come in Christs Name Joh. 14.13 14. 3. To draw near to God in Prayer is to come before him conscious of our own unworthiness to sue to him for any thing that we stand in need of either for our selves or others They that are Suppliants to Princes acknowledge their unworthiness to come into their Presence and to put up any Request to them The Centurion thought himself not worthy to come to Christ as well as that he should come under his roof Luke 7.6 7. and who drew nearer Christ then he They that see their unworthiness to come to pray to God they of all others draw nearest to him when they pray to him 4. To draw near to God in Prayer is to come before him sensible of those sins that we bring into his presence Behold we are before thee in our trespasses sayes that holy man Ezra 9.15 Such as do indeed draw near to God see their persons polluted their prayers defiled and both to need washing in a fountain open for sin and uncleanness spoken of Zech. 13.1 As we are dust in our original so we gather dust and soil daily and our best duties are rolled in dust our prayers full of corruption and sullied all over with this dust and mire and every gracious heart sees it when he draws nearest to the Holy One. Blackness and deformity is seen most before the greatest beauty So when we are nearest the Beauty of Holiness that is in God then our blackness and deformity is most seen by us 5. To draw near to God in Prayer is to come before him as eying his All-sufficiency to do all we come to ask of him and more too Eph. 3.20 To him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think sayes the Apostle It were a great thing to have all we ask but much more to have all we think but to have above both our asking and thinking and to have exceeding abundantly above these what an All-sufficient God do we come before when we pray to him And truely they that do draw near to him will eye him thus that he can do every thing Job 42.2 that there 's nothing too hard for him Gen. 18.14 Jer. 32.17 27. That if a King on Earth can give a City to him that asked but a peny Oh! what cannot the Royal Majesty of Heaven give 6. To draw near to God in Prayer is to come before him as eying his Willingness to grant as well as his All-sufficiency and Power to yield to our desires Psal 145.19 He will fulfil the desires of them that fear him he also will hear their cry and will save them The Leper here fell short he believed his power but doubted of his will Mat. 8.2 but Christ told him of his will as well as his power ver 3. And indeed this is an happy thing to see that there is a will in God to give as well as power for this gives God the glory of his Grace A Kings grace lies in his Will and so does Gods Quest 2. In what manner are we to draw near to God in Prayer Ans 1. In sincerity with a true heart Heb. 10.22 Let us draw near with a true heart Truth is the Christian Souldiers girdle Eph. 6.14 and girds up the heart and keeps us up close to the duty that our affections do not dangle and hang loose in Prayer Psal 17.1 Hear my prayer O God that goeth not out of fained lips He would be sincere when he drew near to God in Prayer It 's no time to be false with God when we come to pray before him No Prince on Earth would endure a glozing false Suiter how much less will God endure a false heart when we come to sue to him Hypocrisie is loathsome at all times but most of all when we come to pray before the Lord. It 's the Worm in the gourd that eats up the duty it 's the Rottenness of the Core that consumes the fruit of all that we expect to come in by our Prayers it 's the Moth that corrupts the heart and spoils the Petition the Caterpiller and Palmer-worm and Canker-worm that devours all before it We must be true at all times much more when we fall upon our knees and pray before the Lord. 2. In purity with cleansed hands and purified hearts Jam. 4.8 draw near to God but how cleanse your hands ye sinners and purifie your hearts ye double-minded So Heb. 10.22 Let us draw near having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with clean water Sanctification in outward and inward man is required of those that draw near to God As Holiness becomes Gods house for ever Psal 93.5 so it does become the heart of man for ever especially in time of Prayer Also my prayer is pure sayes Job Job 16.17 A pure heart makes a pure prayer A pure vessel makes the liquor pure so does the vessel of the heart if pure make that we pour out before the Lord pure also 3. In humility Humble ones draw nearest unto God for he is ever nighest unto them Psa 34.18 Isa 57.15 he dwells with them This is that that we have Precept and Example for 2 Chron. 7.14 If my people c. shall humble themselves and pray c. Jam. 4.8 9. They that draw near to God must be afflicted and mourn How humble was holy Agur Prov. 30.2 how humble was the Publican in Prayer Luke 18.13 how humble was the Prodigal I am not worthy to be called thy Son Luke 15.21 An humble heart in Prayer is Gods delight and will act any thing he will never send these poor ones away empty 4. In zeal and fervency Rom. 12.11 Fervent in Spirit serving the Lord. So Jam. 5.16 The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much This Sacrifice must be offered up with fire of the Spirits kindling not of our own it must not be strange fire as Levit. 10.1 but holy fire 5. Importunately Luke 18.1 2 3 4 5. So Luke 11.5 6 7 8. the Parable of the unjust Judge and poor widow and the history of him that came to borrow three Loaves hold it out that we should draw near with holy importunity and impudency as the Greek word signifies resolving to have no nay So the woman of Canaan how importunate was she she would not give out though repulsed often Mat. 15. Some suiters will have no nay some beggars will take no deniall so here Ambassadors will not be gone till they have done what they came about Now Prayers are the Souls Ambassadors that are sent to Heaven to negotiate great things with God for us and they will do what they are sent about How impudent in an holy wise was Jacob that said I will not let thee go except thou bless me Gen. 32.26 6. Joyfully Praying with joy Phil. 1.4 David made many Prayers that were turned into joyful Praises and Thanksgivings ere he had done Trace the
with the Wicked Thirdly From the Wicked 1. They are such as the Lord abhors his very Soul hates them Psal 11.5 and should not Suppliants then plead with the Lord that he would put a difference between them and his righteous ones See Psal 5.5 2. They are appointed to wrath destinated to destruction 1 Thess 5.9 and can the Lord then put no difference between them but that the one should be as the other This we should plead 3. They fear not God Psal 55.19 and how should it be then but that he should put a difference between those that fear him and those that fear him not God forbid that it should be otherwise 4. They are such as hate the Righteous Prov. 29.27 and therefore that the righteous should be as the wicked we should plead it with the Lord that it may be far from him to do after such a manner 5. They are the Children of the Devil 1 Joh. 3.10 and that the Children of God should be in no better condition then the Children of the Devil that we should strongly plead with him That be far from thee to do after this manner 6. They are such as whose sins cry for vengeance as these Sodomites sins did Now that the righteous and they should share alike in punishment this were hard and we should plead hard with God that he would not do after this manner That be far from thee sayes Abraham that be far from thee Vse 1. for Information 1. We see that humble Suppliants have and ought to have a special eye at the glory of God in their Supplications that they bring before him Thus does Abraham here he is very tender of the glory of God would have no dishonour to reflect upon him by slaying the Righteous with the Wicked That be far from thee saith he to do after this manner Gods glory is that that we should aim at in all our holy addresses in Prayer to him as the first Petition in the Lords Prayer holds out to us that 's the mark we must shoot at in all we do 1 Cor. 10.31 and much more when we come to pray to him we are to have respect to the glory of his Name and that no reproach may be fastned upon the Holy One. His Name is worth more then the Lives and Souls of all the men in the world and infinitely above all created Beings 2. We see that they that plead most with God in behalf of others are most like to Abraham for so did he Oh how earnest was he in behalf of Sodom that the Reghteous might not be destroyed with the Wicked They that pray must plead if they would walk in the steps of Abraham That be far from thee being twice repeated shews that as his so our Prayers should be earnest that we bring before the Lord. Incense was not offered without fire nor our Prayers without fervency Jam. 5.16 3. We see what true love godly ones express one towards another Abraham out of tender love prayes that the Righteous may not be destroyed with the Wicked The truth is there is no true love but an image onely of it in other men but that which is love in truth is onely found among godly ones They are partakers of the Divine Nature and therefore shew forth love one to another God is love 1 Joh. 4.8 and where his Image is as is in all the Saints there is sweetest love expressed one to another 4. We see wherein true love is expressed it is evidenced in our earnest Prayers that we put up one for another Abraham so judged and therefore pleads with God in behalf of those Righteous ones in Sodom that they may not be destroyed with the wicked There 's no true love like that that is expressed in our fervent Prayers one for another Prayer is an holy breathing Lam. 3.56 and our love one to another is never breathed forth more then in our Prayers each for other They have a sweet breath and their love is sweet that pray most fervently one for another 5. We see that they that do not plead earnestly in Prayer for Righteous ones are neither heirs of Abrahams faith nor love to those righteous ones that he earnestly intreated for there are those that pray slightly and superficially for them but Abraham was fervent in spirit for those he prayed for That be far from thee That be far from thee that the Righteous should be as the Wicked Hollow slight perfunctory Prayers for others argue that there 's neither faith nor love in such an heart That fire is gone out that the bellows cannot kindle so if the blast of our desires be not fervent for others the fire of love is quite put out 6. We see that if we be to be earnest and fervent in our Prayers for others how fervent are we to be for our selves and for those that are and ought to be as dear as our own Souls for our own Country and the Land of our Nativity Oh how earnest should we be that both we and they may be spared and not destroyed when other wicked ones shall not escape we should double our Requests for our selves and them as Abraham here does that we and they may be preserved from the fire of his indignation The very Heathens had a love to their Country and their utmost desires and endeavours were for the preservation of that as we see in Tully and Pompey and others of them Oh what desires then should Christians have as for themselves so for their Country that is as themselves Luke 4.23 Vse 2. for Terrour to wicked men They are not those that Believers pray so earnestly for but onely because of the Righteous that are among them It was not for the sakes of the filthy Sodomites that Abraham was so earnest with the Lord but for the Righteous that he thought might be among them and for their sakes desires that the place may be spared Vse 3. for Humiliation to those of Gods people that are not so fervent for others as they are for themselves Abraham was fervent for others and doubles his speech on behalf of the righteous that he thought to be in Sodom and if we do not double our Requests for others as well as for our selves we are not of the spirit of Abraham nor tread in his blessed steps and that should put an holy blush into our faces Vse 4. for Exhortation 1. To plead hard in behalf of others and double our files and be fervent in our requests for them We cannot be too earnest in our desires for them that that we sue unto God for is worth the strongest of our affections to be put forth in our Prayers for them So Abraham thought and so should we 2. To call upon us to be thankeful when we pray earnestly for others for we naturally slack our pace in this it is therefore supernaturall and of grace if we do as Abraham did here and Grace is to be exalted for
