seen no evil 1. because the evil of the rod was now past but the fruit remained 2. because that good reaped by it being spiritual did counter-ballance yea and far exceed the evil of the cross it did not only make a compensation but was as gold instead of brass and dross But yet still the rod in it self was evil and not to be desired without a revelation concerning the necessity and fruit of it which none can pretend to but must wait till the event make that manifest And as we should praise God for the sanctified use of the rod So upon supposition we are to meet with it we may pray for the same 3. Obj. That which is an evidence of Gods love and a character of our blessedness that we may desire and ask but afflictions are such Rev. 3.19 Heb. 12.6 7 8. Psa 94 12. Ans Not the rod simply considered but the sanctified use of the rod is an evidence of love and of our happiness Hence in the words Psa 94.12 we have something added to the rod to make it a compleat character of our state blessed is the man thou chastenest and teacheth out of thy law As if it had been said albeit the rod alone and without the blessing can do no good yet when it is sanctified c. And while the Apostle saith that if we be without chastisement we are bastards and not sons he pointeth out the necessity of the cross both because of our readiness to idolize our mercies if we meet with no warning as also because of Gods appointment that now under the Gospel we should have spiritual mercies in greater abundance then the Jewish Church but not such a constant affluence of outward things but not as if we might choose the rod wherewith we should be chastised or desire and pray for such a particular cross at such or such a time You will say but may we not then in the general pray for the cross leaving the particular to Gods choice Ans No we may not for as we know not what So neither if any rod would do us good and yet we need not fear least we be bastards for want of chastisements no Saint ever I think did or shall want moe or fewer greater or smaller crosses though they did not meet or prevent them nor desire or pray for them 4. Obj. That which we may lawfully desire that we may pray for but we may with Paul Phil. 1.23 2 Cor. 5.1 2. desire to be dissolved and depart and to have the earthly house of this tabernacle pulled down and if we may desire to encounter with death that king of terrours why not also with any other rod Ans The Apostle doth not make choice of a rod wherewith he might be whipt only he could be content the day were prevented and tells us what he could choose if the circumstance of time were referred to his determination for death is not a rod of our choosing It being appointed for all men once to die Heb. 9.27 Neither did Paul love and desire death there being nothing in it amiable and desirable for of its self it is a separation of two near and most intimate friends the soul and body and hath most unwelcome fore-runners companions and consequents viz. pain sickness the corruption of the body c. But Paul desired by any means and upon any terms to be with Christ Phil. 1.23 he did not absolutely but only comparatively desire death being willing rather to encounter with death though grievous and terrible then that bar and impediment should hinder him from a full and immediat fruition Christ the terrours of death the dark chambers of the grave and the corruption of the body were nothing terrible to him these Anakims could not discourage him who longed so much to take possession of the land of promise the first fruits he had tasted were so sweet that he accounted nothing too costly that might bring him to see the harvest he was content to break-fast on sowr herbs that he might have at dinner a well furnished table that would never be drawn the Apostle knew well what to choose and desire he looked on death as an evil and most formidable enemy 1 Cor. 15.26 55. he (l) Concedit enim nor praesentis vitae solutionem per se naturaliter fugere quemadmodum nemo se libenter patitur exui suis vestibus sed postâ—â— subjungis naturalem mortis horrorem superari a fiducia sicuti non difficulter vestem pannosam sordidam detritam laceramdenique quivis abjâ—ciet ut eliganti nitida nova durabili ornetur fideles sciunt se corpore incluses teneri tanquam ergastulo ideâ— hac vita gravantur quod in ca potiri verae penfecta beatitudinis nequeunt quod peceati servitutem non nisi morte possunt effugere c. Calvin in 1 Cor. 5.4 desired not it as it was an uncloathing of him but as it made way for his better cloathing 2 Cor. 5.4 he knew it was necessary he should cast off the old rags of the body before he could put on the rich robes of glory and immortality he was willing to die that mortality might be swallowed up of life he longed to see death as it was the jaylour which only could open the prison door of sin misery mortality absence from the Lord c. And thus his desire was not properly terminated in death only the terrour of death did not quench his thirst after a full enjoyment of Christ and yet we might yield that he desired death 1. conditionally and since there was no other way for him to attain his happiness he knew this to be a necessary mean for his attaining his end and upon the supposition of its necessity by vertue of divine appointment he might be said to will and desire it 2. He might be said to desire death comparatively it being better to encounter that enemy then to have his perfect happiness suspended he was willing as he professeth 2 Cor. 5.8 rather to be absent from the body for a while And that we might 1. conditionally 2. (m) Et quod sic desideramus non semper licet facere comparatively desire such an evil we granted in the entry and thus conditionally and comparatively we may not only desire death but also a total annihilation and destruction it being more (n) Quod praesteâ— non esse quam miserum esse multis demonstrat Barlow contra Durandum Exercit. Metaph exer 1.1 in terminis determinata videtur hac contraversia a Domino Mat. 26.24 quamvis Doctis Twissus vind lib. 2. dig 1. putet crvatorem locutum secundum judicium bominum non rectam sed erroneum eligible and better not to be then to be in perpetual misery Mat. 26.24 We might here also alledge Moses his desire that his name should rather be blotted out of Gods book then that Gods name should be blasphemed by the heathen who should hear that he had
help of the Spirit Page 332 There are no theandrick actions Page 37 What faith did Adam in innocency act Page 530 We should pray for all men Page 260 Christ our altar and Priest Page 324 To pray alwayes what it importeth Page 668 c. Whether the Angels and Saints in glory pray for us Page 78 We may not pray to Saints or Angels Page 106 Whether all good floweth from the suggestion of good and all evil from the suggestion of evil Angels Page 362 367 Angels why called Seraphims Page 446 Whether Angels may be said to pray and to pray in faith Page 531 The wicked receive nothing in answer to their prayers Page 704 721 A delay or denial may be a gracious answer to our prayers Page 711 Whether the Lord alwayes answers when he hears prayer Page 720 Rules for discerning an answer to our prayers Page 723. c. The appropriation of works and attributes to any of the persons of the glorious Trinity not exclusive except in the mystery of incarnation redemption c. Page 569 Aquinas his empty speculations Page 17 Our assurance confidence and boldness admitteth a latitud Page 345 The necessity of attention the impudence and tergiversation of the Popish Doctors Page 427 The Atheists great prejudice against prayer removed Page 701 B Mr. Baxter interpreted Page 336 The blasphemy against the holy Ghost unpardonable Page 239 Whether we may pray for such as are guilty of that blasphemy Page 249 C Calmness after prayer an evidence of faith in praying Page 525 There are not three first causes and principal Agents but one onely Page 569 Characters of such as will never be heard Page 763 c. Of the many that are called few only are chosen Page 767 Christ's intercession see the first Table Page 34 c. Whether Christ's prayer that the cup might pass was heard Page 70 Whether all Christ's prayers on earth were mediatory Page 75 Whether we should pray to Christ as Mediator Page 104 Whether we may ask any mercy in Christ's name to them for whom he died not Page 271 Christ hath removed from us a two-fold incapacity of drawing nigh to God Page 299 We must ask in Christ's name see the first Table Page 301 c. Some Gentiles knew Christ 312 Whether the Jewish Church and the Disciples before Christs death tendered up their prayers in Christ's name Page 318 When we pray for the Church how alwayes heard Page 486 The Saints prayers the Church treasure Page 295 Why the Lord will often rather make a compensation then give to his honest supplicants the mercy in kind which they askt Page 734 In what sense prayer is said to be conditional Page 194 What is askt conditionally is not askt if the condition fail Page 713 Whether confession of sin be a part of prayer Page 19 Confused knowledge a medium between ignorance and distinct or more perfect knowledge Page 309 Whether and in what sense we should be content with a small measure of grace Page 227 We should continue instant in prayer Page 456 541 Several motives to continue instant in prayer with an answer to objections Page 791 c. What copy should we set before us in working out our salvations Page 643 A voluntary covenant the ground of conveighance of all good to the Saints from the Father thorough the Son by the holy Ghost Page 577 Of cursing and imprecations Page 664 c. D Popish praying for the dead confuted Page 233 Deadness and indisposition in prayer it's kinds causes and cure see the first Table Page 602 c. Deadness excuseth not our negligence or ommission of duty Page 637 The decrees of God are not our rule Page 816 142 c. A delay or denyal sometimes a gracious answer of prayer Page 711 Why the Lord delayes to give what at length he will give Page 736 Sathans design in moving to good Page 369 The desire needs not an interpreter Page 23 We should said a Divine pray desperatly Page 449 Devâ—ls and the damned in hell cannot pray and why Page 83 A spiritual disposition necessary in prayer Page 409 Whether doubting believers may pray in faith Page 497 Prayer considered as a duty and as a means Page 9 E The efficacy effects and fruit of prayer Page 2 473 698 What end should we propose in prayer see first Table Page 415 c. An exhortation to pray for enemies Page 273 Whether we may pray for incorrigible enemies and haters of godliness Page 268 Enlargement in prayer an evidence of faith Page 521 Whether we may be too much enlarged in prayer Page 648 Whether the Saints use to be more enlarged in private or publick Page 650 Popish enthusiasme Page 648 Euchites confuted Page 669 Whether we may pray for any evil either of sin or suffering Page 652 Example a bad rule Page 150 The condition of expediency doth not diminish the fulness of the promise Page 483 The Saints experience of the success of prayer Page 513 The Popish explicit faith Page 313 F Whether the unconverted may pray in faith Page 99 Whether the Saints may pray for the reprobat in faith Page 255 We should especially pray for such as are of the houshold of faith Page 277 Of the Popish blind faith with four degrees of their explicit faith Page 313 What faith required in prayer see the first Table Page 460 If we walk not as children we cannot call God Father Page 519 It 's not presumption but a duty to call God Father Page 559 c. Five bonds whereby a child of light walking in darkness may lay hold on God as a Father Page 564 Why Christians most ordinarily address themselves to the Father Page 575 What kind of fear required in supplicants Page 435 Fervency required in prayer Page 442 Whether it be a mercy to have our formal and cold prayers answered Page 651 729 Of frequency it 's necessity and fruit Page 656 693 It's foolish to fret because of the prosperity of the wicked or the Saints afflictions Page 718 G We know not but the Lord may have mercy on all this generation Page 264 272 The Gentiles not left without a testimony concerning Christ Page 312 Prayer considered as a gift and as a grace Page 9 The Lord alwayes giveth what we ask in faith or what is better Page 477 The Popish glass of the Trinity Page 120 How we should conceive of God when we draw nigh to him in any Ordinance Page 553 c. We may worship God absolutely not actually minding the personal relations Page 581 Whether our prayers may be said to move God Page 822 Papists have made many new gods Page 107 Mr. Goodwins assertions concerning Christ's intercession considered Page 62 Grace how it should be askt Page 211 The measure and degree of grace must be absolutely desired Page 214 Whether grace may be abused Page 223 227 Whether we should submit and be content with a small measure of grace Page 227 Whether
