not been able to produce one testimony or to make a reply that deserveth consideration we may upon this ground together with positive evidences from the most learned judicious and most approven Fathers affirm that albeit 1. In the dayes of Nazianzen there were several ground-stores brought for this work to wit the rhetorical Dialogues and apostrophes to the defunct which 2. were afterwards laid by some foolish builders yet with much doubting and haesitation and 3. though some did call to the martyrs yet they did not invocat them they were as (m) Usher loc cit pog 444. and Geo. Cassand a moderate Papist thinks it yet sufficient only to present our wishes and desires to them and not to pray to them satis est si dicamus per modum desiderri eas interpellationes explicari posse c. oper pag. 1109. vid. Uss one speaketh only vocati not invocati they were desired as we do the living to pray with us but were not prayed unto 4. Though some did call upon them yet with some moderation not pleading their merits and only in their private devotion Yet 5. till after the death of Epiphanius and Augustine these two great opposers of this idolatrous invention it came not to its height but after a little while it fell into the hands of some (n) Such as Prudentius Paulinus Fortunatus c. Poets who without all modesty used a licentious liberty to passe all bounds and by a strange kind of metamotphosis to make new gods and mediators of holy men and martyrs but all this time it was kept as it were within doors in the private or domestick worship till about the year six hundred For albeit Gnapheus before that time essayed to have insert it into the publick Liturgies yet he and his motion were rejected that great work being reserved for Gregory the great who for that and his other superstitious conceits may well be called the grand innovator and father of superstition and then lastly Adrian the third about the year eight hundred eighty five did put on the cop-stone claiming to himself and his successors the power of Canonization and making Gods of men We need not stay long in confuting this dream yea one of its patrons the learned Swarez doth furnish us with an argument confirmed by the authority of their master Thomas in which we may rest viz. No (o) Religionis virtus circa solum Deum versatur sed oratio est proprius actus religionis c. Swar loc cit cap. 9. sect 2. religious act can without idolatry be terminated in the creature But must only be directed to God But prayer is a religious act Ergo. And before he brings this he tells us that the conclusion of it must be supponed as certain You will then say the controversie is at an end O! but hearken and ye shall hear a limitation its certain saith he that prayer under some consideration as it belongeth to their cultus latriae doth only belong to God but as it falls under cultum duliae so it may be tendred to Saints We will not now meddle with these strange terms but in a word he grants that prayer as it is a religious (p) Ibid. cap. 7. 8. act cannot be made to any creature without grosse impiety and thus he hath hit right for their idolatrous Saint-invocation being a most impious and idolatrous abomination can be no religious performance nor savour of piety and devotion 1. We may argue thus we must not call on him in whom we do not believe Rom. 10.14 But wo to him that believeth or trusteth in any meer creature and makes it his arme and citty of refuge Jer. 17.5 Ergo. O saith Bellarmine the Prophet Jeremy must be mistaken for otherwise Saint-invocation must be disclaimed for (q) Non potest sanctos invocare qui'suo modo in eos non credit in iis non sperat Bell. de sanct beat lib. 2. cap. 20. sect ad primum none can be said to call upon the Saints who doth not in his own way trust and hope in them But thus saith the Lord cursed be the man that trusteth in man under what pretence soever for his heart must depart from the Lord If any thing of it thus be let out towards the creatures He will accept of none of it He dow not away with a corrival You will say they give God the first place and they acknowledge him to be the first (r) Primito auctor bonorum Bell. ibid. author Reply Instruments and means must not share with the first author in what is due to him alone while we use the creature we must only confide and trust in God Whatever we make an object of our faith confidence or hope must be either an Idol or God and the most vile Pagan idolater might run to this popish plea for though they worshiped many inferiour gods yet they acknowledged only one viz. their great Jupiter to be the first and chief author of all As for the two texts Bellarmine citeth the first viz. Gen. 48.16 It is most impertinently alledged and it is as impertinently applied viz. not to the present point of trusting in but of calling upon the Saints and thus also he contradicteth himself while he grants that the Saints were not invocated under the old Testament and the text speaks only of the adoption of Manasseh and Ephraim to be accounted as Jacobs sons and thus to become heads of two distinct Tribes and now Jacob by these words of his blessing performs what he said ver 5. As for the other place we remit him to their own (Å¿) Cajet in Philem. Cajetan who hath so much modesty as to blush at the popish glosse and will not have the Saints there viz. Philem. ver 5. to be named as the object but as the (t) Fides refertur in sanctos tanquam consertes fidei subject of faith so that Philemon there is commended for that faith which he had with all Saints and not which he had in the Saints but as to the genuine sense of the words we rather close with Theodoret viz. that the Apostle having named faith and love doth assign to each of these its proper object so that (u) Yet here there is an inversion of order vid. Calv in loc faith must be terminated in the Lord Jesus and love in the Saints 2. These who teach for doctrines the commandments of men do in vain worship God Mat. 15.9 Wo to such presumptuous fools what plea will they be able to bring when it will be said to them as it was said to that people Isa 1.12 who required these things at your hand But the Scriptures hold out 1. no warrant or command as we shall hear the Papists anon confesse 2. No promise or reward to such a performance and 3. no threatning or punishment for neglecting and slighting it and 4. No example of holy men who have performed it with successe and
justice if then he find an impression upon his spirit to desert his duty and go to his closet and pray he may fear lest Sathan have a hand in it Thus while we are at (f) Thus he laboured to divert the people from attending to Christs Doctrine by a most specious but unseasonable confession that Christ was the holy one of God Luk 4.33 34. Thus also while Paul and those who were with him were at prayer he indeavoured to interrupt them by a fair testimony given to the Apostles and their doctrine by a possessed damsel Act. 16.16 17. If Sathan can steal away the heart from the present duty he careth not by what means prayer if we find some good motion suggested which doth distract and draw away our hearts from the present work if while we are hearing conscience press us to read if while we are attending our Masters business conscience call us to employ that time which is not our own in some religious exercise c. these and the like are unseasonable motions and cannot then proceed from him who hath appointed a season and fit time for every thing under the Sun and made every thing beautifull in its time Eccl. 3.1.11 But as he maketh his servants to reap in due season Gal. 6.8 9. he will also make them sow and bring forth fruit in the right season Psa 1.3 6. As to the effect Though satanical suggestions may be very violent and impetuous and forcibly press us to act yet they are fruitless they bring no provision for the work and for a right and spiritual way of performance they are like water poured out upon the rock not like the rain that falleth upon the valleys Sathans morsels do not feed the soul 1. Then it leaveth no heavenly and spiritual impression upon the heart it doth not enlarge and open it towards God nor stir up self-abasing and heavenly affections 2. Neither doth it give strength for doing the work to which it impelleth in an acceptable maner when the heart is thus stirred up to pray it will continue dead and cold in the performance for his motions often go no further then the imagination fleeting there and not descending to the heart to inflame it But 3. though they affect the heart as when they prevail they must do more or less they quickly evanish and do not abide though he would have us to work that he may ensnare us in the work of our own hands yet he would not have our heart too much fixed on any good work and therefore when we stretch forth our hands he with-draws his help and puts out his candle and the sparks he had blown up he is fitly in respect of his work compared to lightning Luk 10.18 it is an evanishing flash quickly gone which though it may awaken yet it doth not warm the traveller But 4. though it abide and all the while excite and press us forward yet it giveth no strength to do it is like a whip or spur that driveth the weary beast but addeth no help or assistance And though thus the work may be done yet the maner of performance must be dead and formal and as to the end and motives carnal and selfâ—ish and is it any wonder to see Sathan have a hand in such good works But thus we see that Sathan dealeth with the Saints as Pharaoh and the Task-masters once dealt with the Israelites who urged them to work and make brick but would allow them no straw or materials for the work Exod. 5.6 7. But 5. far less doth Sathans impression fit and dispose the heart for doing hereafter a good work flowing from his breath is infectious it rather deadneth and indisposeth then quickneth the heart and rather begetteth a prejudice against holiness then true love to it because of its power which then is not felt and beauty which is not seen and perceived Far less 6. is Sathans motion influential on the life and conversation if it do not encline and dispose the heart for duties of the same kind and nature it can hardly be imagined that it will extend it self further if praying now thus will not make thee love that exercise the better and fit and dispose thee for praying hereafter then though the Lord in his wise providence and for ends known to himself should give what thou thus desiredst that mercy would not prove a mean to increase thy love to him neither wouldst thou labour to improve it for him and lay it out for his honour far less upon this account wouldst thou take heed to thy steps as being loath to offend him and say with him Psa 116.9.12.14 What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits I will pay my vows unto him and in my whole carriage walk before him unto all (g) Col. 1.10 well-pleasing being fruitfull in every good work O! but the influence of the Spirit is soul-strengthning and enlarging it is fruitfull like the warm showers upon the mowen grass Psa 72.6 and like that water poured upon the thirsty Isa 44.3 4. As he quickneth and stirreth us up to do So he enableth and helpeth our weakness and infirmities Rom. 8.26 His influence is not partial it extendeth to the whole life and conversation to strengthen and establish us in every good word and work 2 Thess 2.17 1. To do 2. To do well And 3. to do every thing that the Lord commandeth if the Spirit help us to pray he will help us to pray well and love well Now a word of application Use 1 1. Be not puffed up because of some lively as thou didst think impressions on thy heart driving thee to thy knees and drawing thee to the throne but ponder what hath been thy carriage while thou camest before the King how thy heart was then enlarged and what influence that duty had upon thy life and conversation if thou didst vow and pay to the Lord c. Sathan can transform himself and then he is most dangerous and mischievous to the Saints a white devil is an ill guest Use 2 2. O! but take heed that this be not pretended and made a cloak for thy resisting and grieving the Spirit of God Though Sathan at sometimes be permitted to blow the coal that we may see to work yet he is out of his own element when he stirreth us up to our duty and seldom doth he meet with an occasion and opportunity in which he may gain by our prayers and religious performances and therefore unless his hand be manifestly discerned let us follow and entertain such a motion let us embrace and cherish what is good in it not perplexing our selves by enquiring from what hand it did come and though he did suggest it yet if we could guard against his wiles and devices following what is good in it but not for the ill ends proposed by him nor suffering our selves to be ensnared thereby we might thus disappoint and befool him making him hold the
stop their ears at his reproof and will not turn from their iniquity Ps 66.18 If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear me Though now I be assured of my reconciliation and of Gods favour and love and that he hath attended to the voice of my prayer yet saith he if I should sin against him he would turn away my prayer and refuse to answer my desire God will not speak peace to his Saints if they return to folly Ps 85.8 Then and only then shall I not be ashamed and disappointed when I have respect unto all thy commandments Ps 119.6 As if the Psalmist had said however the swine of the world will come from the mire and in their filth draw nigh to thee yet I would not have the fore-head I would blush be ashamed and confounded to look up to thee unless I laboured to walk before thee in all well-pleasing taking heed to my steps and making thy law the rule of all my wayes It s disputed whether gross sins committed against knowledge and conscience be inconsistent wich grace so that when beleevers thus fall they fall away from the state of grace and justification Now though we dare not go alongst with them who stand for the affirmative yet we may safely affirm that such sins yea and every known and allowed sin whatever be the matter and object and though it were never so latent and hidden and so not scandalous do so far make a breach upon the blessed state of justification as that the priviledges and comforts thereof are suspended untill the sinner renew his repentance and forsake and be ashamed of the evil of his doings What did it profit the poor Prodigal that there was bread enough in his fathers house till he came to himself and arose and went to his father Luk 15.17 18. Believers ye are great heirs you have great priviledges and this is not the least you may ask what you will and it will be given you O! then be not so foolish as to sin away your own mercies But though these two be necessarily required and the success of prayer doth very much depend upon them yet they are remote and as it were indirect conditions and qualifications of prayer as belonging rather to the person then to the duty it self and being required rather in him who prayeth then in prayer it self as any cause part property or effect of it But now we come to speak of those requisits which have a more immediat influence upon and reference to this performance 3. Then if thou wouldst pray acceptably and successfully labour to maintain a praying frame and disposition in thy heart 3. Qualification and let not thy lusts or worldly cares deaden and extinguish that live-coal which must inflame thy sacrifice And thus some interpret the exhortation to pray alwayes and without ceasing Eph. 6.18 1 Thess 5.17 as if thereby were commended to us to keep our heart in a continual fitness and readiness to approach to God and present our requests to him and it is granted on all hands that that is implyed in the words though they hold out some more as shall appear Part 3. For how can he pray alwayes supposing that universal particle only to import all seasons and occasions who doth not constantly preserve this praying temper and disposition and who is not alwayes fit and in readiness to go about the duty may not a call and fit season triste with his unfitness and indisposition when the Instrument is out of tune the Musician cannot play or he will make bad melody You will say but Ah! how shall that little coal be kept in it being exposed to so many storms and blasts both from within and without Ans What we are to say Part 3. concerning the cure of deadness and wandring thoughts in prayer may be helpfull for removing and with-holding unfitness and indisposition to pray and now we would only commend these three preservatives of this good disposition and remedies of an evil one viz. 1. Exercise 2. Meditation 3. Watchfullness of which in the following requisite The fourth previous condition and it hath yet a more immediat and actual influence upon the duty then any of the former is preparation 4. Qualification the work is high and great it is difficult and of much concernment we have much lying at the stake and of our selves we are unable and ready to miscarry we had need then to (u) 1 Pet. 1.13 gird up the loins of our mind to call to our (x) Ps 103. soul and all that is within us to make ready for the work to bring in provision for it and to look about us but especially above us for assistance and supply and to improve that word Psa 10.17 and say Lord prepare my heart that thou mayest cause thine ear to hear We have to deal with him who is of (y) Job 37.22 terrible majesty and who must be (z) Levit. 10.3 sanctified in all them who draw nigh to him in any point of worship and therefore we would take (a) Eccl. 5.1 heed to our steps while we are approaching the throne The very pagan Priests before they did offer their material sacrifices to their idol-gods would make some kind of preparation by purging and (b) Hence the proverb accedere ad rem illotis manibus when we go about any husiness without due preparation washing their body especially their hands and feet and by abstinence from diverse kinds of meats and shall we dare to offer up spiritual sacrifices to the true God without pre-meditation And if we would be at some pains before hand to prepare our hearts the work would prove more 1. easie 2. sweet and 3. successfull Our (c) An heavy and slow stying bird Buzzard-like hearts cannot instantly get upon the wing and rise up from the world in which they are often so deeply plunged without more ado and fly up to heaven nay as it is harder to raise a great bell then to ring it after it is up and brought in motion So often it is more difficult to raise up the heart and to prepare it for spiritual duties then to perform them when it is brought to a heavenly frame and if we could alwayes maintain that heat we needed not be at the pains to blow at the coals for recovering of it But Ah! our stony hearts are no sooner removed from the fire but by degrees they return to the r native coldness and therefore whatever other means we make use of for preserving a praying disposition and for fitting and preparing our selves for that solemn work we would not suffer the heart to be too much cooled and deadned through (d) Constant and frequent exercise the first branch of preparation By doing we are fitted to do and to do better with greater facility dis-use and too long biding away from the place where fire from heaven useth to descend If the
