it 3. To prize those that are powerful Pleaders with the Lord in behalf of others they are the children of Abraham and shall be blessed with him We prize those that plead other Causes strongly Oh how should they then be prized that plead strongly with the Lord 4. To be earnest for those that are dear to us for those that are our bone and flesh and our very bowels If Abraham pleaded so for those in Sodom that were Righteous how should we for those that are so near and dear to us the strength of our hearts should be put forth in our Requests for them 5. To call upon us to pray earnestly for England the Land of our Nativity the place of our Fathers Sepulchres Who have we cause to pray for if not for our Mother that bare us and bred us and dandled us upon her knees and nursed us by her sides Oh that England might yet live in Gods sight Oh that the Righteous there may not be forgotten nor destroyed but that the Arm of the Lord may be made bare and be mighty for them 6. To love the Lord that stirs up any to plead for us and to shew their love in being earnest with God on our behalf It is grace and love in the Lord towards us and our love in the utmost extent and latitude of it should be drawn out to him Our hearts should be filled with love that sets his Abrahams to plead for us his fire should kindle ours and cause it to flame and fly upwards Verse 25. Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right Doct. VII THat the Lord Jesus Christ is the Judge of all the Earth So he is styled here in the Text. For opening of which let me shew 1. How it does appear that he is the Judge 2. In what respects he is the Judge of all the earth as Abraham styles him 3. What manner of Judge he is 4. Why he is such a Judge 5. The Vses Q. 1. How does it appear that he is the Judge Ans 1. A Judge rides in Circuit as it is said of Samuel 1 Sam. 7.16 and so other Judges do So does the Lord Jesus he goes his Circuit and judgeth in all places there 's no place on Earth or Sea but he attends the Office of a Judge in it even in this world he is judging some or other every day and is going in Circuit all the world over But this is not mainly nor principally intended though not altogether excluded in this Title that Abraham gives unto the Lord for Psal 94.2 the Psalmist prayes Lift up thy self thou Judge of the earth render a reward to the proud Even in this world he judgeth every where 2. A Judge judgeth at the place of judgement so does Christ and that is in the Clouds Mat. 26.64 there his Throne is to be expected and it will be a glorious Throne Mat. 25.31 3. A Judge judgeth at the time appointed for judgement so does Christ Acts 17.31 and so Rom. 2.16 he speaks of the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ Hence also it is that so frequent mention is made of the Day of Judgement and the Last day Joh. 12.48 and the judgement of the great day Jude 6. 4. A Judge hears all Evidences and judgeth according to them so does Christ according to the evidence of mens Conscience accusing or excusing Rom. 2.15 16. 5. A Judge judgeth according to Law so does Christ judge at the last day according to the Law that he hath given Rom. 2.16 Joh. 12.48 The word that I speak to you shall judge you at the last day 6. A Judge passeth Sentence of Absolution and of Condemnation according to the condition of the persons that are judged so does Christ Mat. 25.34 41. 7. A Judge sees to the putting of his Sentence in Execution so does Christ Mat. 25.46 These shall go away into everlasting punishment but the Righteous into life eternal Quest 2. In what respects is he the Judge of all the Earth Ans 1. In that all Nations of the Earth that ever were are or shall be shall be gathered before him Mat. 25.32 2 Cor. 5.10 2. In that all Souls and ranks of men upon the Earth in what Age of the world soever they have lived shall be judged by him the greatest Kings and Emperours of the Earth shall not escape Rom. 14.10 3. In that every particular man must give an account of himself to God Rom. 14.12 which shews that he is the Judge of all the Earth none are exempted 4. In that all of each Sex shall come to judgement the weaker Sex as well as the stronger women as well as men the word All comprehends them as well as others 5. In that all of all Ages must stand before him old and young children youth men of riper years yea those that stoop for age This the word All holds out also 2 Cor. 5.10 Eccles 11.9 6. In that all of all Callings must appear before him Magistrates Ministers Merchants Tradesmen Marriners Husbandmen Lawyers all of every Vocation Occupation and Calling to this or that Imployment must stand before him Paul told the Scholars at Athens that they must