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit c. and that in Psal 34.18 The Lord is nigh to them that are of a broken heart It must needs be so for they pray in humility of heart before him 7. We see that they that are truly godly cannot but be humble in Prayer it is their property and they look at it as their duty so to be 8. We see that they that flant it in their Prayers with quaint words and curious expressions they know not what faith and godliness mean it 's ill in Preaching so to do 1 Cor. 2.1 2 4. but much worse in Prayer Eloquent Beggars are not regarded by men much less flanting Beggars before the Lord. Vse 2. for Reproof 1. Of those that use such gestures in Prayer as savour not of humility and reverence sitting sleeping gazing upon vain objects some have much to answer for the two latter both which argue high contempt of God and being frequent great profaneness of heart 2. Against those that confess not their own vileness and unworthiness nor so abase themselves as humble Suppliants ought Vse 3. for Exhortation To pray in humility Motives 1. Such are justified ones and thereby exalted Luke 18.13 14. 2. Such gather upon God and gain upon him Gen. 18. from 24 to 33. as Abraham 3. Such shall have difficult things done for them Mark 9 24.-29 4. Such shall be saved out of all their troubles Psal 34.6 5. Such are the friends of God Jam. 2.23 Helps 1 Be apprehensive of Gods greatness 2 Grow in faith nothing humbleth us more then it 3 Look to the multitude of our debts 4 Be poor in Spirit such pray humbly 5 Be sensible of the Lords mercy we are never more humble then when most apprehensive of that 6 Gather what we can against our selves daily Vse 4. for Examination whether we pray in humility Marks 1 Humility is free and full in confessing particular sins 1 Chron. 21.17 2 It aggravates sin Ezra 9.6 7 13. 3 It changeth all sorts with sin Dan. 9.7 8 10 11. 4 It bears hard words Matth. 15.27 from others 5 It layes load upon our selves Psal 73.22 6 It makes us silent before the Lord Job 40.4 5. 7 It makes us loath and abhorre our selves Ezek. 36.31 Job 42.6 Verse 27. Behold now I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord which am but dust and ashes Doct. XIV THat Believers are and may be bold with the Lord in praying Thus was Abraham bold with God here Behold sayes he I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord c. For opening of which let me shew 1. Wherein this boldness does consist 2. Why they may be so bold with the Lord in praying to him 3. The Vses Quest 1. Wherein does this boldness consist A. 1. In speaking freely all that we have to say to him So the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 holds out Heb. 4.16 it properly signifies A liberty to speak all that we can speak or A freedome to speak all our minde Men may sometimes cut us off and make us break off before we have spoken all we would and bid us forbear as 2 Chron. 25.16 Amaziah did to the Prophet but the Lord would have us so bold with him as to speak all we have to say in his ears he will not interrupt us or break off our speech but give us liberty to speak all our minde to him That 's the first 2. It consists in an humble taking upon us to speak in his Presence so did Abraham here sayes he I have taken upon me though but dust and ashes to speak to the Lord that is I have been bold to speak to him or I have freely begun to speak to him as the Hebrew word is sometimes taken 3. It consists in seeking to gather and gain upon God in our requests that we put up to him Thus bold was Abraham here he seeks to gain upon God in his addresses to him as we shall shew more hereafter if the Lord will 4. It consists in coming frequently and as often as may be into his Presence They that go often into the Kings Presence are bold with him as Favourites use to be so they that are often with the Lord are bold with him So were Enoch and Noah that had their constant walks with God Gen. 5.22 24. 6.9 5. It consists in our familiarity and acquaintance with God and in that fellowship and friendship that we have with him Job 22.21 1 Joh. 1.3 Abraham was the friend of God Jam. 2.23 and so was bold with him A friend to a man will take more boldness upon him then a stranger so they that are friends of God 6. It consists in asking great things of him That man is bold with his Prince that desires great things of him as sometimes a Prince's Favourite will thus bold may Believers be with God they may ask great things of God even the holy Ghost himself Luke 11.13 Quest 2. What manner of boldness is it wherewith Believers may be bold with him Ans 1. An humble boldness they may be humbly bold with him Abraham takes upon him to speak to the Lord but acknowledgeth in an humble manner that he is but dust and ashes Petitioners that are bold with their Princes yet they ask upon their knees for what they have a desire to have So here 2. It is a familiar boldness we may be familiarly bold with him Abraham familiarly communed with God and God with him Gen. 18.33 3. It is a reverend boldness we pray to him as to a Father and therefore must give him reverence as other Children do to their Fathers Heb. 12.28 Let us have grace whereby we may serve him acceptably with reverence and godly fear 4. It is a comely boldness we must not be rude in his Presence but pray in comely manner beseeming the Presence of the great God They that Petition to Princes carry themselves in a beseeming manner and according to the Majesty they come before So must we we may be bold with the Lord in praying to him but so as to consider who we are before and who we have to deal with we do it so as becomes such a Majesty as God is Thus Abraham did he was bold but he was not rude 5. It is a boldness that keeps it's distance Abraham was bold with the Lord but looks at him as Jehovah as the Lord infinitely above him that was vile and base dust and ashes So may we be bold in praying to him but look that we know our distance we must look at God as he is and look at our selves as we are 6. It is a boldness that exalts Gods grace that we may be so bold with him Abraham in all the boldness that he used aimed at this that the grace of God might be exalted in not destroying but sparing Sodom that wicked place and people Such should our boldness be 7. It is an holy boldness Abraham does not
sue for He is abundant in goodness Exod. 34.6 and this way shews it It is observed of Solomon that he gave the Queen of Sheba all that she asked besides what he gave her of his royal bounty 1 Kings 10.13 and he honoured himself in so doing How then does God honour himself in giving us all our desire and what we ask there 's no Royal bounty like his he grants like a King and like Himself Other Kings have their Royal Grants but none such as his are Secondly From his Servants 1. They expect his hearing of their Prayers and a grant of their desires from him and wait patiently upon him and this gets a grant Psal 40.1 I waited patiently for the Lord and he inclined unto me and heard my cry There 's nothing lost by patient waiting at the Courts of Kings the desires of such are granted at last much less is any thing lost by waiting upon the Lord he will come with a full hand at last and we shall have a full grant of what we sue for The Husbandman waits for the precious fruits of the earth and at length hath them so shall we by waiting have the precious blessings of Heaven brought in to us 2. They believe that they shall be heard and a Royal Grant bestowed upon them and this prevails Mat. 21.22 Faith is a Key that opens all Locks though Mercies should be locked up from us yet this Key will make way for the bringing them forth to us Knock and it shall be opened to you Mat. 7.7 The door of Mercy may be fast barred and locked but a knock by Faith will open it to us and open all the Treasures of his bounty for us that we may share in them 3. They are unwearied in their desires and that gets a grant The woman of Canaan would not be discouraged nor faint at so many denials and repuâ—ses but went on in an unwearied course of suing and pleading and this got a grant of what she asked and what she would Mat 15.28 They that are not weary in their desires may have what they will God cannot tell how to deny such If we be not weary of asking God will not be weary of giving and granting This crowns our Desires and brings in all to us We want not blessings so long as we want not knees to bow to him 4. They wrestle for a grant of their desires and so prevail and become Princes with God Gen. 32.28 and what that wrestling was we see Hos 12.3 4. They that wrestled in the Olympick Games if they got the Victory were crowned much more shall they be crowned with a Royal Grant from Heaven that wrestle and prevail with God 5. They ask according to his will 1 Joh. 5.14 15. and that prevails Our Requests when bounded within the compass of Gods will obtain every thing at Gods hand Esthers Petitions were bounded within the compass of the Kings will If it please the King and If I have found favour in the sight of the King grant me this and that Esth 5.8 7.3 and whatever she thus asked she had a grant of it So when we pray and frame all our Petitions according to his will he hears and grants all that we thus sue unto him for 6. They ask earnestly and fervently and that prevails Jam. 5.16 How earnest and fervent was Elias and what an answer had he from Heaven 1 Kings 18.36 37 38. Fervent Prayer like fire ascends to Heaven and gets a grant there of all we ask and of all that is the desire of our