and who will condemn (g) 2 Sam. 12.14 16. David his fasting and praying that his child might recover notwithstanding the Prophet Nathan had revealed unto him that he should die which message he might have looked upon as a peremptory sentence and not as a conditionall threatning Since then we are obliged to pray for our selves notwithstanding of whatsoever decree though known to us why may we not also pray for others whatever be the decree of God concerning their everlasting estate I grant there is some difference we being far more necessarily and indispensably bound to our great master and Lord then to our fellow-servants there is nothing can be imagined so long as he giveth us leave to work in his vine-yard and casteth us not out that can liberat us from that duty we ow to him the subordination being essentiall the bond and ty must be indissolvable but love being the measure and as it were rule of our duty to men when we know our labour will be in vain though we may in testimony of our love appear for them yet we will hardly find a ground whereupon to build an obligation thereunto and therefore a revealed decree though it doth not make our endeavours for the good of our brethren unlawfull yet it may liberat us of that obligation under which otherwise we did ly it must alwayes be our duty to pray for our selves but to pray for others only then when we can look upon our prayers as a mean for their good You will say if it be not our duty then we must supererogat and walk without rule when we pray for these whom we know to be in a hopelesse condition Ans Albeit there arise no obligation from the generall command to pray for all which is the rule that falleth under the present disquisition yet there may so much obligation arise from other grounds as may warrant our practice and will have the force of a Law to him who is prest to act upon such a motive Thus our Divines disputing against the Popish supererogation do maintain that what they call evangelical counsels hath the strength of a law when some speciall circumstances do concur invite yea and engage him who obsolutely and abstracting from such a state and condition is not obliged so to act thus saith (h) Davenant determin 32. vitam ducere virginalem in genere res consilii est non praecepti atque sic videtis ca quaconfilia haud incommode dicuntur si operis speciem consideremus fieri tamen posse praecepta aliquando si speciales circumstantias penfitemus Davenant to live in perpetull virginity in the generall is the matter of counsell and not of precept there being no generall command obliging all to continue in that state yet Paul having the gift of continency c. found himself obliged by the authority of God to continue in that condition and as to our case if we would reflect upon the decree we may forbear to pray for those whom we know to be cast-awayes yet if we will abstract from that sentence which we are not obliged to reflect upon though it be revealed to us the Lord not having made it our rule and would consider them as our brethren there is no restraint lying upon us why we may not put up a prayer for them yea and by thus abstracting from the decree which only gives to us a supersedeas it would appear that we bring our selves under the obligation of the general precept pray for all men and althâ—ugh we would suppose that command in the present case viz. of a known decree still to be expired yet there may as to some men arise an obligation from their special relations unto them Though the Lord did reveal to Parents and Pastors c. that their Children and people c. were reprobates yet its hard to affirm that they might not pray for their salvation not as if they might pray the Lord to alter his decrees but abstracting from these though revealed to them that they might intreat that the object of that decree might be altered and that their dear relations might be taken out of a stare not of reprobation from which we do suppose they do abstract but out of a state of sin and misery and put into a state of grace and happiness and though some from thence might infer that they thus prayed the Lord to change his eternal purpose yet as they should abstract from the antecedent so from such a consequence and consequent and absolutely pray for that to our near interests which in it self and to them is good and desirable Thus we should rather play the part of a Metaphysician then Logician And that we may make such a kind of Theological abstraction seemeth to be certain from what hath been said Art 1. And the former consequence is as valid in the case of Peters avouching and adhereing to his master as in this case for Peters denyal was revealed unto him yea the same argument may as well be framed against Christ his praying that the cup might passe from him while he knew that it was decreed that he should drink it Nay though a prohibition were added to a revealed decree yet it would appear from the practice of eminent Saints that our hands were not bound up for albeit the Lord had revealed to Samuel his purpose to reject Saul 1 Sam. 15.11 26. adding a prohibition upon the account that he was rejected not to pray any more for him Ch. 16.1 yet it would appear that this restraint was rather a relaxation of the command and a permission granted to Samuel not to pray any more for Saul though his King then a peremptory prohibition for albeit Samuel came no more to see Saul till the day of his death yet he left not off to mourn and who can imagine then that he left off to pray for Saul Ch. 15 35. So the Prophet Jeremiah though he knew that the Lord had purposed to cast that people out of his sight and thereupon had received as would appear a peremptory prohibition to pray no more for them Ch. 7.14 15 16. yet forbeareth not to pray for them though the Lord had told him that he would not hear him though he did cry ver 16. yet he would cry until he met with a second prohibition having the former reason annexed to it Ch. 11.14 yea he would not yet cease so that the command is renewed the third time Ch. 14.11.12 and notwithstanding of all these prohibitions he still prayeth as it would appear from the rest of that prophesie that he continued a supplicant for Israel untill the day of his death the book of the Lamentations clearly shew Thus also Moses continues to pray for a stubborn people after the Lord had said to him Let me alone Exod. 32.10 A prohibition seemeth to have more in it then a revealed decree and yet it did not bind Moses Samuel and Jeremiah would not be
hast principalities and powers to wrestle with though thou be justified through faith in his blood his ransom and intercession make hell to rage the (m) Math. 12.29 strong man must be disquieted when he seeth his house spoiled and the captive set at liberty he will pursue but he shall not overtake he shall not be able to bring back though he may vex and molest the prisoner And our blessed Lord shall bruise him under thy feet shortly Rom. 16.20 And in the mean time all the calumnies and reproaches all the lybells and challenges which this (n) Rev. 12.10 accuser of the brethren can bring against thee shall be cast over the bar he hath no moyen at court he will get no hearing and therefore the Apostle had reason to break out in that triumphing exultation and say who either in hell or earth for in heaven there is none shall lay any thing to the charge of justified sinners who is the devil or man dar challenge them Is not Christ at the right hand of God appearing there for us to go betwixt us and all the accusations can be brought against us If any can object against the worth of his blood the sufficiency of the pryce he hath payed and the grounds of his intercession let him speak but otherwise the sinner is secure Rom. 8.3 34. 1 John 2.1 Oh! but you will say I know it is so of a truth devils and men cannot wrong me but can I not wrong my selfe may I not through my folly ask a serpent in stead of a fish nay and take it into my bosome till it sting me to death Ans Thy Advocat will not undertake a wrong cause he will not wrong thee though thou wouldest wrong thy self he will appear for thee and against thy foolish suit and he will say Lord pity that poor deluded creature for whom I have shed my blood (o) Ps 140 8. grant not his foolâ—sh desire further not his wicked device against himself but though he hath askt a (p) Luk. 11.11 scorpion let him have an egge And the (q) Mat. â— 11 father will say let it be so let him have a corrosive as most profitable rather then a cordiall to feed his disease let him him have a bitter potion for his health will the great Physitian say rather then that delicious cup of poyson which he desires he will give what is good but he will suffer no evil to touch him Ps 84.11 Ps 121.7 And if at any time for thy tryall he suffer thee to fall he will raise thee up again thou shalt not for ever be left in the snare thou canst not (r) Ps 37 2â— utterly perish none is able neither Sathan nor thy lusts to pluck the out of Christs hands and he will not quite his grips for one that is weaker then himself he will never part with thee Joh. 10.28 But you will yet say O! but as we are thus ready to mistake so also to forget or not mind our condition our wants and necessities and we are exposed to so many tryalls temptations and hazards that we cannot foresee them Ans But yet our Redeemer and Head discerns them all alar off he did forsee Peters fall and prayed for his recovery and thus provided a remedy before the patient knew of his disease Luk. 22.31 32. He will not wait till we imploy him he will do as our need requireth though we be not sensible and do not know what we stand in need of O! but you will reply if I did stand in need of some few things only this were some door of hope but my wants are so many that I cannot expect a supply of them all What shall I have so many helps and so much provision for my journey shall Manna daily be rained down on my tent while I am in this wildernesse and the immortall crown of glory put on my head so soon as I enter into the promised land If I were a Moses Daniel or Job it were not so much but how can I believe that such a vile and wretched sinner as I shall be thus dealt with Ans O! but behold thy Advocat with a pryce in his hand to lay out for all thy debts and to purchase all thy mercies if the cry of his blood do not outcry thy sins if his merits be not greater then the mercies thou desirest thou mayest fear but since his treasures can never be exhausted since they are indeed such as the Sparish ambassadour alluding to the golden mines in Jndia said his Masters were without a bottome O then let your joy be full the father will look over all thy imperfections and blemishes all thy sins and provocations though never so great and many and he will look to him who stands at his right hand who hath made a mends for all the wrongs thou hast done and who is the (Å¿) 1 Joh. 2.2 propitiation for all thy sins and he will say I pity this ungrate wretch I freely pardon all his offences for thy sake since he hath come unto thee and given thee his employment since he hath intrusted his cause to thee it shall not miscarry I can deny thee nothing let him have his desire ask what he will he shall have it Mat. 7.7 c. And our blessed Advocat will turn to thee and say I have dispatched your businesse ask and spare not and whatsoever ye shall ask be it never so great if good for you I will give you my word which is surer then all the bonds ye can imagine ye shall receive it that your joy may be full Joh. 16.23 24. Joh. 14.13 14. c. Oh! will you ponder these strong supports of faith these sure grounds of consolation and ye who did never yet fully believe nor could be comforted by that great word of (t) Though it be set down by way of narration promise Rom. 8.28 I did indeed will you say think that God did bestow many good things on his honest servants here and that all should be well with them hereafter but that all things all the crosses and losses all the tryalls and various dispensations of providence that befall them here in their pilgrimage should contribute and work together for their good I never could be perswaded to believe I did not imagine that such a thing was possible especially since sense and reason and the daily complaints of the Saints did step in as so many evidences and witnesses to depone that it was not so O! ye jealous and suspicious ones ye who walk too much by sense and are so (n) Luk. 24.25 slow of heart to believe this word of truth O! thou who dost not prize thy priviledge and art not thankfull for thy mercies which thou wilt not know or acknowledge remember who Christ is and what he is to thee what he hath done and suffered for thee and what now is his work and businesse what desires he (x) See