black Cant. 1.4.6 And 3. in being thus (ſ) Ezra 9.6 ashamed to lift up our face to the Lord and saying with the (t) Luk. 15.19.21 Prodigal I am not worthy to be called thy son and with the (u) Luk. 18.13 Publican smiting the breast and from thence bringing deep sighs in stead of words and having our sins so much in our eyes that we dare not lift them up to heaven and when once vent is made to words this becometh the great suit and desire Lord be mercifull to me a sinner 4. In being sensible of all our sores and maladies of all our wants hazards dangers and temptations we are exposed unto of all our sins and provocations of our weakness and inability and of our manifold failings and infirmities the consideration whereof as it will serve to humble us so to keep us low and as it will send us to the throne so it will furnish us with matter and expressions it will keep out that boistrous wind that is ready to blow us up and turn us from our course and make us with the Pharisee to boast of our enjoyments and perfection when we should mourn for sin and complain of wants A lively sense of our sins weakness dangers and wants is both the mother and daughter the nurse and milk and shall I say the very nature and life of humility You will say and should the servants of God be so much dejected and be so uncheerfull while they are at his work Ans Albeit while we look in to our selves we see nothing but sores and wants sin misery and matter of shame blushing and confusion yet when we look up 1. to the bowels of a Father inviting and commanding us to draw nigh to him and assuring us of the success by his large and free promises 2. to the arm of the Spirit drawing us to the throne and putting words in our mouth and 3. to the price Christ hath paid and to his mediation and intercession for us with what confidence and boldness may we present our requests to God Humble and self-abasing thoughts are not (x) Mr. Clerk in the life of Mrs Ratcliffe reporteth that when she had poured out her heart before the Lord with the greatest confidence and delight yet used to close with a protestation that all the acceptation she desired as to her praising of God was that he would pardon her presumption as the error of her love for taking upon her to speak of his excellency contrary unto nor inconsistent with that fiducial recumbency and child like liberty and boldness the Saints have used in prayer Nay but rather the one supposeth and maketh way for the other had not Jacob been sensible of his own unworthiness expressed Gen. 32 10. he might not have been so peremptory and bold as we find him ver 26. though he deserved nothing yet he would not part with God he would not let him go till he blessed him And on the other hand the more full discovery of Gods majesty and goodness Job met with the more he abased and abhorred himself Job 42.5 6. And not only discoveries of Gods justice and holiness but also yea especially of his kindness tenderness and fatherly care will exceedingly melt an ingenuous and honest heart when David heard that God would build him a house for a long time ah what am I saith he and what is my fathers house and is this the manner of man O Lord God and what can David say c. He knew not how to express the low thoughts he had of himself 2 Sam. 7.18 19 20. Yea often mercies have prevailed when rods have proven ineffectual Ezek. 16 63 61. mercies will break the hard oaks that would not yield at strokes and it s a very bad symptom when mercies puff us up and make us proud ah I should we lift up our selves against him who is thus exalting us and it is monstrous and exceedingly detestable that Saints should grow proud of their graces which yet are so contrary and opposite to pride that this serpent should breed in the ashes and overthrow of other sins yea and (y) According to the scarce credible history of that rare bird Phaenix-like out of its own ashes that we should be proud because we are not proud and should have high thoughts of our humility and self-annihilation And yet as a holy (z) Rara avis in terris aut sanctitatem non perdere out humilitatem sanctimonia non exicudi Bernard sup Cantic serm 45. man long since complained what a rare fowl on earth is a holy and humble man O! if we were more humble we would not 1. Baruch-like seek such great things nor 2. be so peremptory in our desires after them we would not 3. so fret and complain when we are crossed nor 4. envy and repine that others had a greater measure of creature-enjoyments we would not 5. so hunt after the applause of men nor be so sensible of reproaches wrongs and injuries from them 6. we would not so undervalue mean Saints and be so uncharitable and severe to them 7. we would prize more one smile from heaven then all creature-embracements that the high and holy one should look upon such sinfull wretches would exceedingly rejoyce the heart and 8. we would be more in confessing our sin and begging pardon c. 4. There must be truth and sinecrity in thy prayers 4. Truth and sincerity God will be worshiped in truth Joh. 4.23 24. Thy prayer must not go out of feigned lips Ps 17.1 The Lord is far from hypocrits but he is high to all that call upon him in truth to hear and answer them when they cry Ps 145.18 falsehood (a) Isa 28.15 will prove a lying refuge especially while we deal with the omniscient God we may thus show our folly but God will not be mocked nay such montebanks do in a maner engage the Lord in point of honour to find them out they provoke his majesty to put some mark upon them that others may see that they were not hid from him such by their work do say what those wretches Ps 73.11 said with their mouth how doth God know and is there knowledge in the most high And will not the Lord then be avenged on such hypocrits who notwithstanding dare draw nigh to him in their lip-devotion and with that people Ps 78.36 flatter him with their mouth though their heart be thus removed from him the sacrifice of such fools (b) Hos 7.11 Ephraim-like is a silly dove without heart they offer the calves of the lips but yet as one speaketh (c) M. Crooks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mentem imprecatam gerunt if any beast offered up by Pagans to their idols was found to want the heart as it is (d) Alexand. ab Alex. gen dier lib. 5. cap. 25. said to have hapned in the case of Julius Cesar a little before the conspiracy against him and of
predicatui de tribus personis simul exceptis quae pertinent ad incarnationem seu assumptam naturam exam plorum loco hac adsert Deus noster Pater noster Praedestinator Creator Recomcâ—liator Adoptator Sanctificator exauditor precum Forh instr Histor theoâ—l lib. 1 â—cap 12. our blessed Lord teacheth us to call God Father not as if thereby he did point out to us the distinction or relation that is among the persons of the trinity or to single out to us the first excluding the other two for its certain we should direct our prayers to God who is Father Son and holy Ghost but to hold out to us (x) Ostenà it ad veram Deo gratam orationem requiri ut in vera siducia oremus ac jciamus nos invocare Deum qui in Christo dilecto suo filio nos dilexit ante jacta mundi fundamenta qui in filios suos adoptavit ac spiritum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nobis donavit qui paternum erga nos gerit animum quem proinde juxta ipsius exemplum mandatum ut panem nostrum invocare possumus Gerhard in loc cont harm cap. 180. the fatherly affection and tender bowels of God and of all the persons of the blessed Trinity and to encourage us to draw nigh to God with confidence as children to a father ready to help and pity us and though we be not limited to the same words or to say no other then is held forth in that pattern and copy yet we may not change our thoughts of God nor imagine that he hath cast off his fatherly care and affection towards us And herein as we have the command So we have the example of Christ he looked upon God as a father in that solemn prayer Joh. 17.1 Father the hour is come glorifie thy Son So also ver 11 21 24 25. For though he hath another kind of interest in the Father then others yet this doth not nullifie and hinder our interest and relation especially since ours is founded upon his God having adopted us in this his beloved Son we are truly sons though not such sons as Christ we are his sons not meerly nor especially by creation but by adoption redemption and a right to the inheritance And that Christ and beleevers have the same Father and thus stand under the relation of brethren he himself is not ashamed to profess Heb. 2.11 and Joh. 20.17 Go to my brethren saith our blessed Lord to Mary and say unto them Iascend unto my Father and to your Father and to my God and unto your God And thus the ancient Church in their prayer Isa 63.16 ingeminat this (y) Dulce nomen patris sweet relation with much confidence Doubtless thou art our Father thou O Lord art our Father our Redeemer And as thus we have 1. a precept and 2. practice so also 3. a promise for our warrant 2 Cor. 6. 17.18 Touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you and will be a father unto you and ye shall be my sons and daughters saith the Lord almighty And 4. this is made one end and design of the sending of the spirit into our hearts viz. because we are sons and that we may know and improve our relation by calling him Father Gal. 4.6 Rom. 8.15 to banish fear and to make us draw nigh in confidence and love 2 Tim. 1.7 But you will say how can we call God Father since we are not assured of our adoption Ans If God be not thy father he must be thy (z) Mr. Murcot being in great anguish because he feared that God was not his father had these words impressed on his mind If I be not thy father am I thy enemy and again if I be not thy father why dost thou follow after me Mor. exerc Serm. 14. enemy for there is no middle state and how darest thou who art stuble draw nigh to the consuming fire If thou be not a son thou hast no interest in Christ in whom only we have access to the Father Eph. 2.18 Joh. 14.6 And if God be not thy Father why dost thou hing and depend upon him yea even then when he frowns and seemeth to beat thee off and drive thee away I spake a little to the like case Part. 2. Chap. 2. Sect. 2. and shall not now say much but remember that the Lord as in another case So also in this (a) 2 Cor 9.7 loveth a cheerfull giver He would not have us to come to his altar and to bring our oblation grudgingly he would not have his spouse look sad or his children to distrust his love and care towards them nor his servants fear least he were such a one as the ill and wicked servant called him a hard master and ill to please Mat. 25.24 What a grief was it to Peter to have his love to Christ questioned Job 21.17 yea though lately he had denied and disowned him and must it not grieve the good Spirit of God when we have base and low thoughts of his mercy and kindness towards us yea even then while we are constantly reaping the sweet fruits thereof Ah! will ye thus requite the Lord and deal no better with him then they Mal. 1.2 I have loved you saith the Lord yet ye say wherein hast thou loved us But if ye will trust him ye have his word he will not disappoint you and ye do thus as it were engage his majesty not to fail you O! then draw nigh to him in confidence and fear not to call him father who hath purchased so great an inheritance at so dear a rate for thee its good in some cases as a reverend divine said to threap kindness upon God He will never challenge thee who hast the heart and love of a son for calling him Father If thou be a child of light though thou fittest in darkness yet thou are still a child and thy father will not disown thee if thou claim an interest in him what though thou blushest to call thy self a son as being unworthy of that relation yet surely God hath not lost his title nor deserved at thy hands that thou shouldst rob him of that relation he hath bought by the unvaluable price of his Sons blood and its observable that the Saints many a time would divide the relation that is mutual at least are more positive and peremptory in asserting the one part then the other and as the prodigal when he had by his riotous living forfeited his son-ship and was brought to confess that he was no more worthy to be called a Son yet durst profess that he had a Father and durst call him by that relation and take on this resolution to arise and go to his father and say father Luk. 15.19.18 So they may call God Father while they are convinced and may from an humbled heart confess that they are not worthy to be called his sons and even then while their face is
desiâ—â—d 3. From the return maâ—e to Christs prayer once and again (z) Mat. 26.39 42 44. renewed that th◠〈◊〉 â—â—â—ght â—â—â—s fâ—om â—im it is evident that the prayer may be 〈…〉 when the particular is not graâ—ced for 〈…〉 or pâ—â—s a â—ay from him but he did drink it oâ—◠〈◊〉 the â—â—â—â—om and yeâ— it were blasphemous to imagine that Christs â—â—ayer wâ—â— not heard contrary to what hâ— himself â—ffâ—â—â—th Joh. 11 4â— Father I know that thou alwaies heaâ—est me And paâ—â—icularly as to that prayer the holy Spirit â—â—stifieth that he was heard Heb. 5.7 And then 4. in the general the Scriptures of truth do most clearly fully and frequently assert that they thâ—â— sâ—ek the Lord shall not want any good thing Psa 34 10. the same is affirmed of them that walk vprightâ—â— Psa 84.11 and of them that fear the Lord Psâ— 34.9 Hâ—â—ce we may well infer since they shall want â—o good thing they cannot want a return â—o their prayers and 〈…〉 answer from their God the Lord doing what is 〈◊〉 for them 〈◊〉 reference to the particular they desired Aâ—d siâ—â—e no 〈◊〉 shall befall the righteous Psa 91.10 Pâ—â—v 12.21 c. therefore they shall not gâ—â—â—hat 〈…〉 â—hem 〈◊〉 they should ask it upon a mistake 〈◊〉 â—aths of th◠〈◊〉 are mâ—â—c◠〈◊〉 truth â—esuâ— haâ— kâ—â—p 〈…〉 monies Psa 25.10 If all his 〈…〉 such then 〈◊〉 those paths in which he 〈◊〉 in â—â—swering thâ—â— prayers those paths must be suâ—◠〈…〉 of â—â—uth and fidelity in 〈◊〉 forming thâ—â—e 〈…〉 answer them when they call upon him There 〈◊〉 â—ever a pâ—â—yer pâ—â—â—â—ed out in truth at which the God of truth did â—oâ— drew nigh and to which he did not 〈◊〉 Psa 145.18.19 all his paths are mercy and truth to all true 〈◊〉 who can produce one exception or instance to the coâ—trâ—â—y He never said to such sock ye me in vain Isa 45.19 and then there is a considerable word to this purpose Rom. 8.28 We know that all things work together for good to them that love him if we ponder the scope of the place we will find this general truth to have a special relation to prayer of which the Apostle had been speaking in the two preceeding verses where he had shown our ignorance and that we know not what to ask and the need we stand in of light and help and now saith he you having been assisted to do your duty and pray arâ—ght you need not be anxious for Gods part and that which lieth upon him to do by way of return for ye may be assured whether he give or with-hold the particular he will have such a care of you as to do nothing but what he will make contribute and work for your good though we know not what to ask yet God knoweth what to give he will not challenge thee for asking what thou apprehended to be good for thee if (a) Especially since his Spirit may concur and assist thee in the pouring out of such a prayer it being our duty to go to God and hold up to him what we conceived to be good and fit for us committing to him to make choyce for us what he knows to be best See Part 1. Chap. 9. Pag. 269. upon the matter it be lawfull and if thy desire be moderate and submissive although as to the particular there may be a mistake flowing from thy ignorance of the event and those following circumstances which thou couldst not for-see but yet the Lord will do what he of his infinite wisdom and knowledge seeth will be indeed good and convenient for thee and we I and ye believing Romans saith the Apostle do know that God will care for them that love him and who in all things do make their requests known to him he will procure their good by the fittest means though the wicked will not know and acknowledge Gods care and fidelity in performing his promises and therefore think it in vain to seek the Lord yet we know and are perswaded of his love and care Surely the knowledge and belief of this point is a differencing mark and character they who have no interest in Gods love and care will not believe it towards others And thus its certain that the Lord alwaies heareth his honest supplicants Si (b) Aug. â—uâ—i supra non ad voluntatem tamen ad utilitatem If not according to their desire yet for their profit which if our (c) Our desires are often foolish and â—â—rtfull desires would not hinder and obstruct they should alwaies be answered what doth our kind Father grudge to give us such empty trifles which he bestoweth in such abundance upon the wicked would he who hath so loved us as to give his only begotten Son to death for us and to prepare an exceeding and (d) 2 Cor. 4.17 eternal weight of glory for us would he with-hold these perishing thiâ—gs from us if it were not for our good Rom. 8. â—2 Nay if we had not askt as we could have no solid peace either in the having or wanting such a particular that being the fruit of prayer Phil. 4.6 7. So we might have (e) Deus concedit tratus quod negat propitius vid. Aug. loco jam jam citato gotten in wrath what the Lord now in mercy with-holdeth from thee who hast committed the matter to God and hast referred all to his wise free and loving choyce And thus whatever be the particular ends and reasons of which Sect. 4. why the Lord with-holdeth such and such particular mercies as we desired in the general it is evident that his design herein alwaies is to prevent our hurt and promove our comfort and happiness and that all his paths toward us may be mercy and truth by making all things work together for our good And now to the Objection as it is propounded we answer Although al things did come alike to all yet they are not alike to all though in the outward dispensation there appear no diffâ—rence yet as to the fountain from which such a dispensation did flow the end to which it doth tend the effect fruit use c there is a vast difference for those things which are mercies blessings and pledges of love to the Saints prove snares judgments and an earnest of everlasting wrath to the wicked and what greater difference can be imagined yea not only is there so great an inequality dissimilitude where they seem to be equal and alike but also where there is an inequality and the advantage appeareth to be on the part of the wicked as while we compare them in their prosperity and success and having (f) Ps 73 7â— more then their heart could wish with the godly under persecution affliction and sore calamities yet even thus the case is not altered nor the difference and disproportion less for the Saints afflictions wants and tryals are sanctified unto them and are made to work for their good as being