hearts we need never doubt of the speeding of our Prayers if offered up with this fire This Incense as it is Psal 141.2 will ascend to God and to his Throne and finde acceptance Thirdly From the Duty of Prayer 1. It is a Sacrifice Heb. 13.15 1 Pet. 2.5 and the Sacrifices that were offered up under the Leviticall Law were accepted and were of asweet smelling savour unto God and so is this of Prayer by Jesus Christ His Incense perfumes our Prayers Rev. 8.3 2. It is the lifting up of the Soul Psal 25.1 and this holds out desire and delight and earnest expectation and hope of having what is sued for as Deut. 24.15 the poor man is said to lift up his soul to his hire and wages which is translated He sets his heart upon it so in Prayer we lift up our soul to God to have those things we ask granted to us and such a lifting up of the soul to God gets a grant from him 3. It is compared to the Incense Psal 141.2 Let my prayer come before thee as the Incense now that was of a sweet savour and ascended upward So our Prayers are sweet to God and ascend unto his Throne are accepted and get a grant 4. It is compared to the Mincah or Offering that was boiled in the Frying-pan Psal 141.2 which was boiled in oyle and offered in the evening Our Prayers being boiled in the oyle of the Spirit and we praying in the holy Ghost Jude ver 20. these Prayers are accepted of God and get a grant of all we ask through Jesus Christ Vse 1. for Information 1. We see what a broad difference there is between our God and the Idols that others pray unto Our God is a God hearing Prayer but Idols cannot hear Baal's worshippers 1 Kings 18.26 called from morning to noon saying O Baal hear us but there was no voice nor any that answered So Isa 16.12 Moab shall go to his sanctuary to pray but shall not prevail Idols have ears but they hear not Ps 115.6 but our God that we pray to hath an hearing ear and grants us all that we sue unto him for never any had cause to say that he turns a deaf ear to them when they pray aright his ears have alwayes been open to their Prayers 1 Pet. 3.12 2. We see what great encouragement we have to come to him Psal 65.2 we may go when we will and be sure to speed we may pray as often as we will and have our desires granted he will not turn away from us but give us what we come for Some Princes will chide away those that sue to them as Pharaoh did the oppressed Israelites Exod. 5.17 18. but our God that we sue unto never discourageth them that make suit and supplication to him but gives them all the encouragement that may be is found of them when they seek him when they search for him with all their hearts Jer. 29.13 they shall never go away empty from his doors but go loaden with their laps full with their hearts full and all their defires like the widows vessels 2 Kings 4.6 shall be filled full we shall never say we have gone to God but we have got something there 's a rich Treasury in Heaven and we have carried away not a little from it 3. We see what cause we have to bless the Lord for his bounty to us in granting our
gestures kneeling upon our knees as Subjects to our Prince thus did Solomon 1 King 8.54 or standing as Servants to our Master Luke 11.25 or smiting upon our breasts and casting down our eyes Luke 18.13 or falling upon our faces or any bodily gesture expressing the humility of our spirits We would count our selves unworthy to come into the Presence of a King on earth if we did not use humble gestures before him Oh how much more then should we when we use them not when we come before the Lord 5. In humble behaviour in our Petitions to him in a beseeching way The Evangelist sayes that the woman of Canaan besought Christ that he would cast the devil out of her daughter Thus Abraham besought the Lord for Sodom So the Text. Thus Jacob humbly prayed for deliverance from Esau in a beseeching way Gen. 32.11 12. So Daniel Dan. 9.19 O Lord hear O Lord forgive O Lord consider and do defer not for thine own sake O my God They that sue to Princes are full of intreaties much more should we when we come before the Lord. 6. In being afraid that we should then provoke him to anger when we pray to him Gen. 18.30 32. Let not the Lord be angry and I will speak so Gideon useth the same expression Judg. 6.39 But of this I shall inlarge when I come to speak of those words of Abraham 7. In self-loathing and self-abhorrency Ezek. 36.31 Job 42.6 This argues an humble heart when we can loath our selves and abhorre our selves by provoking of him Quest 2. Why are we thus to be humble in our addresses to him Ans 1. From the Lord. 2. From our selves 3. From the Petitions we make to him First From the Lord. 1. He is a great God and a great King above all gods Psa 47.2 95.3 Mal. 1.14 I am a great King saith the Lord of Hosts and does not humility then well become them that come before such a great One as he is 2. He is our Maker Psal 95.6 7. and should we not be humble before our Maker He made us at first and hath made us again when we had defaced his first workmanship 2 Cor. 5.15 and the second gift is greater then the first In primâ— opere me mihi dedit in secundo se sayes Bernard and such a Makers love is to be humbly adored 3. He humbleth Himself exceedingly to us Psal 113 5-9 and should not we learn humility of him Should the King be humble and the Subjects proud 4. He is so glorious that the Angels cover their faces and feet before him Isa 6.2 and if those mighty ones those great Courtiers be so humble how humble should we be that are vile dust and ashes 5. He delights in humble ones looks with an eye of favour to such Isa 66.2 and should not this humble us in his sight Humble suiters with men are most in favor much more with the Lord. 6. He hears the desires of the humble Psa 10.17 and therefore we may well think it behoves us to be humble 7. He dwells with such Isa 57.15 he is familiar with them and will not leave them as men forsake not their dwellings 8. He will save such Job 22.29 with a temporal and eternal salvation Secondly From our selves 1. We are low in our Original Gen. 3.19 2.7 and it 's good to think of that to abase us and lay us low before him 2. We are low in our condition whither we are to go Eccles 12.7 Job 25.6 and can we look at proud dust without blushing 3. We are viler then the vilest of the creatures by reason of sin Job 40.4 4. We are beggars and humility well becomes such 1 Chron. 29.14 16. Mat. 5.3 5. We are his suppliants Zeph. 3.10 and humility well becomes such 6. We are debtors and they sue humbly so should we Mat. 6.11 Thirdly From the Petitions themselves 1. They are for great things and therefore it becomes us to be humble in suing for such great things A portion in Christ Inheritance in Heaven Pardon of sin Peace of Conscience Fellowship with God c. these are great things 2. They are for good things Mat. 7.11 and we should be humble in asking such things How good is the Favour of God and Assurance of his Love Justification c. 3. They are for rare things that but a few partake of we pray for Salvation and that 's a rare thing there are few saved Mat. 7.14 4. They are wonderful things that we ask Jer. 33.3 and such things are to be humbly prayed for 5. They are precious things that we ask Christ the holy Spirit Grace Glory these are very precious things and therefore we are to ask them humbly 6. They are whatsoever we will that we may have a grant of Matth. 21.22 Joh. 15.7 and therefore it well becomes us to ask such things in an humble manner Vse 1. for Information 1. We see that they that are of a proud spirit when they come to pray before the Lord cannot expect that their Prayers should be accepted for humility is that that God looks for and that which well becomes us when we pray to him Cloth of Gold does not better become a Prince then humility does a Petitioner before the Lord. Humble suiters are the speeders Luke 18.13 14. Pride is a Rag of the old man and it is not comely to be seen in rags before such a King as the Lord is 2. We see a reason why Prayer is called Incense Psal 141.2 Mal. 1.11 The Incense was to be beaten small Exod. 30.36 and by the beating of it very small was shadowed out the humility and contrition of our hearts in Prayer 3. We see that Confession of sin is one of the chief ingredients that Prayer is to consist of for therein we chiefly humble our selves in coming before the Lord in Prayer Lev. 20.40 41 42. Solomon speaks much of it in his Prayer 1 Kin. 8. and we cannot be too serious in it 4. We see that Popish Prayers according to the number of their Beads which they do so glory in are of no account with God because they trust in them and come not from the humility of their hearts for He resisteth the proud but gives grace to the humble 1 Pet. 5.5 The more humble we be when we pray the more acceptance we may expect from him Psal 10.17 5. We see that without faith there 's no putting up an humble Prayer Abrahams faith made him pray so humbly So that woman of Canaans faith was that that humbled her heart in Prayer that she fell at Christs feet It was the Centurions faith that made him confess that he was not worthy that Christ should come under his Roof and that he was not worthy to come to him Luke 7.6 7. Faith is an humbling grace and the more of it we bring with us in Prayer the more humility decks that Prayer 6. We see a reason of that in Psal 51.17
that in our Prayers that we cannot see our selves He sees sin where we see none he hath a quick eye to look into the obliquities and iniquities of our Prayers A little blemish is seen in the face so if there be but any blot or spot upon the face of the duty his pure eyes spies it out Psal 44.20 21. there is not the least mote but he takes notice of not the least spot but his eye is upon and that wherein we think we do well he knows to be evil James and John thought they did well in desiring that they might do as Elias did to call for fire from heaven to consume those that would not receive their Master and ours but what sayes he to them Ye know not what spirit you are of He saw that that they thought zeal to be wilde-fire he knew that that which they judged to come from love to their dear Master was but a spark of their own kindling and no love in the bottom of it neither to Christ nor themselves much less to those men that they wished so ill to And may not Believers be justly afraid that God will be angry with such Prayers 2. He hath been angry with the Prayers of others and long angry Psal 80.4 and therefore they fear he may be angry with their prayers When Princes are angry with some that sue to them others are afraid that they may be angry with their suits also so it is in this case between God and us If a father be angry with some of his Children he may be angry upon the like grounds with the rest so may God and that may make the rest to fear that he may be angry with them 3. He withdraws himself sometimes from his people when they pray to him Lam. 3.8 44. and that 's a ground of his being angry at their prayers and this makes them afraid that he is angry with them Job complained of this Job 30.20 I