be judged Acts 17.31 7. In that all that live idlely without a Calling must appear The Athenians and strangers there spent their time in hearing and telling some new thing and in nothing else Acts 17.21 and these Paul tells Christ will be Judge to ver 31. So all other idle persons that spend their time in gaming and other loose walking must come to judgement 8. In that all of all conditions good and had the righteous and the wicked must be judged by him Eccles 3.17 9. In that all that have been corrupt Judges and have passed unrighteous Sentences in Judgement-seats must be judged by him as Eccles 3.16 17. Judges on Earth must be judged another day and if in the place of Righteousness there hath been Wickedness that will be reserved for another hearing where Bribes will take no place 10. In that all the nearest and dearest Relations must compeer before him Husbands and Wives Parents and Children Ministers and People Masters and Servants Tutors and Pupils and whatever other Relations can be named all must have Him to be their Judge So that Abraham might well style him The Judge of all the Earth Quest 3. What manner of Judge is he Ans 1. A Righteous Judge 2 Tim. 4.8 hence Acts 17.31 He shall judge the world in Righteousness 2. A Dreadful Judge to his enemies Luke 19.27 He will speak dreadfully look dreadfully deal dreadfully with them Mat. 25.41 3. A Comfortable Judge to his friends to those he is a Friend and Saviour to Mat. 25.34 4. A Wise Judge There are some wise Judges upon earth but none like him Solomon was a wise Judge 1 Kings 3 24-27 but none like him for wisdome that styles himself Greater then Solomon 5. An Vnerring Judge Other Judges may erre
workers and do evil with their lips though they move neither hand nor foot in the works that God calls them to labour in 1 Tim. 5.13 Idle persons are not idle in doing mischief but are busie in doing the Devils work but we must do Gods work and not the Devils except we would have the Devils wages rather then that blessed reward that God for Christs sake bestows upon us 3. We see that diligence in our particular Calling is that that God is well pleased with taking in the Cautions before spoken of Let Prayan usher in labour and labour with be very acceptable to God Abraham may go to his place and do what he hath to do when he hath been with God in Prayer It 's blessed work that we go about when Prayer hath begun the work the more we labour then the more smiles we have upon our labour from the God of heaven and when our Lord comes it will be happy for us to be found so doing yea if from obedience to God we are working faithfully we may with as much comfort die at that time as if we had been performing some dury in our general Calling Pray and work hear and work meditate in the Word and work do all so in the duties of our general Calling as that the duties of our particular Calling may be diligently attended to Calvin when full of bodily infirmities and pains would not intermit his labours because he would not be found idle when his Lord should come 4. We see what cause we have to be thankeful that God allows us and looks for it from us that we should labor in our particular Calling whereby we may get those things that are needful for the body for we cannot want these things for the outward man God is tender of our families comfort of our outward man would have us labour for that end and it is his mercy that he allows us to go about our ordinary imployment that we may have our necessary food and things convenient for the body Our bodies as they are part of Christs Purchase are dear to him and he would not have them want any thing that 's needful for them that we may with comfort serve him in our pilgrimage here and though they be but cottages of clay yet he would have them upholden though they be but the sheaths of our Souls as Daniel calls them Dan. 7.15 yet he would not have this sheath marred or mangled but kept in its beauty and comeliness and that it may be so he appoints us to labour that what may tend to the preservation of it may be brought in that the Soul and it while they are joyned together may glorifie God the more chearfully till death make a divorce betwixt them 5. We see that they that abide not in their Calling but step out of it are not safe but as Solomon sayes are in danger to be made a prey of Prov. 27.8 As a bird that wandreth from her nest so is the man that wandreth from his place A mans calling is his nest which while he keeps in he is safely protected in by God and his holy Angels but when he wanders from it Satan that subtile fowler will shoot at him and make a prey of him No safety like that that a man hath when he is in his Calling and no danger