayers So that you see it is not every prayer that God is satisfied with no nor Gods people neither it is not every prayer that shall prevaile with God There must be importunity in it So much for the first reason 2. We must have this holy importunitie in prayer because there is much strength and importunity against thee when ever thou goest upon thy knees There is strength against you both from without and from within 1. From without There are the powers of darknesse that stand against you and resist you As it was
me and I have nothing to set before him And be from within shall answer and say trouble me not the doore is now shut and my children are in bed with me I cannot rise and give thee I say unto you though he will not rise and give him because he is his friend yet because of his importunity he will arise and give him as many as he needeth Which Parable consists of two parts 1. A Prayer 2. An answer to it In the prayer here are foure parts 1. The relation of the person praying to him to whom he prayes his friend vers 4. Which of you shall have a friend c. Whence observe God must be a friend to us before any of our prayers can be accepted 2. The time of his addresse ver 5. at midnight in times of greatest need of extreamest necessity Isa 26. 9. With my soule have I desired thee in the night From whence observe That the chiefest time for Gods people to be earnest in prayer to God is a time of trouble 3. The matter of his request Lend me three loaves By which some Interpreters understand the three persons in the Trinity the Father the Son and the holy Ghost Some refer them to the three cardinall graces Faith Hope and Charity but these are vaine interpretations It is observable that in Parables some things are used for ornament onely not for the sense The intent and designe of it is this That we are to order our prayers according to our present necessities 4. There is the occasion of this request verse 6. A friend â—f 〈◊〉 in come to 〈◊〉 and I have nothing c. The Answer returned to this request is double 1. By way of negation ver 7. Trouble me not c. Observeâ— that Godâ— people may have denialls to their prayer The reason of this deniall is the doore iâ— now shâ—â—â— and my children are with me in bed There are some times when Gods own people may pray to him yet he shut his eates to their prayers God will aâ— it were hide himselfe from the prayers of his own people that they shall not come at him Not onely the doores are shut but his God 〈…〉 in bed with him These children here spoken of are the creatures of God from whence observe That there may be times where God may take away all his creature comforts from his owne people that they shall not any wayes he help full to them 2. By way of concession and that is in the words of the text I say unto you though he will not arise and give him because he is his friends yet because of his importunity he will arise and give him 〈◊〉 â—â—thy as he needs In which words you have first the relation of him that prayes â—o him whom he prayes a friend Obserâ—â— There must be a state of friendship between God and a sinner before his prayers can be heard 2. The condition upon which the prayer was heard and than is set downe two wayes 1. Negatively he will hear him not because he is his friend 2. Positively he will 〈…〉 him because of his importunity Obs 1. That meerely a state of friendship and reconciliation with God is not a sufficient ground for us to beleeve that our prayers shall be heard and accepted by God Obs 2. There must be an holy importunity even in Gods own friends in their prayers to which they expect a gracious returne 3. Here is the amplification of the concession There is more given in the concession then was desired in the supplication He desired but three loave and because of his holy importunity he did rise and give him as many as he needed Whence observe That where there is an holy importunity in our prayers God doth in his returnes to that soule give more then was desired The first part of the text was the relation of the prayer to him to whom he makes his prayer The observation is this Doct. 1 A 〈…〉 be brought into a state of friendship or reconciliation with God before any prayer he makes can be accepted I will prove this doctrine by three reasons and then apply it The reasons are three Reas 1 1. God accepteth not the person for the prayers sake but the prayer for the persons sake We read Gen. 4. 4. God hath respect unto Abel and unto his offering first to Abel then to his sacrifice God did accept of his serivce because his person was in a state of favour with God God is first pleased with the workes before he can accept the works This is also laid downe Heb. 11. 