they set the supposed mercy to the right hond as it 〈◊〉 were and desire that it may be preferred but the Lord often c. the right hand on Ephraim and prefer him to Manasseh And thus it may appear that though the particular be not given yet the prayer may not only be said to be accepted and heard but also answered though we desire not to contend for words yet we think that when ever the Lord heareth then he may be said to answer because his hearing is never separated from his speaking for either then he stayeth the heart with this spiritual peace or secretly upholdeth the supplicant that he faint not or some one way or other doth him good but if any will refer the answer of prayer to a sensible manifestation of Gods hand either by giving what was askt or making some notable compensation and exchange we will not debate such a nominal question but its certain the Lord may accept and hearken to thy prayer a long tâ—me before thou meet with any such sensible manifestation of his acceptance But wo (k) Isa 3.11 to the wicked when shall they hear of their prayers though many mercies be â—â—spensed to them by the hand of a common providence yet â—â—ching in mercy and as a return of their supplications though they have a câ—vil â—â—ght which no man dare challenge to what they enjoy and whatever grant and donation from the Lord or tenure by his providence they can pretend yet they by their ingratitude and abuse of these mercies which they have empâ—oyed as so many weapons to fight against tâ—e Gâ—ver have forfeited all that right and may every moment be thrust out of all their possessions as tennents at will and certainly one day the heir (l) Heb 1.2 of all things will reckon with them as theeves and usurpers for medling with and taking possession of his goods without his licence and for not acknowledging his propriety by employing them for his honour yea and often here he reckoneth with such they sit in slippery places Psa 73.18 they are not like the people of God who dwelleth in a sure habitation Isa 32.18 as the whirl-wind passeth So is the wicked no more but the righteous is an everlasting foundation Prov. 10.25 the wicked get none of the sure mercies of David promised to the Elect Isa 55.3 but snares fire brimstone and an horrible tempest is the portion of their cup they cannot promise to themselves an hours security from such a storm they know not how soon the Lord will thus rain upon them Psa 11.6 The right of providence is a mutable title and foundation revocable at pleasure the Lord may change his work and the dispensations of providence when he will but he cannot change nor alter his Word and break his promise upon which the mercies of the Saints are founded and therefore their mercies are (m) Mercies given in return to prayer are 1. real 2. stable 3. costly 4. pure 5. witnessing 6. promising real and stable they are sure because they have such an immutable ground as the Word of God and they are the mercies of David and therefore they are real because they are given for the merit and intercession of the typified David they come to them through the covenant of promise whereby the forfeiture is taken off and the curse removed their mercies are meâ—â—â—es indeed and no wonder they being so costly though cheap to us they are the purchase of blood they stood Christ at a dear rate they are pure mercies the blessing of the Lord taketh away the sting and thorns from them Prov. 10.22 they are witnessing and sealing mercies they are as so many testimonies of the love of our Father and of the acceptance of our prayers and they are (n) Every one of the Saints mercies may be called Gad for a troop cometh promising mercies and pledges of more yea and of all things whatsoever we shall stand in need of But the wicked are not so they are fed as oxen for the slaughter and their mercies are as so many fore-runners of their wo and misery their blessings are cursed and their mercies given in wrath and in judgment Sect. III. How we may know 1. whether the Lord hath heard our prayers when he deniethor delayeth to give what we asked and 2. whether the mercies we receive be the fruits of Gods general bounty conveyed to us by the hand of common providence or given in love as a gracious return to our prayers Psa 66.19 Verily God hath heard me he hath attended to the voice of my prayer WE will not stay to prove that the Saints may discern the Lords voice while he answereth their prayers there being so many instances hereof in the Word and that not only when he giveth the particular mercy they petitioned as to David Psa 116.1 2. Psa 66.19 Hannah 1 Sam. 1.27 c. but also when the particular is with-held as from Paul who yet discerned the Lords voice and what he said in answer to his prayers 2 Cor. 12.9 Neither will it be needfull to show that we should hearken to the Lords voice and observe what he saith 1. for strengthening our faith by such experiences of the Lords bounty and fidelity 2. that we may pay our vows and return to him the sacrifice of praise and 3. that a new engagement may be laid upon our heart to improve his mercies to the honour of his Name But all the difficulty lieth in this how and by what means we may discern when the Lord speaketh and when he is silent at our prayers and we will find the case more difficult as to its first branch viz. when the Lord with-holdeth or delayeth to give what we askt because we must then wrestle against sense and carnal reason but yet there is difficulty enough to discern from what fountain and by what means our mercies come when we get what we desired We shall speak to both those branches of the question which hath been propounded by several practical Divines but the first so far as we know who at any length hath handled this case is the judicious Mr. (a) Goodw. return of prayer chap. 5 6 7 8 9. Goodwin to whom (b) Such as Mr. Fenner sâ—rm on Lam. 3.57 Isaac Ambros in mediis Chris Love zeal Chris Gurnal part 1. pag. 43. and part 3 pag. 362. others have added little or nothing but none hath spoken so fully therefore we shall only name some few particulars referring to him for their larger explication adding but a word of observation for the right improvement of these rules And first we will speak to the case in general and then to its several branches 1. then by these and such like marks we may know that our prayers are accepted and heard whether the particular we desired be given or not as 1. (c) Goodw. ch 5. observations taken from before and in praying when the Lord stirreth the hearr
come and yet the people of God lye in Babylon the Turk and Antichrist tread upon the Lords vineyard and many ravening wolves are seeking to make a prey of the Saints and shall not thy voice be heard bemoaning their condition thou who hast moyen with the King wilt thou not improve it in their behalf and are we not debtors to the Jews who yet continue in their blindness and infidelity they were mindfull of their litle (x) Cant. 8.8 sister when she had no breasts and now when our breasts are full shall we forget the elder sister in her widowhood living in a barren and empty wilderness and then as to our domestick and personal relations where can we look but we may behold some one or other saying to us as that (y) Act. 16.9 man of Macedonia to Paul come and help us you have moyen in heaven speak for us to the King your prayers will not be shut out ye are our friends and let us have your help in this time of need 10. Our condition here should mind us of our duty we are but (z) 1 Pet. 2.11 pilgrims and strangers and as we are far from home and live at a distance from our fathers house So also from our father and though he will keep tryst with us in his ordinances and allow us a sight of his back-parts yet how little of God is seen and enjoyed while we are in this state of (a) 2 Cor. 5.6 absence and exile But since our gracious God is pleased in some measure to descend to us in these and make as it were a visit to his poor despicable creatures saying to them behold me behold me oh how carefull should we be to improve every such opportunity for renewing and confirming our acquaintance with him and for knowing and enjoying more of him that thus the distance in part may be removed our peace promoved and our interest in him the more secured frequency in approaching will bring us nearer and will beget familiarity and confidence O then from time to time (b) Job 21 2. acquaint thy self with him and be at peace thereby good shall come unto thee O what familiarity and spiritual boldness what satisfaction sweetness delight enlargement c. have the Saints found in this ordinance so that Clemens Alexandrinus had reason to say which also with him is acknowledged by the Jesuit (c) Quare cum tantum sit bonum nostra petitio merito Clem. Alex. lib 7. strom dicebat plus paratum debere esse bominem petere etiam si non impetret quam impetrare non petendo adeo ex imium bonum est petitio si recte fiat Fran. Tolot in Joan. 16. v 26. Tolet that upon this consideration we should be more ready to ask though we did not receive what we asked then to have and receive what we desire without asking prayer it self being a greater blessing then any outward mercy we can ask 11. If thou canst with the (d) Ps 116.1 Psalmist say I love the Lord thou wilt with him also resolve to call upon the Lord as long as thou livest Love is communicative and must speak with the beloved it is impatient of distance and absence and will break thorow many impediments and difficulties and O! since prayer will open a door and give access so that he is wâ—thin a cry and thou may'st speak to him love will say pray thou must there will be no place left for debates and delayes 12 Where there is faith there will be no silence if thou lift not up thy voice faith will make thy conscience cry and roar and will fill it with vexing challenges and accusations the believer is a (e) 2 Cor. 5.17 new a creature of an enemy he is become a son to him who never had a dumb child and as in the natural generation the child usually cometh in to the world weeping So in the spiritual regeneration the man-child is brought forth with tears in his eyes and with a cry the believer must look up to God and lift up a prayer to him and accordingly prayer gets an (f) Jam. 5.15 epithet and is called the prayer of faith these two are inseperable companions and not only like Hippocrates his twins do they live and die but also grow up together and mutually strengthen and stir up one another the first news we hear of believing Paul Act. 9.11 were Behold he prayeth You will say but did not Paul before this time pray Ans No doubt Paul while a Pharisee being so great a zealot did pray and very frequently but there was no life in his prayers ye use to give the mans name to the dead corps but the body void of life is not the man neither is that prayer that is not the prayer of faith and prayer is not an empty and fruitless associat but it bringeth meat and provision with it and it is a monitor and guide and a sure anchor which will keep the praying soul from wavering Jam. 1.6 and as thus they begin and grow up So they may be supposed to die together when faith is turned into an immediat and blessed vision and when neither we nor our brethren shall be exposed to any moe wants and tryals prayer shall give place to incessant praises 13. If thou cast (g) Job 15.4 not off fear thou wilt not restrain prayer thou wilt be afraid to stay too long out of thy fathers sight lest he frown and being convinced of thy weakness and inability to walk before him in all pleasing thou wilt without ceasing (h) Col. 1.9 10. pray for grace and strength to do his will and that thou may'st become fruitfull in every good work And thus 14. if thou be not a stranger to the initial and fundamental graces of humility and self-denyal thou must be sensible of thy wants and that there is nothing at home but indigence and misery and many sores and evils and where shouldst thou go but to the rich treasure there is (i) Luk. 15 17. bread enough in thy fathers house and wilt thou rather perish with hunger then go to him and ask he is able to (k) Ps 103.3 cure all thy sores and maladies and wilt thou not run to this great Physician Humility will not be ashamed to beg nay it is the most noble and heroick employment to beg from God not only a (l) Joh. 2.27 portion for this bodily life and his blessing with it but that meat that endureth unto everlasting life Did ever Cesar or Alexander contend for so noble a prize and what honour and priviledge is like to this to be a supplicant and a favourit of the King of Kings and to have access to him when we will as our father and bountifull provisor 15. Hast thou yet learned any thing of the noble art of spiritual prudence art thou yet (m) Luk. 15.17 come to thy self and hast thou laid aside thy
and such ends and hath fixed such an order and connexion between the means and the end if he I say inable us to do our duty and if we prove so wise as to follow the right way and use the means we may be confident of the success and that our labour shall not be in vain But it may yet be objected that the Lord having freely promised to give what we stand in need of Obj. 10. Ans and to withhold no good thing from them that walk uprightly Ps 83.11 c. it seemeth needless to interpose our prayers and requests Ans Albeit the promises be altogether free yet the Lord calls for our prayers as a part of that worship we owe to him to testifie our dependance on him and to show his delight in prayer that we may be fitted to receive and the more engaged to improve aright what he giveth and to return to him the sacrifice of praise nay the Lord thereby not only procures our good O! what an effectual mean is fervent prayer to take the heart off the world to strengthen our faith enflame our love c. but provides for our honour also Oh saith (t) Considera quanta est tibi concessa faelicitas quanta gloria attributa orationibus famulari cum Deo cum Christo miscere colloquia optare quod velis quod desideras postulare Chrysost apud Thom. art cit ad 3. Chrysostom consider O man what honour and happiness is conferred on thee while thou art admitted familiarly to converse with God and Christ to propound what thou wilt and to ask whatsoever thou desirest O! how would we prize such familiarity with an earthly King and what an honour and high favour would we esteem it but while we are allowed and invited to this liberty with the King of Kings how do we undervalue that admirable mercy and priviledge and as this heavenly employment of it self is so honourable and excellent So usually it brings with it much beauty to him who is employed in it then the Lord manifests his glory to the soul and lets it enjoy as it were a heaven upon earth then the (u) Cant. 5.1 honey and the honey-comb is set before thee and thou art invited to eat the soul saith (x) Mr. Hodge apology for the Lords prayer pag. 35. one of a praying Saint is sometimes in a sort transfigured and shineeth as Christs body on mount Tabor Ah! from whence should heat and light come if not from the Sun it is no wonder then though such as hide and cover themselves from its beams (y) Mat. 4 1 6. walk in darkness and sit in the cold region and shadow of death But though thus we be obliged to pray though the honour of our Master and our own good do call for diligence herein yet is the promise no less free then if there were no such condition required on our part our prayers are not our money nor a price for what we receive will any man think that we give not freely to these beggers who importunatly cry at our doors and yet there is here some sort of debt and obligation lying on us to pity those who are in misery but there is no obligation lying upon the Almighty to hear us when we cry nay were it not that the promises are altogether free notwithstanding of any condition to be performed by us or any qualification required on our part it were in vain for us to pray or go about any duty looking to the rich recompence and reward which the promise holds forth since though we did all we can yea though we could perfectly obey all the Commands yet are but unprofitable servants Luk. 17.10 when we pay our debt we do not (z) This truth hath extorted a notable confession from the Jesuit Salmeron in several particulars which may serve as so many irrefragable arguments against the popish doctrine concerning merits and supererogation primum quod servi sumus c. Vid. loc Salmer in evang Tom. 7. de parab tract 30. pag. 190. vid. etiam tres rationes quibus ibidem probat nos Deo esse inutiles oblige the creditor to bestow new favours on us but ah how defective and imperfect are our best performances Isa 64.6 I grant that among men there may be so much trouble and travel in seeking and warting on that an answer may be too (a) Et sic verum est tritum illud Senecae nulla res carius emitur quam quae precibus empta Obj. 11. dear coft by the supplicant and yet even thus thy supplication doth not profit him to whom thou makes thy adress far less can our prayers and service extend to the Lord Ps 16.2 if thou be righteous what givest thou him or what receiveth he off thine hand Job 35.7 Lastly it may be objected that the father himself loveth us and what need we then ask any thing from him his love will cry and prevail though we were silent and thus our blessed Lord tells his disciples that upon this very account viz. because the father loved them he would not he needed not pray for them Joh. 16.26 27. And upon this same ground we may further argue thus thou art O man either a reprobat and an object of Gods hatred and certainly thy prayers cannot prevail for thou not being in Christ canst not obtain access Eph. 2.18 Eph. 3.12 or else thou art one of his elect and precious ones and to what purpose wouldst thou pray wouldst thou move his bowels and have them turned towards thee that is already done the Father loveth thee and is more ready to give then thou to receive and if he were not could thy prayers move and change him Ans Ans The Lords love is so far from giving a discharge from prayer that upon this very account he cal s for our prayers Cant. 2.14 because the Lord loveth us therefore he delighteth in our prayers Prov. 15.8 compared with ver 9. as a tender (b) Neque enim renuens preces nostras differt sed hac arte sedulos nos efficiens ad semetipsum attrahere vult nam pater quamvis benignus cum a puero rogatur ahnuit quasi non volens dare non ut neget sed ut ille ardentius petat sibi magis concilietur Chrysost apud Jo. Arboreum theosoph lib. 13. cap. 7. father because he loveth his child will have him come and ask the sons presence and voice is sweet to him and therefore he will not at the first haply give him but lets him stay and renew his request and add pleas and arguments and therefore though our asking be not the true and proper cause albeit it be a mean which his wisdom and love hath made choyce of why he giveth yet he will have us ask as for other reasons some of which were hinted at in answer to the foregoing objection so especially because he loveth us neither the Lords promise