worse then that that he exposeth himself to when he steps out of it 6. We see that those Gentlemen that live without a Calling and minde nothing but their hawks and bounds and cards and dice and drunkenness and wanton dalliances are in an ill case and will be found so when the Lord comes God never intended that any mans recreation though lawful should be his occupation much less that his carnal Delights should be his Calling If they say They have enough and need not labour I say So had Adam in innocency being Lord of all the World yet then must labour Gen. 2.15 and after the fall though he had much land yet he was to labour more Gen. 3.19 Yea the second Adam Christ Jesus the Lord of heaven and earth would not live without a Calling Mark 6.3 and after he was in the Ministry how diligent was he Mat. 4.23 Acts 10.38 and are there any so great as he Let me say one word more It 's laid as a brand of Infamy upon those great ones to all generations that when others wrought hard they put not their necks to the work of their Lord Nehem. 3.5 Vse 2. for Terrour to idle drones that God calls to work 2 Thess 3.11 that work not at all or that slack their work how will they look him in the face who hath given to every man his work Mark 13.34 Vse 3. for Humiliation to those of the Saints that work too little in their particular Calling as some in London and elswhere that would go from place to place to hear Sermons and neglect their Callings I say as Christ said in another case The one ought to be done and the other should not be left undone Vse 4. for Exhortation 1. To diligence in our particular callings Rom. 12.11 we shall be more with God if we work more 2. To be ashamed of our former sloth 3. To bear mens reproaches 4. To think sadly of that Mat. 25.30 5. To charge idle persons to work 2 Thess 3.11 Verse 33. And the Lord went his way after he had left communing with Abraham c. Doct. XXXII THat Believers in praying to God are very familiar with him and he with them When they pray and the Lord makes answer there is a sweet colloquy and communing betwixt them For opening of which let me shew 1. How Prayer may be said to be a communing with God and Gods answers a communing with us 2. What manner of communing it is 3. Why God will vouchsafe to be thus familiar with us and let us be so familiar with him 4. The Vses Q. 1. How does it appear that our Prayer is a communing with God and that his Answers are a communing with us Let me speak to the first first That our Prayer is a communing with God A. 1. In that when we pray we draw near to God they that commune together draw near first one to another So Abraham drew near to God in Prayer and so communed with God But of that I have fully spoken in the first Note 2. In that when we pray we come to a reconciled God for else we could not familiarly commune with him Can two walk together except they be agreed sayes the Prophet Amos 3.3 We could not be familiar with God nor he with us except we come to a reconciled God in Jesus Christ 3. In that when we pray we walk with God so Enoch Gen. 5.22 24. Prayer was one path that he walked with God in Now they that walk together do familiarly commune one with another so it is between God and us 4. In that when we pray we
how will they look the Judge of all the Earth in the face that doth right another day 2. To Vnjust judges that though they know yet will not do right but deal unjustly upon their Seats of justice Psal 82 2-5 He that does right will have something to say to these one day and then they shall know it had been well for them if they had done right And though they have accepted persons yet he will not accept their persons how great and mighty soever they be Vse 3. for Humiliation for all that want of just dealing that is found amongst us in bargaining buying selling in breaking promises in dishonest dealings many wayes Oh that we could be ashamed of our wrong doings when shall it once be I blush to speak what was once said in one of our Pulpits New-England hath many godly men in it but but a few honest It was true in his sense though there can be no godliness where honesty is not joyned with it 2 Tim. 2.2 Vse 4. for Exhortation 1. To honour and exalt the Judge of all the Earth that doth right Whom should we exalt if not him If other righteous Judges be lifted up in name and praise much more He that is the Great Judge that cannot wrong any but doth right to all 2. To us all to follow him and do right to all men that we have any dealings with in bargaining buying selling and in all our promises that we make let us be true and just in them though we lose by it we shall else never come in Heaven nor be true Members of the Church on Earth Psal 15.1 4. 