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
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.
meat with Publicans and sinners they said He was a friend of Publicans and sinners Do not entertain hard thoughts of Christ not of the wayes of Christ for that Indeed if religion were any cloak for sin if it did countenance and incourage men in sin it were something but it is that which makes of a sinner a Saint Conversion though it finde us vile and bad it doth not leave us so 2 Take heed you do not suck this poison from it that when you hear the worse men are before conversion the better they will be after conversion Some it may be will draw this inference from it That it is the best to be as vile and wicked as one can for so one shall be most zealous afterward Take heed of that For 1 It is a great question whether God will convert thee or not and if thou be not converted all thy sins will be so many cords to tie thee in hell the aggravations of thy sin will be additions to thy torment and punishment 2 The deeper thou art in sin the greater must thy humiliation be Will any wise man break his leg because a broken bone well set and knit again will be stronger then ever it was before Knotty timber shall have most blowes 3 The longer thou continuest in sin the longer will God keep thee under suspension and it will be long before he vouchsafeth the comforts of his Spirit he will fill thee with indignation and horrour Though great sins cannot vast are gratiam lay waste the grace of God yet they may vast are conscientiam lay waste the peace of conscience though it may be they will not put thee into a state of ejection yet they will bring thee into a state of dejection if thou art not cast off yet thou shalt he cast down and therefore take heed thou doest not abuse this precious doctrine And so much for this last use And so I have done with both Doctrines and finished the Text And from the dayes of John the Baptist untill now the Kingdom of heaven suffereth violence and the violent take it by force FINIS The Zealous CHRISTIAN Holding Communion with God in wrastling and importunate Prayer LUKE 11. 8. I say unto you though he will not rise and give him because he is his friend yet because of his importunity he will give unto him as many as he needeth MY Text is the conclusion of a familiar Parable used by Christ whereby he instructs his Disciples touching the Doctrine and use of prayer The occasion offered to Christ-to fall upon this Subject is intimated ver 1. of this chapter One of his Disciples said unto him Lord teach us to pray as John also tought his disciples Whether it was a one of the twelve Apostles or one of the seventy Disciples that propounded the question is not easie to determine nor is it materiall to know Hereupon Christ gives them a plâ—â— for me or directions for prayer to direct them about the matter and withall gives them a parable to informe concerning the manner of praying For the matter of it you have it in these words when you pray say Our father c. Not as though it were a command from Jesus Christ that alwayes when we pray we should use that forme of speech which is here set down Jesus Christ indeed intended it for a platforme or a patterne to direct us in the making of our prayers for there is nothing we stand in need of and goe to God for but it is to be found in these words but he never intended to tye up his people to this forme And that I will prove by some reasons Reas 1 1. Because though Luke here saith when you pray Say Our c. yet Matthew varies in his expression and saith when you pray say after this manner Mat. 6. 9. to reach us that we are to stick to the matter contained in this prayer but we are not confined every time we pray to use the same expressions By Luke we learne that the using of this forme of words is lawfull by Matthew that it is not necessary Reas 2 2. A second reason is this Because in the recitall of the Lords prayer by Matthew and Luke there is much difference and though the difference be not materiall yet it is verball which is enough to prove what I intend to wit that we are not bound to the words In the third Petition it is thus in Matthew Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven In Luke it is thus thy will be done as in heaven so in earth In the fourth Petition it is said in Matthew Give us this day our daily bread In Luke it is said Give us daily day by day our daily bread In the fifth Petition it is said in Matthew and forgive us our debts In Luke it is said for we forgive every one that is indebted to us Lastly it is said in Matthew For thine is the Kingdome the power and the glory for ever Amen But these words are wholly left out in Luke Which variance teacheth us thus much that you must not recede from the matter or purport of the words yet we are not to be superstitious and sollicitous about the expressions as Chemnitius observes Reas 3 3. Another reason to prove that we are not limited to that forme is this Because Jesus Christ himselfe and all his Apostles did never use this forme in all their prayers And if there had been a necessity that we should have used it Christ would as he might easily have left a command behinde him in the word and also he would have practised it himselfe that it might have been our example This reason Chemnitius gives There are many prayers in Davids Psalmes many in the Prophets many in the Acts of the Apostles many in the Epistles of Paul which are different in expression from this forme and yet doubtlesse received acceptance from God 4. Reas Another argument is this Because it is the worke and office of the Spirit of God not onely to help the people of God in the manner how but also in the matter what to pray to put even words into our mouthes Rom. 8. 76. We know not what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit helpes our infirmities And upon these grounds it appeares that we are not bound to use that forme of words Ministers doe sometimes use this forme of prayer to justifie the lawfulnesse of it and sometimes they doe not use it lest people should dote too much upon set formes And so much for the matter of prayer I come now to the manner and that is expressed in this Parable which Parable is laid down in the 5 6 7 8. verses And be said unto them which of you shall have a friend and shall goe unto him at midnight and say unto him Friend lend me three loaves For a friend of mine in his journey is come to