5. by faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death for before his translation he had this testimony that he pleased God Now without faith in Christ to justifie thy person thou canst not please God Here lies the great difference between the Papists and us The Papists say that works justifie the person we say the person justifies the worke for make the tree good and the fruit must needs be goodst 2. Because till we be brought into that state of reconciliation we have no share â—n the intercession satisfaction and righteousnesse of Jesus Christ And till we have a share in theâ— our prayers can not be accepted Jacob could not receive the blessing from his father but in the garments of his elder brother not can we receive any thing from the hands of God but in the Robes of Christ No prayer can be accepted by God but in and through the intercession of Jesus Christ If Christ be not an Intercesson in Heaven no prayer will be heard 〈…〉 in the 8. Chapter of Rev. 1. v. 3. â— is written there was an Angel thus came and stood at the Altar having a 〈…〉 and there was given unto him much incense that he should offer iâ— with the prayers of all Saints upon the golden Altar which was before the throne The word in the Greek is to this purpose That he should add it to the prayers of the Saints As if the prayer of Christ and a Believer were all one In the 56. of Isal 7. God promiseth I will bring my people to my holy mountain and make them joyful in my house of prayer c. In the Hebrew it iâ— thus I will make them joyful in the house of my prayer Our prayers arâ— but as so many cyphers that signifie nothing till the intercession of Christ is added to them without that they cannot be accepted Reas 3 3. Because till we are in a state of friendship and reconciliation we have not the assistance of Gods Spirit to help us and if we have not the assistance of the Spirit wee shall never finde acceptance with him All â—â—quests that are not dictated by the Spirit are but the breathings of the flesh which God regards not Now till we are reconciled to God we cannot have the Spirit Gal. 4. 6. And because ye are sons God hath sent
forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father So that till you be sons you cannot have the Spirit And so much for the reasons I come now to the application If this be so that a man must be in a state of friendship before his prayers can be accepted Hence learn That all that ever thou dost before that estate is odious to God Not onely thy sinful actions but even thy civil thy natural yea thy religious actions Not that they are so in themselves or in regard of God but in regard of the doer of it Psal 109. 7. let his prayer be turned into sin Thou makest a prayer against sin God will turn thy prayers into sin Many prayers cannot then one sin into a grace but one sin wilfully and resolutely continued in can turn all thy prayers into sin Prov. 21. 27. The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord how much more when he bringeth it with a wicked minde A diseased body turns that food into corrupt humors which an healthful body doth into sound nourishment I have read of a precious stone that had excellent vertue in it but lost all its efficacy if it was put into a dead mans mouth Prayer is an Ordinance of great excellency of great efficacy but if it be in a dead mans mouth if it come out of the heart of one that is dead in trespasses and sins it looseth all its virtue water that in pure in the fountain is corrupted in the channel Use 2 2. This doctrine overthrowes one main pillar of the Romish religion justification by works If God accepteth of the person before he accepts the work how can any person be justified by works Unlesse thy person be justified unlesse thou art reconciled thy works are wicked works and can wicked works justifie Good works make not a man good but a good man makes a work good and shall a work that a man made good return again and make the man good Iâ— we had no other reason against justification by works saith â—erkins but this it were sufficient Use 3 3. For this teach you not onely to look to the fitnesse and disposednesse of your hearts in prayer but also to make inquiry what thou art that prayest It is our duty and it is very good to look to the qualification of the heart in prayer to look to the qualification of the duty but the main work is to look after the qualification of the person and to see whether thou art in a state of favour and reconciliation with God for if the person be not in favour with God you may be confident the petitions will not be heard nor accepted but God looks upon it as the corrupt breathings of thy sinful and corrupt heart You are to look therefore in the performance of duty whether you can go to God in prayer as a Father There are many that look after the qualification of their duty but few look after the qualification of the person to see whether they be justified or no whether God be their friend or not But we should mainly look to this for let the heart of a man be never so well disposed let us suppose it for indeed no unreconciled men can be well disposed to speak properly yet if thy person be not justified thy prayer cannot be accepted God cares not for the Rhetorick of prayers how eloquent they are nor for the Arithmetick of prayers how many they are nor for the Logick of them how rational and methodical they are nor for the Musick of them what an harmony and melody of words thou hast but he looks at the divinity of prayers which is from the qualification of a person from a justified person and in a sanctified manner It is good to enquire Is my heart right Is my mind composed Are my affections raised kindled in prayer But chiefly enquiâ—e is my person accepted of God Vse 4 4. Let me give a caution here Take heed you do not mistake this Doctrine Let no man think that because God accepts no prayer except the person be justified therefore wicked men are excused from prayer for though God doth not accept of every mans prayer yet every man in the world ought to pray For 1. They must pray as creatures that stand in need of their Creator The Ravens cry and God giveth them meat 2. The Lord blames wicked men for not praying to him Jer. 10. 