3. To have no fellowship with them that deal unjustly they have no fellowship with Christ Psal 94.20 and therefore we are to have no fellowship with them 4. To give this Judge his right that does right to all give him his due in all the duties of love and faith and obedience that he calls for 5. To leave our cause with him when we are any way wronged he will do us right we need not seek to revenge our selves Prov. 20.22 6. To beware we wrong not fatherless ones for this Judge will plead their cause and do them right Prov. 23.10 11. 7. To do right to them that wrong us this Nature strives against but Grace must like oyle be above Prov. 24.29 8. To long for the day of his appearing when he will be sure to do right to all wronged ones Verse 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 WE now come to the Lords first Answer that he maketh to Abrahams first Request viz. That if there were fifty Righteous found there within the City he would spare all the place for their sakes Whence we learn this Note in general in the first place which is Doct. IX THat the Lord is a God hearing Prayer and granting the desires of his Servants that sue to him Psal 65.2 1 Joh. 5.14 15. For opening of which let me shew 1. How it does appear that he is a God hearing Prayer and granting the desires of his Servants that sue to him 2. How he hears them and grants their desires 3. Why he hears and thus grants 4. The Vses Quest 1. How does it appear that he is a God hearing Prayer and granting the desires of his Servants that sue to him Ans 1. In that he is a Great King Psal 47.2 95.3 and they that are great Kings have open ears and inlarged hearts to grant the desires of those that sue to them Ask on my mother sayes Solomon for I will not say thee nay 1 King 2.20 What is thy petition Queen Esther and it shall be granted thee And what is thy request and it shall be performed to the half of the Kingdome Great Princes think it their honour thus to do Esth 7.2 how much more the Lord who is the Great King over all the earth 2. In that his Servants bless him for this Psal 66.18 19 20. When Princes are bountiful in granding the desires of their Suppliants they come off with great thanks and their inlarged hearts in thankfulness shews that he is a God hearing and granting the desires that they put up to him Great acknowledgements argue great favours great thanks great bounty 3. In that his Servants have this confidence 1 Joh. 5.14 15. and their confidence in him does not deceive them Confidence in an unfaithfull man is as a broken tooth and a foot out of joynt Prov. 25.19 it will deceive him as a broken tooth will him that eateth and a foot out of joynt him that goeth but confidence in the faithful God will never deceive a man but let him go to him in way of Request for any thing that he needs that stands with his glory and he shall have it 4. In that he hears the cry of the young Ravens Psal 147.9 and if so much more will he hear the cry of his Servants that sue to him Ravens are of the worst kinde of fowls of a devouring nature that feed of dead Carrion and are sometimes in want and after their manner cry to God and if he will hear such a croking cry as that much more will he hear the cry of his believing Suppliants and grant them what they sue unto him for 5. In that he is not sought in vain Isa 45.19 I said not to the seed of Jacob Seek ye me in vain Men may be sued unto and sought and desired to do this and that but such suits may be in vain and their expectations frustrate and they may get no grant of their desires and be as the Nobles little ones that came to the pits and found no water but returned with their vessels empty Jer. 14.3 and such men that they sue to may be like Jobs brethren that deceived him as a brook and as the stream of brooks which seem to promise something but perform nothing which vanish away by the heat and are consumed out of their place Job 6.15 16 17. Thus it is with men that are sought unto they will miserably fail those that sue to them and all their requests will be in vain But never any of the seed of Jacob sought the Lord in vain but found him a faithful God having an open ear to hear and an open heart and hand to give and grant the requests of those that sue unto him See Psal 145.19 6. In that he delights in our Prayers Prov. 15.8 The prayer of the upright is his delight Cant. 2.14 Let me hear thy voice for sweet is thy voice Now Prayer being so delightful to him being as it were sweetest musick and melody to him what wonder is it if he hears and grants all that we fue unto him for If Herod that was delighted in a dancing Minion would come off with whatsoever she should ask to half a Kingdome Mark 6.22 23. Oh! what will not the Lord