and that is in these cases Answ 1 1. This is a mercy in case any of his people ask any thing that is sinful in it self God denies that to his people in mercy which he gives to others in wrath God will not alwaies give to his people what they pray for but what is best for them If God should give his people all they ask they would be undone It is mercy to deny a mad man a sword for he would cut his own throat with it To deny a child a knife for he would cut his fingers with it You have an instance in Peter Luke 5. 8. When Simon Peter saw him he fell down at Jesus his knees saying Depart from me for I am a sinful man O Lord. Had Jesus Christ granted Peter his request he had been undone for ever Therefore he would not depart from him So that this denial was in mercy As on the other side it is a demonstration of Gods wrath many times when God doth grant mercies to wicked men So it was to Pharaoh he desired that God would remove the plagues from him God granted it thereby to harden Pharoahs heart and make him ripe for destruction 2. God denies in mercy if that we ask would be an occasion of sinne Suppose a man beg wealth God sees the having of wealth would make him a proud man Now the denial of that is a mercy to him As in the forementioned instance God would not let Isaac go down to Aegypt because it would have been an occasion of sin to him As he said very well God denies that in love which he grants in anger God doth not hear many in their desires that he may hear them for their good 3. God denies a prayer in mercy when he gives a better in lieu of it It was the desire of Moses that he might goe into the land of Canaan but it was better to him to goe to the heavenly Canaan and therefore God translated him thither So the Apostles desired Christ to tell them when he would restore the Kingdome to Israel He would not resolve them that yet he gave them a greater mercy for he gave them the holy Ghost So David desired the life of that childe that was illegitimate but God tooke away the bastard which would have been a living monument of Davids folly and gave him a Solomon God will either give us what we aske saith Bernard or what he knowes to be better for us 4. God may deny to returne this request in mercy to quicken our he'res and affections in prayer and to make us more eager in the pursuit after mercy God many times denies that mercy which thou beggest not as though he would not heare thee but to see how thy heart will be drawn out towards him in prayer to make thee more vehement and importunate in thy desires Thus God was angry with the prayers of his people Psal 80. 4. that they might be more fervent God doth not delay to heare our prayers saith Anselme because he hath no minde to give but that our desires may be kindled and so he may take occasion to give more plentifully 5. God may deny a thing in mercy if thou didst too eagerly desire the mercy and too affectionately set thine heart upon it if thou lovest it too much in the expetition thou wilt be excessive in the fruition Rachell had better wanted Children which she so impetuously desired for she had a childe and died in childe-bed God turnes mercies too passionately desired into curses and snares to us or else takes them away from us And so I have answered this second Question And that is the third and last particular I come now to application Use 1 Use 1. Consider this oh all you wicked and ungodly men Consider how far you are from having your prayers heard What will not a father heare his childe when he prayes to him coldly and remissely and will he heare a slave If God will 〈…〉 â—eare the remisse prayer of a god ly ma◠〈…〉 dost thou thinke he will heart the prayers of a wicked man If God will not heare his peoples prayers at all times notwithstanding they are in a state of friendship will God heare thy prayers oh wicked man that art in state of enmity against him If God will not heare the prayers of his own people which are sometimes his delight dost thou thinke he will heare thy prayers which are alwayes an abomination to him 2. This should put an holy awe upon the hearts of all godly men what though you are in a state of favour with God though this will carrie your soules to heaven yet this will not bring you a return of your prayers You must have your hearts rightly qualifyed before God will give a returne of thy prayers And thus much for the second doctrine and also for the negative condition I come now to the condition positive to which returnes of prayer are annexed Though he will not rise and give him because he is his friend yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needs From which part of the text you may observe this doctrine Doct. 3 That the people of God must not content themselves with being in a state of favour and friendship with God but they must also labour after this holy importunity in prayer before they can have their prayer accepted In the handling of this doctrine I shall proceed in this method 1. I shall answer an objection that stands in the way 2. I shall shew what this importunity is 3. At what times God works this in his people 4. Wherein lies the difference between an holy importunity and a naturall importunity 5. What are the reasons why the people of God must have this importunity in prayer 6. How comes it to passe that so many want this holy importunity in their prayers 7. What helps may be used to attaine this servencie and importunity of spirit And then I shall apply it by way of Caution Obje 1 1. I must answer an objection which is this It may be some will say what need is there that this condition should be so much pressed what need is there of importunity in prayer Hath not God decreed what mercy to bestow vpon me if so then I am sure I shall have those mercies let me pray how I will and on the contrary if God hath not decreed to give me such a mercy I shall not have them let me pray never so well for the decree of God is effectuall irresistable and cannot be altered All mine importunity cannot alter the decree of God For answer to this I shall propound three things to your consideration 1. We have not to doe to search into the secret will of God we are to minde the revealed will of God and not the secret It concernes not us to know what God will doe but what God would have us to doe