25. Pour out thy wrath upon the Heathen that know then not and upon the families that call not upon thy Name Rom. 3. 11. There is none that understandeth there is none that seeketh after God 3. They are commanded to pray Acts 8. 22 23. Peter said to Simon Magus Repent therefore of this thy wickednesse and pray God if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee for I perceive thou art in the gall of bitterness and bonds of iniquity LUKE 11. 8. Though he will not give him because he is his friend c. AND thus much for the first Doctrine and first part of the Text the relation between him that prayes and him to whom prayers are made I come now to the second part which is the condition upon which the prayer was heard and that I told you was set down two wayes 1. Negatively 2. Positively 3. Negatively Not because he is his friend The observation thence is this Doct. 2 That a state of friendship or reconciliation with God is not sufficient to assure a man that God will give returnes to his prayers Although a man must be brought into a state of friendship and favour with God before his prayers can be heard yet it is not a sufficient ground for a man to believe that God will give him an answer of all his prayers He will give unto him not because he is friend So that a godly man may make many prayers and yet God may not give any answer to his prayers In the handling of this Doctrine I shall do three things 1. Shew the reasons of the Doctrine 2. I shall shew in what cases God may refuse to give his own people the things that they pray for 3. I shall shew how we may know when God denies to hear our prayers whether the denial be in mercie Reas The first particular is the reason why God may and doth sometimes deny to hear the prayers of his friends And that is this Because God hath tied returns of prayer not onely to the qualification of the person but also to the qualification of the dutie that the dutie be performed not onely by a fit person but also in a right way in a right manner to a right end God doth not say Let a godly man pray how he will I will hear his prayers that were the way to make him to be carelesse and remiss in the performance of duties Therefore the Lord expects qualification of the dutie as well as of
they might have in their prayers We should therefore chuse the fittest seasons for prayer It is said of Luther by Vitus Theodorus who was present with him at Coburge and many times heard him at his private prayers in a letter of his to Melanchthon That there was no day passed over his head wherein Luther did not spend three hours at the least in prayers and those not hours that he could best spare unseasonable hours but such hours as were the fittest for his study And that was a reason that Luther was very importunate in his prayers as the same Author informs us Good God with how much reverence did I hear him pray With how much boldnesse and confidence c. And on the contrary one reason why men have so little of this holy importunity is for want of taking fit seasons for the work 4. Another reason of the want of this holy importunity is the difuse and neglect of prayer in your Christian course Many there are that pray sometimes and leave off praying again now this doth very much dull mens affections in prayer There is a Proverb Use makes perfectness I am sure it is so in the duty of prayer let a Christian pray often and he will come to pray well and to pray with much enlargednesse of heart and let him leave off prayer and he will finde his heart exceedingly streightned Take a Key if you use it frequently it will be bright but if you lay it aside it will soon grow rusty thus will it be with a mans heart use prayer much keep it close to the performance of duty it is the way to have thy heart bright Let this Key of prayer which doth open heaven be used it will be kept bright and thy prayer will enter into heaven but let this Key of prayer be laid aside and do not thou often use it and it will quickly grow rusty again thy prayers and performances will not be able to enter neaven and thou wilt not be able to perform duty in that manner that God expecteth If thou dost not watch unto prayer with all carefulnesse thou wilt loose thy zeal and servent affection and thy holy desires after God in duty As it is with a Pump use it every day and water will come but if you forbear the use of it two or three dayes water will neither come so easily nor so plentifully If you do not pump out your holy desires every day they will quickly flag and grow remisse Physitians observe concerning the teeth that that side of the teeth that is not used is most subject to rheumes and distillations That heart that is not inured to prayer and holy duties is most subject to Satans instillations and suggestions This is the fourth reason Reas 5 The fifth reason why this importunity is wanting is this because men tye themselves to prescript forms of prayer I do not say that it is unlawful to use set forms of prayer we finde that Jesus Christ himself used a form Matt. 26. 