dares not ask any thing that is dishonourable to the Name of God but though he take upon him to speak to the Lord yet it is an holy boldness he requests for nothing but that that may well stand with holiness to desire and with Gods holiness to grant 8. It is a boldness full of love to those we pray for Abraham was bold with God but his love carried him out to make so bold with him he was earnestly desirous that Sodom might be spared and it was out of tender love to the Righteous that he thought might be amongst them Quest 3. Why may Believers be thus bold with God in praying to him Ans 1. From the Lord. 2. From the Believers themselves First From the Lord. 1. He hath bidden us come with boldness to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and finde grace to help in time of need Heb. 4.16 2. He hath given Christ Jesus to be a great High Priest and one that is tenderly sensible of our infirmities and therefore encourageth us to be bold in our suits to him ver 14 15. 3. He hath shewed himself willing to hear Prayer as here to Abraham so Psal 65.2 O thou that hearest prayer unto thee shall all flesh come 4. He hath promised that we shall obtain mercy and finde grace to help in time of need Heb. 4.16 We shall not lose our labour but have what we come for at the best time Secondly From Believers 1. They are friends of God as Abraham and therefore may be bold with him 2. They shall have all that they ask in Christs Name Mat. 21.22 John 16.23 3. They have an Advocate with the Father to plead for them 1 John 2.2 and that perfumes their prayers with his intercession Rev. 8.3 4. They are near to him and therefore may be bold with him Psal 148.14 Thirdly From their Prayers 1. They delight him Prov. 15.8 Cant. 2.14 and therefore may be bold with him 2. They are better to him then all Ceremonies though never so costly Psal 50. 3. They come up as a memorial before him Acts 10.4 4. They are spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 2.5 and therefore we may well be bold with him in our prayers to him Vse 1. for Information 1. We see how delightful Believers are to God seeing they may be so bold with him in the Prayers that they put up to him They that are bold with Princes as Favourites be are the delights of those Princes else they durst not be so bold with them So Believers must needs be Gods delight seeing they are and may be so bold with him in praying to him Cant. 7.6 How fair and pleasant art thou O love for delights Hence it is that the Lord calls his Church Hephzibah My delight is in her and Beaulah that is Married for as a Bridegroom delighteth over his Bride so he delighteth over his people Isa 62.4 5. They have his heart and are his delight they are the desire of his eyes and that which his heart is set upon It is so with a mans wife and much more with Believers that are espoused and married to the Lord. 2. We see what great honour God puts upon Believers that are and may be so bold with him Every one may not be bold with a King to present their Suits and Supplications before him they are honourable ones and such as he delighteth to honour that may be so bold as to take upon them to speak to him Oh how honourable then are they in the sight of God and how does he delight to honour Believers that take the boldness to take upon them to speak to the Lord They are the Noble ones and the great Peers of his Kingdome how-ever they be little in their own eyes and style themselves but dust and ashes yet they are great in his account and he styles them Excellent and Honourable ones Psa 16.2 3. and Prov. 12.26 farre above other men they are the Grandees in his Court and Kingdome 3. We see that when they come to glory they will be farre greater then now they are for here their honour is much veiled by sin they are black and the Sun hath looked upon them and their honour is stained by the afflictions they suffer the Devil and the World cast all the dishonour they can upon them as they did upon Christ Jesus as he sayes Joh. 8.49 but God honours them here and if so much more will he honour them when they come in Heaven Here they are bold with God and it is their honour so to be but no honour like to that when they shall be ever with him and see his face and by that Beatifical Vision shall be made like to him and bear the Image of the heavenly one 1 John 3.2 1 Cor 15.49 4. We see how marvellously the Lord condescends to dust and ashes that they that have that style may be so bold with him as to take upon them to speak to the Lord Oh how low does he stoop to such no humility like his This is not the manner of men this is not the manner of great Princes to come thus low but God would teach them and teach us all to condescend and become low and shews himself a pattern of humility that we may be the more ashamed of our pride and learn to stoop of such a great one as he is Psal 113. 