he would accomplish seventy years in the desolation of Jerusalem Then he set his face to seek the Lord by prayer and supplication Daniel prayed at other times but then he was most importunate when the promise was neer the accomplishment then he was most fervent To the same purpose is that Jer. 29. 13. Then shall you call upon me and ye shall seek for me and finde me when ye shall search for me with all your hearts During the seventy years the Jews did not expresse any holy importunity towards God which is the reason of that expression you read Dan. 9. 13. Though all this evil is come upon us yet made we not our prayer before the Lord our God c. But when the seventy years were come neer to an end the Jews prayed more the last year then they did all the seventy years before Therefore said God I know my thoughts that I have towards you thoughts of peace and not of evil to give you an expected end Then shall ye call upon me and shall go and pray unto me and I will harken unto you Therefore when you see mercies for a Family or a Nation wanting if thine heart be indifferent that thou dost not care whether thou prayest or not then you may conclude that mercy will be long before it comes But if you finde that God drawes out thine heart for mercy if God stirre up thy desires and work this holy importunity in thine heart it is an argument that mercy is neer for when prayer is in thine heart mercy is at the door 4. Another time when the people of God are most importunate in prayer is when they are most drawn off from the world when they are most free from worldly distractions The same word in the Hebrew signifies both meditation and prayer to shew that when the heart hath been drawn off from the world by meditation then it is in a fit posture for prayer 5. Another time is when they walk most closely with God He that lives carelesly will not pray importunately Therefore Job saith If iniquity be in thine hands put it away so shalt thou lift up thine heart c. to note that iniquity entertained and countenanced in the soul is the great hinderer of the lifting up of the heart the great cooler of importunity 6. Another time is in deep and bitter afflictions then the people of God are most importunate in their prayers Psal 130. 1 2. Out of the deeps have I cryed unto thee Lord hear the voice of my supplication So Psal 142. 1 2. I cryed unto the Lord with my voice I poured out my complaint before him I shewed before him my trouble So it is said of the Jews Psal 107. 6. They cryed unto the Lord in their trouble And the same words are repeated vers 13 19 28. When trouble and great distress was upon the Jews by Sennacherib it is said For this cause Hezekiah the King and the Prophet Isaiah the son of Amos prayed and cryed to heaven So it is said of Manasseh When he was in affliction he besought the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly and prayed unto him c. So said that good woman 1 Sam. 1. 15. I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit and have poured out my soul before the Lord. Thus it was with the whole Church Isai 26. 9. With my soul have I desired thee in the night yea with my spirit within me will I seek thee early for when thy judgements are abroad the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousnesse And that is the last season wherein the people of God use to be importunate with God in prayer And so much for the third thing LUKE 11. 8. Though he will not rise and give him because he is his friend yet because of his importunity he will c. THE fourth particular is this wherein lyes the difference betwixt that holy importunity in the hearts of Gods people and the seeming importunity which flowes from the gifts of nature Answ It lyes in these seven things 1. An holy importunity makes a man restlesse till his prayers be heard Psal 143. 6 7. I stretch forth mâ—ne hands unto thee My soul thirsteth after thee as a thirsty land hear me speedily my spirit failes hide not thy face from me lest I be like them that go down into the pit As a thirsty land A thirsty land is never satisfied till it gets rain So Psal 119. 20. My soul breaks for the longing it hath Psal 42. 1. As the Hart panteth after the water brooks so panteth my soul after thee O God The Hart never ests never gives over running till it come to the water Such is the importunity of a godly man he is never quiet never satisfied till his prayers be returned into his bosom But it is otherwise with an hypocrite he prayes for mercy for pardon of sinne but he can rest contented though God doth not hear him he can beg grace but he can be very well satisfied without grace Prov. 13. 4. The soul of the sluggard desires and hath nothing but the soul of the diligent maketh fat 2. An holy importunity is known by this That it makes a man more earnest for spiritual then temporal mercies This hath been the temper of Gods people Psal 4. 6. There be many that say Who will shew us any good but Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us Observe the difference between Davids and wicked mens tempers Their great question and desire was Who would shew them any good any temporal good Who would give them the increase of corne and wine But Davids heart breathed after other things after Gods favour and the light of his countenance So Psal 143. 6 7 8. I stretch forth mine hands unto thee my soul thirsteth after thee Psal 63. 1. O God thou art my God early will I seek thee my soul thirsteth for thee my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land where no water is David was in a wildernesse he wanted water One would have thought he should have sought God for water But you see Davids desires runne in another channel he thirsted more for God then for water he more desired spiritual advantages then temporal enjoyments This importunity makes a man more to endeavour against sin then affliction more to desire saving grace then common mercies But now the heart of an hypocrite is more desirous of temporal then spiritual mercies You read in Hosea 7. 14. They have not eryed unto me with their heart when they howled upon their beds they assemble themselves for corn and wine and they rebel against me They howled for what Was it for grace and spiritual blessings No it was for corn and wine and oyl not for grace not for acquaintance with God Another instance you have Acts 8. Simon Magus offered money to purchase