39. Christ went and said Father if it be possible let this cup pass from me Vers 42. He went again the second time and prayed saying O my Father if this cup may not passe from me thy will be done Vers 44. He went away again and prayed saying the same words To shew that it is lawful 〈…〉 forms of prayer but not alwaies You are to strive for the spirit of prayer A man that will use his crutches constantly shall go â—ame all the dayes of his life 〈…〉 live in an age wherein Religion is 〈◊〉 professed and the Gospel is fully 〈◊〉 known Do not content your selves 〈◊〉 forms labour for the spirit of prayer 〈…〉 you may go to God and spread 〈…〉 him your wants and necessities and 〈◊〉 those mercies that are most sutable to 〈◊〉 wants and exigences Forms indâ—ed will teach you to beg pardon for sin in general but you must beg pardon for particular sins You must not onely beg mercy in general but you must also beg 〈◊〉 particular mercies that are most 〈…〉 you And this set forms are 〈…〉 which yet is the main work in prayer He that tyes himself alwaies to another mans form will not be able to pray alone but weakly and coldly and formally This is the fifth reason 6. Another ground of this importunity is a giving way to an accustomed continuance in a sleight and carelesse performance of duties this enervates the affections and emasculates the spirits what men are accustomed to that they get an habit of so that they cannot do the contrary As a Carriers horse that is used to a dull and slow pace cannot go out of it The lessening of Acts makes Habits more remisse That is the last reason And so much shall suffice for answer to the sixth Question LUKE 11. 8. Though he will not rise and give him because he is his friend yet because of his importunity he will give unto him c. THE Fourth paticular is this By wat helps may a man attain to this holy importunity in prayer For answer I shall lay down six or seven Theological helps by which a man may come to attain this holy importunity 1. Possesse thine heart with an lawful fear of the Almighty God This was the ground of Davids importunity as you may see Psal 5. vers 3. he saith My voice shalt thou hear in the morning And in the 7 verse you will finde this holy fear did lye at the bottom Lut as for me I will come into thine house in the multitude of thy mercy and in thy fear will I worship towards thine holy temple David came to duty with a strong 〈◊〉 of Gods greatness and dreadfulness So it is the advice of the Apostle that if we would serve God acceptably we must do it with reverence and godly fear Heb. 12. 28. That fore-cited Author Vitus Theodorus writes concerning Luther That he prayed with so much confidence as if he had been speaking with his friend and familiar and yet with so much reverence as one that considered the great distance between God and him I may allude to that place Isal 60. 5. though the words are spoken to another purpose Thy heart shall fear and be enlarged An holy fear breeds an holy care If a man once comes to this that he is fearlesse of God he will quickly be carelesse in prayer Job 15. 4. Yea thou castest off fear and restrainest prayer before God A man that doth cast off the fear of God doth soon cease to pray unto God He that fears God most that man will certainly pray to God best That is the first help Help 2 2 Another help or meanes to get this holy importunity is this To recollect thy thoughts by holy meditation before thou comest to this weighty duty of prayer to God And upon this ground we finde meditation and prayer to be put together Psal 5. 1 2. Give eare to my words O Lord
thou hadst formerly more affection but lesse judgement lesse experience lesse spiritualnesse in thy prayers It may be now thou art more sound in knowledge thou makest a more inward progresse in holinesse thou canst now make a more inward prayer to God thou hast now more inward communion with God Now if this be so thou hast no cause to be discouraged God loves a judicious prayer as well as a large and affectionate prayer you see what you want one way you make up another way A young carpenter gives more blowes and makes more chips but an old and experienced workman doth the most and the best worke A young Musitian can play more quickly and nimbly upon an instrument but an old Musitian hath more skill 2. It may be when thou hadst more affections in prayer thou hadst more sin in prayer more pride in thy gifts more dependance upon thy duties more sensoriousness of others and many other corruptions that did accompany thy prayers and thy affectionatenesse in them Now though thou hast lesse affections yet those other corruptions are in great part eaten out 3. It may be thou hast not now so many helps and opportunities to keep up thine heart to stirre up thine affections in prayer as thou hadst formerly It may be thou didst formerly live under the teachings of an able godly minister Now thou hast lost that opportunity And so there are severall other helps that peradventure are now taken away from thee 4. Though it is true thou art abated and thou didst pray better formerly then now yet ought not this to be matter of discouragement to thee 1. If it doth not proceed from a voluntary carelessenesse 2. If it be not accompanied with hardnesse and insensiblenesse 3. If it be not continued in with lazinesse and contentednesse And so much for answer to the second reason 3. Another ground of doubting to the people of God is this They complaine they have not those inlarged expressions in prayer which Gods people use to have For answer consider these things 1. This hath many times been the case of Gods own people that they have wanted expressions they could not finde a vent for their affections Thus it was with Hannah she spake in her heart but she was not able to expresse her selfe So it was with holy David Psal 77. 