5. We see a reason why some Believers have made so bold with some great men in some cases and have spoken so freely to them as Dan. 3.16 5.17 2 Chron. 16.7 8 9. 25.16 They that may be so bold with God and take upon them to speak to him may be bold much more with men when called to it if with the potter then with the clay if with the great God in our suits to him much more with the greatest of men when there 's cause for it 6. We see that when at any time we are to pray to him we should alwayes bear this in our minde That we go to a gracious King and a kinde Father and therefore may be humbly and and reverendly bold with him as Abraham was We do not go to a Prince that will terrifie us with his looks that will fright us with his words that will drive us from his presence but to such an one as does encourage us to be bold with him in Christs Name He is that Friend at Court that we are more bold then welcome and that he will see to it that we shall have a gracious answer Joh. 14.13 14. Vse 2. for Terrour to Unbelievers they are no friends of God and therefore cannot be bold with him they have no acquaintance with him but are strangers and enemies to him and how should they take upon them to speak to him Vse 3. for Humiliation 1. That we are too rude and come with less reverence then becomes us in his Presence with whom we have
something may come or hath come from us for which God may be angry with our Prayers and when God hath any occasion given him to be angry we have cause to fall down humbly before him When a King is justly angry the Subject stoops and abaseth himself if a Father be angry all the Children carry themselves submissively so should we It is said of Henry the Eighth King of England That when he was angry as he often was the chief Peers of his Kingdome would stoop humbly to him how much more should we stoop humbly to the Lord when he is angry at our Prayers who is the great King over all the earth 3. We see the truth of that Rom. 7.21 When I would do good evil is present with me When we go to pray it is good that we do and a commanded duty but even then evil is present with us and we have cause to fear that something may or hath broken from us in the duty for which God may be angry with us When a man thinks to go a right step he takes a wry step that makes him stumble and fall when a man would give a right stroke his instrument sometimes slips and the stroke is wrong when a man would make good musick a String breaks or a Pegge slips and makes an harsh sound So it is when we pray and would tread right in the duty and strike a right stroke and make a pleasant sound like melody in the Lords ears then we tread awry and strike amiss and make such an harsh sound that God is not delighted but angry with our Prayers 4. We see that if we be afraid that God may be angry with our Prayers what cause then have we to fear that he will be angry with us for our other sins that we do too often provoke him with If he hath so much against us for our duties Oh what hath he then against us for our other evils in thought word and deed whereby he is displeased we should be afraid that he will be angry for these If he will be angry with wry steps and trips Oh how angry will he be for deep falls and great provocations if for spots we may fear his displeasure how much more for fouler sins A Schoolmaster if he see a Scholars blots in writing he will be angry but if he see him blurre and blot his hands and face and foul his clothes he will be much more angry So we have cause to be afraid of his anger for grosser evils if he be angry at our Prayers 5. We see what cause we have to breathe after an immortal estate in glory where neither we nor any of our services shall have any blot or spot upon us or them Here we are afraid that God may be angry at our Prayers and that he may see just cause for it our best duties being defiled but when we come in Heaven there will be no blot cleave to any of our services we shall give him no cause to be angry nor shall we fear his anger to be expressed toward us Here in our best duties we sin our beauty is stained our face gathers blackness we have something of Ethiopian hue some spots and speaks are upon us some wrinkles of the old man appear in the face of the best of our performances but in Heaven we shall be faultless Jude ver 4. without spot or wrinkle or any such thing Eph. 5.27 nothing shall then be seen upon us like a spot or like a wrinkle all our imperfections will then be done away there