the Holy Ghost What was his end in desiring the Holy Ghost Was it to obtain a spiritual mercy No but it was that he might work miracles And further when Peter put him upon the begging of a spiritual mercy vers 22. pray God if perhaps the thoughts of thine heart may be forgiven thee But Simon Magus followed not Peters rule he had no great desire of the pardon of sin or any spirituall mercy but he prayes That none of those things which Peter had spoken might come upon him vers 24. That is that his money might not perish nor he perish with it that his gifts might not perish this was his great request and desire 3. An holy importunity of Gods people is more in sensibleness of the inward affections of the heart then in the outward expressions of words Psal 38. 9. All my desire is before thee and my groanings are not hid from thee Davids heart panted and failed him vers 10. but not a word of expressions though his expressions were very good Rom. 8. 26. The spirit helps our infirmities with sighs and groans that cannot be uttered It is said Revel 5. 8. The four and twenty Elders had golden vials full of odours which are the prayers of the Saints They are called odours for their sweetnesse golden for their excellency and vials which are vessels of large extent in the belly but narrow mouthed The hearts of Gods people are like vials many times inlarged within when they are straitned in their words and expressions There are many times most dilated desires in the hearts of the Saints and yet they are so narrow mouthed that they are not able to utter But now it is otherwise with hypocrites they have more in the expression then in the action It was Gods complaint against the Jews of old They draw nigh to God with their lips when their hearts were far from him An hypocrite indeed performes duty but his duties never reach to his heart They are like a pot that is hot at the top but cold at the bottom 4. An holy importunity makes a man more inlarged before God in secret then before men in publike O my Dove that art in the clifts of the rock in the secret places of thy stairs let me see thy countenance let me hear thy voice for sweet is thy voyce and thy countenance is comely The voice of Christs Church is sweet even then when she is in secret when none but God beholds her Cant. 8. 13. Thou that dwellest in the gardens the companions harken to thy voice cause me to hear it But now an hypocrite doth never care to have any secret communion with God he cares not to pray alone and if hee bee brought to that hee takes no care of his heart he curbs not his thoughts all his care is in company popular applause and vain-glory is as the wind to the sails of a Ship that makes their affections move the faster An hypocrite in this regard may be resembled to a Nightingale which sings sweetess when any man stands neer her So carnal men when others are witnesses of their actions then they put forth the utmost of their ability They are of John's temper he was zealous onely upon that condition that others would see it 5. This holy importunity makes a godly man the more humble the more enlarged he is to prayer The reason is because he looks upon his enlargements not as coming from the strength of his natural parts or abilities but as the free-gift and gracious dispensation of Gods Spirit and so he sees he hath nothing whereof to boast and so it makes him low in his own eyes You know a violet that is one of the sweetest flowers growes lowest in the earth The fullest ears of corn do most hang down The fullest barrels make the least noise So the most gracious heart is the most low and vile in its own apprehensions is the nearest earth but dust and ashes The fuller he is of divine discoveries or enlargement the less boasting doth he make in the world A ship the heavier it is laden the lesse it is tost with winds and waves the more empty it is the more it is lifted up above the water so a man the more empty the more tost too and fro with every wind of applause Grace is as it were the balast of the soul to keep down a mans spirits and make him humble in the midst of wit and parts Be ye therefore sober and watch unto prayer Be sober and not puffed up do not boast of your enlargements Though it is true it doth refer to another thing yet Byfield refers it to prayer and he saith That man that prayes to God with most enlargednesse of affections towards God that man cannot but he must watch and be sober Sobriety is opposed to pride for a man may be dumb with his own gifts and graces and watchfulnesse is opposed to remisnesse and deadnesse and carelesnesse of spirit in the performance of duties Thus it is with a sincere man that hath this true importunity in him But now wicked men if ever they have enlargements in duty it puffs them up It is with them as it was with Uzziah 2 Chr. 26. 16. When God had helped him marvellously til he was strong But when he was strong his heart was lifted up to his destruction When God helps the soul of such a man in duty it makes him to lift up himself against God and be puffed up above his brethren 6. He that hath this holy importunity in him his desires are rather quickned then abated by denials You finde this in the woman of Canaan Matt. 15. 22. She cryed unto Christ saying Have mercy on me O Lord thou Son of David my daughter is grie vously vexed with a divel Jesus Christ takes no notice of her He answered her not a word vers 23. There is one discouragement One would have thought she would have dâ—â—sted but she prayed again and the Disciples besought him to send her away vers 23. There was another discouragement which would have knocked off the desires of many but she continues her request still Jesus Christ himself answers her I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel vers 24. There is a third discouragement and yet this doth not cool her affections but she comes afresh upon Christ she came and worshipped saying Lord help me vers 25. Yet she found another repulse and that worse then any of the former It is not meet to take the childrens bread and give it to doggs vers 26. Christ you see calls her a dog and yet all this doth not cast her off but she takes encouragement even from this discouraging answer And she said Truth Lord yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters table vers 27. She was resolved she would not give over till she got what she came for till Christ