work and engagement herein Page 515 Some directions Page 518 Marks of the prayer of faith as first negatively if we walk not as children we cannot call God Father Page 519 Secondly positively 1. enlargement in prayer 2. frequency 3. calmness and composure of spirit after prayer 4. watching for an answer 5. thankfulness though the particular be not given 6. some intimation of love made to the heart Page 521 We have reason to be humbled for our unbelief Page 529 What faith did Adam in the state of innocency act in prayer and whether he then knew the mystery of incarnation Page 530 If we suppose the Saints in glory to pray whether may they be said to pray in faith Page 531 Whether the unbelief of the promises or of the threatnings be the greater sin Page 533 CHAP. III. Some consequent conditions of prayer first after prayer we must wait and look up to God for an answer Page 535 Secondly we must watch and look in to our selves Page 539 Thirdly we must renew our requests and continue instant at the throne of grace adding prayer to prayer Page 541 Fourthly we must use the means for obtaining what we ask from God our prayers ought not be pretended as a cloak for idleness ibid. Fifthly when the Lord answers our prayers we must return the sacrifice of praise Page 544 What our praise and thanksgiving importeth Page 545 Whether all these qualifications which should go before accompany and follow our prayers be essentially necessary to its acceptance and audience and what be more what less necessary Page 547 Some grounds of encouragement to weak Saints with the concurring testimony of some practical Divines Page 549 PART III. Some practical cases What cases belong to this place Page 552 CHAP. I. How we should in prayer conceive of God and of the persons of the glorious Trinity Page 553 Sect. I. How we should conceive of God when we draw nigh to him Page 553 Humility and reverence necessary here ibid. Concl. 1. Beware of mental idols for representing Gods infinit nature Page 555 Concl. 2. It s no small part of our knowledge to know what God is not ibid. Concl. 3. Yet he calls us to behold his positive perfections Page 556 Concl. 4. In prayer we may select and make choice of such divine attributes and perfections as are most sutable to our condition Page 557 Concl. 5. We may not draw nigh to God but in Christs name Page 558 Concl. 6. But in Christ we may draw nigh with confidence as children to a father able and ready to hear and answer Page 559 It s not presumption but a duty to call God Father ibid. What if we be not assured of our adoption Page 560 Is it not a mocking of God to call him Father when he is not and while we are not in the state of adoption Page 562 Some evidences of adoption ibid. Though we be children yet if we know not our state whether may we in truth and without a a lye call God Father Page 564 Five bonds whereby a child of light walking in darkness may lay hold upon God as a Father ibid. Sect. II. After what maner and order should we direct our prayers to the persons of the glorious Trinity Page 566 The Trinity a great mystery yet clearly revealed as to the thing it self though not as to the maner Page 567 Concl. 1. There is a natural order among the persons of the Trinity Page 568 Concl. 2. There are not three first causes and principal agents but one Page 569 Concl. 3. There is an appropriation of works and attributes but not exclusive ibid. Only in the work of redemption there be something peculiar to the Son Page 571 Concl. 4. We must not so direct our prayers to any one person as to exclude the other two Page 572 Concl. 5. Yet we may so direct our prayers to one as not actually to meditate on the other two Page 573 Concl. 6. In singling out any one of those glorious persons we may reflect upon and improve the appropriation of works and attributes ibid. Concl. 7. Yet we are not so limited thereto as that upon occasion fix upon any one ibid. Whether as we may put up several petitions to several persons So also one and the same petition to several persons Page 574 Concl. 8. Yet usually Christians address themselves to the Father Page 575 Concl. 9. That noble way of conveighing all good to the Sants from the Father through the Son and by the holy Ghost doth not by any natural result flow from that original order that is among those glorious persons Page 577 A voluntary covenant the ground of this dispensation Page 578 The School-distinction of mission not full it wants the most usefull member Page 581 Concl. 10. We are not so oblieged to conceive of God under these personal relations that we may not worship him absolutely as the alone Jehovah ibid. A word of warning caution and exhortation Page 582 CHAP. II. Of the with-drawing of the Spirit deadness wandering thoughts c. Page 586 Sect. I. Of the with-drawing of the Spirit Page 587 How far the Spirit may withdraw from the Saints ibid. Whether the Spirit alwayes worketh as to the conservation of grace so also to it's operations increase and growth Page 588 There may be a total suspension of gracious influences as to prayer and other particular performances Page 589 This suspension may fall under a two-fold consideration 1. as our tryal 2. as our correction and punishment Page 589 The Lord doth not alwayes with-draw for sin but sometimes for c. Page 590 And thus the suspension of grace is either 1. medicinal or 2. monitory or 3. probatory or 4. castigatory Page 591 Yet it is alwayes our duty to examine our hearts and wayes lest c. Page 592 We would distinguish between the comforting and the quickening or assisting presence of the Spirit Page 593 The Spirit may be provoked to depart either more directly and immediatly or more mediatly and indirectly ibid. How the Scriptures express the more direct affronts and indignities offered to the Spirit Page 594 The Spirit may be said to be quenched either positively or negatively by commission or omission ibid. Negatively 1. by not yielding to his motions 2. by not welcoming him nor prising his presence 3. by a decay of love respect reverence c. Page 594 Positively 1. when we prostitute his gifts to our carnal ends 2. when we undervalue and entertain base low thoughts of them 3. when we contemne his Authority and obey Sathan and welcom his temptations notwithstanding the contrary motions and warnings of the Spirit 4. so much of illumination and light so much of conviction and conscience as is choaked so far the Spirit is dishonoured and provoked Page 566 How the Spirit is provoked by every reigning sin Page 597 A word of exhortation Page 598 The Saints danger when the Spirit with-draweth Page 599 How we may
members I do not think that in heaven there will be no use of the (d) Vid. Paraeum in locum tongue the Scripture seemeth to imply the contrary Rev. 15.3 and 14.3 and 7.9 10. and 5.9 c. Not that with Hymeneus and Philetus 2 Tim. 2.18 I did think that the (e) Cajetan in 2. Tim. 2.18 Si novissemus istos sicut neverat illos Timotheus intelligeremus de qua secta Paulus loquitur yet it seemeth certain that they denyed any further resurrection resurrection is past already or that the spirits of just men made (f) Heb. 12.23 perfect had tongues and bodily organs wherewith they praise God or that these things were not represented to John in a vision but because that form of representation doth import 1. That the Angels and Saints in heaven do rejoyce when it goeth well with the Church And 2. that they expresse their joy by praising God in that way and manner that agreeth and is sutable to their nature and condition which though it be performed by the will and understanding yet well deserveth the name of a (g) Hence in the Schools this kind of expression is called a Speech vide Scholasticos de loquela Angelorum Song for God stands not in need of words and outward symbols Yea and 3. in that mention is made of singing speaking yea and crying and that with a loud voyce it would appear that thereby is insinuated that if these blessed spirits had tongues they would imploy them in praising of God and that after the resurrection both soul and body in their own way and capacity shall joyn and be imployed in that blessed work and if our exalted Saviour in any case imploy His tongue to speak will He not can we imagine that He will not bestow one word for His afflicted members that for those whom He so dearly loveth as to (h) Rev. 1.5 wash them in his own blood He shall not once open His mouth I think none will scruple to say that Christ as man doth truly and formally praise God and though they do not make mention of His words yet they do not deny or exclude them and I know no reason either why we should scruple to say that He doth as truly and formally though not in such a (i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Nazianz. orat 2. de filic servil way as while He was on earth pray Amongst the reformed Divines I have perused (k) D. Hammond on Rom. 8.26 34. D. Hamond and M. Neuton and M. Goodwin have expressed themselves most clearly in this point the first affirming that Christ doth really pray for us and joyn His Prayers with ours c. but Mr. Neuton more fully we have saith this (l) M. Newton on Ioh. 17.10 pag. 268. reverend Author an Advocat in Court who continually hears at hand on all occasions to (m) Postulat tum factomon strando signa passionis tum merito offerendo pietatem qua passus est Cajetan in Heb. 7.25 shew his father all his wounds and all his scars all the prints and all the marks of his bitter bloody sufferings ah Father may he say when there is any thing in agitation for his people remember what I have endured for them in this flesh of mine what I have suffered for them in this body here before thee look upon these wounds and scars and for my sake be gracious to them do not deny them their petitions do not reject them for their un-allowed and bewailed imperfections And Mr. (n) M. T. Goodwin triumph of faith from Sect. 5. chap. 6. Inter pontistcios vid. Valent in 3. q. 21. p. 1. as 3. Swarez Tom. 4. de incar disp 45. sect 2. de statu rel tract 4. lib. 1. de or cap. 10. Sect. 15. Tolet. Maldon in 16. Ioh. Goodwin saith that Christs Intercession is most properly and truly such But you will say when doth He thus pray for His servants we cannot imagine that our blessed Lord doth alwayes pour out vocall Prayers and though that were granted yet He having so many servants exercised with so many tryalls and standing in need of so many mercies what ground may such a supplicant say have I to beleive that my Saviour is now saying to the Father Lord be gracious to such a poor one Ans 1. Such as will thus object do seem to lay too much weight upon that which we only propounded in a problematick way Albeit some weak Saints who are much affected with sensible demonstrations of Christs love and care may draw some comfort from His words yet it is a grosse mistake to think that mentall prayer doth not as well prevail with God or that our Saviour would be lesse mindfull of and compassionat towards His people though He did not pour out words in their behalf There is no question amongst the godly and orthodox concerning Christs bowells and care nor concerning the acceptance and successe of Christs Intercession however it be performed but only concerning the manner and way that is most sutable to His glory and exaltation and as to that there is some diversity of opinions Yet 2. this objection will also have place against Christs willing and desiring which I think should not be questioned as well as against His words and the expressing of those desires for though the mind and will be more active and comprehensive then that the tongue can follow and expresse all the thoughts and purposes that are there yet Christs humane will being of a finite capacity though advanced to the greatest height of Glory and Majestie that the creature is capable of it cannot at once by so many distinct and particular acts be conversant about all the severall cases of the Saints on earth and so cannot offer up a particular desire for every Saint in every condition And thus for compleating the comfort of believers under their severall tryalls and exigences we must look up to the divine Nature and rest (o) Ps 57 1. securely under the shadow of our blessed Mediator who is God and man and in this (p) D. Tilen synt part 2. disp 10. sect 16. omnium hominum preces audire addit ille offerre divinae in pontlfice nostro naturae opem desiderat passim tamen hac ipsa thesi no tatadocet Christum ut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro nobis interpellare vid. thes 12. 20 disp 12. thes 34. System Opis disp 20. D. Tilen hath hit right when he saith that it requires the help of the divine Nature at once to hear the Prayers of all the Saints on earth but in that he affirmeth the divine Nature to interceed for us and to present our Prayers we cannot joyn with him for the reasons brought against the holy Spirits intercession Can Prayer be separated from religious adoration and can (q) Vid. Thom. 2 2. quaest 81. art 3. ad 1. quaest 84. art 1. ad
said we are to be excused who have done nothing contrary to the will and decree of God Nay say they the will of God did not only lay an obligation but a necestâ—ty on us to obey and conform our wayes and is there any reason then why God should complain of us who have such a warrant for all we have don To which vain Plea the Apostle replieth ver 20. Nay but O man who art thou that repliest against God and proceedeth to shew from Gods soveraignty his right and power to dispose of his creatures according to his own good pleasure but from this dispute we may clearly discern that Gods decree is no cloak for sin nor a law to justifie our wayes and desires But you will say though it be not an adequate rule and so not a sufficient ground to denominat an action good because its conform thereunto yet it must so far be acknowledged for a rule as that it must acquite and excuse if not justifie the doer in that it did lay on him a necessity to obey and conform his work thereunto Answ He who would plead not guilty because his wayes are conform to the decrees of God must either be grosly ignorant or desperatly perverse not knowing or not caring what he saith for God by his most holy and spotlesse Decrees doth not force draw necessitat or tempt any man to sin neither doth be thereby command approve or testifie his approbation of or complacency in any sinfull action only he purposeth not to hinder but to permit sinfull men to become a prey to their own lusts and the temptations they shall meet with in their way we must not indeed imagine that Gods providence is sleeping while occasions are offered or that there is in his most holy will no positive act concerning the futurition of sin its long since (e) Circa quod cunque est Dei permissio est ejus volitio actualis Brad de causa Dei lib 1. cap. 22.33 hoc quippe ipso quod contra voluntatem Dâ—ifecerunt de ipsis factaest voluntas ejus propterea namque magna opera Domini ut miro inffabili modo non fiat praeter ejus voluntatem quod etiam contro ejus fit voluntatem quianon fieretst non siueret nec utique nolens sinit sed volens August Ench. ad Laur. cap. 100. Bradwardin did demonstrat the contrary and the Jesuits themselves do confesse that there is a necessary connexion between the divine permission the creatures committing of sin so that the futurition of sin may be concluded by a necessary illation from such a permission of it our Divines and the Dominicans call it a permissive Decree decretum permissivum I like not the expression but the penury of words hath extorted it that epithet and denomination is not taken from the act as if it were not 1. Positive and 2. efficacious but from the object Because the holy Lord thus doth purpose not to procure and work but to permit the creature to follow its course but we will lanch no further now into this Ocean but thus it may appear that the divine Decree concerning the futurition of sin doth not import Gods willing or approving his working or procuring of sin we cannot be said to fight against God or to oppose his will and work while we strive against sin albeit we can do nothing without or beyond the divine appointment and albeit he will order and dispose of our sins to his own glory and thus cause (f) Judg. 14.14 sweetnesse come out of the strong yet this is no excuse for the sinner who (g) Vid. August Euch cap. 101. mindeth no such matter but serveth his own lusts and thus provoketh and dishonoureth God And thus notwithstanding of any decree in God he is justly displeased with sin and justly punisheth the sinner albeit there can nothing come to passe without his efficacious well ordering and all-governing providence yet sin is none of Gods works there is nothing in it that God will own it s a bastard begotten by the wretched creature which cannot without blasphemy be fathered on God what is said of the child is true of the parent what of a particular rod Ezek. 7.5 is verified in every sin it is an evil an only evil not (h) Non solum subjectivè sed etiam formaliter in se only to the committers as that judgment to the sufferers and to the impenitent on whom it was inflicted but also in it self there is nothing in it which God can will or love though he will suffer and permit sin to be yet we cannot say that God willeth sin to be though he decreeth to suffer and permit us to sin yet he decreeth not and willeth not for that doth import his approbation and efficiency us to sin there is here then an efficacious permission and a willing and decreeing to suffer men and devils to sin but there is no warrant or commission no approbation or licence for us to sin and no divine (i) Non in sed circa peccatum efficiency and causality in though about sin Thus then the morality of our actions must not be measured by any decree concerning the futurition of events but by some other rule in which must concur Gods will and appointment setting bounds unto us and designing our duty and discovering what is well-pleasing and acceptable to God honest and laudable in it self and profitable and comfortable to us in the issiue and thus we have the word of God for our direction and have his laws and testimonies to be our rule Deut. 29.29 Isa 8.20 Deut. 30.10 11 12 Deut. 5.29 Psal 147.19 Rom 12.2 1 Thes 4.2 1 Pet. 4.2 c and we may take notice of these three things as necessarily requisit and concurring in that which is a warrant unto and rule of our actions and petitions 1. The good pleasure and decree of God not concerning what shall come to passe but concerning the quality and morall goodnesse of human actions and which doth limit and set bounds to reasonable creatures and prescribeth unto them their duty and this is the fountain and first spring yea and by many judicious and sober Divines is judged to be the supreme adaequate and first rule of morall rectitude Hence we may conceive that Gods laws in Scripture are called Decrees Statuts and Ordinances 2. From this decree and appointment doth to our apprehension flow divine approbation complacency and delight in what is thus appointed to be our work and duty hence that appointment is called the good acceptable and perfect will of God Rom. 12.2 and our actions when conform to that rule are said to be well pleasing in his sight Heb. 13.2 yea the Lord doth not only declare his love of his complacency and delight in these when they are performed but also he is said to will and desire though not according to the (k) Arm. Socin and Jes from thence would collect