cry unto thee and thou dost not hear me I stand up and thou regardest me not When a Prince withdraws from a Suppliant and regards him not it is a sign of his anger and he fears he is displeased with him so it is in this case between God and us 4. He sees that we too often restrain prayer before him and thereby cast off fear Job 15.4 and that makes him angry and when we consider of it that makes us afraid that he is angry with our Prayers that we are so slack in Solomon sayes As vineger to the teeth and smoke to the eyes so is a slothful messenger to him that sends him If our Prayers which are the Souls messengers be slothful and we slack our pace in them God will be displeased and we may well fear that he will be angry with them Secondly From our selves that pray 1. We sometimes distrust Gods power and that makes him angry and makes us afraid that he is angry with our Prayers Mark 9.22 he doubted of Christs power to heal his son 2. We sometimes distrust his will as the Leper did though he did believe his power Mat. 8.2 and that is a just ground of his anger and that that makes us afraid that he may be angry with our Prayers 3. We sometimes ask that that God resolves he will never give Thus Moses did that desired God that he might go over Jordan and see that good Land which God was angry with him for Deut. 3.25 26. Two things hindred the granting of his desire 1. God was provoked at the Waters of Strife and threatned he should not bring his people into that Land Numb 20.12 2. He appointed Joshua to be the man wherein was a mystery for he was a Type of Jesus Christ that brings us into Heaven that Canaan was a Type of Now for Moses to desire that that God upon such just grounds denied it could not but displease him and make him angry and so may we well fear that God will be angry with our Prayers when we desire that of him that he is resolved not to give us 4. We desire that sometimes that is not good for us and that will make God angry with our Prayers for no good thing he will withhold from us Psal 14.11 and 34.10 but if we ask any thing that is not good for us and he sees it will hurt us rather then do us good he will be angry with our Prayers Thus for Jonah to desire once and again that God would take away his life from him Jonah 4.3 8. which could not be good for him could not but displease him and when we ask that which is not good for us we have ground to fear that he will be angry with our Prayers 5. We sometimes desire that that will be hurtfull to others as it would have been to the Ninevites if Jonah had had that that he desired for then they had all been destroyed So James and John if they had had their desire what would have become of those non-entertainers of Christ Luke 9. and if we do so and desire the hurt of others may we not justly be afraid that God will be angry with our Prayers 6. They sometimes desire that that may be satisfaction to their own lusts as Jonah desired Ninevehs destruction rather then that they should be spared upon their repentance because his Credit lay at the stake having denounced the overthrow of it within forty dayes Here the lust of Pride was too predominant in the good Prophet Jonah 4.1 and can we wonder that God should be angry with such Prayers Pride stepping in to such a duty marres the duty and makes God angry Thus many will pray against such and such men wherein they vent their pride and passion and how can God be pleased with such Prayers they may well fear he will be angry with them If a man should be proud before a Prince when he comes to Petition to him would not the Prince be angry with such Petitions So here Vse 1. for Information 1. We see that there is no cause for us to glory in our prayers that we bring before the Lord for if we look seriously into them we may see cause to fear that God may justly be angry with them or if we our selves should not see such cause yet Gods pure eye cannot but see enough in the best Prayers we make for which he may be displeased with us There would be no standing if he should mark what we do amiss when we pray to him Ps 130.3 there will be some blot cleaving to the best service we present him the best fire will bring some smoke and soot and when our Prayers are most fervent with the fire of the Spirit they have some defilement like soot and smoke that comes from it 2. We see how humble we should be and how low we should lye before the Lord both before we pray and in prayer and after we have done the duty for we may well fear that
him God humbleth himself when he beholds the things that are done in Heaven when he looks at what the Angels and blessed Souls do for him in praising and yielding obedience to him but when he beholds what is done upon Earth by such as we are and accepts our prayers and grants us what we petition for Oh how low does he stoop and how does he humble himself that we may commune with him and he vouchsafes thus to commune with us and to be so familiar with us we may well say Who is a God like our God Psal 113.5 6. to be sure what ever our failings be and how short soever we fall of humbling our selves before him he exceedingly humbleth himself and condescends and comes very low to us 6. It is a gracious communing when we pray we utter gracious words grace is in our lips and grace bubbles from the fountain of our hearts as we sing with grace in our hearts Col. 3.16 so when we pray we pray with grace from our hearts and hence it is that these two are coupled together Zech. 12.10 a spirit of grace and of supplication The same spirit that is a spirit of supplication is a spirit of grace in us But when the Lord hears us and grants our requests and that way communes with us Oh how gracious is he to us Exod. 22.27 There are gracious communings between man and man sometimes so as that they are in heaven together upon earth but there are no such gracious communings as is between the Lord and us when we pray and he grants 7. It is a glorious communing Oh the divine lustre that is in our faces sometimes when we have been at Prayer Oh the glorious beauty that is then seen in our very countenances look as it was with Christ himself so it was with us it is said of him Luk. 9.29 as he prayed the fashion of his countenance was altered there was great glory seen upon it so it is with us sometimes when we pray there is a kind of heavenly glory sparkles in our faces and when he grants our requests and communâ—s that way with us Oh how glorious is he in his grace and mercy to us how gloriously does he dispense himself to us it is a glorious communing he glorifies himself and puts glory upon us thereby Q. 3. Why will God be so familiar with us and suffer us to be so familiar with him A. First From the Lord. 1. He is Love 1 Joh. 4.8 and they that are most loving will be most familiar with them that they love Now God being originally primarily eminently transcendently essentially everlastingly love to his believing ones hence it is that he is so familiar with them as to commune in so friendly a way with them Love is ever the efficient procreant and conserving cause of familiarity between man and man and Gods love is that that makes him so familiar as to commune with us 2. He is abundant in goodness Exod. 34.6 and the more a man abounds in goodness the more familiar he will be to those that are dear to him he will commune with them and make himself very familiar with them and so it is with the Lord his abundant goodness makes him have sweet familiarity so as to commune with us though we be sinful dust and ashes 3. He is such an one as humbleth himself in an unparallel'd way Psal 113.5 6. and humble ones are very familiar with those they delight in Proud persons scorn to be familiar with their inferiours but humble ones will come low this way they will take their inferiours by the hand and talk commune familiarly with them how much more will God do it who does so humble himself that none may be compared to him therein 4. He is a Father in Christ Jesus to us and therefore will be familiar with us Fathers are familiar with their children will speak familiarly and commune with them and grant their desires so will the Lord familiarly commune with us and grant us our desires that we ask of him 1 Joh. 5.14 15. there 's no father on earth that will be so familiar with his children as he will be with us though there be such an infinite distance between him and us 5. He is an Husband to us Isa 54.5 and there 's no greater familiarity in the world then is between husband wife how much more then between the Lord and us he will vouchsafe to commune with us in giving in all we desire of him Esthers hushand which was a great Monarch so sweetly familiarly conversed with her that shee might have any thing that shee desired of him Esth 5.3 and what then may not we expect from the Lord that doth more familiarly commune thus with us then any husband in the world that is most dear to his spouse 6. He is our friend Cant. 5.19 and therefore is so sweetly familiar with us A friend will be very familiar so will the Lord be and give us all we sue unto him for Friendship carries familiarity ever along with it A friend is as dear as a mans own soul and lies next the soul and will be familiar whoever is not such a friend is the Lord he will be familiar with us and though he will be reserved to others and carry himself as a stranger to them yet he will be very familiar with his own But in the second place Why will he suffer us to be so familiar with him Ans 1. We are those that are a people near to him Psal 148.14 and though sometimes we were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ Ephes 2.13 and will he not suffer us that are so nigh him to be familiar with him he will surely let us commune in a familiar and friendly way with him They that are near the King as they of the Council and Bed-chamber be they may speak familiarly to him and bring their Petitions before him so may we that are so nigh to the Lord. 2. We that are believers are they that finde favour in his eyes and to whom he holds out the golden scepter of his grace as that Kingd did to Esther Esth 5.2 and therefore may draw near and touch the top of the Scepter as she did and make our Petitions boldly and familiarly to him They that are in favour with a Prince may be familiar with him and He of his Princely grace will suffer them so to be how much more may we that are in favour with God who is infinitely above all the gracious Princes in the earth for grace and favour 3. We are they that he will admit to greatest and sweetest familiarity in another world that he will lay us in his everlasting arms and put us in his bosome no familiarity will be like that when we shall be ever with the Lord 1 Thess 4.17 and see his face and be transformed into his image 1 Joh. 3.2 Now God would give us a pledge