and consider my meditation give eare unto my prayer oh God and my King for unto thee will I pray Davids prayer you see is usherd in with meditation The same word in the Hebrew signifies both to meditate and to pray You finde concerniag Isaac Gen. 24. 26. Isaac went out into the fields to meditate some read it to pray others translate It is likely he did both first meditate and then pray Be much imployed in the worke of meditation if you would have your hearts much enlarged in prayer Meditate in to whose presence you come what a glorious God he is before whom you are to appeare 2. Meditate in whose name you are to come and to pray by whom you must have accesse to the throne of grace 3. Meditate what chiefe mercies you want and are to beg what grace you would have strengthned what lusts you would have quelled what doubts you would have satisfied what sins you would have pardoned in a word what blessings you would have God to bestow upon you The meditation of these things must needs give a man more scope and stirre up a mans affections in prayer Help 3 3. If you would get this holy importunity you must recall your thoughts from worldly and distracting cares when you come to prayer The Apostle therefore doth exhort the Corinthians 1 Cor. 7. to fâ—â—e themselves from and rid their hands of the cares of the world and he gives this as a reason that they may attend upon the Lord without distraction The cares of the world will eat out that good that is in the hearts of men will rob a man of that freedome and enlargement that otherwise he might have in prayer Anselme as he was walking in the fields saw a shepheards boy tie a stone to a birds legg and as the bird sought to flie up ever and anon the stone pulled it down again The spirituall interpretation that he partly made and that we may make is this when the soule would mount aloft in prayer and grow fervent the cares of the world pluck it down and coole it And therefore you must labour to free your selves from these incombrances You must doe as Abraham did when he went to sacrifice he left his servants and cattell at the bottome of the hill So when you goe to offer to God the sacrifices of prayer you must get above the impediments and distractions of this present life That is the third help Help 4 Another way to get this holy importunitie is to watch the heart in prayer Colos 4. 2. Continue in prayer and watch in the same with thanksgiving There is a watching to prayer and a watching in praying A watching to prayer is when a man watcheth his heart and sees that he doth not omit duties and there is a watching in prayer of which I am now speaking Now there are foure enemies that a man must watch against in prayer 1. Watch against drowsinesse of body This is agreat impediment of prayer and we have great need to watch against it 2. Watch against a deadnesse and dulnesse of spirit against a flat and low temper that is a great hinderance of importunitie 3. Watch against Satanicall suggestions Satan is alwayes ready to assault thee he watcheth to disturbe and molest you in your prayers you had need watch to counterworke him 4. You must watch from secular distractions All these adversaries you must watch against and that is the way to get this holy importunitie into your hearts Help 5 5. If you would get this holy importunity you must labour to stirre up all your affections when you come to pray This you finde was the practise of holy David Psal 103. 1. Blesse the Lord O my soule and all that is within mee praise his holy name See how this good man doth muster together all the faculties of his soule how he calls up al his strength all that he is or can doe to set forth the name of God So the Apostle Peter in his first epistle chap. 1. ver 13. exhorts those to whom he writes to gird up the loynes of their mindes A Christian going towards heaven is compared to a man that is going a journey now a man that is going a journey he girts up his cloathes together about his loynes that nothing may hinder him in his journie To this the Apostle alludes when he bids them gird up their loines So the like you have Luke 17. 8. Gird up thy selfe and serve me It is an expression of a master to his servant God is our master we are his servants we are to doe his worke while we be in the world To that end let us gird up our loines let us gather our affections together that we may be the more fit for and the more vigorous in the worke A discinct and ungirt minde is not fit for prayer in ancient times at the first assemblings and Church-meetings the Deacons cryed Let us pray let us attend There are many that pray and doe not attend to prayer many pray as if they prayed not if therefore we would pray indeeed we must attend to it we must stirre up all that is within us to call upon the name of the Lord. Help 6 6. If you would get this holy importunitie then you must store your hearts with fulnesse of matter when thou goest to prayer It is emptinesse of Spirit that causeth deadnesse of heart Help 7 7. If you would get this holy importunitie bemoane the deadnesse and dulnesse of thy heart This was the course that holy David tooke Psal 38. 9. My desires oh Lord are before thee and my groaning is not hid from thee So it was the practise of the Church Isa 63. 17. O Lord why hast thou made us to erre from thy wayes and hardened our hearts from thy feare So it was the way that Ephraim went in Jer. 31. 18. I have heard Ephraim bemoaning himselfe Thou hast chastised mee and I was chastised as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke Ver. 19. Surely after that I was turned I repented and after that I was instructed I smote upon my thigh I was ashamed yea even confounded because I did heare the reproach of my youth God doth love to heare his people mourning over and bewailing their wants and weaknesses and that is one necessary requisite in an acceptable prayer Bewaile therefore thy dulnesse consider that prayer without this holy importunity is like a messenger without legs as an arrow without feathers an advocate without a tongue St Jerome complained very much of his distractions and dulnesse in prayer and chid himselfe thus What doest thou thinke that Jonah prayed thus when he was in the whales belly or Daniel when he was among the Lions or the thiefe when he was upon the crosse Bemoane your want of importunity if you would get this importunitie And so much shall suffice for the helps or meanes to get importunitie And so