3. when he findeth a more then ordinary motion and impulse stirring him up to take that course and pointing out the particular dispensation he is to seek for a sign 4. that he be not peremptory in his desire but seeketh such a sign with submission so that he will not grudge or repine if he meet not with such a dispensation or if it be given yet the event doth not answer otherwise we must tempt God and limit the holy one by binding him to a sign of our choosing while we had no command to require that dispensation or warrant to set it up for a mark and no promise that the event should answer it 5. This must not be done 1. out of pride as if thou were a none-such and might expect and ask from God that which others might not Nor 2. of curiosity to try the Lord and put him to it by thy conceit Neither 3. out of diffidence as it were in vain to wait any longer upon God if he give not such a pledge of his love and care Neither 4. out of rashness or in every trifling business but deliberarely and upon some weighty ground and special consideration Neither 5. must such a one boast and be too confident in that dispensation he pitched upon for a sign though it be given he should not promise too much of it but patiently wait till he see if the event doth answer his expectation and in the mean time he should beware least his impatience or vain confidence in that he hath met with do not intercept and hinder the accomplishment 6. After he hath seen the event to answer his desire and expectation that it may prove a blessing he should 1. be humble 2. be thankfull and 3. beware that he make not a wrong use of this rare dispensation and set it not up as a preparative for ordinary cases and be not from thence encouraged to follow the like course while he is not placed in the like circumstances If these and such like conditions be observed we dare not peremptorily condemn such a practice and deny that the Saints may at any time say with him Ps 86.17 shew me a token for good As there is no ground to think that David there did ask an extraordinary and miraculous sign so neither to affirm that he had some extraordinary and special warrant to put up such a desire I know that our Divines do generally conclude that it is unlawfull and a tempting of God to ask a sign from him without som special warrant and revelation But they may be interpreted to speak of miraculous or impertinent signs which have no connexion with the event or if of such signs also to which we did limit the question then they have not absolutely and universally condemned such a practice but when it is not so qualified according to the conditons and proviso's held forth in our resolution Thus (n) Ames Cas cons lib. 4. cap. 23. Med. theol lib. 2. cap. 11. § 18 cap. 12. § 17 18. c. Amesius though once and again he see neth to speak as peremptorily against this course as any I have read yet (o) Signum à Deo petere humiliter circa aliquod particulare necessarium quod altas non est a Deo sufficienter manifestatum potest aliquando fidelis aliquis sine peccato Med. theol lib. 2. cap. 12. Sect. 18. granteth that Beleevers may sometimes without any speciall inspiration or instinct such as he had been speaking of Sect. 17. seek a sign from God in some necessary and intricate case and for confirmation alledgeth Abrahams practice Gen 15.8 which upon examination will be found to hold out if it be acknowledged for a rule more then we have granted 6. It may be enquired if in our several straits and exigenees we may run to the Scriptures and set up that for a rule that first occurreth if pertinent to our case and if we should look on what it saith or may be from it collected as a call to us to do or not do and to do thus or thus Ans As it is certain 1. that we may commend our case to God and ask direction from him 2. that we should reflect upon such passages of the word as relate to our case and may give light to us So 3. I think that it were too rash and truel peremptorily to condemn the practice of some experienced Christians who while in suspence and not knowing what hand to turn have had their recourse to the Scriptures leting their anchor fall where the Lord in his providence did lead who thus at a venture have met with a sutable and pertinent word Yet 4. we grant that it is not easie to determine what use should be made of such a word for albeit sin and duty be clearly revealed in the Word yet expediency and inexpediency a call to do or not do hic nunc could not because of the multitude and variety of circumstances be particularly there determined And this case seemeth to be much like the former there being here a sign as it were sought from Gods Word as there by his work and so observing the directions set down there we may make the like use of that passage of Scripture which might be made of that dispensation yet as it would appear we have a greater liberty here and we may with lesse hazard of tempting the Lord run to his word then to any of his works he having appointed the former and not the latter to be our (p) Gods works in no sense are a preper rule but his Word is though not universally not properly as to our case it not being determined there albeit we must reflect on the general rules held forth in the Word in our cousult ation and must walk by them rule though not properly as to this yet in another case and there-therefore it would seem that we may more confidently in every case run to it for direction then to the other Yet here also there may be several mistakes and errors as curiosity rashness pride a mistake and mis-application of the Word superstition by laying more weight on that passage then it will bear extending it beyond its light and direction and looking after something by way of a sign in that the Lord hath offered a Word sutable and pertinent to our case Ah thou simple and rashly confident know though that Word may speak of case much like to thine and hold out a word which thou wouldst lay hold on yet it may hold out no warrant for thee either to do or not to do and no ground from which thou mayest conjecture concerning the event But otherwise O! what light direction comfort and encouragement have the servants of God met with from such passages of Scripture as the Lord in his providence hath occasionally offered from thence they have seen and learned what formerly the did not see or not ponder or regard O! Christian hast thou
part of his worship to all things under the Sun and with Job esteem the words of Gods mouth more then our necessary food not only more then our aboundance and superfluities but more then our necessary food without which we cannot live and subsist Job 23.12 Concl. 8. Albeit all spiritual mercies must thus have the precedency and the least measure of grace should be preferred to the greatest worldly excellency yet while we compare spirituals with spirituals these which are most absolutely and universally necessary to our spiritual life and being which may be called the vitals of Christianity and such are all graces as to their nature and existence whatever may be said of moral and acquired vertues yet certainly all spiritual and infused vertues are inseparably (k) 1 Joh. 3.9 Eph. 4.24 2 Cor. 5.17 c. grace is as it were the soul of the new man instanti infunditur it comes at once and animates the whole conjoyned are more earnestly and peremptorily to be desired and prayed for and the degree and gradâ—al perfection of grace being variable and not the same in every one but differently dispenced to some in greater to others in a lesse measure according to the good pleasure and appointment of God we may not be so absolute and peremptory in carving to our selves and appointing our own stature as knowing that all the trees in Gods Orchard are not tal Cedars and that in Gods family there are babes as well as strong men and that these tender plants and babes shall ere it be long come unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ Eph. 4.13 And if we will ponder the promises which are the rule and ground of prayer we will find that as there is a difference both amongst temporals and spirituals some temporals being more necessary then others and some spirituals more necessary then others so the promises accordingly do hold out after a diffâ—rent maner both spirituals and temporals and that they do more absolutely and peremptorily engage for and secure us of these thinga that are most necessary for us and so we may and should more confidently and (l) In what sense we may be said to pray absolutely for spiritual things See Concl. 10. and in what cases properly Concl. 11. absolutely pray for such things as are most necessary and usefull For the promises having for their end and object our good and what may contribute for our everlasting happiness the more necessary any thing is for obtaining that great end and for maintaining this bodily life during the time our master hath appointed us to work in his vineyard it must be the more infallibly and peremptorily held forth in the promise The (m) Finis dat mensuram ordinem mâ—diis in omnibus appetibil bus agibilibus inquit Thom mensura est finis idâ—o quae sunt ad finem habent modum ex eo quod sunt fini proportionata Thom. 2 2. quaest 27. art 6. in corp end being the measure and prescribing the order that is amongst the means Thus far in the general we may safely go but when we descend unto particulars we will find more difficulty and to make way for the following Assertions we will first enquire in what sense the promises for spiritual things that are indispensibly necessary to salvation may be called absolute Ans Certainly not as if they concerned and did belong â—o all and every one without exception but because they are irrespective not supposing any condition and qualification in the subject for obtaining what they hold forth Though then they be thus absolute yet they are not universal though nothing in us doth make the difference or can be alledged as a limitation yet the Lord out of his good pleasure hath made a difference between sinners and having elected some unto eternal life to them he maketh an effectual offer of salvation and preventeth them with his free promises Hâ—s election then is the only ground of discrimination Hence we mâ—y argue thus if these promises that are called absolute did belong to all then all would be converted and saved since they do not suppose any condition on our part to their performance there can be no reason given why they should be accomplished in some and not in others if they did belong to all It s true we know not till the event shew to whom they belong and to whom not and therefore we must not exclude our selves especially since they are large enough and will be found to exclude none to whom the offer of the Gospel is made who do not reject that offer and wilfully exclude themselves the Lords discriminating love of election and fore-knowledge doth not hinder the sinner from laying hold on eternal life but the sinner with his own hands doth plait the snare wherein he is (n) Ps 7.15 and 9.15.16 Prov. 5.22 catched and held fast there is none in hell to day that can challenge the general invitation and offâ—r made in the Gospel to all to come and whosoever will to take of the water of life freely Rev. 22.17 Isa 55.1 2. c. Neither shall they be able to fetch an excuse from the promise because it was intended to some only it being indefinitly proposed and no restraint laid on thee that thou mightest not lay hold on it thus the Lord not exprâ—ssing any man by name condition or qualification and yet excluding none promiseth To write his laws in our hearts and in the inward parts to put a new spirit within us to take away the stony heart and give a heart of flesh to heal our backslidings and be mercifull to our unrighteousness to love us freely and become our God and that we shall be his people and that he will cause us walk in his statutes and put his fear in our hearts that we shall never depart from him c. Jer. 31.33 Ezek. 11.19 20. Ezek. 36.26 27 Heb. 8.10 11 12. Jer. 32.40 Hos 14.4 c. These and the like are called promises of grace not supposing any condition on our part previous to their accomplishment and thus are distinguished from the promises made to grace which are conditional and suppose a precedent gracious qualification and fitness in the subject for receiving what they hold forth Thus a renewed pardon of sin is promised upon repentance (o) Vid. apud Gul. Tuis in Corv. defens Arm. pag 106. explicationem dicti Mat. 13.12 habenti dabitur increase of grace to him who improveth the grace he hath received comfort to mourners c. And as they and only they who have these gracious qualifications wrought in them can plead these promises so no man I will not say unlesse he knew and were certain of his election and that his name were written in the book of the Lamb that authentick register of our charter to happiness where there is no blank bond yet certainly none till he be in the state of
(z) It may be here askt whether the man child be brought forth or if the soul be yet in be pangs of the new birth when it doth thus groan but it sufficeth to our purpose that many have come a great length that way who have perished eternally wilt thou give me Lord since I go gracelesse and Christlesse shew mercy upon me or else I die what do I value other things if I want thy love what can trifles profit me if I be a vessel of wrath and a cast-away But that we may more fully expresse the way how the unregenerate yet looking and panting after a change may be said to pray absolutely for grace we will branch out what hath been hinted at in these three particulars 1. because the object of their prayer is absolutely universally and invariably good and indispensably necessary to salvation and happiness so that no state or condition no combination of circumstances can make it evil or indifferent and no recompence can be made for the want of it 2. Because the desire of the soul is certainly should be so boundlesse and enlarged so absolute and peremptory that no proviso no offers by way of commutation and exchange can satisfie and quiet the soul or make a just compensation 3. Albeiâ— no unbeleever though in the pangs of the new birth and on the way to conversion can pray in faith and in full assurance of acceptance and audience yet he may wait and still venture and say with (a) Esth 4.16 Esther I will present my requests to the King and if I perish I perish And who knoweth but the King will say to him as Ahasuerus said to her what wilt thou what is thy request it shall be granted one thing he knoweth that otherwise he must perish and that there is no other way to escape and therefore he must not he will not give over whatever discouragments on the one hand or alluring baits on the other he may meet with to draw him off knowing that though he should perish it were better to perish at Christs feet and with his eyes fixed on him then any other way especially since he knoweth none who ever â—ook that course and constantly followed it who did miscarry and met with disappointment If it be askt whether the unconverted may pray acceptably we have spoken to that question Chap. 6. Sect. 3. Concl. 11. Albeit it be most proper and pertinent for unbeleevers to pray for grace as to its being and existence yet Beleevers upon a mistake and in the night of desertion when they cannot see to read their charter to the inheritance may pray for the very first work and impression of the spirit It s true if they did see and knew what they had received they could not complain as if they were altogether empty nor could they ask what they had already received but standing to the supposition they cannot well be blamed for asking what is so necessary and they so much love and desire yet if they were only in suspence and under some fears it would be fitter to pray conditionally and to say Lord if thou hast not already wrought in the that blessed change which is so desirable and which I so much long for O Lord work it in me and if thou only hidest from mine eyes that seed of grace thou hast sown in my heart Lord open my eyes that I may see thy work and praise thee for what thou hast done But here it may be aske how doubting Beleevers may pray for grace and whether they may be said to pray in faith Ans 1. Certainly they may be said to pray absolutely for grace in the sense held forth in the preceding conclusion will any think that their longing and thirst will be lesse vehement and their diligence will not be so great as the desire and endeavours of the unconverted but 2. as to the particular expressed in the question it semeth undeniable that Beleevers while they are and so long as they continue in the supposed case of doubting denying fearing c. cannot pray in faith as that importeth an assurance of audience and acceptance but whether or not that be a necessary qualification of an acceptable and prevailing prayer shall in its own (b) viz. part 2. ob 2. place be enquired but if by faith required in prayer be only meant a qualification of him who prayeth rather then of prayer it self a qualification rather of the subject and agent then of the act and performance it self such doubting souls may no doubt be said to pray in faith 1. because it s supposed they are Beleevers and so cannot be without faith yea 2. their prayers may be (c) Heb. 4.2 mixed with faith faith may act lively and joyn in the duty though it carry not the foul the full length and fill it not with joy in the assured expectation of a gracious return yea 3. there may be a kind of recumbency and dependance on God for a gracious return such may adventure and cast themselves upon him for successe Concl 12. Concl. 12 Yet beleevers may pray absolutely and in full assurance of audience for grace when not doubting of their state and the acceptance of their persons 1. They pray that they may persevere and that they may be kept from totall and finall apostacy for perseverance in grace is no lesse necessary then our first being in that state 2. They may in faith pray for the consummacion of grace into Glory that the body of sin may be destroyed and Gods image perfectly restored unto them that the (d) Cant. 2.17 day would break and the shadowes flâ—e away that they may see their beloved face to face and may become happy in a full fruition of him unto all eternity Yea 3. they may in faith ask a further measure of grace that they may not stand still in this wildernesse but may go forward that the stock of grace may increase and grow in their hands anâ— that a further measure of actuall and habitual strength may from time to time be let out to them he who said l (e) Mark 9.24 beleeve might in faith say Lord help my unbeleef as we are commanded to (f) The Christian must be like the Crocadile that as some affirme grows as long as it livethand ceaseth to be when it ceaseth to grow grow in grace 2 Pet. 3.18 so we are obliged to ask of God what he requireth of us that he who worketh in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure Philip. 2.13 would make us grow in grace and (g) Joh. 15.8 bear much fruit to the glory of his name and we may ask in faith relying on the promise to him that hath shall be given and he shall have more abundance Mat. 13.12 Mat. 25.29 Luk. 8.28 I see no reason why it is commonly said that we may not pray absolutely and in faith for the measure and degree for the increase and