the Father can deny him nothing And therefore we shall not need to make a particular answer to the several mis-applications of these Scriptures for making out what they do not bear The intelligent reader may at the first view discern this to be the scope they aim at and that they cannot reach the length to which they are drawn by this accurat Disputer We shall only then in a word propound some few considerations which may help to discover the fallacy of his inferences 1. Albeit there be so many grounds and reasons for the successe and prevalency of Christs intercession yet all of them suppose his suffering and satisfying the justice of God without which there was an (b) Whether this impossibility was moral only and hypothetical or absolute and physical flowing from the nature of God his justice holiness c. we will not now dispute impossibility lying in the way of the salvation and acceptance of sinners Christ as our Surety could not plead and interceed for us till he had paid a price sufficient till the bond was cancelled he could not plead for the liberty of the captive Hence 2. To say that we may build upon his intercession alone seemeth to be directly contrary to that word Heb. 9.22 Without shedding of blood there is no remission of sin We will not enquire what the Lord out of his soveraignty might have done or whether or no he in his infinit wisdom which is a depth we cannot fathom could have found out another way but supposing the eternal appointment to save lost man by a Mediator I cannot see how our Surety could interpose upon another account then the satisfaction of justice or how justice should be satisfied and that just threatning accomplished In the day thou eatest thou shalt die Gen. 2.7 If Adam must not (c) Both the first and second death and especially the last as the most proper wages of sin must be here meant die either legally or personally either he or his Surety in his room and therefore we will find our redemption and salvation so frequently ascribed to his death and blood that we need not name any one place amongst many only look on these few Act. 20.28 Rom. 3.25 and 5.9 Eph. 1.7 Col. 1.14 20. Heb. 10.19 1 Pet. 1.2 1 Ioh. 1.7 Rev. 1.5 and 5.9 c. But I know not any one place in which our redemption is ascribed to his intercession though it be a most effectual mean for conveighing and putting us in possession of these blessings which he hath purchased to us by his death Yea 2. To affirm that his intercession alone is sufficient is to make though I know this Author will abominat such an (e) Though it may be drawn as a conclusion from the premisses he laith down assertion Christ to have died in vain Was Christ so prodigal of his precious blood as to lavish it out for that which some few words might have effectuated We must not then rob him of the honour of his death that thereby we may extoll him in his intercession And then 3. If he were not a compleat Priest without it the condition of believers under the old Testament must have been most sad and deplorable and the popish Limbus patrum that Prison not heard of till many years after the captives had made their escape must have been a desirable paradise to them who had not a compleat Priest to go between them and the devouring flames and to (f) Rev. 19.15 tread the wine-presse of the fiercenesse and wrath of the Almighty God And as for the time of their misery the popish Doctors must have hit right for since he did not appear in heaven to interceed for us till he ascended and if he was not a compleat Priest without this intercession the time of his ascension must be the (g) And thus the popish Doctors must only have misreckoned some few dayes they ascribing this liberty to Christs descending as they suppose to hell which was not obtained till his ascension into heaven day of their liberty and enjoying that happinesse which was suspended till then 3. We do not deny that Christs intercession is medium applicationis a most effectual and alwayes prevailing mean for obtaining to us and putting us in possession of all the good things he hath purchased for us by his blood but yet without this believers were saved of old and he was a compleat Priest able to make their peace and reconciliation and therefore though his intercession be most comfortable to us yet it is not of such absolute necessity that without it his blood would have been shed in vain the judge of the whole earth could not deal unjustly he would not have kept the captives in prison after their (h) Though Christ by his blood that was to be shed and the satisfaction he had undertaken to make might wel purchase and procure the salvation of believers under the old Testament yet he cannot be said to have interceeded for them who were saved before he assumed our nature and was in a capacity to interceed Intercession cannot have a thing already done and past for its object ransom was paid although he who laid down the money had not taken upon him the person of an Advocat to plead and of an Intercessor to request that justice might be done to him but yet it is very comfortable that our Surety doth alwayes appear for us before the Throne and that he liveth for ever to make intercession 4. We cannot go alongst with this learned Author while he saith that Christ was not a common person representing others in this his last work of intercession more nor in the first of incarnation ibid. chap. 4. pag. 97. For if he interceed for us as our Surety Mediator c. which he grants then certainly as a common and publick person Neither do I see any solid reason why we may be said to die rise and ascend with him which he affirmeth and not also to interceed with him It is true there is some peculiar reason why in his death in some special manner he may be said to stand under the relation of our Surety and so of a publick person because thereby he paid our debt and satisfied divine justice which we had wronged but as to the other particulars he instanceth I can see no difference between them and his Intercession as to the present case and the difference he alledgeth is nought For saith he this last work viz. of Intercession lay not upon us to do What is it not our duty to interceed and pray for our selves but of this enough Only I think it somewhat strange that this Author knowing the point of Christs proper and (i) Viz. As it is distinct from the cry of his blood formal Intercession to be so problematically spoken of by eminent Divines though I see no reason why it should be questioned should notwithstanding make it so necessary a part of
wrought any miracle by them praise God Ioh. 11.41 42. and why might he not also upon this account here pray to God 2. saith (r) Gerhard harm de pas cap. 2. pag. mihi 107 Christi voluntasvel refertur circa se velsupra se c. Gerhard Christs will did either look to what was about him viz. the wrath of an angry Judge his bitter sufferings c. And thus he desireth that the cup might passe from him Or 2. He did look to the counsel of his Father and the fruit of his sufferings and thus he submitteth 3. Others may think that Christ did not simply deprecat the cup but that it might quickly passe ut post breve certamen as (Å¿) Calv. in Heb. 5.7 Vid. conjecturam Hilarii apud Lombard 3. sent dist 17. Thom. 3. part quaest 21. art 4 ad 1. Origenis Ambros Hieron Basilii apud Gerhard har de pas cap. 2. Calvin speaketh triumphum ageret 4. Some may conceive that by the cup he did not understand the cup of his bodily and sensible sufferings but the spiritual cup of desertion of which also he complained on the crosse while he cryed out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me and though he did not simply pray against all soul-trouble as knowing that to be a necessary part of our ransome yet might he not pray against the extreamity of it and that some measure and degree of it might be with-held c. But whatever was the object of Christs prayer we need not doubt of it's acceptance and success I know thou alwayes hearest me Ioh. 11.42 And the Apostle speaking indefinitly of the prayers which he offered up in the dayes of his flesh but more especially of his prayers in the time of his suffering testifieth that he was (t) Quod volebat obtinuit ut è mortis doloribus victor emergeret Calv. in Heb. 5.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exsuo mem Calvin pro suâ pietate Castaliv pro reverentia Eâ—asm See Calvin and Beza their interpretation defended against the Rhemists by Dr. Fulk on the place ex metu ait Beza in loc suisse confirmatum ut omnem pavorem mortis deposuerit vid. loc heard there was none of his prayers that were rejected Heb. 5.7 2. There is none can imagine that Christ did (u) Neque tamen diel potest filius à Patre non penitus exauditus ut qui liberationem à morte non nisi â—â—â—itâ conditione petierit Beza ibid. absolutely pray that that cup might passe from him and the condition upon which he may be said to have askt not being placed he cannot be said to be refused since he only upon that condition did ask And 3. If these words let this cup passe contain a prayer yet it is none of his (x) See this distinction though applyed to another purpose brought by Doctor Twisse against Arminius vind lib. 1 part 2 sect 23. pag. 23. and at length prosecuted against Corvin digr 7. pag. 237. alia est oratio instituta à Christo ex officio bomin is privati alia ex officio Mediatoris c. mediatory prayers put up for his ransomed ones and therefore though we did suppose that Christ was not heard in that which he askt 1. Conditionally 3. For himself Yet there were no ground to fear that what he asketh absolutely and to others by vertue of his own purchase that he will or can be refused You will say did not Christ thus pray for them who crucified him Luk. 23.34 He prayed that the Father would forgive them and yet how few of them were pardoned and converted Ans 1. with (y) Thom 3. part quaest 21. art 4. ad 2. Dominus oravit pro his solum qui erant praedestinati Non oravit Christus promiscuè pro omnibus c. Calv. in loc Thomas that Christ did not pray for all those who had a hand in his death but only for the Elect amongst them 2. Though we would (z) That such a supposition is not improbable shall appear Ch. 7. Sect. 3. suppose that our blessed Lord while he was breathing out his last words did put up a Prayer for his cruell enemies yet it will not follow that he can be denied any thing which as Mediator he asks for his people for whom he shed his blood It s certain Christ did many things for our example and to be a pattern for us and if thus he prayed for all his persecutors that prayer was not Mediatory but exemplar and that Christ in his suffering did so carry as to leave us an example the Apostle testifieth 1 Pet. 2.21 He then left us an example that we should follow his steps And accordingly the saints have lookt on this copy Stephen Act. 7.60 and James the brother of our Lord who as (a) Hierom lib. de scriptorâ— eccbesiaft Jerom witnesseth when he was cast from the pinacle of the temple did pray for pardon to the murtherers saying Lord forgive them for they know not what they do We will not multiply trifling objections but that which seemeth mainly to prevail with some (b) Quos citat sequitur Becan loc cit quaest 4. Schoolmen is because that all power in heaven and in earth is given unto him Mat. 28. ver 18. Wherefore should he then in the exercise of that power run to the Father and by prayer ask as it were a new licence There is no man who of himself may not uti suâ potestate use the power that is put in his hands Hence they conclude that Christ doth not truly expresly and properly pray but only improperly and in some sense virtualiter interpretativè Ans The Lord doth not so give and communicate power and authority to any creature yea not to the man Christ Jesus as one creature giveth to another for he still retaineth and keeps his own propriety and right and must therefore be acknowledged to be the principal owner and Lord and therefore it cannot derogate from Christs gift that in the exercise of his power he by prayer and intercession acknowledge his dependance on the Father and why may he not observe the same method in governing whereby he came to and was put in possession of the government Though he was a son and heir yet he must ask a possession Ps 2. ver 7 8 Why may not he who did ask before he got also ask before he give and let out and that it is so he hath once and again told us for our comfort and this objection cannot prove the contrary but rather holds out a notable ground of encouragement to all those who run unto this our faithful and mercifull high Priest who ever liveth to make intercession that since he hath such moyen in heaven since all power is put in his hands therefore will nothing be denyed to him nor to them who ask in his name according to that sweet and ample promise Joh. 14.13 14.