fear nor wit can restrain them no dangers nor threatnings either from God or man can keep them in Jerem. 2. 23. They are as a swift Dromedarie traversing her wayes Their course is evill and their force is not right Jeremy 23. 10. Their hearts are fully set in them to do evill Eccles 8. 11. They weary themselves to commit iniquity Jeremy 9. 5. The people labour in the fire and weary themselves for very vanity Habak 2. 13. They sleep not except they have done mischief and their sleep is taken away except they cause some to fall Prov. 4. 16. 2 This reproves those that instead of an holy violence are guilty of tumultuous violence that by force and power disturbe humane societies destroying laws and government that do as Antiochus did Dan. 7. 25. He spoke great words against the most high and were out the Saints of the most high and thought to change times and laws 3 This reproves those that instead of an holy violence are guilty of oppressing violence which is the sin chiefly of rich men Mic. 6. 12. For the rich men thereof are full violence It is they that grinde the faces of the poor Mic. 2. 2. They covet fields and take them by violence houses take them away and so they oppresse a man and his house Amos 3. 10. They know not to do right who store up violence and robbery in their palaces Prov. 4. 17. They eat the bread of wickednes drink the wine of violence 4 This reproves those who are eager violent in their pursuits after the things of this life but not so after spiritual things we are all upon the spur all upon the wing after the world here is violence upon violence labour upon labour for these things which we may have and yet be never the better and want them and yet be never the worse Covetous men are said to pant after the dust of the earth Amos 2. 7. So eager are they in their pursuit after the world as if they were almost out of breath Psal 59. 6 14. They return at evening they make a noise like a dog and go about the city No creature is so sensible of hunger as a dog Covetous men are like dogs towards the world as if they were made up all of desires but towards the things of eternity we are as if we were all Stoicks and had no passions in us As hot as fire for earth and as cold as any ice for heaven Oh how many pant after the earth who have no breathing after heaven 5 This reproves those who are violent opposers of the Gospel As the former may be called a worldly violence so this may be called a persecuting violence Such was the violence of Paul before his conversion Act. 26. 11. I punished them oft in every Synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme and being exceedingly mad against them I persecuted them even unto strange Cities The Scribes and Pharisees are said to be filled with madnesse against Christ after the miracle was wrought in curing the man with the withered hand Luke 6. 11. There are some that understand my Text of this persecuting violence This is called a rage reaching up to heaven 2 Chron. 28. 9. 6 This reproves such who account an holy zeal and violence in the wayes of religion to be onely a furious frensie Such were they Act. 2. 13. that said These men are filled with new wine vvhen the Apostles were zealous in the preaching of the Gosgel Such were the friends of Christ when he was zealous and servent in the doing of his Fathers will and so intent upon it that he had no leasure to eat his meat They went to lay hold of him for they said He is beside himself Mark 3. 21. The like censure did Fest us passe on Paul when he was zealous to win men to the Gospel he said Thou art beside thy selfe much learning doth make thee mad Act. 26. 24. Basil when he was passionately eager against the Arrian heresie it was interpreted a symptome of his dotage If men will not be bafled out of their religion reformation c. they are esteemed but furious zealots men of violent spirits Thus it fared with zealous Paul 2 Cor. 5. 13. Whether we are beside our selves it is to God or whether we be sober it is for your cause 7 This reproves those who were once violent and zealous in religion but now their zeal is abated We have a proverb Nothing that is violent is durable if the violent motion proceeds from some externall artificiall cause and not from a rooted stirring principle within Many that go in the wayes of God meerly from an externall principle it may be credit or profit though they may be seemingly violent for a time yet their violence will not last they will not be stedfast in the wayes of religion and in a Christian course Some who have flourished in the Spring have had a withering time their fruit decayed as the leaves fall off in Autumn It may be said of many in regard of their souls as it was said of David in regard of his body When he was old and stricken in years they covered him with cloaths and he gat no heat 1 King 1. 1. Many though they are plied with ordinances can get no heat in them Augustine observes it of many in his dayes that would at their first conversion pray frequently live holily but after a while they would grow more remisse and pray more coldly and slightly then they did before There are few of whom after a long profession of religion it can be said as was said of Moses Deut. 34. 7. His eye was not dim nor his naturall force abated Many are like Asa their end is worse then their beginning 8 This reproves those that content themselves with moderation in the matters of religion that account a dram of zeal enough for a talent of discretion as Mr. Greenham said Many men are of this opinion that religion is dangerous and that an holy violence in religion is attended with troubles and dangers and therefore it is best to be moderate in religion There are many of these men in our dayes otherwise religion had never come to so low an ebbe as now it is It was the saying of one that men may be religious but then they must not be too zealous they must not be too violent for the wayes of God for then they are called men of hot furious spirits Men it seemes must not love religion too much Amama quotes Tarnovius who mentions a sort of men that brought in an opinion which he cals a new Gospel that if a man perform the externall duties of religion if he go to the Church hear the word pray c. it was sufficient for salvation Of this temper Gallio was Act. 18. 17. Gallio cared for none