Gods Spirit print them in our hearts Gods words written with Ink will not profit except they be also written with the Spirit of the Living God They are the blessed ones that know and do Joh. 13.17 and they ever know most that practise most A good understanding have all they that do his Commandments Psal 111.10 As for Brain-knowledge it may puff a man up and so bring him down low to destruction it may raise him high that he may have the deeper fall into Hell it may swell him like a bladder and when the bladder breaks then like an unskilful Swimmer he drowns It addes more fuell to Hell fire and causeth him except he do his Lords will to be beaten with many stripes Luke 12.47 What good have the Devils by all their knowledge they know enough of the will of God but do not any thing of it and this heats the Furnace for them and time will come that many a wicked man will wish that he had never known so much because he hath done so little for it is but Oyl to the flame Brimstone to the fire to make them burn more fiercely One word more and I have done If this Discourse of a Subject of this nature may be available for the Salvation of many or of any I shall have cause to bless God for ever and shall with more comfort lay down my head and rest in the Grave as in a perfumed Bed through Christ who hath sweetned it by his Buriall till the Resurrection at the last day Thine in the Lord Jesus Samuel Whiting ABRAHAM's Humble Intercession for SODOM And the LORD 's gracious Concessions in Answer thereunto Containing sundry MEDITATIONS UPON GEN. XVIII from Ver. 23. to the end of the Chapter Ver. 23. And Abraham drew near and said Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked 24 Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the City wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein 25 That be far from thee to do after this manner to slay the righteous with the wicked and that the righteous should be as the wicked that be far from thee shall not the Judge of all the earth do right 26 And the LORD said If I finde in Sodom fifty righteous within the City then I will spare all the place for their sakes 27 And Abraham answered and said Behold now I have taken upon me to speak unto the LORD which am but dust and ashes 28 Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous wilt thou destroy all the City for lack of five And be said If I finde there fourty and five I will not destroy it 29 And he spake unto him yet again and said Peradventure there shall be fourty found there And he said I will not do it for fourties sake 30 And he said unto him Oh let not the Lord be angry and I will speak Peradventure there shall thirty be found there And he said I will not do it if I finde thirty there 31 And he said Bâ—hold now I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord Peradventure there shall be twenty found there And he said I will not destroy it for twenties sakes 32 And he said Oh let not the Lord be angry and I will speak yet but this once Peradventure ten shall be found there And he said I will not destroy it for tens sake 33 And the LORD went his way as soon as he had left communing with Abraham and Abraham returned unto his place Verse 23. And Abraham drew near and said Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked IN these words to the end of the Chapter we have 1. The Prayer of Abraham in behalf of Sodom and the rest of the Cities that God destroyed with Fire and Brimstone from Heaven 2. Gods Answer that he gave to the several Petitions he put up to him in their behalf 3. The Issue of all which is set forth in the last Verse of the Chapter In the first part we have 1. What Abraham did He drew near the Text sayes ver 23.2 What he said and therein we have these things considerable 1. His desire that these sinners might be spared if it were possible or at least the righteous among them might not be destroyed with the wicked ver 23 25. 2. The Arguments that he useth to prevail with God that the righteous and the wicked may not be alike 1. Taken from the strangeness of the act Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked as if he should say This would be strange Lord and thou wouldst go out of thy wonted way so to do The 2. is taken from the vehemency of his wish that such a thing may never be which he repeats twice That be far from thee That be far from thee The 3. is taken from his honour as being Judge of all the earth and therefore for his Name must needs do right Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right ver 25. 3. We have his wise insinuating himself into the Lord 1. By going from step to step and seeking to gain ground of the Lord going from fifty to five and forty and from five and forty to forty and from forty to thirty and from thirty to twenty and from twenty to ten 2. By humbling and abasing himself before the Lord ver 27. Behold now I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord which am but dust and ashes 3. By desiring the Lord not to be angry with him for being so bold with him ver 30. 4. By his undauntedness in his Suit ver 31. Behold I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord. 5. By his modest request at last in speaking but once more mixed with an holy fear of displeasing him ver 32. Oh let not my Lord be angry and I will speak but this once All this concerns the first part viz. Abraham's Prayer In the second part scil Gods Answer we have 1. The grace and favour of God towards him 1. In that he never denied him in any one of his Requests but granted all from fifty to ten So that if there had been but ten righteous in the place it had been spared 2. In that Abraham left off petitioning before the Lord left off granting wherein the exceeding greatness of his grace shewed it self The truth is we have done sooner in asking then God has in giving our desires are scant when his heart is large our requests are short when his hand is long we might have more could we ask more we spare to speak and therefore we lose much of what we might carry away with us from such a Bountiful Almner as God is In the last part we have 1. Gods leaving Abraham 2. Abraham's departing to his place 3. A Description of Prayer and Gods Answer He communes with us and we with Him Doct. I. THat Believers in praying to God draw near to him Heb. 7.19
at God but hid himself for ever if God had not sought him and found him out So it is with all Adams Sons they would shrowd themselves any where rather then come where God is Of all such men it is said They call not upon God Psal 14.4 it is from that which is supernatural that we draw near to him There is a Byass upon nature that carries us far from God till another Byass bends us strongly towards him 5. We see how precious Christ should be to us for he is that better hope whereby we draw near to God Heb. 7.19 there 's no coming to the Father but by him Joh. 14.6 but through him we have access by one Spirit unto the Father Eph. 3.18 and who then should be precious to us if not he 1 Pet. 2.7 He is the great Favourite of Heaven that brings us all into favour and brings us near God if ever we get near to him Favourites of Princes bring others into their Presence so does he bring us into the Presence of God and makes us and all our Prayers acceptable Eph. 1.6 1 Pet. 2.15 Oh what a price should we set upon him He should be the chiefest of ten thousand above all other beloveds Cant. 5.10 the Pearl of great price that we should sell all for Mat. 13.45 46. we should have none in heaven but him and none in the earth that we desire in comparison of him Ps 73.25 He is the richest Jewel in the world the fairest Flower in Gods garden the Tree of Life in the midst of the Paradise of God the Sun the bright and Morning Star the Day-spring from on high the Treasure of Heaven In a word He it is by whom we draw near to God and bring our suits before him to finde acceptance with him 6. We see what a precious grace Faith is 2 Pet. 1.1 not onely because we lay hold upon procious Christ by it for righteousness and life but because we draw near to God by it when we pray to him and therefore it is that faith is that that makes our prayers for us next to the Spirit which is the principal Efficient of them Rom. 8.26 The prayer of faith Jam. 5.15 and indeed that prayer is no prayer that hath not faith in it though never so well beset with compleat and neat flowers of goodly expressions these do not take with God it 's faith that carries all along sweetly in the duty that 's the sinews and strength the heart and life the cream and flower the choyce and best the marrow and fatness of the duty Oh how precious should we account of it then and especially because we draw near to God in prayer by it Vse 2. for Terrour to Unbelievers They cannot draw near to God nor make any prayer to him to finde acceptance with him they may be near him with their lips but their hearts will be far from him they may compass him about but it will be with lies and deceit as God complains of old Hos 11.12 for it is by faith that we draw near to God Abraham drew near to pray and they that would do so must be heirs of his faith and walk in the steps of that faith that he put forth which is the father of us all Thou canst as well climb up to the Moon as go to God and make a prayer to him so as to be accepted without Christ without faith without Christ thou wantest the ladder and without faith thou wantest a foot to come to God by him No Unbeliever can make a prayer so as to be accepted Vse 3. for Humiliation that our prayers are so destitute of faith or at least we are of little faith as Christ speaks When the Sails of a Ship are full she goes on swiftly and if our Prayers were filled with faith how swiftly and sweetly would they bring in Rich Returns to us but a scant wind spoils the blessed market that we might make A little faith and a large prayer does not bring in that we look for it hinders our drawing near to God Vse 4 for Exhortation 1. To be thankfull to God that gives us admittance into his Presence and leave to draw near to him We would shew our selves thankefull for being admitted into an earthly Kings Presence and that we might have any near approach to him to put up any Petitions of concernment to him Oh how thankfull should we then be that the great God will vouchsafe to give us leave to come before him to put up as many Petitions as we will to him especially considering what we are and what we have been to him when time was Tit. 3.3 considering also what great things they are that we come to make suit for Pardon of sin Peace of Conscience Assurance of his love Heaven and Happiness which no Kings on earth can give we can never be thankfull enough to him for this Heaven and Earth should be full of our praises for this great favour 2. To love the Lord Jesus by whom we thus draw near to God Heb. 7.19 Eph. 2.18 We would for ever love that Favourite that brought us into the Kings Presence and presented our Petitions to him and got some great thing sealed and confirmed to us Oh what love then should Christ have from us that admits us into the Presence of God and presents our requests and mediates for us and sees all done that we desire of him Joh. 14.13 14. We can never love him enough As the Prophet said of Gods Infiniteness Isa 40.16 Lebanon is not sufficient to burn nor all the beasts for a burnt-offering so we may say All the fragrant spices and sacrifices of our dearest hearts love are too little are not sufficient for him that brings us so near the blessed God And though we cannot come off with so much love as he deserves for this yet let us do what we can and give him our hearts Prov. 23.26 And as it is with those that love either men or women they love the very ground they tread upon so let it be with us let us love the ground he treads upon those places that he comes most to Psal 26.8 Lord I have loved the habitation of thy house saith David and the place where thine honour dwelleth so should we 3. To honour Believers that are so honoured of God as that they may draw near to him They that are frequently in the Presence-Chamber of Kings on earth as Favourites be are highly honoured among men Oh what honour then should we put upon Believers that draw near to the blessed God They are indeed the honourable ones and the excellent of the earth which we should set our delight upon Psa 16.2 3. They are they that the King of Heaven delighteth to honour and when an earthly King honoureth any all his Servants will honour such so should we honour those that God honours by admitting them to draw near to him We should think honourably of them speak