4. I am so troubled that I cannot speak and yet in the first verse of that Psalme he tells us he cried unto the Lord with his voice Here was an heart full of prayer though he wanted utterance 2. It is better to have affections without expressions then expressions without affections God lookes more to the desires of the heart then the words of the mouth It may be what thou wantest of expression is made up in affection 3. It may be what is wanting in words is made up in life as thou art defective in expression so thou makest a recompence in conversation and that is the best expression that can be It is much better to live a prayer then to expresse a prayer It is good to pray for grace but it is better to live a life of grace It is good to pray against sin but it is better to live against sin And so much for answer to the third doubt A fourth ground of doubting is this Many a disconsolate Christian is apt to say I am troubled with wandring thoughts with deadnesse and dulnesse of heart in prayer I confess thy case is sad and to be lamented for and it is just matter of humiliation Yet even here is matter of comfort 1. If thou dost what thou canst to free thy self from wandrings before thou comest to pray 2. If thou dost what thou canst to resist these wandrings when you are come before God in prayer 3. If you be sensible of these wandrings afterward If you can say you do these three things your wandrings shall never be laid to your charge And thus I have done with both these Uses of Caution And so I have done with the principal Doctrine which was this That on holy importunity and earnestness of spirit is a condition required in the prayers of Gods people if they expect returns thereunto There is another considerable Doctrine yet behinde taken from the amplification of the concession He asked but three loaves but because of his importunity he gave him as many as he needed The observation thence is this That when the heart is importunate in begging mercy God usually gives us more then we pray for In the handling of this Doctrine I shall 1. prove it by Scripture-instances 2. I shall lay down the reasons of it 3. I shall answer some objections and cases of conscience and so I shall come to application 1. I shall prove it by Scripture instances 1. You have the instance of Hannah 1 Sam. 1. She beg'd a son with much importunity being a woman of a sorrowful spirit for want of a son Well God returns her an answer Chemnitius observes that Hanna asked a son and God gave her a Prophet She begged a son God gave her a gracious son a son greatly beloved of God She asked a single mercy and God gave her a double blessing Another instance you have in Abraham Gen. 17. Abraham prayed O that Ishmael might live in thy sight Well what answer doth God return That you have vers 19. Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed and thou shalt call his name Isaac and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant and with his seed after him It was Abrahams desire that Ishmael might live Now God not onely grants that but hee grants him a better mercy Another instance you have in the Canaanitish woman Matth. 15. who did importunately beg of Christ the life and health of her daughter Christ answered her thus Be it unto thee even as thou wilt Now if you ask what is the reason why God deals thus with his people I answer Reas 1 1. This proceeds from the largenesse and greatnesse of Gods power and the riches and freenesse of his grace towards us Ephes 3. 20. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we are able to ask or think according to the power that worketh in us A man may ask of another man and it may be receive but then hee must not aske again but herein appears the power and ability the goodness and bounty of God if we ask of him once or twice he is a God that is able to give not according to our asking onely but above what we ask and not onely above what we can ask but above what we can ask or think The words are so full that they cannot well be expressed God doth more then excessively God hath not onely a fulnesse of abundance but of redundancy not onely of plenty but bounty he is better then our prayers Reas 2 2. God will do this to
speake peace to his people but let them not turne againe to folly It would be both sin and folly in thee to returne to sin after God hath given thee an answer of peace This was Davids resolution for his owne particular Psal 6. 8. Depart from mee all you workers of iniquitie Why what is the reason The Lord hath heard the voyce of my supplication As if David had said O ye wicked men you have been occasions of sin to me and companions in sin with me but how that God hath been thus gracious to mee now that God hath graciously returned my prayers I will haue no more to doe with you Depart from mee yea workers of iniquitie And so much for the negative Cautions I shall now lay down a few positive cautions 1. If God hath returned thy prayers see that thou beest more frequent in prayer then thou wast formerly This was the purpose of holy David Psal 116. Because the Lord hath heard my prayer therefore I will call upon him as long as I live So let it be your care to set your self more solemnly and seriously to seek God then ever you have doue 2. See that you be more in praises to God then you have been Those mercies that thou hast won by prayer are to be worn by thankfulness Psal 145. 