Apud Swar in 2.2 tract 4. lib. 1. de or cop 11. Sect. 9. Alensis will have them not only to pray for what they want but also for what they have that their happiness may be continued with them And the common opinion amongst them though it be not so gross yet it hath a most fabulous foundation viz. that the (k) Vid. Swar loc cit Sect. 11. Saints in glory as to the measure degree and increase of their happiness are yet as it were on the way and are subject to some mutation and thus are capable of a farther measure of happiness which they do pray for and for all the means whereby this their accidental happiness as they call it may be promoved We will not digress to confute that conceit and to shew that after (l) Heb. 9.27 Eccles 11.3 1 Cor. 9.24.25 1 Tim 4.7 8. Rom. 2 6. c. Joh. 9.4 death we are judged and stated into an unalterable condition that the tree must ly as and where it falleth that this day of our life is the time we have to run the race to fight the good fight and that with our dayes we must finish our course that we must be judged according to the deeds done in the body after the night of death cometh no man can work any more the long day of eternity is for wearing and not for purchasing the crown or any pearl to be added to it And why should I prove what the Lord by a voice from heaven hath attested that these who die in the Lord are blessed and that their works done on earth do follow them but in heaven they rest from their labours Rev. 13.14 I did think that heaven was our home and (m) Heb. 4.9 10. resting place and if after the Saints be come thither they be yet in viâ I would ask when they shall come to their journeys end For I see no reason why unto all eternity they may not alwaies be panting after and endeavouring for some new addition to their happiness according to their principles who plead for this accidental felicity to which they ascribe so great a latitude for if after the crown is put on their head it be lyable to so many changes I know not when it wall be so fixed that it will suffer no new alteration and addition If the particular (n) Quod enim in die judicii futurum est omnibus hoc in singulis die mortis impletur Hieronym in Joel cap. 2. judgment after death doth not state us into an unchangable condition why should the generall Judgment do it 2. As for Alensis his (o) Yet Medina his conceit is more grosse who affirmeth that neither Gods Word nor works can be a ground of confidence Deus potestatem suam non alligavit Scripturis promissis quae in Scriptura continentur Jo. Med. cod de orat quaest 6. But of this more part 2. and part 4. where we shall hear Mendoza though a Papist blush at such abominable doctrine conjecture it doth suppose that the Saints shall never be secure of their happiness which they enjoy and that we shall be still under the Ordinances and that we must use the means after we have attained the end that the state of glory is alterable and the sentence of the great Judge revocable 3. As to Thomas his opinion it is more probable but the souls in glory being so fully satisfied with the beatifieal vision and fruition of God they can have no anxiety fear unquietness or dissatisfaction with their present condition and though their bodies be in the dust and they may be said to long for the consummation of their happiness in the rising again of their bodies and their partaking according to their capacity of the Crown of felicity yet since they are sure that the day of Coronation when both soul and body being united shall be filled with glory is approaching it may be questioned whether or not they pour out these longings and desires prayer-wayes to God For they being now above Ordinances and faith being changed into vision and hope into fruition it seemeth most agreeable to that state that prayers also should be changed into continual praises As for that place Rev. 6.9 10. which is mainly urged for their praying for the consummation of their happiness albeit the prayer there mentioned is intended against their persecutors and only in the return made ver 11. there is a word which may aime at the Resurrection which though it be there promised by God yet it was not askt by them and it is mentioned there rather to design the period of time and date of the return of their prayer then as a part of it I do not deny that some of our (p) As Diodat on the place and Seb. Mayer apud Marlorat in loc c. But M. Thomas Goodwin loc cit sect 5. ch 7. pag. 109. speaketh most expresly affirming that this is not spoken metaphorically of them but truly done by them that not only their blood but themselves did cry Divines do seem to say that it is a proper prayer yet we rather think with Tironius whom Ribera on that place citeth and though a Papist doth not reject that the souls of them who were slain for the Word are there said to cry for vengeance on persecutors not that they did truly and properly pour out any such complaint against them unto whom while on earth they prayed for mercy and pardon but that their sufferings and their blood like (q) Heb. 21.24 Thus also the English Divines and Dr. Hamond interpret the place and Mr. Durham and Da. Paraeus grant that here is an allusion to the cry of Abels blood Heb. 12.24 Abels did cry against â—â—e murtherers and such as succeeded to them in their cruelty and persecution As for the souls in hell they are to come to their as it is said of Judas Act. 1.25 that he went to his own place that place of torment of weeping and gnashing of teeth that place of dispair cursing and blasphemie and so cannot be a place of hope supplication and prayer they know how false that fancy is which commonly is ascribed to (r) Mr. Rosse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sect 7. quaest 22. pag. mihi 202. à Castro adver haer lib. 8. de inf 2. haer pag. mihi 620. August de haeres cap. 43. But it s though that Origens writings have been miser ably corrupted by hereticks Origen and that they shall never come out of that prison untill they have (Å¿) Luk. 12.59 Mat. 5.26 payed the very last farthing and they not being solvendo and never able to satisfie for the least offence but must still contract new debt therefore can conceive no ground of hope that ever they shall escape and thus in dispair they continually belch out cursings and blasphemies We do indeed read of a conference between a rich man in hell and Abraham Luk. 16.24 c.
provoked their King yet how shall they get access they may long wait before they see his face but as Christ hath made our peace so he hath purchased access to us Eph. 2.18 But thirdly though access be gotten yet the petition may be rejected and not granted but in Christ as we have access so also acceptance and audience so that we may ask whatsoever we will in his name and it will not be denyed Eph. 1.6 Joh. 14.13 so that in him we may draw nigh with boldness and confidence Eph. 3.12 If his (x) Rev. 8.3 incense be offered with our prayers they must be well pleasing and prevail Reas 5 The 5. reason may be taken from Christs office and relation towards us 1. He is the alone Mediator between God and man 1 Timoth. 2.5 6 How then dare we make an immediat adresse to God he purchased at too dear a rate our peace and acceptance with God and shall we 1. so far undervalue what he did and suffered for us as not to improve his mediation or 2. thus slight the love of the Father who spared not his only begotten Son that he might purchase that priviledge to us as not to make use of what he hath procured to us by his sons death 2. He is our priest the high priest of our profession Heb. 3.1 How then dare we offer any sacrifice but by his hand all oblations under the law must be brought to the priest if any other presumed to offer he must die the Lord thereby would typifie and represent to us the necessity of Christs priesthood and the offering up of all our spirituall sacrifices in his name 3. He is our Advocat who ever liveth to make intercession for us 1 Ioh. 2.1 Heb. 7.25 Ah! what can the client say when he cometh before the judge who hath not imployed an Advocat to plead his cause 4. The manyfold and binding relations under which he standeth to us may encourage us to employ his help and to come in his name he is our (y) Isa 9.6 Father (z) Heb. 2.11 brother and (a) Ioh. 15.13 14 15. friend he hath moyen at court and will we not improve that for our accesse and acceptance When the men of Tyre and Sidon had made Blastus the Kings chamberlain their friend by him they make their addresse to the king Act. 12 20. Christ is our Blastus he is neerer then a servant he is the Kings beloved and only begotten Son who will not only like him speak some few words in the behalf of these who have fled to him for (b) Heb. 6.8 refuge but hath shed his blood and tread the Vine-presse of the fiercenesse and wrath of almighty God Rev. 19.15 and shall he not then be heard in our behalf and we when we come in his name Reas 6 6. We argue from the nature and condition of this exercise our prayers are not simple requests but rationall plea's in which we plead with the Lord we improve the promises and ask covenanted mercies and he in faithfullnesse and righteousness is said to hear and answer us and all his wayes towards the Saints to be not only mercy but truth Psa 143.1 Psa 111.8 Psa 25.10 But we cannot plead the promises we cannot lay claim to any of them we cannot plead the Lords faithfulnesse and truth but through Christ all the promises as to us are as so many blank bonds and we dare not put in our name till we bring our cautioner alongst with us we have no moyen nor trust we have no dexterity nor skill to writ one letter till Christ put the pen in our hand and dip it in his blood there is no other ink wherewith we can insert our name God will not acknowledge any characters as genuine and authentick which are not thus engraven our works and sufferings our complaints and tears are an (c) Pro. 2.27 abomination they are but (d) Phil. 3.8 dung and as a loathsome and (e) Isa 64.6 menstruous cloath Ah! these can make no impression nor give to the banquerupt sinner any right to these bills of exchange which our Father hath sent to his children in this their Pilgrimage nor to the portion bequeathed to us by our Elder brother in his legacy and testament for in Christ Jesus all the promises are yea and amen in him they were made in him they are applyed to us and have their accomplishment 2 Cor. 1.20 and therefore while we are without Christ we are aliens and strangers from the covenants of promise Eph. 2.12 and so cannot (f) Though we may offer up a simple and naturall desire yet we may not argue from Gods fidelity and truth plead the accomplishment of them 7. Here we have a command for our warrant and a promise for our encouragment and though from the one we might gather and collect the other these two being (g) See ch 7. Sect. 2. inseparable yet both for clearing our way and strengthning our hands are expressed Ioh. 16.24 23. Ioh. 14.13.14 Reas 7 8. We might add the constant practice of all Christians in all ages You will say and thus we proceed to speak to the Reas 8 third particular if it be now so necessary to ask in Christs name if our acceptance and successe depend thereupon how came it to passe that holy men of old were strangers to and ignorant of this manner of invocation and that essentiall qualification of prayer and wherefore is that made necessary to us which was not required in others Answ We will not now dispute the question with (h) Nec revolatum vel indicatum fuit unquam in sacris literis nec jussisunt usquam illi veteres nedum aliud sed neque etiam credere in Christum venturum quod sub novo Test requiritur ut necessarium sit considere Deo per Christum quod quatenus ad id aâ—tinent quod diximus per Christum sub veteri Testamento neque necessarium fuit nec porro in quoquam fuisse ulla ratione dici potest Socin frag de just pag 47. 51. vid. Smalc resp refut Smigles cap. 23. disp 4. contra Frâ—nt thes 8. Ostor just cap 5. Armin. resp ad art 31. Remonst confess cap. 7. sect 8. Episâ—op disp de discrimine Vet. N. Test c. Socinians with whom many Arminians in this as in severall other points do joyn who maintain that the ancient people of God who lived before the coming of Christ were not Justified after that maner and way which we Christians are viz by faith in a Mediator yea they dare (i) Nusquam in lege Mosis reperies vel vitam aeternam aut donum Spiritus sancti obedientibus praeceptis legis promissum Catech. Râ—cov de proph Jes Ch. Mun cap. 5. affirme that the Jewes had no expresse promise of eternall life and spirituall blessings (k) Nemo negare potest â—ub v. Test nec vitam aeternam promissam fuisse adco