In regard of God 2 In regard of ourselves 3 In respect of the devil 4 In respect of other men 5 In respect of heaven it self 1 In regard of God Eccles 9. 10. Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do do it with all thy might God requires this at your hands Rom. 12. 11. Not slothfull in businesse fervent in spirit serving the Lord. The word signifies boiling in spirit 2 In regard of our selves and that for two reasons 1 We have violent temptations against us our affections must be equal to our temptations if our affections be not violent how can we resist violent temptations shall not we be as violent to save our souls as the Devil is to damne them Satan invades the soul with fierce and furious assaults 2 We have been violent in the wayes of sin Shew as much violence in the wayes of God as you can and when you have done all it will come short of your former violence in the wayes of sin Rom 6. 19. As ye have yielded your members servants to uncleannesse and to iniquity unto iniquity even so now yield your members servants to righteousnesse unto holinesse There are three To 's in the expression of the service of sin to uncleannesse to iniquity and unto iniquity but in the service of God there are onely two To 's to righteousnesse and unto holines To note that we were more addicted to sin formerly then now we are to grace the reason is then there was nothing but sin in the soul now there is something else besides grace a stream of corruption to oppose it We ought to be as violent in good as in evil the same word which signifies to persecute Act. 26. 11. is used to set out his earnest pressing towards heaven Phil. 3. 14. 3. In regard of the devill He hath violent temptations and suggestions 1 Pet. 5. 8. Be sober be vigilant because your adversary the Devil as a roaring lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour 1 He is said to be an adversary Now an adversary will watch all opportunities for your hurt and wil be intently set upon it 2 He is a lion not a lamb a lion a savage fierce and furious creature 3 He is not asleep but a roaring lion 4 Not a lion standing still contented with the prey when he hath gotten it but still going about for more he is not contented with what he hath gotten though he hath been going about ever since Adams fal yet he goes about still for more he labours to sill hell with souls 5 He seeks whom he may devour The devill watcheth and doest thou sleep 4 In regard of other men and those either bad or good 1 In regard of bad men 1 Consider they are violent against the truth and wilt not thou be as eager and violent in the profession of the Gospel as they are in their oppositions against it As Zeno said to one of his acquaintance who was enticed to bear false witnesse against another and walked privately because he would avoid the man that sought to suborn him Oh said Zeno Shall he not be ashamed of sin and wilt thou be ashamed to set thy selfe against sin 2 Bad men rage and are violent in wayes of wickednesse Wicked men are as swift as dromedaries in the wayes of sin and wilt thou be as a dull asse in the service of God shall a man run fast in a way of sin to destroy his soul and will you but creep in the wayes of God to save your soul shall wicked men run post to hell and wilt thou but creep slowly to heaven Shall a man make speed to the place of execution and wilt thou but move slowly towards a crown and throne shall wicked men not be ashamed to shew their rage in a sinfull course and shall godly men be ashamed to be zealous in the wayes of God Jer. 8. 6. They turn to their course as the horse rusheth into the battel Jer. 9. 5. They weary themselves to commit iniquity will not you do as much for God as they do for Satan 2 In regard of good men How eager and earnest are they after God Caleb and Joshua followed God fully Numb 14. 24. vvhen hypocrites follow God partially and by halves Psal 132. 4 5. David vvas so violent for God that he would give no sleep to his eyes nor slumber to his eye-lids untill he found out a place for the Lord an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob. As on the contrary those wicked men Prov. 4. 16. were so violent in wickednesse that they could not sleep except they caused some to fall Psal 69. 9. The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up and the reproaches of them that reproached thee fell upon me 5 In respect of heaven it self Luke 13. 24. Strive to enter in at the strait gate for many I say unto you will seek to enter in and shall not be able Strive to an agony or as in an agony men strive for life it is not enough to seek many seekers shall never finde but there must be striving there must be a kinde of holy impatiency to get into heaven 1 Cor. 9. 24 25. Know ye not that they which run in a race run all but one receiveth the prize So run that ye may obtain And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown but we an incorruptible 2 Tim. 2. 5. And if a man also strive for masteries yet is he not crowned except he strive lawfully Heaven is compared to a hill and hell to a pit It vvill cost a man sweat and labour to get up an hill but it is an easie thing to go down into a pit Heaven is as Canaan the type of it was though a land of promise yet of conquest too There were many Giants there the sons of Anak in the land Heaven is not had vvithout eagernesse Luk 16. 16. Every man presseth into it It is an allusion to souldiers that storm a City or strong Garrison vvith all the speed and violence they can Should souldiers go about that great vvork in a marching pace they might all be cut off And thus much shall suffice for the second thing to shevv the necessity of this holy violence The 3 thing is the discovery of this holy violence Novv it is discovered by these follovving marks A violent or zealous person is one 1 Who is patient in his ovvn cause but impatient in Gods cause This vvas the temper of David What the enemies did to David vvas but as a pin in the flesh but vvhat they did against God vvas as a svvord in his bones Isal 42. 1 As with a sword in my bones mine enemies reproached 〈◊〉 whilest they say daily unto me Where is thy God The reproaching of God vvas as death to him as though he