went on in a way of obstinacy and hardned his heart against all Gods Words and Rods and it was his ruine Obstinacy is alwayes a forerunner of destruction A callous brawny heart speeds a man to perdition it lets in like an hole in a Bank a sea of Misery and drowns all before it Thus much for the quality of the sins that bring destruction let me now shew the kind of them Secondly When sins for the kinde of them are like Sodoms sins And what were they Ans 1. Pride Ezek. 16.49 in Apparel in looks in gate in carriage and behaviour in gesture in building and any other way expressed this is a sin that brings destruction with it Prov. 16.18 18.12 Before destruction the heart of man is haughty the highest Towers come soonest down the highest Mountains are soonest shaken and so it is with the highest Spirits Isa 2 12-17 3 16-24 2. Excess in eating and drinking Ezek. 16.49 expressed in the phrase of Fulness of bread Our Saviour expresseth this sin of theirs Luk. 17.28 They did eat they drank that is to excess they were taken up with these things delighting in satisfying their sensual appetites and pleasing their palates and filling their bellies this was their trade that they were busied about and this fulness of theirs fitted them for destructeon and fatted them for the slaughter A belly full of meat and an head full of drink as it fills the heart full of sorrow so it brings destruction with it Phil. 3.19 Their end is destruction whose god is their belly 3. Fornication Jude ver 7. They gave themselves over to fornication which comprehends in it Adultery also Filthiness in both kindes and this was a fruit of their fulness of bread They that are full of meat and drink will be full of lust A full barrel will have a vent and a full belly will have a vent to filthy concupiscence and uncleanness A full Chest is soonest rifled and a full House soonest robbed and spoiled so when men are full of Creature-comforts they are soonest made a prey of by vile lusts that drown them in perdition and destruction 4. Vnnatural Vncleanness Strange flesh as it is called Jude ver 7. when men with men commit filthiness and women with women as the Apostle expresseth it Rom. 1.26 27. and this makes men ripe for ruine Strange lusts bring strange punishment strange fire kindled upon earth brings strange fire from heaven Fire naturally ascends but the fire that destroyed the Sodomites descended Gen. 19.24 the sin was strange and the destruction strange God proportions the punishment to the sin payes men in their own coin they have fire for fire and not onely so but strange fire for strange fiery lusts 5. Abundance of Idleness Ezek. 16.49 that addes fewel to the fire of lust Idleness is ever the incendiary of filthiness and where there is abundance of it there must needs be a great fire of it kindled which will burn to destruction it is as coals to burning coals and as wood to the fire that kindle the wilde-fire of lust that burns to hell fire it is like oyl to the flame of uncleanness which feeds it till it bring men to destruction Quaeritur Aegistus quare sit luxuriosus in promptu causa est desidiosus erat that man that is idle will be luxurious it breeds and feeds the fire of all filphy lusts which are a fire that burneth to destruction 6. Neglect of the poor and needy Ezek. 16.49 this is a destroying sin for which God took the Sodomites away as he saw good They that made so much of themselves and did so indulge their own sensual desires they minded not at all the poor amongst them but were hard-hearted and cruel to them and this is a sin that brings ruine with it 7. Conversing in and about worldly matters Luke 17.28 They bought they sold they planted they builded these were the things they were wholly imployed in and taken up with They minded earthly things and nothing else and their end is destruction that minde earthly things Phil. 3.19 These were the great things in their eye and heart and that brought ruine upon them and will destroy all those that set their mindes and hearts upon them Earth is the heaviest of the Elements and earthly-mindedness that that brings heavy destruction with it Quest 2. How will God destroy the wicked Ans 1. Speedily Psal 37.2 They shall soon be cut down as the grass They shall not live out half their dayes some of them Psal 55.23 God will make speedy dispatch with them Some die in youth whose life hath been among the unclean Job 36.13 14. There 's a flying Roll the Curse that comes speedily and is upon the wing and hastes the destruction of wicked men Zech. 5.1 2. As birds fly swiftly so they bring swift destruction upon themselves 2 Pet. 2.1 2. Suddenly and unexpectedly 1 Thess 5.2 When they shall say Peace and safety then sudden destruction comes See Prov. 29.1 24.21 22. How suddenly was the Host of the Assyrians cut off 2 Kin. 19.35 How suddenly was Sennacherib himself destroyed 2 Kin. 19.37 How suddenly was Haman destroyed when he least expected it his destruction came upon him on a sudden a storm ariseth on a sudden a Thunder-shower falls so here Bad News is brought suddenly when men think not of it so is destruction to the workers of iniquity 3. Dreadfully How dreadfully were the Sodomites destroyed Gen. 19.24 25. Jude ver 7. and they now suffer the vengeance of eternal fire How dreadfully was the old World The world of the ungodly destroyed by the universal Deluge Gen. 7.22 23. Sometimes there falls such a dreadful Rain as if Heaven and Earth would come together sometimes there breaks out such fearful flashes of Lightning and such dreadfull Thunder-claps are heard as are amazing to us So is the destruction of the wicked the storm falls dreadfully as well as suddenly upon them 4. Ignominiously So Haman was ignominiously destroyed and his ten Sons they were all hanged Esth 7.10 9.14 So Achitophel 2 Sam. 17.23 he hanged himself so Judas hanged himself burst in sunder and all his bowels gushed out Mat. 27.5 Acts 1.18 So Herod was eaten up of worms Acts 12.23 Thus Arrius that wicked Heretick that obstinately denied the Deity of the Son of God and far more himself died an ignominious death voiding out his bowels with his excrements See also 2 Chron. 21.18 19. 5. Everlastingly 2 Thess 1.9 Who shall be destroyed with everlasting destruction and that 's a pitiful destruction if it were but a temporal destruction it were the less matter but to be destroyed for ever who is able to bear that Jude ver 7. that 's the worst thing that can befall them that must undergo that destruction See Obad. ver 10. To have the life taken away is afflictive for a man will give all he hath for that Job 2.4 but what is this to
7. To be unwearied in suffering Heb. 12.9 2 Tim. 4.5 8. To be unwearied in striving against sins Heb. 12.4 Verse 30. And he said unto him O let not the Lord be angry and I will speak c. Doct. XIX THat believing Suppliants are afraid that God may be angry at their prayers and desire earnestly of him that he would not be angry with them when they pray unto him The Text is full for it so is that in Judg. 6.39 Gideon prayes Let not thine anger be hot against me c. Let me open the first Branch first That believing Suppliants are afraid that God may be angry at their prayers And for opening of it let me shew 1. How it does appear that they are afraid that God may be angry with their Prayers 2. Why they are afraid of this 3. The Vses Quest 1. How does it appear that they are afraid of God being angry with their prayers Ans 1. In regard of themselves 2. In regard of their Prayers First In regard of themselves 1. In that they think they may be too bold with him and press too much upon him so did Abraham here and so did Gideon in the place before-mentioned They that Petition to Princes are sometimes so bold that they think they may be over-bold with them and so incurre their displeasure so it is with them that petition to the Lord. 2. They are vile and God a glorious One and therefore that they should come so often into his presence and follow him so with suit upon suit they may well fear that such a glorious One may be angry at such vile ones as they are So Abraham so Job looked at themselves and so every believing humble suppliant does and ought to think 3. In that they would keep that due distance that is between God and them and therefore they are afraid that he may be angry that that distance hath not been observed The truth is though Princes and Subjects have this kept yet we are not so careful to observe it when we draw near to the Lord. Little do we think who God is that we have to do with and who we are that come before him now Believers are sensible of this and so are afraid that God may be angry with their Prayers 4. In that they desire pardon for their prayers Dan. 9.19 and therefore are afraid he may be angry with their Prayers 5. In that they confess the sins of their prayers Psal 130.3 If thou Lord shouldst mark iniquities O Lord who shall stand if in our best duties God should mark our failings and sins there would be no standing before him he might well be angry with them See Ezra 9.15 6. In that they finde it so and expostulate with God about it Psal 80.4 God can be angry and long angry at the prayers of his people and what he is to some of them he may be to any of them and the best believers may be afraid of it Secondly In regard of their Prayers 1. They are defiled and need washing in Christs Blood and being so defiled they may well be afraid that God may be angry with them Isa 64.6 The righteousness of our best performances as well as of our persons is filthy Rags no menstruous Clout is more defiled then our Prayers are as they come from us 2. They are full of wandrings our hearts are unfixed in the duty of Prayer There are many roving thoughts that we are hurried and carried about with that marre the duty if God pass them not by and we may well fear