his blood did obtain that the (d) Zech. â—3 1 fountain should stand open for washing away sin and uncleanness And now he hath the keyes in his hand and offereth water to the (e) Rev. 22.17 thirsty The door was shut and the way to the treasure was unpassable till Christ himself became the (f) Joh. 10.7 door and the (g) Joh 1.4.6 way and now in him we have access with boldness and confidence Eph. 3.12 and 2.18 Rom. 5.2 The people of Israel might not offer sacrifices but upon the Altar God appointed and Christ was that Altar so he is called Heb. 13.10 and that other was of no value but as it did typifie this true Altar The Altar under the Law did sanctifie the oblation Exod. 29.37 Mat. 23.19 and Christ doth sanctifie our prayers and all our performances His blood is that incense the smoke whereof must alwayes ascend or else our sacrifices cannot be a sweet savour to God Rev. 8.3 4. Eph. 5.2 Not only Christs sacrifice was an offering to God of a sweet smelling savour but it also maketh our oblations acceptable 1 Pet. 2.5 The typical Altar did sanctifie the gift but Christ must first sanctifie the Altar the horns of it must be sprinkled with blood Exod. 29.12 and 30.10 and thus it did ceremonially sanctifie and typifie the blood of Christ Who through the eternal spirit offered himself without spot to God to purge our conscience from dead works to serve the living God Heb. 9.14 O then be thankfull to God for this Altar and bring all your offerings to it ye have not far to go ye are not sent to Jerusalem nor to the Temple ye alwayes have this Altar at hand Thou need'st not ascend unto heaven nor descend unto the deep that thou mayest find it Rom. 10.6 7. thou mayest worship where thou wilt only in Spirit and truth this Altar alwayes standeth by thee it filleth heaven and earth 1 Tim. 2.18 Joh. 4.21 23. O then do not dishonour this Altar do not with Papists (h) Papists substitute many mediators in Christs room See chap. 6. erect (i) In Christi nomine oratio porrigatur non in nomine angelorum non in nomine aliquorum sanctorum non in nomine ipsorum petentium non in nomine bonorum operum sed in Christs nomine nomen hoc est non quod scribitur literis sed meritum est incar naetionis nativitatis vitae passionis crucis orationis mortis Simon de Cassia lib. 12. cap. 15. many altars of earth and forsake this heavenly and golden Altar but let us rather say with them Josh 22.29 God forbid that we should rebell against the Lord and turn this day from following the Lord to build an altar besides the altar of the Lord our God yea and which is the Lord our God Remember Jeroboams sin and punishment he would erect new altars 1 Kings 12.32 and God did put a mark of his displeasure upon him and his posterity The Lord abhorreth all other altars none of them can sanctifie the gift all our performances though never so specious if they be not done in Christs name and strength and washen in his blood are an abomination to God though our head were (k) Jer. 9.1 waters and our eyes a fountain of tears thouh (l) Ps 119.156 rivers should run down our eyes for our iniquities though we could pray with the (m) 1 Cor. 13.1 tongue of Angels and diligently follow every duty yet the Lord would not regard our tears nor value our service and work As Christ is thus our Altar so he is our Priest who with his own blood hath purchased liberty to us to enter into the holiest by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us Heb. 10.19 20 21. If any man under the law did offer a sacrifice and did not bring it to the Priest that man must be cut off from among his people Lev. 17.4 5. Let us remember the judgments of God upon Saul for offering sacrifice and on Vzziah for taking a censer in his hand to burn incense therefore the Lord rejected Saul from being King over Israel and smote Vzziah with a leprosie unto the day of his death wherefore he was cut off from the kingdom and from the house of the Lord. 1 Sam. 13.9 14 2 Chron. 26.19 21. O then let not our hearts be lifted up as Vzziahs was ver 16. to our destruction let us not dare to offer our sacrifice in our own name Ah! what is our worth or the worth of our sacrifice But having such a High-priest let us draw nigh in his name with boldness and in full assurance of faith Heb. 4.14 16. Though thy hands were clean as to any grosse defilement and thy sacrifice without blemish yet if thou come in thy own strength the Lord may say to thee as to that people Isa 1.11 12. To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices who hath required this at your hands thus to tread my courts Behold the sinner and his sacrifices but where is the Priest May I say as Isaac once askt where was the Lamb when he saw the fire and the wood Gen. 22.7 Thou drawest nigh to plead for covenanted mercies and dost not look to Jesus the (n) Heb. 12.24 Mediator of the new covenant thy sacrifice like to the popish masse is an unbloody sacrifice if thou neglect the blood (o) Ibid. of sprinklings the Lord will reject thee We read of a golden Censer and Altar and much Incense that should-be offered with the prayers of all Saints Rev. 8.3 And Christ is that golden Censer and Altar and his blood the sweet Incense and what are our sacrifices all our prayers and tears of themselves but (p) Phil. 3.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and loathsome dung and notwithstanding of these the Lord will be to us (q) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deut. 4 24. Esh-ochla and Elkanna and we our selves (r) Hos 1.6 9. Lo-ammi and Lo-ruhamah O! but in Christ the Lord is (Å¿) Isa 7.14 Immanuel and we (t) Hos 2.1 Ammi and Ruhamah He who was to us a consuming fire will become our God and have (u) Hos 2.23 mercy on them who otherwise could not obtain mercy and will say to them who by nature were not his people thou art my people And they being in Christ will say thou art my God The famous Athenian Captain Themistocles being banished by his ingrate Countrey-men (x) Themistocles veterem regis iram metuens se supplicem praebuit proprium quendam regionis morem sequutus arrepto Admeti parvulo filio cum eo in sacrarium quod summa colebatur religione se conjecit quod supplicondi genus maximum ac serme solum nunquam repudiandum Molossi opiniaebantur Plut. Cher. Grec Rom. illi vit in Themistoc Lapo Florent interprete pag. mihi 118. May we not think the Lord by this custome among Pagans
God to purifie our hearts by faith and love 1 Tim. 1.14 Eph. 6.23 and to sprinkle them from an evil conscience by the blood of Christ (e) See Diodat on the place Heb. 10 21. As to that which more properly and principally is called and should be the last and ultimat end of all our prayers and performances viz. the glory of God it is above the reach of corrupt nature to aim at such a noble mark but every one while in that state must with them Phil. 2.21 seek their own and not the things of Christ Ah! our ease honours pleasures and wealth naturally are our idols these are our great end and we cannot desire or ask any thing from God unlesse with a design to (f) Jam. 4.3 consume what we receive upon our lusts and thus we are too apt to desire God to help us to sin against him to put a weapon in our hand whereby we might fight against him and to provide fewel for our lustâ— (g) Jam. 3.6 which are set on fire of hell Nay self is the last and great aim of our most refined desires of grace and glory untill the Spirit purifie our affections and elevate them to a more high and noble end and enable us to obey the exhortation 1 Cor 10 31. and honestly to seek the glory of God and to propose it as our scope in all our actions and performances doing whatsoever we go about heartily as to the Lord and not to men whether our selves or others Col. 3.23 3. As to the manner what 1. reverence 2. tenderness 3. importunity 4. fervency 5. watchfulness 6 sincerity c. is in our prayers must (h) Quia autem persunctorie vulgo oramus addit in spiritu ac si diceret tantum esse pigritiaâ— tantum que srigus carnis nostrae ut rite orare nemo queat nisi spiritu Dei exâ— citatus nam hinc solicitudo hinc â—rdor vehementia hinc alactitas hinc fiducia c. Calvin in Jud. 20. come from above our barren ground cannot yield such fruit what cold and dead performances what loathsom and abominable sacrifices have we to offer to the Lord untill the Spirit of Christ who is our life Col. 3.4 breath in some life and heat into our (i) When the Spirit comes it is a time of life the Christians affections spring iâ— his besome at bis voice as the babe in Elizabeth aâ— the salutation of the Virgin Mary or as he strings under the musiciâ—ns hand stir and speak harmoniously so do all the Saints affectionâ— at the secret touch of the Spirit Gurn. spir arm part 3. pag. 580. affections those who have the naked gift but want the Spirit of prayer though they may have matter enough and plenty of words yet they want a heavenly desire which is the soul of prayer there is meat enough before them but they want an appetice there are bullocks and rams enough for sacrifice but where is the fire a lifeless carrion is not such an object of pity as a dead formal prayer I do not deny that (k) Numb 23.10 Balaam may (l) Every desire of grace is not spiritual and saving nor an evidence of grace desire to dye the death of the righteous carnal men may have some velleities and wouldings some lazy languishing and selfish desires after grace and happiness but no man ever did or is able without the help of the Spirit to come to the length of 1. a permanent and habituall 2. an operative efficacious and prevailing over corruption vigorous and restlesse till it be satisfied and 3. a pure and spirituall desire of grace and holynesse of Christ for himself because of his excellency of a crucified and persecuted of a naked and despised Christ of holynesse because of its beauty and conformity to the Law and will of God Nay but there was so much drosse in the best refined desires and prayers of the most Saint-like formalist as did not only obscure but consume the Gold so that the most expert artist was never able from thence to extract the least grain that could abide the triall though alas there be too many mountebanks and boasting chymists who therewith are deluded and would cozen the world with such brasse and counterfeit mettall with the shadow in stead of the substance condemning all these as too precise who do not think such coyn good enough for carrying on a trade with heaven and for eternity Thus the blessed Spirit worketh sutably to his name and maketh us in some measure (m) Rom. 8.29 conformable to his own image he Spiritualizeth our carnall earthly and selfish desires or rather in stead of these doth (n) Coloss 3.10 Eph. 10. creat in us new and heavenly affections which being offered up to God are our spirituall Sacrifice and therefore (o) 1 Pet. 2.5 acceptable to God through Jesus Christ they are spirituall not only in respect of the principall efficient the holy spirit and 2. in respect of the subject a renewed spirit put in us but also 3. in respect of the object 4. in respect of the motive principle and end and 5. in respect of the maner of performance Now we come to third act of the Spirit whereby he enlightneth the blind eye and regulats directs and pointeth out the right object of our desires ah we know not what to ask we are ready to ask a stone instead of bread till the Spirit come with his help and teach us to ask what is good and expedient for us and agreable to the will of God Rom. 8.26 27. Unlesse the Spirit 1. anoint our eyes that they may behold and discerne 2. present the object 3. manifest and discover its beauty andexcellency and 4. stay our wandâ—ing eye and hold it to the object nor suffering it to stray and slip we will not think on spirituall things nor are we able to contemplat their excellency and so they will not become amiable and desirable to us and though we get a flight view of them yet we soon weary in beholding such an Object till the Spirit stay our unstable spirits and maâ—â— us ponder more seriously and still presse the honey-comb till it drop sweetness unlesse the Lord be our pilot and guid unlesse he direct and order our thoughts we neither know what to desire nor how to ask What need have we then with the Apostle 2 Thes 3.5 to pray that the Lord would direct our hearts not only unto the love of God which is one of the particulars there instanced but also to the love and desire of every thing whereby our communion with God may be promoved and our happinesse in enjoying of him for our portion may be secured and evidenced to our hearts 4. The Spirit filles the heart with reverentiall boldness and confidence in its adresses to God the sense of guilt may make the holiest Saint on earth with p Adam be afraid of God and tremble at his
strengthen and support thee no bonds nor prison can hold out all the power of men and devils cannot drive away the Christians guard or disarm him if he can pray he shall not want help to and by that work the spirit will help him to pray and in answer to his prayer will give what else he stands in need of and do not say ah but I cannot pray for though thou canst not of thy self yet thou hast help at hand the Spirit is ready to help thine infirmities We shall speak of the means for recovering and maintaining the quickning and assisting presence of the Spirit in the cases Part. 3. But now let me only enquire hast thou not a heart to desire and ask his presence and help If thou hast not such a desire why dost thou complain and surely thou art unworthy to receive and unâ—it to entertain such a guest but if thou desirest and wâ—lt ask what needst thou fâ—ar will not your heavenly father give the holy Spirit to them that ask him Luk. 11.13 O! what an excellent master do we serve who as he sets us a task and appoints our wages so also he gives strength to perform He will inable us to work and then reward our labour Fourthly All ye who live under the breathings of the Almighty ye on whom the Sun doth shine and who are warmed and refreshed with its pleasant beams take heed least ye sin away this great mercy and priviledg (c) 1 Thes 5.5 ye are not of the night why should darkness surprize you an ecclipse may prove terrible and dangerous to you The office of the Roman (d) Plutarch cher gree Rom. illust vit in Num. Pamphil pag. mihi 44 45. in Camill. pag. 127. Vestals chiefily was to keep in the sacred as was supposed fire which if let out they were driven into a dark corner stripped naked and scourged for their negligence and you who are (e) 2 Cor. 11.2 chast virgins to Christ are called to maintain the heavenly fire and if through your negligence it be quenched you will be left for a while in the dark and a (f) 2 Cor 12.7 messenger of Sathan may be let loose to buffet you especially if by some grosse and scandalous sin ye drive away the Spirit and scandalize your profession then ye may expect some remarkable stroak the Lord will vindicate his glorious Name before the sons of men who have been witnesses of the dishonour done to him If the Vestal Nunnes were deflowred they suffered a most (g) Vid. Plut. loc cit terrible kind of death their profession and function was thought holy and honourable and therefore their punishment was fearfull and remarkable and though the Lord will not destroy any of his honest servants yet he will