reprobat and those who have committed that unpardonable sin against the holy Ghost c. WE need not ask if we should pray for others the Law of God the (a) Jam. 2.8 royall law of love and the constant practice of the Saints do point out this duty and as a threefold cord bindeth us thereunto first then God hath commanded us to pray for others Jam. 5.16 1 Joh. 5. â—6 Secondly he hath promised to answer 1 Joh. 5.14 16. Jam. 5.15 Thirdly he hath accordingly answered those prayers that have been put up for others Gen. 20.17 Exod. 33.17 Job 42.9 8. and though he be a reprobat for whom the Saints do pray yet they shall not lose their labour their prayers shall return into their own bosome they shall not return empty and without a blessing but shall bring with them an answer of peace to the supplicant Psa 35.13 Fourthly not only the Godly have required the mutuall help of one anothers prayers 2 Cor. 1.11 1 Thes 5.25 2 Thes 3.1 Heb. 13.18 but the wicked also as being convinced of the need they stood of the Saints prayers and the good which might be expected from thence 1 King 13.6 Act. 8.24 Fifthly as the Saints have desired others to pray for them so they have been carefull to (b) Orat apostolus pro plâ—be orat plebs pro apostolo oro se omnia membra orant coput pro omnibus interpellat August in Psa 34. perform that duty towards others Col. 1.9 2 Thes 1.11 Exod. 32 31. Exod 33.16 Numb 21.7 1 Sam. 7.9 and Christ our head and leader while on earth prayed not only for his disciples Joh. 17. and for the unconverted elect v. 9.20 but also for his bloody persecutors Luk. 23.34 And how did he weep and pathetically lament over apostat Jerusalem Luk 19.41 Luk. 13.34 and he now liveth in heaven to make continuall intercession for his people Sixthly not only hath our blessed Saviour thus by his example taught us this point of our duty but by his command leaving us a pattern in that (c) Ideo non dicimus patermeus sed noster nec da mihi sed da nobis quia unitatis magister noluit privatim preces fieri ut scilicet quis prose tantum precetur Cypr. in lib. de orat Dom. comprehensive directory Mat. 6.9 to pray for others whensoever we pray for our selves and whatsoever we ask for our selves thus we are not there taught to say my Father give me forgive me c. but our Father give us forgive us c. And thus we are more straitly bound to that duty then if either in the preface or the close there had been an expresse command insert to pray for others for thus we are taught to pray for our brethren not only at some seasons and occasions or when we will but alwayes whensoever we pray for our selves and not to ask only some few things for them but whatsoever we ask to our selves and why should we not wish desire and petition all those good things which we desire to our selves to those whom we are bound to (d) Mat. 19 19 love as our selves what indigence and (e) Prose orare necessitas cogit pro altero autem charitas fraternitatis hortatur Autor operis imper in Mat. cir prin tom 2. hom 14. necessity will drive us to ask for our selves that brotherly love should draw us to desire and petition to others and love being a more kindly motive then necessity and the good of others a more noble attractive then self interest it must be a better evidence of sincerity to pray for others then to pray for ourselves You will say must we then pray for all and every one For Answer we shall bring some conclusions partly negative partly affirmative Concl. 1. Concl. 1. We abominat the Popish conceit of praying for the dead as 1 foolish and unprofitable for after death the judgement Heb. 9.27 then we must appear before the tribunal of Christ and be stated into an inalterable condition which all the devotion of Papists all their masses and supplications cannot change 2. as groundlesse and unwarrantable having no command nor precedent in Scripture yea nor from the first and purest antiquity and reason can here have no place for the Saints want no good and they fear no evil which are the two occasions of prayer mentioned by the Apostle (f) The two grounds of prayer mentioned by the Apostle 1. the want and abfence of some good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. The presence or fear of some evil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jam. 1.5 and 5.13 and an irrevocable sentence is already past upon the damned where the tree is fallen there it mustly for ever Ecles 11.3 the evening is come and there can be no more working in the Lords vineyard every one must now receive his reward according as he hath employed the day past David would pray no longer for his child when he heard it was dead the reason he bringeth in reference to the childs bodily life and being here again in the world is applicable to the state and condition of the soul there can be no alteration after death and therefore he would pray no more for either the childs bodily being here again or concerning the eternal portion or spiritual condition of his soul 2 Sam. 12.23 The Saints are now at home and rest secure till the day of the resurrection when soul and body being united shall partake of glory and happiness according to their several capacities to all eternity and till that day they rest upon Gods word as to the resurrection of their bodies which is another kind of (g) This appeareth to me to be the main ground of difference which with submission Ioffer to the consideration of the judicious word then the word of promise which believers on earth plead in their prayers It is the sentence of a Judge and would an earthly Judge take it well if any man should petition him to own and stand to his sentence They are not now on their way nor in the (h) Preces ge mituslachrymae arma sunt athletarum in stadio versantium in agone sudaentium non victorum in caelo triumphantium Tilen synt part 2. disp 49. § 22. condition of a Viator and traveller they are now above ordinances they are no more under the means what then can prayer profit them As for the popish Purgatory that Chapel in which all these Saints are conveened who call for the prayers and masses of the Roman Church or rather that prison in which are detained those captives till the Romanists by their devotion purchase their liberty our Divines long since have thrown down the imaginary partition wall betwixt that goal and hell and have shown that those (i) Mat. 5.26 prisoners shall never be able to pay the uttermost farthing and therefore shall never be set at liberty and it was no difficult task to overthrow a
Reusn symb Imper. part 3. symb 12. Othonis 1. Amicitia non angustis sintbus terminanda est omnes enim quibus amor dilectio debetur amplectitur pervenit auâ—em usque ad inimicos pro quibus etiam orare praecipimur ita nemo est in genere humano cut non dilectioâ— etsi non pro mutua charitate pro ipsa tamen communis naturae societate debeatur August ad Preb. epist 121. cap. 8 At pater ut gnati sic nos debemus amicis si quod sit vitium non fastidire Horat 1. Serm. 3. brethren not to interpose with the provoked Father for his favour and that there may be a reconciliation that he would reclaim and shew mercy unto those prodigals who have nothing but husks to feed upon Hence We may further argue thus if we should love our brethren and neighbours and all men are such then we should wish and desire their good both temporal and eternal and from whom can we desire it but from him who only can kill and make alive who only can save and destroy and who sheweth mercy on whom he will And what is it to desire the Lord to do them good but to pray for their good prayer being nothing else but an offering up of our desires to God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the (u) Arist 2. Rhetor. cap. 4. Philosopher 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to love is to desire those things that are good to any man not for any benefit may thereby redound to us but that they may profit him and canst thou say that thou lovest thy brethren while thou dost not desire their good while thou dost not desire it from God who only can give What though they did hate and persecute thee yet thou must love them albeit not as Augustine speaketh for that mutual love they bear to thee yet for their partaking of the same nature with thee and because of the authority of God who hath commanded thee to love thy neighbour as thy self Let Jeremiahs practice be thy copy though they recompence evil for good though they dig a pit for thy soul yet do not thou leave off to stand before the Lord to speak good for them Jer. 18.20 remember Christs prayer Luk. 23.34 and Stephens Act. 7.60 Albeit as to the measure and degree of love there may be some variety yet in respect of the object we must as (x) Thom. loc cit scil 2.2 quaest 26. art 6. ad 1. Aquinas saith love all men alike and wish to all the same good things Am I my (y) Gen. 4.9 brothers keeper were the words of a wretched Cain although we had no command yet nature bids us saith Dr. (z) Quantumvis non accederet expressum custodiae mandatum naâ—â—ra omnes jubet mutuo esse custodes ac defensâ—res salutis nostrae alienae D. Paraeus in loc Paraeus keep and procure our own and other mens salvation We might here make use of (a) Si autem diligerent non dicerent quid nobis tibi August ad Sixt. Rom. Presb. epist 105. Augustine his argument whereby he proveth that the devils did not love Christ If saith he they had loved him they would not have said to him what (b) Luk. 4.34 have we to do with thee and if according to the (c) Jam. 2.8 royal Law we loved our neighbours as our selves would we say what are we concerned in our neighbours salvation and why should we mention them in our prayers 5. If once we begin to limit this Assertion we will not be able to rid our feet and assign the bounds where we must stand You will say we may pray for all ranks of men Repl. But the question is for whom in these ranks and why for such and not for others You will say we may pray for all the Elect. Repl. But I would know 1. by what rule we can judge who are Elect who not 2. where they learned that limitation and where did they read in the Word that Gods decree is our rule And 3. if Pastors Parents Subjects c. should not pray for their relations unlesse they belong to the election of God 4. Where do we find such a limitation added in the prayers of the Saints If such and such men be among the number of the Elect I would ask whether such a limitation would not beget a jealousie in the hearers and would not rather irritate those for whom we thus prayed if they were present or heard of it then do them good Yea 6. If this limitation must be added while we pray for some then it must be added when we pray for any though never so eminent as to their carriage and profession for I think none will presume to tell us who are Elect who not You will yet say it s enough we know not that they are reprobates Ans 1. Thus they come up the length of this present couclusion and lead us to an extraordinary case viz. of a revealed decree to which we have already spoken And then 2. Who dare say that he is assured of the reprobation of any man If again it be replyed that we must not pray for the incorrigible enemies of Christ Ans 1. But how shall we know who are incorrigible who not If the (d) 1 Tim. 1.1 2. 1 Pet. 2.13 14 15 17. Prayer is the best tribute we can give to our Kings and Rulers Apostles did exhort to submit unto and pray for vile Nero and these cruel and malicious persecutors who then did bear the sword who are these enemies for whom we should not pray who can be judged to be more incorrigible then they And then 2. Are not all the reprobate incorrigible and therefore if upon this account we may not pray for enemies neither must we pray for any reprobate But 3. We would here remember the caution mentioned Concl. 2. concerning reprobation viz. That as we should not pray for reprobates as such so neither for Christs incorrigible enemies formally as such and standing under such a consideration which upon the mater and as to the present case is one and the same with that of reprobation but abstracting from the decree which is antecedent and the event that is subsequent viz. their continuing in their wicked courses we must absolutely ask that which is good in it self and good for them and which would make for the glory of Gods pardoning mercy and the encrease of Christs kingdom But if it be askt whether we pray for such as enemies of Christ though not as incorrigible Ans If the particle As do import the formal reason and ground wherefore we pray for such we deny that we pray for such as enemies to Christ but rather as men brethren neighbours c. and because of the command of God and that God by their conversion may be glorified c. But if the particle As doth only signifie the object of consideration upon which we must reflect in
as do evil that under them we may lead a quiet and peaceable in all godlinesse and honesty 1 Timoth. 2.2 Rom. 13.3 Isa 49.23 Psa 105 22. Amos. 5.2 Prayer is the best tribute ye can pay to them and the best (p) Vid. August contr liter Petiliani lib. 2. cap. 23.86 92. in Evan. Joan tract 2. office ye can perform to your neighbors and fellow-subjects whatever be the judgment of the world or its reward yet the best Christians will be found to be the best subjects and the best neighbors Sed bonus vir Cajus Seius tantum malus quod Christianus 3. Who will ask whether he should pray for the Kingdom city an place of his abod and nativity 1 Because of severall relations we stand under towards our countrey-men as being fellow-subjects compatriots brethren being neerer in kin to many of them then to strangers and companions we are obliged in a speciall manner to pray for them Psa 122.8 Rom. 9.2 3. Secondly because our peace and welfare consists in theirs Jer. 29.7 And 3. thus we should not only pray for temporals to them but also for grace and spiritual mercies we cannot live securely where the fear of God is not least like the fish in the sea the greater devour and make a prey of the lesser Gen. 20.11 O! then pray for them if thou wouldst not have them make a (q) Isa 59.15 prey of thee Did Abraham so importunatly interceed for (r) Gen. 18. Sodom though he was not concerned in their misery and wilt not thou plead for the place of thy habitation with whom thou must share in their prosperity or adversity It s the Saints priviledge that they may be a blessing in the midst of the land Isa 19.24 and bear up the pillars of a sinking sinfull world Psa 75.3 were there not a Saint on earth how quickly might the earth and all its inhabitants be dissolved Behold the difference between the upright and the wicked the one is a blessing and the other a curse to the place Prov. 11.11 and prayer is that messenger the Saints employ to fetch home the blessing to themselves and others 4. This duty in a speciall maner lieth on them who live together in one family as being yet more neerly concerned in the good or evil of one another It s true this duty doth in a speciall manner lie upon the master of the Family who must with good (Å¿) Josh 24.15 Joshua undertake for himself and all within his house He must be a King to rule there a Prophet to teach and instruct them and a Priest to offer up daily sacrifices with them and for them none are exempted from this duty David though a King on whom the care of the whole nation did ly yet did not forget his family after he had been employed in the publike worship of God it is said of him to his commendation that he returned to blesse his houshold 2 Sam. 6.20 If Cornelius be a devour man his religion must not be confined within his own breast and therefore it s observed that he feared God with all his house and prayed to God allway Act. 10.2 But albeit this duty especially as to the performance of it with the whole family as being their mouth and minister doth ly upon the master of the house yet none in the family are exempted from a private and personal communion with God in prayer what though the head of the house neglect his duty and were a gracelesse man wilt thou go to hell because thy Father and master doth run thither Ah! rather with holy David lament and say Wo is me that I sojourn in Mesech and dwell in the tents (t) Not that David ever was in those countreyes but he called those so amongst whom he was by reason of their fierce barbarousnesse and wickednesse Diodat on the place of Kedar Psa 120.5 and thou shouldst the rather be busie thy self if the rest of the family be negligent that thou mayest get thy name out of the curse that is denounced against prayerlesse families Ier. 10.25 and what knowest thou but thy prayers may procure a blessing to the whole family (u) Gen. 30.30 Labans house and estate was blessed for Iacobs sake and (x) Gen. 39.5 Potiphars house yea and all (y) Gen. 41. Egypt for Ioseph And then if others make conscience of their duty what a shame is it for thee to be singular in evil and that thou alone shalt be pluckt out of the family and cast into hell Ah! be no longer a devil to tempt the Saints by thy wicked example Thou wicked son or servant what wilt thou say and with what horror and confusion wilt thou behold thy Father and master in Glory whilst thou art cast out Oh! said dying (z) Sam. Clerk in his life Mr. Bolton to his children I Verily beleeve that none of you dar think to meet me at the great Tribunal of Christ in an unregenerat state Yet 5 this duty doth ly more forcibly upon those who are of the Houshold of a faith (b) Sicuti in aliis charitatis officiis ita in precibus prima debet esse cura sanctorum Calvin in Eph. 6.18 though the members of that family be far scattered through many nations yet they are more firmly united then those of any other incorporation we have seven ligaments and bonds of union held sorth in one Scripture Eph. 4.4 5 6. which are brought as so many motives to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace v. 3. and may serve as so many arguments to stir us up to make conscience of this duty to pray one for another 1. All the Saints are members of One Body 2. All are animated by One and the same Spirit 3 All are called in one hope and are joynt heirs of the same Crown and Kingdom 4. They all serve the same Lord and master 5. All have one and the same Faith and profession one task and work all are walking in the same way and travelling to the same home and all must lodge together unto all eternity 6. One Baptisme all have the same badge and wear the same livery 7. All have one God and Father in Christ Jesus all are of a noble descent and of the blood Royall as to their regeneration and new birth Is there then any relation like to that which is amongst the Saints Is there any union which is so intimat and strong and yet alas in this jangling and contending age self-love as a canker consumeth and eateth our true love to the brethren now are the dayes foretold by our Lord Jesus in which the love of many should wax cold Mat. 24 12. where there is not true love there cannot be a cordiall desire of their good and no prayer for them that God will accept O but its a sad character thou art no son who dost not mind thy brethren and if thou hast no Sympathy