shall not be a wemme in our garment not a blemish in our face not a speck in our services not any blot cleaving to our hearts and hands there will be no deformity no infirmity no scar no scurf no mole nor any the least defilement shewing it self but we shall be all glorious within and without all fair in respect of Sanctification as well as of Justification all over bespangled and bedecked with those rich and royall graces of the Spirit as becomes such a place and such company as we shall ever be with then never a frown will appear in his face never a lowring look in his countenance never a wrinkled brow shew it self but all smiles and kisses and hearty embraces and amiable aspects of his favour and acceptance of what we perform to him and who would not long for such a day and such a time as this will be it will be the happiest day that ever our eyes saw the sweetest time that ever we could desire the joy of our hearts the Crown of our Glory the Light of our Life the Confluence of all our Comforts the Haven of our Desires after our tossings with tempest here the bright Sun-shine after our rain and storms and mists of darkness here When Paul and his company were tossed in the Adriatick Sea and no small tempest lay upon them neither Sun nor Stars appearing for many dayes and no hope left that they should be saved it 's said that they wished for the day Acts 27.20 29. So after all our troubles and tossings here we should wish for this day wherein we shall see the face of God and shall never see him angry with us any more This is a desireable day indeed 6. We see that if we be afraid that God will be angry with our Prayers here then how may they be afraid of that anger of his that will cast them into the bottomless pit for ever how should such be afraid of the wrath to come Gods anger burns hot here but Oh how will it burn in Hell it's inconceiveable unutterable we are not able to think what his anger will there be Moses in Psal 90.11 challengeth any to tell what this anger is Who knoweth the power of thine anger even when he smites his people here the power of his anger is not known Oh but if so who is able to tell what it is in another world who can tell how hot Hell is and what that Breath is that like a stream of brimstone kindles the fire of it 7. We see what need we have to get Christ to bear the iniquities of our holy things as Aaron did in type of old for the best of us may be afraid that God may be angry with our Prayers Our holy things even our pure prayers have something cleaving to them that we may justly fear God is displeased with and therefore great need we have of that great High Priest to bear as all our other sins so the iniquities of our holy things even of the holiest Prayers that at any time we offer up to God He is that Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world Joh. 1.29 and in him as our persons Eph. 1.6 so our spirituall sacrifices are acceptable to God 1 Pet. 2.5 8. We see that if we may be afraid that God will be angry with our Prayers then may we much more be afraid that he will be
angry when we restrain prayer before him Some godly ones in temptation pray not neither in their Families nor in their Closets and they dare not as they think come before the Lord in that duty they are afraid to look him in the face but this is their sin and such had need be humbled for it for God will be angry at it and they will have cause to blush that they should deal so with God as not to call upon his Name Vse 2. for Terrour to all those that are wicked and go on in a way of wickedness If God be angry with the Prayers of his and they are justly afraid he may so be how angry will he be with the workers of iniquity he is angry with them every day Psal 7.11 12 13. If he turn not he will whet his sword he hath bent his bowe and made it ready He hath prepared for him the instruments of death he ordained his arrows against the persecutors God is so angry with them that all his weapons of destruction are in a readiness to destroy them speedily dreadfully and without remedy Vse 3. for Humiliation that we should give the Lord any cause to be angry with our Prayers and our selves cause to fear that so it is An ingenuous Childe will be troubled at his Fathers anger and so should we that we give our Father cause to be angry at our Prayers and that we have cause to fear that we have as in other things so in that duty provoked his displeasure against us This should lay us low before him Vse 4. for Exhortation 1. To be watchful in this duty that God may not be angry with our Prayers Watchfulness must ever be a companion to Prayer Coloss 4.2 1 Pet. 4.7 To be sure the enemy will watch when we are at the duty