distress and chastise them when they (h) Ps 85.8 step aside to folly he may drive them from his presence and shut them up in prison where there is neither light nor heat and in this extremity they are ready to warm themselves at their own fire and to (i) Is 50.1 a walk in the light of the sparks they have kindled running either to creature-comforts to calm that storm being in that distemper somewhat like to (k) 1 Sam. 16. Saul who when the evil spirt from the Lord came upon him called for the musicians or else they rest on their duties not looking up to the Spirit for his help thus as it were daring with Nadab and Abihu to offer strange fire before the Lord. It was not lawfull for the Vestal (l) Vid. Plut. loc cit Nunnes to kindle their sacred fire if once put out any other way but from the Sun-beams though the Saints fire be never totally extinguished yet in the night of desertion while the soul is asleep and neglects to maintain it it becometh so weâ—k that without a new supply from heaven it will not burn our sacrifice and if strange fire be taken in the place of it our sacrifice will not be accepted Every fire is not kindled from heaven there is a fire that ariseth from the bowels of the earth as in (m) Lev. 10.1 earth-quakes and that is dangerous there is also a (n) Vid. doctiss Ioâ—n de Mâ—y Sac. Phys part 2. loc 5. fire that cometh from hell and this whatever be the fewel and matter yet as to its original is devilish The bullock thou offerest may be without blemish and yet brought from the wrong herd it concerneth us therefore to know whence good motions come and how they arise in the heart before we bring them to the Altar and offer them up to God And thus we come to the last particular we promised to speak to which hath two branches viz. how that sacred fire that cometh from heaven may be known and dâ—stinguished 1. from that fire which cometh from hell 2. from the fire that proceedeth only from our own bowels or is brought from our own harth As for the first we shall 1. speak a word to that which is supposed and then 2. to the question it self 1. Then it is here supposed that Satan hath an influence upâ—n the heart and can suggest to us either good as to the object and matter or ill thoughts and can obstetricat to the bringing forth of vile lusts and affections It were too large a field neither will we digresse so far to speak of the severall (o) Vid cantur Scholast ad 1.2 quaest 80. loc com Scriptores § de tentatione Catechist in orat domin inprimis vero I hom Goodwin de desertion or a chird of light Ch 6 7 8 9 10. wayes and methods Satan observeth that he may alluâ—e and intangle weake and foolish me but we shall now only in the generall and briefly speak to that intricat and obstruse question how Satan doth work on the understanding and will whether mediatly or imediatly and the common opinion not only of popish Casuists and School men but of all Divines of whatsoever profession whether orthodox Lutheran c. is that Satan hath only a mediat accesse unto and indirect work upon the heart v z. in that he can work upon the senses whether outward or inward and imagination and there stir up Phantasms and representations whereby the mind and will by reason of their sympathy and connexion with those inferior faculties being affected are drawn along to subscribe approve and comply with what is thus suggested unto them by these native trusties And thus Satan may be compared to an enemy besieging an impregnable for t who having gained some out-works doth from thence at a venture cast fire balls over the wall or in at the windows not knowing whether they shall hurt or not so Satan that malicious enemy having accesse to the senses imagination and sensitive appetit those naturall agents neither being abâ—eto resist his poâ—er nor watchfull against his assaults are more easily brought under and he havi g friends
apply most of the characters brought for clearing the former quaeree concerning Sathans suggestions which here will be as discriminative as they are there as 1. if these motions be spiritual as to the motives and end they cannot flow from nature for no (b) Nihil agit supra sphaeram activitatis agent can act beyond its own sphere 2. If they stir us up to do in a right maner c. we will not resume the several particulars only let us presse the last a little further Now the motions of the Spirit do manifestly differ from our natural motions as to their effect upon the heart For 1. they being weak as we have shown Chap. 3. they can make no lively impression upon the heart nor engage the affections and thus they are often choaked and repelled yea albeit when they as in Jehu are animated by self-interest and base carnall ends Sathan also obstetricating and putting his to hand to help forward the work albeit thus they become violent and impetuous yet they are helplesse though they presse the heart to yield yet they furnish no strength for doing in a sutable and spiritual maner though they may add vigour to the outward man in its natural actings and thus also there may be a habit facility and gift acquired for producing the like acts hereafter yet the heart is no whit bettered nor thereby made to fall in love with the beauty of holiness the doing of one duty thus doth not fit and prepare the heart for doing better and more spiritually hereafter but rather indisposeth it by habituating it to do in a formal carnal maner O! but the Spirit of God is the Spirit of power 2 Tim. 1.7 who as he exciteth us to do so also assisteth us in doing and enableth us to do well and in an acceptable maner he helpeth our infirmities and supplieth our weakness Rom. 8.26 1 Pet. 5.10 Colos 1.11 He maketh us beleeve and then speak he will stir up faith to act and thereby fit and prepare the heart to pour out its desires to God Ps 116.10 It s true the Saints may meet with streitnings and ly under much deadness when the spirit begins to move but even then they meet with secret strength and assistance whereby they are supported to hold our and not give over nor to yield to the contrary suggestions of Sathan and the flesh and therefore we should not alwayes measure the Spirits help by sense feeling but when thus it cannot be so sensibly discerned though it truly be afforded yet we cannot make use of it as a mark and sign for clearing the present case till in the issue this mist and darkness be dispelled 2. Then wait and the vision shall come it shall not tarry ere it be long ye shall discern his hand to your comfort and find a sweet sent and savour left upon the heart behind him when he cometh he will leave some myrrh upon the handles of the lock which will make our fingers drop sweetly Cant. 5.5 Lastly as natural motions do not positively amend and make the heart better so neither do they negatively amend it or make it less evill as they add no good to it so they take no evil out of it though the acts of sin may be restrained yet the habits are not debilitated though the streams be stopt yet the fountain still abideth full though some branches be cut off yet the bulk and root suffereth not prejudice but may be all the while growing and enlarging it self O! but the Spirit helpeth with might in the inner as well as in the outward man he helpeth us to do not only some outward acts but also to pull down the strong holds of Sathan and every imagination and high thing that would exalt it self against God Eph. 3.16 2 Cor. 10.4 5. When the Spirit once beginneth to breath upon us then sin in root and branches must like the house of (c) 2 Sam. 3.1 Saul after David did come to the throne daily wax weaker and weaker Vse 1. You have need to (d) 1 Joh. 4.1 try by what spirit ye are acted and led Use 1 and from whence the fire is brought that burneth your sacrifice all is not gold that glisters if your treasure be filled with brass in stead of good coyn you are undone the most miserable have something that looketh like current money wherewith they rest satisfied but when they bring it to the market they are sent away empty the worst of men have not only had some good motions some light and pressing convictions but also good affections some pangs of sorrow and repentance and some flashes of zeal joy and holy desires carnal men will have their fits of seeming devotion and their good moods you may look upon Cain complaining and lamenting his misery Esau weeping for the blessing Ahab humbling himself Felix trembling Judas repenting and confessing his sin Jehu in his zeal for the Lord destroying idolaters Herod and the stony ground hearing the Word gladly Balaam desiring to die the death of the righteous c. And therefore as ye would not be deceived in a business of such concernment put the matter to the tryal 2. Here is matter of praise to God unto all eternity Use 2 O! let us (e) Ps 103.1 call to our soul and summon all that is within us to joyn in this work let us invite the holy Angels to assist us yea let (f) Ps 69.34 heaven and earth sea and land with all their hosts if they had a tongue to speak joyn with us in praising our God for this his mervellous loving kindness towards the sons of men that he will give his Spirit to be our leader and guide our helper and comforter to awaken and quicken us when we are dull to corroborat and strengthen our fainting spirits to help and assist us in our work to comfort and refresh us when we grow weary and thus every way to help our infirmities O ye dull faint weak and disconsolated ones consider what a master ye serve and turn your complaints into songs of praises But remember that abused mercies exceedingly provoke the nearer the Lord draws to us in his kindness if we prove unthankfull our punishment will be more heavy and grievons Let us then look on the warning to the people of Israel concerning that Angel the great Angel of the Covenant who should conduct them to the promised land as if to day it were made to us in reference to this our blessed leader and guide to the heavenly Canaan Beware of him and obey his voice provoke him not least he pardon not your transgressions for my (g) In quo nomen Dei veraciter est quia verus Deus est Gloss interlin in loc name is in him saith the Lord Exod. 23.21 PART II. Of the qualifications of an acceptable prayer ALbeit the levitical Priesthood and material sacrifices did cease and those shadows (a) Heb. 8.13 evanish
so in the present case is too apparent and thus some (g) Mr â—ildershâ—nâ— on Ps 51. Mr. Love Treâ—t of mortification Divines observe that all the wâ—â—l David wallowed in the mire and till he repented of his murder and adultery his mouth waâ— shut and he could not pray and therefore after he had bewailed his sins he begs that God would open his lips and would uphold and streng then him with his free Spirit Psa 51.15 12. Guilt upon the conscience will make the sinner speechless when he comes before the Lord ah what can the rebell say who purposeth to go on in his rebellion dare he say and what elâ—e can he say Lord though I purpose to break thy holy commandments and to provoke thee to thy face yet withdraw not thy Spirit be not angry pardon my sin c. or if any had the impudence thus to mock the holy Lord would any imagine that the holy Spirit did help and assist him in such an hypocritical bold and foolish performance And since the Spirit may thus be provok't totally to withdraw his help and assistance as to our spiritual sacrifice and the offering up of our desires to God we need not descend to particulars for all that actual help and concurrence with the several steps thereof (h) Vid. loc 337. seq mentioned Part. 1. Chap. 9. may be denied and for a season withheld and suspended It would be here observed that this suspension of the assistance of the Spirit may fall under a twofold consideration 1. as our tryal 2. as our punishment For though he Lord doth not withdraw his Spirit but from sinners yet not alwayes for sin though we be guilty and sin may be called the (i) Causa sine qua non dispositiva imo meritoria cause and occasion of desertion that which of it self deserveth this sad stroke and makes us lyable to this sore trial for in heaven when we shall be free of sin there shall be no night nor ecclipses there shall be no complaint for the want of the influences and the light of this Sun yet the Lord doth not alwayes pursue a quarrel and for our sins withdraw his Spirit but for some other high and holy ends 1. the Lord like a Physitian will take down the body and draw blood to prevent the disease thus the Lord did so far withdraw his assistance from Paul as to suffer the messenger of Sathan to buffet him to prevent Spiritual pride and that he might not be exalted through the abundance of revelations 2 Cor. 12.7 2. As a teacher and instructer of his people he will withdraw his help to teach and warn them of their own weakness and inability and the need they stand in of a continual supply from the fountain thus Peter in the hour of temptation was so far deserted and left that he denied his Master thrice and with an oath Mat. 26.70.72 74. 