that God may be angry for them David had a fixed heart Psal 57.7 but ours too often gad abroad What is said of the Adulteress may be said of our adulterous hearts now it is said of her Prov. 7.11 12. Her feet abide not in her house now she is without now in the strects and lieth in wait at every conner So it is true of us when we come before the Lord in Prayer our false hearts abide not close to the duty but now they are without now in the streets and lye in wait to deceive us at every corner of the world thinking of this and that and the other vain things yea hundreds of these flies if we watch not in Prayer will be buzzing about us and carry us away from God and the duty from one England to another and into all the corners of the world and this may well make us afraid that God will be angry at our Prayers 3. They are not serious Prayers nor we serious and upright in them the duty it self is a serious duty and God is serious with us in commanding it but we are apt to trifle with him in it and rather to sport and play with the duty and to word it with God then to express any seriousness at all in it the heart is gone far from God when the lips are near him Mat. 15.8 these are hypocritical Prayers and they that offer them up Hypocrites ver 7. Now Believers Prayers have a tang of hypocrisie in them sometimes and therefore they may fear that God may be angry with them 4. They are not so earnest and fervent Prayers as God calls for they are not so heated with the fire of the Spirit as God expects Jude ver 20. Jam. 5.16 though this cannot be said of Abraham yet of many that go for Believers it may that are dull and heavy and sleepy in Prayer as the Disciples of Christ sometimes were Mat. 26.39 40. now may they well then fear that such Prayers God may be angry with A Prince would be angry with a cold Suit so God with cold Prayers 5. They are angry Prayers passionate Prayers have too much wilde-fire in them So had Jonah when he prayed he rather vented his passion then prayed Jonah 4.1 2 3. and threw out words in his heat against the Lord. So Elijah cannot be excused from too much heat and therefore James calls him a passionate man Jam. 5.17 So James and John had too much heat of spirit Luke 9.54 and so others have had now such fire of our own kindling God no way approves of and therefore the Saints may well fear that he may be angry with such angry Prayers Would not a King be angry if a Petitioner should be passionate with him that sues unto him So here 6. They are sometimes unconstant Prayers they are but now and then performed God hears of us but seldome or it may be when we are in affliction Isa 26.16 Hos 5.15 and may we not then fear that God will be angry with such Prayers Will not a father be angry when his children come seldome into his sight to ask what they stand in need of so will God and therefore we may well fear that he will be displeased with such Prayers Quest 2. Why are Believers afraid that God may be angry with their Prayers Ans 1. From God 2. From our selves that pray First From God 1. He sees
desires both by his Commandment and Promise Psal 81.10 and what should then hinder 4. They are Princes with God Gen. 32.28 and being such they may well speak largely and ask all they can of him 5. They go to one that is both full and free Gen. 17.1 Jam. 1.5 and therefore they may well enlarge their desires all that may be 6. They are his choice portion Deut. 32.9 his garden enclosed Cant. 4.12 that he drops abundantly his blessings upon The rest of the world may be parched and dry as a wilderness but they drink of the dew of heaven and therefore may gape wide and enlarge their desires for those they make their supplication for Thirdly From their Prayers 1. They are heard for much as well as for little 1 Jo. 5.14 15. 2. They are most accepted when the suiters ask most and when they speak as far as they can as Abraham here 3. They have prevailed with men and God is infinitely above men in giving liberally We reade of half a Kingdome that they have come off with Esth 5.3 Mark 6.23 but what 's that to what God gives Himself his Christ his Spirit his Heavenly Kingdome 4. They are none of them lost such Prayers are not turned away Psal 66.20 5. They are the Souls Ambassadors and they effect what they are sent about and negotiate great things for us 6. They sometimes prevail before they are put up and while we are speaking Isa 65.24 Dan. 9 20-23 All which considered what wonder is it that they speak as far as ever they can in behalf of those that they make supplication for Vse 1. for Information 1. We see the tender affection that is in believing suppliants to those they sue for they will go as far as ever they can in their desires for them 2. We see that Believers are onely they that can be bold with God 3. We see that faith and love are sweet concomitants and ever go together Gal. 5.6 4. We see what we are to do if we would make it out that we are true Blievers we must do as Abraham here did 5. We see what longings we should have for Heaven where Love will be in its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and perfection 6. We see how far our desires should be enlarged for the distresses of our dear Country-men abroad 7. We see that in all our Prayers we are to go as far as we can with the Lord and put him to it in improving his mercy to the utmost We sue to a gracious God 8. We see what boldness we ought to use in suing to men in behalf of those that we petition for we may put them to it and ask freely of them for they are to be followers of God as dear children 9. We see what a precious grace Faith is that makes us so humbly bold with the Lord 2 Pet. 1.1 10. We see that surely Christ speaks much more for us the Merit of his blood Heb. 12.24 and his Intercession speak aloud for us Vse 2. for Terrour to Unbelievers they can speak nothing for themselves nor for others Vse 3. for Humiliation that we are so scant in our desires for others Vse 4. for Exhortation 1. To honour God with whom Believers may be so bold 2. To honour Believers 3. To imitate their faith and love 4. To love the Lord Jesus that speaks good for us Verse 32. And he said Oh let not the Lord be angry and I will speak yet but this once c. Doct. XXVII THat the Lord is ready to hearken to the utmost of the desires of his believing Suppliants Abraham besought the Lord that if there were but ten Righteous in Sodom that he would not destroy it and the Lord heard his desire to the utmost and gave it in to him and sayes I will not destroy it for tens sake Reasons 1. From the Lord. 2. From the Believers 3. From their Prayers First From the Lord. 1. He is never weary of doing his people good though they follow him therefore with suit upon suit and go as far as they can in their desires yet they cannot weary him and therefore have the utmost of their desires given in to them We may weary men Prov. 25.17 but not him Isa 40.28 We sometimes are weary of him Isa 43.22 but he is not weary of hearkning to us 2. He can come up to the utmost of our desires He is an Almighty One Job 42.2 and therefore can give all that we desire of him 3. He hath put it into the hearts of some men to give to the utmost of what their Petitioners sue for as Solomon did to the Queen of Sheba 1 Kin. 10.13 and will not he then grant the requests of his Suiters to the utmost of what they desire of him He is more Royal in giving then all the Royal Kings in the world put all together 4. He hath commanded us to be liberal to our servants Deut. 15.13 14. and will not he then come off liberally to them that serve him and pray unto him surely he will come off to them to the utmost of their desires that they put up to him 5. He fills every living thing and satisfies their desires Psal 145.16 and will he not then give in to Believers the utmost of their desires and satisfie them He will surely do it 6. He saves to the utmost Hebr. 7.25 and therefore grants to the utmost what his believing Suppliants sue unto him for Secondly From the Believers themselves 1. According to their faith they do receive mercy at the Lords hand Mat. 8.13 9.29 Now their utmost desires being put up in faith according to that faith those desires are given in to them to the utmost 2. They please him by their faith Heb. 11.5 and if so then surely he cannot but give them in their desires to the utmost that they bring before him What may not such have as please a Prince much more they that please God 3. They are they that are highly commended even by God himself How famously is Abraham spoken of and renowned for his faith Rom. 4. Gal. 3. and Heb. 11. and the Centurion Luke 7.9 and how should it be otherwise then but that the Lord should give them in their desires to the utmost 4. They are men after his own heart as is said of David that prime Believer Acts 13.22 and what may not such have 5. They are they that are familiar with him and keep up acquaintance with him Gen. 5.22 and he will give them the utmost of their desires 6. They are they that have power with God Hos 12.3 4. and therefore shall have to the utmost of their desires granted to them Thirdly From their Prayers 1. They are argumentative prayers and they prevail to the utmost so were Abrahams here 2. They are holy prayers lift up with holy hands and an holy heart 1 Tim. 2.8 Psal 86.2 so were Abrahams here 3. They are prayers from a broken heart Hos
him in a state of glory in another World that will be a delightful communing indeed If God take pleasure in our Prayers here O what pleasure will he have in our praises there here what we do in this duty is imperfect service and hath many blemishes and spots cleaving to it but there all imperfections shall be done away and our praises and obedience shall be in its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and perfection and what sweet communings we shall have with our God we as yet cannot tell for 1 Joh. 3.2 Yet it doth not appear what we shall be our familiarity with God will then be at the highest when we shall be put in his bosom and lie near his heart and be clasped in his everlasting arms to all eternity Then then our familiarity will be increased with him and his with us friends by being long together here finde their friendship and familiarity to grow husband and wife that have been in that relation many years how is their sweet familiarity angmented and raised up to the highest pitch the like I might say of other friends Oh but how exceeding great then will the familiarity of the blessed God be to us and ours to him when he and we shall be together to all eternity death parts the dearest relations here and puts an end to their sweetest communings together and breaks off their sweetest discourse and familiarity that they have had one with another but that familiarity that will be between God and us in a state of glory will never be broken off but after millions and myriads of years be gone will hold out and continue for ever and ever Happy they that come to this thrice happy they that come to the enjoyment of it There are some dear ones that live long together as it is said