with the rest of the members while they suffer and seekest not after a remedy it s a token thou art a rotten and dead member which must be cut off O! but Christ the head continually prayeth for all the members of his body and wilt thou not joyn with him hell and the world are enraged against them they have but few friends and shall these prove unfaithfull and not help them by their prayers whom otherwise they cannot profit wilt thou prove like Pharouh's butler whilst thou art advanced and hast moyen at court wilt thou forget the affliction of Ioseph if hitherto thou hast done so say with (b) Gen. 41.9 him I do remember my fault this day Albeit no Saint should be excluded from our prayers yet more specially we should remember the afflicted whoever be forgotten the sick child will be cared for affliction is a fit season for prayer and not only the afflicted should pray for himself but others should joyn and put up a prayer for him Iam. 5.13 14. But yet more especially we should compassionat persecuted Saints who suffer for righteousnesse sake though Moses Nehemiah Esther and Daniel might have enjoyed the pleasures which a Kings Court could furnish yet the affliction of Gods people did afflict their spirits and send them to the throne to interceed for their brethren You will perhaps say who is he that forgetteth the Saints Answ But it may be thou prayest not for them as Saints but as thy friends and neer relations if thou pray for any one as a Saint thou (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 includit supponit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod enim alicuiconvenitqua tali necessario convenit omui ideoque a quatenus adomne vales consequentia vid Arist 1. Post cap. 4. must pray for all (d) Eph. 6.18 Saints self-self-love as it may make thee pray for thy self so also for thy relations amongst which may be many Saints but only the love of God can make the love his children as such and all that bear his image though never so mean and despicable in the eyes of the world and not able to serve or profit thee O! let us hearken to the invitation Isa 45.11 Let us ask of God concerning his sons the Lord calleth us and assureth us of successe only let us take heed that we forget none of his sons the father will not take it well that any of his children should be slighted as Joseph would not speak to his brethren till all were present so thou mayest meet with many frowns from the Almighty if thou come alone or forget any of thy brethren behind thee 6. And we shall instance no mo particulars The relation that is between Pastors and people do engage to the mutuall performance of this duty as for the Ministers of the Gospel as they are by their calling obliged so they will make conscience if of any thing to pray that the word preached by them may be accompanied with power for the conversion of the hearers that it may be received with meeknesse and reverence not as the word of man but as the word of the living God which is able to make wise the simple and to save their souls that they may not become unfruitfull hearers but doers that their fruit may be holinesse and the end everlasting life that they may grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ c. Jam. 1.21 25. Rom. 6.22 Psa 19.7.2 Pet. 3.18 c. You will not deny that Ministers should pray for the people committed to their charge for whose souls they must answer in the day of accounts that they have laboured to feed them and rescue them from the snare of the devil and have watched for them and sought their good in every ordinance Heb. 13.17 2 Timoth. 2.24 25 20. But that the people should pray for their Pastor we do not too many will say see such reason or necessity nor is it very usuall Answ What dost thou talk of reason or necessity when may we argue from these if not in the present case and therefore hearken O negligent hearers who care not for your own souls but would cast all the care of them over upon the Minister to whom you deny your assistance in that work and ponder these few amongst many motives that may prevail with you to make more conscience of this so much slighted though most necessary duty 1. Thou canst nor prepare thy heart to hear the word and no wonder then though thou get no good by it if thou neglect this duty if the husbandman take pains on the ground he will not be wanting so far as his care and industry can reach to provide good seed and if thou desire and expect a blessing on the word which is the seed of immortall life as thou will labor to have thy heart which is the ground fitted and enlarged to receive so thou wilt by prayer wrestle with the Lord who is the great master and (e) Joh. 15.1 husband-man that he would enable his messengers that they may speak as the oracles of God in power and demonstration of the Spirit that a door of utterance may be opened unto them for to make known the mystery of the Gospel that they may speak boldly and may exhort and rebuke with all authoritie and may be instant in season and out of season with all long suffering and patience that they preach not themselves but Christ that they may take heed to their Ministy to fullfill it that they may be cloathed with righteousnesse being an example to the flock in word in conversation in charity in faith purity self deniall and holinesse that thus they may save themselves and those that hear them c. 1 Pet. 4 11. 1 Cor. 2.4 Col. 4.3.17 2 Tim. 2.15 Tit. 2.15 2 Tim. 4.2 2 Cor. 4.5 Psa 132.9 1 Tim. 4.12 c. if thou desire the (f) Pet 2.2 sincere milk of the word that thou may grow thereby thou wilt not forget the nurse if thou regard what seed be sown in the ground thou wilt not neglect to go to him who only can fill the hand of the sower and to say to him O! let us not have tares in stead of good seed if thou care for thy spirituall life thou wilt say O! let the stewards hands be full let him have an allowance for us that we starve not for want of the childrens bread 2. What are Ministers weak frail men subject to like passions as others are Jam. 5.17 Act. 14.15 and who is sufficient for such an high and weightie charge 2 Cor 2.16 and therefore as they have need to watch over their own hearts to take heed to ther steps and to be frequent and servent in their addresses to God so the people should wrestle together with them in their prayers to God for them Rom. 15.30 and thereby strengthen their hands against all the discouragments and difficulties they may encounter
that they would not forget him in their prayers Rom. 15.30 Eph. 6.19 Phil. 1.19 Col. 4.3 1 Thess 5.25 2 Thess 3.1 And we again and again Beseech you brethren as he did the Romans for the Lord Iesus Christs sake and for the love of the spirit that ye strive together with your pastors in your prayers to God for them that their ministry and message may meet with acceptance and successe amongst you But if ye will neglect the nurse the blood of the child will be upon your heads Ye will no doubt be ready to complain that the Minister speaketh not home to your condition that you hear the Word but are little better of all you hear the Word preacht is unsavory and O! will some who think they are some body say If I were living under a more searching and powerfull ministry Thus many will be ready to cry out against Christs messengers and ordinances and plead conscience for their complaint when they can find no other thing to object either against the man or his ministry The Lord pity poor frail men who notwithstanding they gladly spend and are ready to be spent for their people yet with him 2 Cor. 12.15 have reason to complain that the more abundantly they love their flock the less they are beloved all the reward they meet with from the most part of hearers is a load of reproach and contempt So that if we durst be silent if there were not a necessity lying upon us to preach and wo unto us if we preach not the Gospel of Christ 1 Cor. 9.16 if we looked for no other return but what we meet with from man we would deservedly be the most contemptible men upon earth And while parents are deliberating how to dispose of their children they had reason to say what many carnall men do say such a son is for this calling and employment and such for another but this naughty underling child is fit for nothing but to be a minster as if the worst and basâ—st of men were good and fit enough for that which is the most high eminent and excellent imployment pardon me to say so from the Word of God whatever the world do think or say if such as reason thus be not amongst the number of those cursed deceivers Mal. 1.14 who having a male in iheir flock do vow and sacrifice to the Lord a corrupt thing let their own conscience judge and give out sentence O! But they have you will say a considerable pension and stipend Ans But no thanks to thee who art ready to hold bâ—ck from them what is their own which God hath allowed them King and Parliament and the laws of the kingdom hath secured unto them thou who wouldst live upon their maintenance and delight in their ruin if thou were permitted to enjoy what belongeth to them thou art not the man to whom they are obliged for their allowance and though all be not so carnal and selfish yet if Ministers were to live on the benevolence of the people they might often take a sleep for their supper But O! What a poor base thing is it for an ingenuous spirit to undergo such a burden of pains care grief ingratitude reproach and disrespect for such a mean maintenance though I deny not there may be some and too many mercenary Ministers yet where is the man of parts resolution and candor who might not be as well provided another way and who would not rather chuse a mean maintenance in any other condition then to endure the affronts and reproaches that accompany the calling of the (u) I hope none will judge that I am particularly aiming at this people to whom I have a special relation and that I am preaching my own case though I had reason and I wish none had greater I would not go to the pulpit far lesse to the presse with any sach challenge and complaint ministry But to return to those complainers of the ministry I would ask 1. If ever to this day they have seriously reflected upon and complained of the hardness and naughtiness of their own hearts if they had been thus busie at home perhaps they had not brought their complaints so far off 2. I would ask whether thou who art so ready to complain of the Minister hast been as carefull to pray for him thou thinkest thou sees his infirmities and weakness but didst thou ever pray the Lord to strengthen and enable him thou art ready many wayes to discourage and weaken his hands but when and wherein hast thou encouraged and assisted him As no Sermon can have life and influence upon a dead careless people so their deadness may exceedingly indispose the Minister and provoke the Lord in part to stop his mouth A dead people may occasion and procure a cold and liveless Sermon Who knows what a discouragment it is to preach as he Isa 6.18 and 53.1 to stony hearts to heavy ears to shut eyes and for a Minister to consider that he runs in vain and few or none believeth or regardeth his report and with this discouragment the Lord often joyneth hâ—s stroke and in judgement straitneth his messengers and thus withholdeth a seasonable word from despisers If people did care for their souls they would not commit the whole work to another ye will not so intrust any worldly business to whatsoever factor or agent but ye will be doing waiting on and some one way or other giving your help and yet he who watcheth for the good of your souls shall have none of your aid and assistance not one tear or prayer and must such be accounted Christians Oh! remember he is but a weak sinfull man called out to encounter with many and strong enemies many discouragments difficulties tryals and temptations and the work is great and far above his strength his shoulders are too weak for bearing such a heavy burden O then put in your necks under the yoke and lend a lift Your joynt prayers may bring help from heaven vis unita fortior Solitariness as it is uncomfortable so it is unsuccessefull If the work be great it needeth the moe hands Ye may help your Minister to preach and you may hinder see what ye will answer to God if you ly by what can ye not pray and if ye would ye should have less cause to complain Ye will seek a blessing on your work and meal and will ye not minde the work of the Ministry and that which should be meat to your souls But to pass from this particular to the general how should we bewail the neglect of this necessary sweet and evangelical duty Thou who hast the communion of the Saints standing as an article in thy Creed wilt thou keep no communion with them and allow them no room in thy prayers Thou who acknowledgest that prayer which Christ did dictate to his disciples to be a perfect pattern darst thou pray for thy self and not for others Thou who callest God
dayly offering violence to their own souls and what knowest thou but thy prayers may bind them Ah! therefore should every Saint with Samuel concerning a stubborn and wicked generation say God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you 1 Sam. 12.23 and couldst thou be a witness of the dishonour they do to God the scandal they give to the godly and the mischief they do to themselves and not warn and rebuke them if thou didst not thou shouldst partake of their sins Levit. 19.17 but if thou didst wouldst thou not desire and mightest thou not pray the Lord to bless thy reproofes But though thus we are obliged to pray for all men specially for our relations our brethren kinsmem magistrates c. Yet amongst all these the Elect should have the preheminence There is a peculiar bond lying upon us to desire and pray for their good and we may more comfortably and confidently perform that duty towards them then others then our desires and Gods (d) Though 〈◊〉 neither the decree nor providence of God be our-rule yet both are a comfortable motive to pray decree promise and providence do meet in one point and such prayers shall certainly at length be answered Christ prayed for all these Joh. 17.20 and his prayer is on record and now in heaven he reneweth it and still liveth to make intercession for such And should not we joyn and add our poor weak concurrence they are those with whom we must dwell for ever and with whom we must joyn in uninterrupted praises and shall we not now allow them any room in our prayers But yet there is a more special obligation lying on us towards them who already beleeve and are of the houshold of faith as we should specially do good unto them Gal. 6.10 so in a special maner we are obliged to pray for and desire their good They are the object not only of Gods benevolence but also of his beneficence and complacence they are actually in Christ and members of his body and must not then the union be intimate and strong And should not their communion answer and keep some proportion therewith and must there not be a tender (e) Amicorum est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist idem velle atque idem nille ea demum vera amicitia est Salust amicus quasi alter idem amicitia una anima in duobus corporibus Amicorum communia omnia dicta Pythag. sympathy amongst the members of one body they will together suffer and rejoyce together 1 Cor. 12.26 27. And as the feet will walk and the hands work for the good of the rest of the members should not also the tongue speak for their good The Saints have few friends but many enemies Sathan and the world do rage and will ye stand by they desire and expect your help and will you disappoint them you are the favourits of heaven ye have the Kings ear and will you not improve your moyen for the good of poor Saints shall your friends who expect your help be forgotten will ye prove so unfaithfull and so unkind and will ye thus by your negligence betray that trust that is lying upon you and not improve that price that is put in your hand you may be instruments of much good to others and will you defraud them of what they may expect yea and what as debt ye ow to them Gods command to you to pray for them is their bond whereby you are become their debters and which notwithstanding they are ready to pay you again in kind and in your own coyn and ye need not be afraid that the master will upbraid you for pleading for them they will not prove ungrate and make their mercies weapons of unrighteousness and your prayers as they may prove instrumental for the obtaining so for the right improvement of their mercies And as thus the obligation is great so also the encouragement What a refreshing and engaging motive was it to Paul to pray for the Ephesians when he heard of their faith and love Eph. 2.15 16. and for the Philippians when he considered their constancy and their fellowship in the Gospel Phil. 1.4 5 6. c. Hence from this duty we may infer another as we should pray for the Saints so we should desire and beg their prayers we should open up our case to them and (f) Jam. 5.16 confesse our faults one to another that they may know what to ask for us and if you will not you undervalue Gods care for you in ingaging them by command to perform this duty towards you 2. Ye undervalue his bounty in incouraging them by a promise of success Jam. 5.16 1 Joh. 5.16 Isa 45.11 3. Ye wrong the Saints in undervaluing their priviledge as if they were not Gods favourits and had not moyen with him these who are in Kings Courts will not want imployment And yet 4. ye dispise your own mercies and are not sensible of your own wants who will not make use of this promising mean of relief and it must either be foolish modesty or base pride that must occasion the neglect hereof ignorance can hardly be pretended in so clear a case what art thou a poor weak indigent creature ashamed to seek help (g) Dan. 2.17 18. Daniel (h) Esth 4.16 Esther and (i) Rom. 15.30 2 Cor. 2.11 Eph. 6.19 Colos 4.3 Phil. 1.19 Paul though eminent Saints and great favourits of heaven were not ashamed they knew the prevalency of joint prayer which to enemies is (k) Cant. 6.4 terrible like an army with banners and to friends comfortable like (l) Cant 4.15 streams from Lebanon As in the natural body the eye cannot say to the hand I have no need of thee c. 1 Cor. 12.21 So in this mystical body there is a mutual dependance of one member upon another there is no member so strong that it needeth not the help and concurrence of the rest no Christian should be so proud as not to desire the prayers of the brethren and none should be so uncharitable as to forget the fellow-heirs of the same Crown when they approach to the throne of Grace For conclusion we shall only add a word of encouragment to the Saints and of rebuke to the wicked intermixing a word of direction to both 1. To you who minde this duty and make conscience to perform it know that ye are honoured with this dignity to be men of publick spirits and to have a hand in the great affairs that concern the kingdom of Christ ye have the liberty to speak to the King as often as you will and to obtain what you desire and thus you may have if your negligence do no hinder a hand in all the mercies the Saints injoy whether national or personal temporal or spiritual thou mayest be instrumental in the procuring of these and none may say they ow no thanks to thee who art an honest