3. As a soveraign Lord and Master (k) Mat. 20.15 who may do what he will with his own he will withdraw his Spirit for the trial of his honest servants and to give the world a proof and evidence of the reality and strength of their graces thus Job was left to Sathans buffering from within and without as if God had set him up as a mark at which he would shoot all his arrows Job 7.20 so that his soul choosed and had he not been by a secret hand of providence upheld would have embraced strangling and death rather then life ver 15. And yet the Lord all the while was not pleading any controversie against Job but rather offering him to the trial that his sincerity and uprightness might be brought to the light and made more manifest and that we hearing of his patience might learn to imitate it and seeing the issue and period the Lord put to his trial might be encouraged in the day of our trouble Job 1.8 Job 2.3 Jam. 5.11 But 4. though the Spirit doth not (l) Quod ad tritum illud Augustini Prosperi Deus neminem deserit nisi prius deseratur ab ipso Intelligi potest vel de desertione totali finali vel de desertione castigatoria ae quasi paenali si loquamur de homine lapso certum est omnem hominem â—ut loquitur Did. Aluarez de auxil div disp 58. sect 7. prius deseruisse Deum per peccatum actuale vâ—l orignale quam Deus illum deserat alwaies yet often and most usually he withdraweth for sin according to that threatning 2 Cor. 5.2 If ye forsake him he will (m) Not only in respect of outward blessings prosperity prorection c. but also in respect of inward and sanctifying grace withdrawing both the one and the other forsake you Our kind Father will withdraw and hide his face from his own children when they become unkind and undutifull and then desertion is a paternal chastisement and undutifull and then (n) But rather negative then positive and if we would speak strictly it is rather the suspension of an act but in that it doth flow from the holy counsel and appointment of God we may in respect of its original seu causaluer call it an act uâ— loquamur cum vulgo act not of meer soveraignty but rather of justice though not pure and vindictive but rather paternal and castigatory and mixed with much love and tending to our good profit and amendment Heb. 12.10 And thus there are as it were four kinds of substractions and withdrawings of the influence of the Spirit viz. 1. medicinal cauâ—ionary and for preventing of sin 2. monitory and doctrinal 3. probatory exploratory and for trial albeit the former two also in some general sense may go under this name and be said to be for tryal which thus is opposed to punishment which falls under the last sort of desertion which is 4. castigatory and as it were penal and by way of chastisement for sin we will not further prosecute the difference let us only observe that as it is more honourable and comfortable for the Saints to be cast into this furnace then to cast themselves into it to suffer according to the will of God then for their sin So usually there is some one or other circumstance and ingredient in the trial it self that hath much love in it or is some kind of mitigation and extenuation of that sad stroke or some thing in the issue for the greater advantage and establishment of such as have been under the trial thus Paul though buffeted by Sathan yet not foiled but keeps his ground though he was left to wrestle with the temptation yet not to become a prey to it and though Peter fell foully and most deplorably yet he was not left in the mire but instantly recovered by Christs look and though Jobs trial was very sore yet the issue was very glorious and comfortable But though the Lord thus may for holy ends known to
brought his people out of Egypt to destroy them in the wilderness yea and rather then the whole body of that people should be destroyed Exod. 32. And Paul his wish that he rather were accursed from Christ then that his brethren and kinsmen should perish Rom. 9. But these two practises being rather for admiration then imitation such a height and measure of (o) Zeal to Gods glory and for the happiness and salvation of his people Where there is no hazard of excess in our affection we cannot be too zealous for God nor too desirous of the well fare of his people zeal being scarce attainable since it cannot be affirmed that any other ever did or shall in this life come their length David his desire and prayer 1 Chr. 21.17 is very considerable in the present case Let thine hand saith this holy man be on me and on my fathers house but not or rather then on thy people that they should be plagued It is true he had sinned and deserved to be punished but whatever were his motives we see this holy man prefer the good of Gods people to his own personal interest and desire that the rod should be rather on himself and his family then on the body of the people But abstracting from such high and holy ends and when the comparison is only between some evil or temporal rod lying upon us and some other evil which may rid us out of the present trouble if the Saints should desire any such evil by way of remedy such a desire must be sinfull the object being evil in it self and not determined as a necessary and the only mean for removing the present evil which perhaps is less in it self and less dangerous and so the end being base and low and the root and principle sinfull and carnal such as pride passion impatience distrust and the like I hope none will plead for such a desire though in the most eminent Saints as in Job ch 6.8 9. in Moses Numb 11.15 in Jonah ch 4.39 in Eliah 1 King 19.4 in Jeremiah ch 20.14 15 16 17. c. For though Job was a pattern of patience Jam. 5.11 Moses of meekness Numb 12.3 and Eliah of confidence 1 King 18. yet they were subject to infirmities even there where they were strongest and those slips and fits of passion and impatience are left on record to be 1. a warning to us of our frailty that we may learn to be humble watchfull and circumspect 2. to be as a beacon on the rock which we should shun and 3. to teach us that our imitation of men though eminent for holiness should be with a limitation and with caution that we must only follow them when and so far as they follow Christ and walk by rule But though some weak Saints may miscarry on the one hand by presuming on Gods care and bounty that he will bless such a severe course of physick as they prescribe to themselves without his warrand and approbation Yet alas it is more usual to miscarry on the other hand So that we need not stay long in debating this case all of us have a monitor within which will be too ready to warn us of our danger loss and bodily evil and will be ready to call to us to spare our selves when the Lord doth call us to suffer and when his glory and our everlasting happiness do cry to us not to (q) Rev. 12.11 love our lives unto the death and when if we (r) Mat. 16.25 save our life we will lose it And since we may not wish evil to our selves that the Lord may turn it to our good far less may we thus wish evil to others with whose comforts and creature-enjoyments we have not such power to dispense as with our own and of the frame of whose hearr we know less and of their readiness to abuse mercies As also since here there may be some suspicion of malice envy c. ah who would look upon him as a genuine son of Zion who under the pretence that the affliction of the Church hath often proven a mean of reformation humiliation c. would wish and pray that her calamities might be multiplied or continued If these shall prosper that love and pray for her peace Ps 122.6 what shall be their portion that under whatsoever colour dare pray for her trouble 3. As for evils of sin who will be so mad as to plead that these are desirable these laid the foundation of hell and made Angels once glorious become devils these defaced the beautifull Image of God in man and robbed him of all his excellencies these are the grand murderers that kill both body and soul and daily thrust multitudes into the pit these are the procurers of all our â—wo and misery here and hereafter and yet how many love and imbrace these scorpions till they sting them to death but yet secretly and as stollen wares few being so impudent as to own and defend though too many will excuse their sins far less dare any pray to God for help to sin against him sin is an evil (t) August loc cit pag. 486. vid. loc an only evil there is nothing in it amiable or desirable it is true God can bring light out of darkness and make the lancet of an enemy to open a sore that despised all remedy Hence s Austin durst affirm that it might sometimes be profitable to some Saints to fall into some gross sin to humble them and awaken them out of their security No doubt the Lord can make the consideration of our sins to humble us and become more watchfull and circumspect and thus even make our sins (t) Rom. 8.28 work together for our good which is a demonstration of the wisdom and power of the Physician and proclaimeth his mercy and tender bowels towards us that of our venom and poison he can and sometimes will make to us a healing plaister but this is no warrand to us to prescribe such a medicine for our selves we may not de evil that good may come Rom. 3.8 CHAP. IV. Of cursing and imprecations Whether it be lawfull to pray for vengeance on the wicked and on persecuters Rom. 12.14 Bless them which persecute you bless and curse not THere be (a) Having in the preceeding Chapter enquired Whether we may desire any evil to our selves or to the people of God we come now to ask Whether we may wish and pray for any evil to the wicked and to our enemies here several particulars that need not be brought under debate as that we may pray against 1. the sins of men and say with him Ps 7.9 Oh! let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end 2. Against the plots counsels machinations and interprises of the wicked against the Saints and people of God his Truth and Ordinances and say with him 2 Sam. 15.31 O Lord I pray thee defeat the counsel of Ahithophel and turn it into
and that the covenant of grace doth give a dispensation from the law and yield a great deal of liberty so that it is needless now to aim at perfection men must repent and believe and so say they we do but we cannot away with the acuracy and strictness of some puritans we are not now (y) Rom. 6.14 under the law but under grace we know that God is mercifull and Christ hath died for sinners and let ministers say what they please we will trust in God and in our dear Saviour and hope to speed as well as the precisâ—st puritan We spoke of the obligation of the law Sect. 1. and shall now only show that this wofull errour is a monster of many heads for 1. it denieth Gods justice and saith that the righteous Lord will acquit and clear the guilty contrary to his name whereby he proclaimed himself Exod. 34.7 And its observable that there his mercy hath the first place and is amplified by several expressions as if that were the great and main property whereby the holy one would be described yet by way of anticipation and to prevent this delusion this caveat is added that yet for as mercifull as he is he will by no means clear the guilty thus also after the prophet Nahum had asserted the Lords kindness and forbearance he tells secure sinners that this is nothing to them they will never taste of his goodness for saith he though the Lord be slow to anger yet he will not at all acquit the wicked But they notwithstanding all his goodness mercy and forbearance shall perish in their iniquiries and the reward of their hands shall be given unto them Nah. 1.3 Isa 3.11 2. It denieth Gods holiness and that (z) Habak 1.13 he is of purer eyes then to behold iniquity and thus it must have been to no purpose for the Apostle to exhort us to holiness because we have to do with a holy Lord 1 Pet. 1.15 16. albeit the Lord himself once and again press this motive as Lev. 11.44 Lev. 19.2 Lev. 20.7 c. 3. It denieth the Lords truth and fidelity in fulfilling his threatnings as if these were set down in the Scriptures only to terrifie fools or children but these men know God to be more mercifull then to damn his own creatures and honest servants and the Apostle John think they was too rash and uncharitable in saying that he who committeth sin is of the devil and that he who is born of God doth not yea cannot sin but purifieth himself as he is pure 1 Joh. 3.8 9.3 And St. James was too strict and precise a puritan while he affirmeth that though a man should keep the whole law yet if he offend in one point he is guilty of all Jam. 2.10 4. It separateth Christs offices denying him to be a King and Prophet for though those men would close with him as a Priest and lay hold on that sacrifice he once offered for sin as a perfect medicine to cure all their diseases yet they (a) Luk. 19.14 will not have him as a King to reign over them nor as a Prophet to reveal the safe and narrow way to salvation And thus by separating Christs offices they are separated from him and while they quit two parts they are deprived of the third 3. Practical heresie The third practical heresie is embraced by too many infatuated people who think that they may love God and serve the devil that they may give God their heart while they give the devil their hands and that they may believe in Christ though they keep not his commandments And such will say though we cannot be so strict and precise as some folk yet none love God more and though we often sin against him yet we daily (b) Like the French King who would swear and then kiss his crucifix and then swear again c. repent and ask Gods mercy we are sorry for all our sins and would fain serve God better but we cannot help it and we are sure to keep our hearts for God and we hope he will accept our good meaning and the will for the deed and will never be so cruel as to damn so many well meaning folk who mind him no ill but love him with all their heart though they cannot do all they should c. Oh! that our eyes were a fountain of tears that we might weep and lament the mad security and desperat folly of those wretches what is it not one of the most ridiculous paradoxes to mean well and do ill such a gloss like that of Orleans manifestly destroyes the text our hearts and intentions are a riddle and mystery not only to others but also to our selves and our actions and doings are the best commentary on that obscure text hence while the Prophet complained of the hearts deceitfulness and desperat wickedness which could be known and searcht out by none but the Lord yet acknowledgeth this commentary Jer. 17.9 10. as if he had said do not deceive your selves with your good meaning and the honesty of your hearts for they are exceeding deceitfull but remember this the Lord will render to every man according to his wayes and doings ah who is able to bewail this desperat deceit such as thus mistake the way will miss the place they aim at such as think they mean well and do ill while they think they are on the way to heaven are going post to hell hence (c) Sed aiunt quidam Deum satis habere si corde animo suspiciatur licet actu minus fiat itaque si salvo metu side peccare hoc est salva castitate metrimonia violare salva piâ—tate parenti veneâ—um temperare sâ—c ergo ipsi salva venia in gehen nam detrudentur dum salvo metu peccant Tertul de paenit cap. 5. an ancient Doctor said well Such saith he as can give God their heart believe love and fear him and yet sin against him that is keep their chastity and yet violat matrimony shall in mercy be sent to hell and with such a supposed pardon of their sins as they had faith and love to God as their sins made no breach upon their love to him So neither shall their punishment make a breach upon his mercy towards them Ah fool I must not our faith be evidenced by our works Jam. 2.18 20 c. and our love by our obedience and keeping of his commandments Ioh. 14.15 21. Ioh 15.14 1 Ioh. 2.5 c. O! if while thou layest hold on Gods mercy and Christs death with thy unclean hands thou wouldst remember that without holiness none shall see the Lord except as a judge coming to take vengeance on them Heb. 12.14 and that Christ will become the author of eternal salvation unto such only though to all those as obey him Heb. 5.9 We might add to these several other damnable delusions as so many branches coming from the former cursed root