of his place and calling Samuel reprov'd Saul for his heady violence 1 Sam. 13. 13. When Saul had taken upon him to offer sacrifice Samuel said Thou hast done foolishly Yet Saul pleaded a fair excuse verse 11 12. Saul said Because I saw that the people were scattered from me and that thou camest not within the dayes appointed and that the Philistines gathered themselves together to Michmash therefore said I The Philististines will come down now upon me to Gilgal and I have not made supplication unto the Lord. I forced my selfe therefore and offered a burnt-offering You see Saul had much to say yet all would not serve to justifie his invasion into the Priests office Such was the violence of Peter Matth. 26. 51. He stretched out his hand and drew his sword and strook a servant of the High Priest and smote off his ear But an holy violence makes a man zealous in his place A zealous Magistrate will severely punish sin let other Justices indulge it A zealous Minister will be faithfull and fervent in the reproving of sin though others prove dumb dogs or flatterers that sowe pillowes under mens elbowes So a zealous master of a family resolves with good Joshua That he and his house will serve the Lord Josh 24. 15. whatever other masters and other families do Fire in its place is good and usefull but out of its place how hurtfull and destructive MATTHEW 11. 12. And from the dayes of John the Baptist untill now the Kingdom of heaven suffereth violence and the violent take it by force 4 AN heady violence is more eager at first then at the latter end This difference the Philosopher puts between naturall and violent motions that naturall motions are slow at the beginning but swifter when they come neerest their journeys end as a falling stone moves very slow when it first begins to fall but faster when it comes neerer its center On the contrary violent motions are swifter in the beginning slower in the conclusion As an arrow shot out of a bow moves exceeding swiftly at the first but afterwards flags and growes remisse 〈◊〉 at last the motion of it cease An heady violence is like the violent motion swift at first slow afterward But contrarily an holy violence is like a naturall motion that acts vvith more vigour in the end then in the beginning This vvas the commendation of the Church of Thyatirâ— That her last workes were more then her first Revel 2. 19. 5 Heady violence vvill be discouraged in religion by small difficulties Such vvas the violence of that man forementioned that was earnest to come to Christ but when Christ told him The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests but the son of man hath not where to lay his head Matth. 8. 20 his zeal was abated But an holy violence is quickened not abated by opposition Joh 32. 19. Behold my belly is as wine which hath no vent it is ready to burst like new bottles 6 An heady violence is led more by example then rule like that violence of the people of Ephesus for Diana Act. â—9 Some cried one thing and some another and the most part knew not wherefore they were come together Such was the violence of the Scribes and I haâ— sees John 〈…〉 48 49 Then answered him the 〈…〉 you also deceived Have any of 〈…〉 the Pharisees believed on him But this people who know not the law are cursed But an holy violence is led by Scripture-rule not by popular example The word was the rule that guided Joshua to that resolution That he and his house would serve the Lord. 7 One that hath this heady violence is most busied with controversials and circumstantials in religion Thus Saul was violent against the eating of the blood of the sacrifices yet made no conscience of shedding the blood of fourscore and five of the Priests of the Lord But an holy violence makes a man conversant in the practicals of Christianity Tit. 2. 14. The people of God are a people zealous of good workes There was lesse of the power of religion in those times wherein the Schoolmen most flourished and the heat of mens spirits was spent in curious and frivolous speculations while they that should have instructed the people turn'd disputants the poor multitude became Atheists It was an heady violence betwixt the Eastern and Western Churches touching the time of the observation of Easter when many other truths of God that lay a bleeding were neglected and they did not contend earnestly for many of the doctrines of faith that was once delivered to the Saints So many men among us spend all their time about notions and disputes and this hath proved a very canker to eat out the power of godlinesse In the City of Megara there was a great contention between two men which of them should stand in the shadow of an asse upon a Sun-shine day Such was the violence of Paul before his conversion Gal. 1. 14. He was exceedingly zealous for the traditions of his fathers 8 An heady violence is an uneven violence there is no uniformity in it it is a violence against some sins not all it is for some duties not others to act some graces but not all Such was the violence of Jehu He was very hot and violent against the Priests and worship of Baal 2 Kings 10. 28. Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel But Jehu departed not from the sins of Jeroboam which made Israel to sin verse 31. Such was the violence of Saul for sacrifice but not for obedience But now an holy violence is uniform it carries a man out against every sin for every duty it makes a man to walk in all the commandements of God 9 This heady violence will make a man disturbe humane societies and civil government anticipate authority But an holy violence though violent towards God yet is quiet and peaceable towards men though he pursue heaven with violence yet he lives in the earth with meeknesse and quietnesse 2 Pet. 2. 10. Those ancient hereticks were such as did despise government presumptuous self-willed and were not afraid to speak evill of dignities But the wisdome that is from above is first pure then peaceable gentle easie to be intreated c. I am 3. 17. 10 Heady violence is accompanied with stoutnesse of heart both towards God and men it proceeds from a naturall rashnesse But holy violence is accompanied with humiliation Revel 3. 19. The Church of Laodicea is commanded to be zealous and repent Their zeal for God must be joyned with the breaking of their own hearts So the zeal of the Corinthians 2 Cor. 7. 11. was accompanied with a godly sorrow with fear with indignation against themselves with revenge And thus much shall suffice for the fourth particular and last branch of the use of instruction namely the difference between heady and holy violence And so much
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