and throw in something that is either evil or not good at that time as Hushai said of Achitophels counsel 2 Sam. 17.7 and our own hearts yield store of evil thoughts which flie-blow the duty and if we watch not against these God will be angry and we have cause to fear that it will be no better with us 2. To meditate much of Christs Intercession for he it is that offers his Incense with the prayers of all Saints and mingles his with ours to perfume and sweeten them and make them acceptable so as God will not be angry with them Christs Intercession makes our Prayers so welcome that they are pleasant in his sight and he cannot be displeased with them 3. To be angry with our selves that we have any cause to fear that God may be angry at our Prayers for he is not angry for nothing he does not without cause what he does Ezek. 14.23 wherein he does express his anger towards us Such holy fire therefore would be pleasing to God and be a fruit of true Repentance 2 Cor 7.11 4. To call upon us to be thankeful when he does not express any tokens of his displeasure at our Prayers for we our selves fear that we give him cause to be angry at them If therefore he manifest no such thing but the contrary viz. That he is well-pleased in Christ with them Cant. 2.14 Oh what cause have we to be for ever thankful VVE now come to the second part of the Note and that is this That Believers desire of God that he would not be angry with them when they pray to him So did Abraham here Let not the Lord be angry So Gideon Judg. 6.39 Let not thine anger be hot against me When we make Supplication to a Prince we desire this that we may have the smiles of his face and that he may not be angry with us So do Believers when they make Supplication to the Lord they do and ought to desire that he would not be angry with them Reasons 1. From the Petitioners themselves 2. From the nature of his anger First From the Petitioners 1. They desire the acceptance of their Prayers and that they may be sweet and pleasing to him which they could not be if God should be angry with them Psal 141.2 Let my prayer come before thee as Incense Psal 10.14 2. They would be Princes with God and prevail with him as it is said of Jacob Gen. 32.28 and this cannot be if God be angry with them A Prince will not be prevailed with if he be angry with him that puts up his suit to him So we shall never prevail with God if he be angry with us when we pray to him 3. They see some just cause why he might be angry with them if he should be strict with them there are so many spots in the duty and these they earnestly desire that he would not take notice of to be angry with them Psal 130.3 4. They are afraid that they are too bold with him and therefore desire that he would not be angry with them So Abraham does here When we sue to men for some special favour we desire pardon for our boldness as fearing that we may offend by it so do they that make suit to the Lord. 5. They are conscious of their own integrity in the main though they may have their failings Psal 44.17 18. and therefore desire that he would not be angry with them 6. They expostulate with him in an humble way about his anger with their Prayers Psal 80.4 which shews that they see cause to desire of God that he would not be angry with them for such an expostulation contains the force of an earnest prayer that he would withdraw his anger from them Secondly From the nature of his Anger 1. It is like fire and therefore Gideon expresseth it Judg. 6.39 Let not thine anger be hot against me Gods anger is as hot as fire and therefore in Deut. 32.22 it is said A fire is kindled in mine anger that shall burn to the lowest hell Now being of such a fiery nature it is not to be marvelled at that they pray that God would not be angry with them 2. It is like the dreadful waves of the Sea Mic. 7.9 I will bear the indignation of the Lord The word translated indignation signifies such a raging as is in the raging waves of the Sea when they are lifted up on high and threaten drowning and overwhelming and therefore Jonah 1.15 the same word is used for the raging of the Sea in a sore storm and tempest and when the Sea rageth and is tempestuous the Marriners earnestly desire a Calm and that they might be quiet and the Sea might cease from her raging So Believers desire of God that the dreadful waves of the Sea of his anger may cease and that they may enjoy a quiet Calm 3. It is compared to smoke Dent. 29.20 Psal 74.1 and smoke is a stifling thing if it be in the extremity of it and cannot be endured and as men get out of a smoky house or room as not being able to bear it and desire to be as farre
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