of Aquila and Priscilla that they lived very long together and some in the old World among the Patriarks some of which lived almost a thousand years and these must needs have familiarity long together but this is nothing to what the Saints shall enjoy in glory for there will be no end nor period put to that but it shall be everlasting Our familiarity in the length of it here is not so much as a drop to the Ocean of Eternity Vse 2. for Terrour to all those that are Vnbelievers they have no familiarity with God nor he with them they commune not with him in praying to him nor he with them in granting their desires to them They have familiarity with their lusts and with the world and the things of the world and with Satan the god of the world and with the lewd companions of the world these they commune with but have no communing with God Their company that they shall have another day will be sad company Devils and Damned ones will be their companions and what communings they will have in Hell together if they repent not they had need consider of Vse 3. for Humiliation to the Saints that have too little familiarity with the Lord and do not so often commune with him as they ought and might Many a fair opportunity they have to meet with God and he with them and to have sweetest colloquies and communings together but other things step in and take up such mens time that they should have with God and their thoughts are busied too much about the matters of this life and so though they do not wholly lose their acquaintance with him yet they have not so much familiarity with him as they might have from day to day their communings are neither so frequent nor so sweet as they might be did they not minde other things too much Let it shame all such for there 's no familiarity like his when men have tried it they shall finde that one dayes familiarity with God will be better then a thousand with either the men or the things of the World Vse 4. for Exhortation 1. To be much in communing with God here and in holding up familiarity with him that he may be familiar with us and commune with us in his grants as we do with him in our suits We can never finde such a friend to open our hearts to to unbosome our Souls to to tell our wants and ailes to to make known our pressures afflictions calamities perplexities of spirit discouragements and temptations to as he is there 's no friend on earth that will so pity us relieve us succour and sustain us commiserate and sympathize with us be afflicted in all our afflictions as he will Good therefore it is for us to pour out our hearts before him to shew him all our troubles to discover all our wants weaknesses to confess all our infirmities deformities out-strayings and out-lyings from him and to tell him of all that does pinch us and press us and lye hard upon us and to intreat him to bring in relief to us in his own time Such communings we should have with God and such familiarity with him would make our worst condition happy to us It 's said of the Emperour Charles the Fifth That he spake more to God then to men 2. To long after those sweet communings that we shall have in heaven and that familiar converse that we shall have with him in another world We have through grace a little of his company here and he communes familiarly with us and we with him some smiles of his face and intimations of his favour some tokens of his friendship some sweet imbraces some peepings into the Holy of Holies some fruits of the delights of Paradise he gives us by our acquaintance with him and his with us some tastes of heavens sweets we have in our holy communings together now but when we come in glory then our familiarity will be in the altitude and sublimity of it we shall lye continually between his breasts we shall have his heart open to us and all his bosome-love and bosome-secrets revealed to us we shall be brought into the Kings pallace sit at his Table be taken into the bed of love enjoy marriage-fellowship partake in everlasting communion with the blessed God and have our fill of his presence and favour and be as familiar as one dear friend is with another What longings and breathings then should we have after this blessed estate and how long should we think it to be before the day of God come how should we say as Sisera's Mother Why is his charret so long in coming why tarry the wheels of his charret we should earnestly long after that day wherein so much familiarity is to be had with him We desire acquaintance with some that we take to be our friends and say to this and that man Sir I desire further acquaintance with you and we would be more familiar with such Oh what desires should we then have after further acquaintance and familiarity with the blessed God in a blessed state of glory we can never breathe enough in
our desires after this If David did so pant in his desires after the presence of God in his House here Psal 42.1 2. Oh what panting desires should we have after the presence of God and for those familiar communings and conversings with him in an happy state of glory 3. To be thankeful to him and render everlasting praises to him that will vouchsafe to commune with us and suffer us to commune with him Who are we that there should be such familiarity between the blessed God and such worthless worms as we that are unworthy to be looked upon to be trod upon by him Low men are afraid to come where those that are above them be and fear to speak to them but though the distance be infinite between God and us yet he is pleased to give us leave familiarly to commune with him and to let us speak in his ears all that we have to desire of him Let our hearts and mouthes be filled with his praise for this As Joab 2 Sam. 14.22 thanked the King for granting his request which he had intreated for in the woman of Tekoah's parabolical communing with him so much more are we to be thankful to God who familiarly communes with us in granting and gives us leave to be familiar with him in praying there 's no praise on our part is sufficient for him Solomon made it a wonder that God should dwell with men 2 Chron. 6.18 But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth what he said of dwelling let me say of speaking and communing Will God in very deed commune with men on the earth it is to admiration that it should be so it is a wonder of his grace that it is so and therefore heart and soul and all that is within us should bless his holy Name for it 4. To take all opportunities to go to God in this duty of Prayer sweetly and familiarly to commune with him Many a golden season he puts into our hands but we want hearts to come before him Oh Brethren we should be often in the duty beleaguer the Throne of Grace take it out in communing with God be frequent at it and unwearied in it it is our priviledge that we may have leave to come and we should count it our duty to come as often as any opportunity is offered to us Is there any thing that we have to do in the world so necessary as to speak to God Is there any thing so delightful as to commune with him one hours communing with him is better then all the best company in the world it is the best hour that ever we spent in our lives if we be serious with him in it and therefore no time is to be neglected but every season redeemed for such a work 1 Thess 5.17 Rom. 12.12 5. To commune with our own hearts before we come to commune with him and to muse much what hearts we bring before him and what neglects have been of preparing them before we have come before him and how often we have in former times carried our selves otherwise then becomes such an holy and glorious Majesty as as we have talked with how our hearts have been gone when we have spoken to him with our lips and have gadded after other things that have made the duty unprofitable to us and unserviceable to him These and the like things we are to commune with our own hearts about what we have been formerly before we commune with God and he with us in the duty of Prayer 6. To behave our selves in the duty as making account that we are to speak with God and to bebehave our selves accordingly Q. How Ans 1. Humbly Humility becomes us when we speak to those that are greater then we much more when we are to speak to and commune with the great God Psal 10.17 2. Reverentially Reverence is behoovefull when we speak to a Prince much more when we come to speak with God Heb. 12.28 3. Wisely they had need be wise and weigh their words that speak in the hearing of some men Oh what wisdome then is meet to speak in the ears of the high God Eccles 5.2 we are to weigh our words as we do gold there should not be a grain wanting 4. Spiritually all carnal cogitations affections dispositions should be then laid aside when we are to commune with God who is a Spirit and will be worshipped in spirit and truth Joh. 4.24 5. Seriously the duty is serious and as in other serious businesses we are not to trifle much less in this Vses for Consolation 1. Privitively 2. Positively First Privitively 1. To those that are deprived of all company with others and cannot have leave or liberty to speak or commune with any that might be a comfort to them here 's this comfort for them That though they cannot commune with men yet then they may speak to and commune with the Lord himself and he with them Some sick persons may be left alone and none may come at them to minister any comfort to their souls or to speak a word in season to them but then they may have liberty to speak to the Lord and to commune with him and he will speak to them and there 's no communing with the best of men like this that is with the Lord. Prisoners that are shut up close that may not have any admitted to come and speak to them but are left alone and none permitted to speak through the grates to them yet these may speak to God and he can come into the Prison to them and sweetly commune with them and be in stead of and better then all the best company to them as he was to Paul and Silas in the dungeon Acts 16. Some are shut up in their spirits as Heman was Psal 88.8 and cannot get forth but the Lord can give them so much liberty as to speak and commune in prayer with him as he did and God himself communes with them as he did with him Some are left so alone as that all forsake them as they did Paul 2 Tim. 1.15 4.16 but then God is not gone when all are gone ver 17. Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me and strengthned me In such a case when Christians are left of all and not a man is to be found to speak one word to chear up our hearts yet God is left and he will sweetly commune with us and strengthen us to do and suffer what he calls us to As Christ sayes to his disciples You shall all be scattered and leave me yet I am not alone because the Father is with me Joh. 16.32 So it is with us when all are scattered from us and we left alone yet we are not alone but the Lord is with us we cannot have a word from men but we may speak many to the Lord. As it is said of that Emperour Charles the Fifth That he spake more words to God then he did to