fore-tell the inevitable destruction of those wretches but also represent it in a prayer to God for the greater terror and conviction of those who should read their own names in that dreadfull imprecation But such as will not now cry to the (g) Deut 32.15 2 Sam. 22.47 c. rock of salvation and (h) Is 55.6 seek his face while he may be found shall ere it be long cry to the mountains and rocks to destroy them fall on them and hide them from his face Rev. 6.16 Now he lovingly inviteth you to draw nigh to him and offers you the help of his Spirit and ye will not come but nill ye will ye in that day of his wrath when ye shall not be (i) Rev. 6. â—7 able to stand before him ye shall be brought before his Tribunal to be judged 2 Cor. 5.10 such as in their life derided holiness and said it was in vain to call upon God will then say in vain with the foolish Virgins Mat. 25.11 Lord Lord open to us O! if thou wouldst know in this thy day the things that belong to thy peace before they be hid from thine eyes Luk. 19.42 Sect. 2. Objections answered and this Queree considered whether prayer may be said to move him with * Jam. 1.17 whom is no variableness neither shadow of turning Dan. 9.2 3. I Daniel understood the number of the years that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolation of Jerusalem and I set my face unto the Lord God to seek by prayer and supplications c. Jon. 3.8 9 10. Let man and beast be covered with sackcloath and cry mightily unto God And God saw their works and repented of the evil that he had said that he would do unto them and he did it not THere be scarce any material question and case handled in this Treatise from whence we could not gather some one or moe objections which might be here propounded as Obj. 1 1. Obj. I cannot pray I know not what to ask as I ought Ans See where our strength lyeth Ans and from whence help may be brought Part 1. chap. 9. Obj. 2 2 Obj. But I am dull and indisposed and am not in a fit condition and frame of spirit to speak with God Ans Ans How thou mayest maintain and recover a praying disposition see Part 3. chap. 2. Obj. 3 3 Obj. O! but the mercies I stand in need of are great and second causes are far off and I see litle probability of success Ans See supports for strengthening thy faith Ans Part 2. chap. 2. sect 2. and Part 1. from Christs intercession ch â— sect 1. and from Christs death chap. 8. Obj. 4 4 Obj. Ah! but I fear lest I be an enemy and the Lord prove a consuming fire if I should draw nigh to him and were it not better to stay away then to cast my self in the fire Ans Whatever be thy fear yet thou must draw nigh to him or perish if thou wilt come in sincerity Ans there is hope but otherwise he will come against thee to tear thee in peeces See thy duty vindicated obstructions removed and encouragements held forth Part. 1. chap 5. sect 3. Obj. 5 5 Obj. O! but I fear lest the day of grace and the acceptable time be past and that it were in vain for me now to seek the Lord. Ans Ye have this case discussed and this plea removed here Ans chap. 2. sect 2. Obj. 6 6 Obj. But I cannot call God Father nor follow that copy Christ hath set down and according to which every supplicant must frame his prayers Mat. 6.9 Luk. 11.2 Ans Either thou art a child of light walking in darkness Ans and thy case is propounded Part 3. chap. 1. sect 1. page 560. or thou art yet in the bond of iniquity but wouldst fain shake off those grievous fetters and then I have spoken to thy case Part 1. chap. 5. sect 3. And now let me only tell thee though God be not yet thy Father reapse à parte rei thou not being as yet begotten born and regenerated by his Spirit yet he is thy Father voto ac desiderio fortassè etiam decreto ac aeterna electione as to the longing and desire of thy heart and perhaps as to his secret purpose and decree otherwise if thou dost not so much as desire to have such a Father and to stand under the sweet relation of an obedient son thou hast no (a) Act. 8.21 part nor lot in this mater what hast thou to do to take his Covenant in thy mouth or to lay hold on any federal relation to him Ps 50.16 But if thou wish and desire if that be the one thing thou wouldst ask if thou wert put in Solomons case 1 King 2.5 whâ—t mayest thou not thus call him thy Father thou hast a sâ—rt of claim by this thy desire unto that high relation which the Lord will never challenge nor upbraid thee for laying hold on it unless thou forfeit that plea by (b) 2 Pet. 2.20 21 22. returning with the dog to thy vomit for sincere wâ—shes and (c) Mat. 5 6. desires pass as current money in the Kingdom of Heaven But not to insist on particulars which might here be multiplyed if that labour had not been prevented by handling them in their proper places neither could they have been there omitted without much confusion and deficiency and many needless repetitions here There is one objection which like (d) 1 Sam. 10.23 7 Obj. Saul among the people is by head and shoulders higher then all the rest and it is this many have what their (e) Job 21.7.14 15. Ps 73.7 qfq Ps 44 22. qgq 1 Cor. 4.13 hearts can desire and more who yet make no conscience to call upon God but cast off fear and restrain prayer before him and on the other hand the Saints for the most part are f killed all the day long and are counted as sheep for the slaughter and are g made as the filth of the world and the off-scouring of all things they ask but receive not they seek but find not they knock but it is not opened unto them what then doth prayer avail and what truth is there in the many promises that are made to it Ans This is that mountain which blind Atheists cannot look over Ans this is the stumbling block on which they fall and cannot rise again and which often hath proven a sore temptation tryal and exercise to the Saints therefore we spak to it at so great length here chap. 1. where we shew 1. that prayer could not want an answer 2. that no good thing was with-held from honest supplicants and 3. that no good thing was enjoyed but by prayer and that the mercies of prayerless souls were cursed and all the crosses of the godly were blessed c. We come now to the objections that
the prayer of the righteous doth move and prevail with him to show mercy for as if man had not sinned the Lord would not have been angry against him nor inflicted any punishment So if the Saints did not pray they should not receive mercies from him but would provoke him to wrath and to afflict them but their prayers are his delight and a means to obtain what they stand in need of and therefore in some sort they must as it were move and affect him Thus objections being answered and obstructions removed thou mayest be convinced O man that there is no hindrance nor impediment lying in thy way but what carnal reason would suggest to hinder discourage thee if thine eyes were opened thou mightest (b) See how we retorted the several objections belonging to this place discern some motive and encouragement from thence for going about thy duty and if objections do furnish arguments and motives where can we cast our eyes and not behold some one or other motive and encouragement We will not resume the several particulars mentioned Sect. 1. only let me now by way of conclusion warn thee that unless thou be a sincere supplicant thou canst not glorifie God nor enjoy him for ever thou canst not serve God nor work out thine own salvation which being joyned together as they cannot be separated are our great business here in the world and the one thing necessary If thou callest not upon God thou art a thief and a robber in taking and using his goods without his leave and sayest with those wretches Ps 12.4 Who is Lord over us thou dost not acknowledge his propriety in all thou possessest nor thy dependance on him and subjection to him thou lookest not upon thy mercies as talents and dost not resolve to improve them for the Masters use nor render to him the sacrifice of praise for what he hath intrusted thee with the thief useth not to come and render thanks to the owner for what he stealed from him if thou cast off prayer thou drawest down wrath and openest the door that Gods judgements may enter in and every business thou puttest thine hand unto and every mercy thou enjoyest cryeth while thou art silent to the heavens for a curse and plague to be poured out upon thee for (c) Rom. 8.20 21 22. subjecting it to vanity and imploying it against it's Maker nay if thou dost not call upon God thou art a very Atheist and profess what thou wilt thou art in one class and rank with the heathen that know not God and with them lying under the same curse and imprecation Ps 79.6 Jer. 10.25 We read of some desperat fools and mad atheists who said in their heart there is no God Ps 14.1 Ps 53.1 but what is their mark and that character whereby they may be known in both Scriptures they are described to be men that call not upon God Psal 14.4 Psal 53.4 As if the holy Spirit had said would ye indeed know who is the heart-Atheist he is one who will not seek after God who casteth off fear and restraineth prayer God is not in all his thoughts All prayer-less souls are bigg with blasphemies whatever restraint be upon their mouths yet their way and course doth say and a little temptation might make them speak out with those cursed ones Job 21.15 What is the Almighty that we should serve him and what profit should we have if we pray unto him Such as have no prayers have no creed and such as leave Gods door are ready with (d) 1 Sam. 28.7 Saul to run to the devils O! then wouldst thou not have the throne of mercy become a throne of wrath and indignation unto thee wouldst thou not have him whose judgment is true account thee an Atheist wouldst thou not become a prey to every temptation that would drive thee to destruction and make thee in the day of distress to run to Sathan thy sworn enemy and soul-murderer cast out this dumb devil let him not possess thy heart any longer else he will be thy ruine and damnation But on the other hand wouldst thou be happy here and eternally hereafter wouldst thou (e) 1 Joh. 1.3 have fellowship with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ wouldst thou (f) Hos 12.3 4. have power with God wouldst thou have moyen in heaven and have the Kings ear wouldst thou have it said unto thee as to her Mat. 15.28 be it unto thee as thou wilt though thou shouldst ask not as (g) Mark 6.23 Herod once vainly proffered the half of a kingdom only but the whole and not a corruptible inheritance but a crown of glory that fadeth not a way wouldst thou be in such a blessed and happy condition O then hearken to the exhortation Col. 4.2 Rom. 12.12 Eph. 6.18 continue instant in prayer watching thereunto with all perseverance And now let me with dying h Moses call heaven and earth to record against you this day (h) Deut. 30.9 that I have set before you life and death blessing and cursing therefore chuse life ah will ye delay or refuse is there any question or difficulty in the matter is there any comparison between life and death cursing and blessing eternal happiness and everlasting wo and misery were it not that sinners are (i) Gal. 3.1 bewitched befooled and infatuated by Sathan would they (k) Isa 5.20 prefer darkness to light and (l) Jer. 2.13 forsake the fountain of living waters and hew out to themselves broken cisterns that can hold no water Oh! (m) Ezek. 33.11 turn ye turn ye foolish self-destroying sinners why will ye die while life is offered unto you and all that may make you happy and blessed for ever doth not the Lord to day hold out all his treasures unto thee and invite thee to (n) Rev. 3.18 buy at an easie rate do but ask ask what thou wilt and it shall be (o) Mat. 7.7 Joh. 14.13 14. c. given thee O! (p) Luk. 19 42. if thou didst know even thou at least in this thy day the things which belong unto thy peace before they be hid from thine eyes Ere it be long this day of grace and acceptable time will be past and if then thou be found among the number of despisers thou wilt but too late be convinced of thy folly in contemning thine own mercies that thou wouldst not be (q) Rev. 3.18 rich thou wouldst not be (r) Ps 16.3 honourable and (Å¿) Ps 32.1.5 happy that thou didst despise a crown and wouldst not be a (t) Rev. 1.6 King and Priest unto God for ever and ever (u) Act. 13.41 Behold ye despisers and wonder and perish An Alphabetical TABLE A TO pray absolutely what it importeth For what should we thus pray whether for such a measure and degree of grace c. Page 214 c. Whether grace may be abused Page 223 227 No acceptance without the