10. All thy works praise thee O Lord and thy Saints do bless thee All Gods works do praise him The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy work That is they are all the passive monuments of Gods power in creating them But the Saints they are agents in praising God Blessing is more then praising A picture praiseth him that made it but it doth not bless him The Saints they bless God in a peculiar manner their mouthes are full of the praises of God They have a principle within them of praising God they are agents in setting forth his praise And therefore it is very fit that you should bless God 3. See that you be much in obedience If God doth much for thee see that thou do much for God If God hath an hearing ear thou must have a doing hand And so much for the use of caution Use 3 3. I shall speak something by way of comfort 1. To such as have not this importunity nor this return of prayers 2. To such as have returns to prayer 1. Here is a word of consolation to those that want this holy importunity and that in three respects 1. Thou maiest pray with sincerity when thou dost not pray with importunity The Lord saith David is nigh to all that call upon him but how Not onely to them that call on him importunately and powerfully but to all that call upon him in truth if thou canst say thou dost call upon God in truth and with a sincere heart God will be high unto thee 2. It is the office of Christ to pray for thee in heaven when thou dost not pray upon earth It is the work of Jesus Christ to make intercession for thee to his Father Although thou hast not importunity in thy self yet consider O believing soul that Christ is in heaven importuning the Father for thee 3. A sense and complaining of the want of this holy importunity is accounted by God a degree of it If you did never complain of the want of the Spirit it was a signe you never had the Spirit and now that you be wall the want of it it is a signe you have it Branch 2 2. Here is also a word of consolation to those that have returns of prayer and that in four respects 1. Thy mercies are double mercies It is a mercy to have mercy but to have it in such a way is a double mercy Psal 91. They shall call upon me and I will answer them and I will be with him in trouble c. It is a mercy to have deliverance out of trouble but to have it through prayer a deliverance that comes in by prayer is a double mercy 2. These mercies are sanctified mercies Mercies as you are creatures are good but as returns of prayer they are sanctified And blest mercies are much better to the soul that enjoyeth them 3. The mercies which thou hast as returns of prayer are costly mercies Mercies that come in by providence are easie and cheap but mercies that come in by prayer are costly they cost the price of Christs blood to purchase them and they cost thee many a prayer and tear to obtain them 4. These mercies are sealing mercies and that in three particulars 1. They are seals to you that you have the Spirit of God for Christ hears no prayers and no spirit but his own God is as well pleased with the barking of a dog as with the prayers of a Christless man 2. It is a seal to thee of an interest in Christs intercession If thy prayers are returned it is a signe they are accepted Now no prayers are accepted but by vertue of the intercession of Jesus Christ 3. These returns are a seal of more mercies a signe that thou shalt have more mercies from God One mercie that is given in by prayer is a pledg of another mercie and thy mercie in this life is a pledg to thee that thou shalt have eternal happiness in heaven to all eternity FINIS Rev. 2. 5. Rev. 2. 9. 3. 1. Psal 4. Sermons Preachtat Lawrence Jury April 22 1649. SERMON I. The Content opened Verse 7. Verse 8. Verse 9. Verse 11. The Text opened Coelum Empyreum a Regnum coelorum denotat praedicationem Evangelit propagationem Ecclesiae Paraeus b Regnum Dei significatstatum conditionem Ecclesiae quae propriè Christiana â—câ—tur Camero in Mat. 18. â— Adeo avidi di sunt ut nulla vi rbstrahi possunt sed potius moaiuntur quam abstrahantur ab Evangeâ—io Luther a Frigebant sub ministerio legis Scribarum Pharisaeorum fervebant sub ministerio Joannis Musculus Quest 1 Why the Gospel so successfull then b Natura hominum novitat is avida Mark 1. 27. 1 Thes 2. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Primum advertum nostrum Principiis savebant c. Isa 54. 1 2. Isa 2. 2. Isa 60. 3 4 5. Isa 40. 31. Zach. 12. 8. 2 Sam. 17 8. 2 Cor. 3. 15 16. 18. Isa 30. 26. Mat. 11. 28. Acts 15. 10. Quest 2. Why the Gospel not so succesfull now as formerly Reasons 1 In regard of Minister Luke 1. 16. Jerem. 23. 22. 32. 2 Cor. 4 2 Matth. 7 29. 2 Cor. 14 5. Job 38. 2. Mat. 3. 2. 2 In regard of the people Reason 1. Mat. 21. 26. 1 Thes 2. 13. Mat. 21. 25 26. John 10. 41. Miracula non sunt multiplicanda sine necessitate 1 Cor. 1. 22. 1 Cor. 14 22. 2 Cor. 12 12. Deut. 6. 6 7. Sermons Preacht at Lawrence Jury April 22 1649. SERMON 11. Jer. 8. 6. Jer. 2. 23 Eccles 8. 11. Hab. 2. 13. Prov. 4.