sentence against him and the Lord would not accept their payers till Job whom they had accounted a very hypocrite did interceed for them if then thou hast injured thy brother if he hath ought against thee leave thy gift before the Altar go thy way first be reconciled to him and then come and offer thy gift Mat. 3.23 24. But offer not alone let thy brother joyn with thee in the sacrifice it may be thy acceptance depends upon his concurrence but especially if he be a Saint whom thou hast wronged if thou hast been uncharitable to him and dealt hardly with him go to him and confess thy fault and beg the help of his prayers and thus ye may mutually conspire and lay a mighty siege to heaven and continuing thus to (p) Rom. 15.30 wrestle together ye must prevail Such professors as are proud disdainfull censorious envious and living at variance with their brethren if their graces be weak their enlargement little and their consolations rare let them consider where the blame lyeth 3. Job was one whom the Lord had grievously afflicted The terrours of God did as he (q) Job 6.4 complaineth set themselves in aray against him the arrows of the almighty were within him (r) Job 10.6 the Lord hunted him as a fierce Lyon and (Å¿) Job 7.20 set him up as a mark at wâ—â—◠〈◊〉 did shoot he (t) Job 9.17 multiplied his wounds and he did breâ—◠〈◊〉 with a sore tempest his (u) Job 13.24 25 26 27. feet were casten in the stocks and he was broken as a leaf driven to and fro and pursued like dry stubble the Lord did write bitter things against him as if he had held him for his enemy c. And should not to him that is afflicted pity be (x) Job 6.14 shown by his friends but they (y) Job 6.15 dealt deceitfully with him He was wounded in the (z) Zech. 13.6 house of his friends They proved miserable comforters and (a) Job 13.4 physicians of no value therefore the Lord did break them with a grievous wound putting the plaister that only could cure them into Jobs hand As a tender parent takes special notice of the sick child so the Lord of the afflicted Saints and most severely punisheth the injuries done to them See Obad. 10 11 12 13 24. c. And the prayers of the afflicted are very powerfull and prevailing the sick child must not be refused If then thou (b) Obad. 22. hast spoken proudly in the day of distress recommend thy self to the prayers of the afflicted least (c) Job 42 8. the Lord deal with you according to your folly Thus I have insisted a while in discovering this treasury of the Church far more precious excellent and usefull then that of gold and rubies not that popish treasure filled with the fictitious merits and (d) Quarum alioquin nullus esser usus nec enim quae semel applicatae fuere redire possunt sed ipso usu consumuntur pereunt adeoque papistae ut bene observat Chamierus candem ponunt divinae liberalitati legem quam severitati ut nec bis vindicet in id ipsum nec bis idem remuneret Dan. Cha. panst tom 3. lib. 24. cap. 3. superfluous as Cajetan speaketh satisfaction of the Saints departed but the treasure of the living Saints intercession the Dispensation whereof belongeth not to the Pope but to every Saint all who have an interest in this treasure have a key and may open it when they will for the relief of themselves and all their brethren And this treasure viz. the common stock of the Saints prayers if we would speak properly is rather the key then the true treasure it self which is only Christs satisfaction and intercession but yet in that the other is the porch whereat we must enter and the messenger which bringeth from thence a supply for all our wants and maladies it may metonymically be called a treasure and rather then that anti-scriptural and irrational popish dream of Saint-satisfaction As for these who as (e) Job 15.4 Eliphaz unjustly charged Job cast off fear and restrain prayer what good can the prayers of all the Saints do to such 〈◊〉 albeit through their prayers the Spirit of prayer and supplication may be poured out upon thee who wast as a (f) Jer. 31.18 bullock unaccustomed to the yoke yet unlesse at length thou put in thy neck and joyn in the duty the prayers of others cannot profit thee It s the character of a gracelesse heart when Gods hand is stretched out against it to imploy others to interceed but not to lift up a voyce for it self as we may see in Pharaoh Exod. 10.17 Jeroboam 2 King 13.6 Simon the Sorcerer Act. 8.24 Yet you will say Moses was heard for Pharaoh Obj. and the man of God for Jeroboam Ans As the Lord out of a common providence Ans may bestow many outward mercies and deliverances to the wicked for his peoples sake with whom they are incorporated so they may meet with some special dispensations as to these outward things upon the prayers of the Saints The Lord to evidence the greatness of his love towards his chosen ones will thus hear them while they interceed for the wicked as that (g) Vid. hist aepud Euseb lib. 5. cap. 5. Magdeburg cen 2 Luc. Osiand cenâ— 2. lib. 3. cap. 12. c. legio fulminatrix obtained water to refresh and a notable victory unto the host of the pagan-persecuting Emperour Marcus Aurelius Antonnius But these mercies though never so great and singular yet wanted the marrow and substance and in the issue proved through their abuse rather cursings then blessings And as for spiritual mercies which only deserve the name no prayerlesse soul did ever â—ast of these But you will say who is he that doth not pray Ans But I would rather ask who is he that doth pray That which is currant and passeth for good coyn amongst men God will reject as (f) Jer. 6.30 reprobare silver the prayer of the wicked is an abomination rather then devotion Prov. 28.9 Prov. 2.27 The Lord doth not regard the prayer of him who regardeth iniquity in his heare Ps 66.18 O then cast off and break asunder the cords of sin and call upon God with the whol heart that he may bear thee when thou cryest and may fulfill the desires of others for thee And if the prayers of the Saints for prayer-lesse wretches prove unsuccessefull and can do those misers no good what shall we think of their prayers for others who make not conscience to pray for themselves O! how should it vex our souls to hear that cursed crue of vagabond beggars who have no other rhetorick but their counterfeit prayers and flattering praises to interpose the name of the great God for every morsel of bread they ask and to take his dreadfull name in vain in their frequent prayers promiscuously poured
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
desirable the worst of men may have much light together with much hatred and enmity at what they know to be good and right and often they could wish that their light were darkness that they might with the greater liberty and freedom follow their course they could (t) Like to the siug gard who lying on his bed said O! si hoc esset laborare wish that sin were duty and evil good and then there should be no better Saints and Perfectionists then they they would become the greatest Puritans in the world But it is far otherwise with the children of God they wait upon the breathings of the Spirit and stir up the seed and habits of grace in the heart they love their duty and delight to do the will of God who hath not given unto them the spirit of fear but of power of love and a sound mind 2 Tim. 1.6 7. Sinners are students in evil and plot how they may do wickedly but good thoughts arise in their mind without study and meditation and therefore as it were casually and by chance as to their labour care and providence But the Saints study how to do that which is commanded and would be well-pleasing and acceptable to God and sinfull motions arise in them without their consent and contrary to the desire of their heart it is with them as it was with the Apostle when they would do good evil is present with them against their will Rom. 7.21 2. As to their welcom and entertainment as good motions do thus come to carnal hearts before they be sent for So they are hardly used when they come they are unwelcom guests and there will be no peace till the house be freed of their trouble and any service and entertainment they meet with for the time is most uncheaâ—full and constrained but if they be civil and modest and call for no more but some external easie and not costly service as to pray hear sermon c. some obedience for the fashion must be yeelded but without love and delight the heart still protesting against the work and while employed therein saying with that people Amos 8.5 When will the Sabbath be gone and the sermon ended c. Thou comest to the work unwillingly and followest it with unchearfulness and weariness and goest away rejoycing that thy task is finished but if some inward work and heart-exercise be required thou cannot away with such task-masters thou must shake off that intolerable yoak and some one way or other ease thy self of that weary some burdon any Physician though never so miserable and accursed must be imployed rather than thou shouldst thus be held on the rack If Cain be pricked in conscience he will go build a City and by business abroad labour to calm the storm within Saul calls for musick Judas runs to the halter and Felix throwes away the nipping plaister c. But it is mater of sad regrate to the Saints when the Lord with-draws the awakning and quickning motions of his Spirit and with what importunity will they pray the wind may blow Ye may hear them with the spouse thus panting after the heavenly breathings Awake O north wind and come thou south blow thou upon my garden that the spices thereof may flow out Cant. 4.16 and when the precious gaile cometh they will sit down under Christs shadow with great delight his fruit will then be sweet to their taste Cant. 2.3 But you will say Obj. may not the unconverted taste the good word of God and the powers of the world to come and not only be enlightned Ans but also taste of the heavenly gifts Ans Yes they may Heb. 6.4 5. But 1. that taste is rare and not usual 2. It is superficial and not satisfying And 3. it is not pure and spiritual (u) A word in the by to that weighty case concerning the difference between a temporary flash and the solid and pure joy of the holy Ghost 1. It is rare and seldom attained by any reprobat and then it is not a work of meer morality and nature but must proceed from some though not proper and peculiar to the Saints nor sanctifying and converting operation of the Spirit Hence they are said to be made partakers of the holy Ghost v. 4. And because it is thus singular and extraordinary therefore a most terrible and extraordinary judgment is denounced against such as have thus been brought so near the harbour and yet turn sail that they shall never taste of the pardoning mercy of God nor get grace to repent v. 4.6 But 2. their taste is superficial and slight in comparison of that which the converted find it is not meat to them it maketh them not grow they taste spiritual things as cooks do the meat which they dress for others they could not live upon what they thus eat but must have their meals beside or rather as they who serve at the table they find the smell of the meat but eat none of it though some ordinary dish may be left for them yet they must have nothing of the more delicat portion So the unconverted may get something of the portion that is set on the childrens table and find as it were a smell of the heavenly and spiritual gifts which may so affect them as if they did eat and is therefore called a taste but yet nothing of that is let fall to them Albeit some of the Israelites might taste of the pomegranates of the land of Canaan brought (x) Numb 13.23 from thence by the spies who never entred the promised land yet none I think ever tasted of the fruit of the heavenly Canaan but must come thither and enjoy the fruit of that place to the full a stranger doth not intermeddle with their joy But then whether that taste was real or only called so because it was much like and did did resemble a true taste yet certainly 1. it was but an evanishing flash it was but a lightning and no continuing heat flowing from a principle within to feed and give life unto it And thus 2. it was empty and weak fleeting in the affections and not reaching the heart to make an impression upon it by it the streams the actings of the heart were somewhat enlightned and sweetned but the fountain and heart it self was not bettered or altered thereby and nothing of its poison and bitterness removed though the word was received with joy in the stony heart yet that joy was rootless and soon withered it did not pierce the ground only some moisture from thence was conveyed to it which the heat of the day did quickly did eat out and it decayed Mat. 13.20 21. 3. It is not pure and spiritual there is much of self and of a sensual interest mixed with and prevailing in it and albeit it often surprizeth the man without any previous deliberation or endeavour who for the time useth not to reflect upon the motives and
end yet if then he did reflect or if after it is gone he would consider he might with (y) 2 Sam. 18.29 Achimaaz say that he saw a great tumult but knoweth not well what it was And 1. he will not find that God was it's object or if it did close with God yet in a philosophical way immediatly and not in the Mediator Jesus Christ 2. Not for himself or because of any beauty and excellency discovered in him there was much of self in it and it did flow rather from what was expected by being with him then by beholding of his face and enjoying himself such a one would rather have heaven without God then if these could be separated God without heaven 3. Though it come (z) A soul thot hath not delight in the exercises of Gods worship may yet find delight while imployed in them arssing from some selfish and carnal motives through an ordnance yet it is not in the ordinance there goeth not alongst with it a discovery of the beauty and amiableness of holiness neither is the heart engaged to love and delight therein But any love to God or to his work and service which they seem to have is selfish viz. because therein something was enjoyed that was pleasant to their taste and the heart was thereby raised up to expect some sort of pleasures hereafter and to escape wrath and judgment but they come not the length to rejoyce in the exercises of religion because God was thereby honoured and thus their joy is not a God-exalting and God-loving but a self-seeking and self-delighting joy But supposing that while we compare transient acts together it were hard to shew the difference between such temporary flashes and that more solid joy which floweth from an inward and abiding principle created in the heart and elevated in its acting above the sphere of nature by the sweet breathings of the Almighty What if the Lord to stay our curiosity and to stir up our diligence that we may not rest upon any measure here attained c. would not clearly reveal and in his word discover it and experience here can have no place if we speak of that special tast which only they get who are to get no more since from that state they fall head-long into the blasphemy against the holy Ghost it may banish anxiety and satisfie us that in their properties and effects they much differ as 1. that temporary flash doth not purifie and change the heart 2. it doth not make us love God for himself nor fall in love with the beauty of holiness 3. it maketh not a man deny himself 4. it doth not abide c. You will say the Saints themselves often complain Obj. that the Lord quickly withdraweth the comfortable sense of his presence that they do not alwayes (a) Ps 34.8 tast and see his goodness and beauty that he often hideth his face and they do not tast that joy and sweetness in the ordinances which they have formerly found many a poor soul may with Bernard say heu Domine Deus rara hora brevis mora Ans Yet it is not such a stranger to them as to others Ans though it go yet it will come again and from time to time renew its visits and it never so withdraweth but it leaveth some pledge behind it till the marriage day and then there shall be no more a separation and departing the Bridegroom shall never withdraw his countenance neither shall he any more with-hold this Jewel yea and during the time of espousals there is a difference between that claim the bride hath to it and the title which any other can pretend and that in respect 1. of her right unto 2. estimation and 3. enjoying of it For 1. it is her allowance her husband hath left it to her in his legacy Joh. 16.22 Secondly it is not such a stranger to the Saints as to others who when they think they have it get but the shell and casket they do not truly enjoy it only they think and seem to have it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 8.18 Thirdly it is better secured to them no man can take it from them and they cannot themselves so lose it that they shall not sind it again if they will ask and make enquiry for it Joh. 16.22 24. Fourthly when they have it they prize and esteem highly of it Fifthly they labour to maintain and cherish it Sixthly it is their affliction to want it and they long for it And seventhly they diligently seek after it in the use of every ordinance But it is not so with carnall hearts it is 1. a mystery and 2. for the most part a matter of mocking to them they do not 3. prize it nor 4. long for it and if it come 5. it surprizeth them in any ordinance as it were at unawares and then 6. they undervalue it and 7. do not labour to retain it and thus 8. it quickly vanisheth and passeth away never to return again and the latter end is worse with them then the beginning 2 Pet. 2.20 21 22. But to return 5. It were no difficult work here to multiply particulars as 1. If such motions come regularly and in the use of the ordinances if while thou art waiting and longing for the breathings of the Spirit if it blow upon thy garden while thou art saying awake O north wind If fire fall on thy sacrifice as it did upon Elijahs 1 King 18.36.37 38. thou mayest safely conclude that it came from heaven 2. If these motions be followed with sutable engagements and promises if as we are moved and stirred up to do good so we are carefull to do and make conscience to follow that motion and if as we promise and pray well so we live well and are circumspect in our walk we do not go to work by fits and starts but keep a constant course in our walking with God and praying to him here there is a concatenation if one link of this golden chain be broken the whole becometh useless yea loseth its name and nature it is no more gold but tinne or brass He cannot pray well who doth not live well è contra But 3. the work of the Spirit is sometimes so signal and remarkable that it bringeth a full and clear evidence with it as 1. when it is so notable and eminent that it elevateth the soul above the sphere of nature and thus by his work it self the Lord discovereth his hand 2. Though the work be not so eminent and ravishing yet it may bring alongst with it a torch in its hand to let us see the place from which it came and thus the Spirit witnesseth with his work and whether his finger be discovered the one way or the other whether he thus work or witness we need not an additional testimony to confirm what he hath deponed There will then be no place for this case 6. We might here
ingenuity left there whether it were not a righteous thing with God to deal with thee according to thy folly 2. God doth not so much value our work and performance as the (g) Mentem offerentis non oblationem attendit glos iuterlin in Gen. 4 4. fountain and principle from which it doth flow and the end and scope at which we aim but untill thy heart be renewed thou canst not act from a principle of love nor make his will and command thy motive nor honestly aim at his glory but thy motives must be carnal and thy end self-interest thou canst not act spiritually nor bring out fruit to God till thou be ingraffed into the true and lively vine the Lord Jesus Joh. 15.5 And therefore thy prayers and performances though never so specious must be an abomination to him self being thy idol before which thou fallest down in every act of worship thou seekest nor God for himself but for thine own base carnal ends which if thou couldest otherwise obtain thou couldst with all thy heart bid farewell to God his worship and service he should hear no more of thy prayers and supplications And thus as the supplicant is not the same not a son but a stranger so the supplication is not alike there is a great difference and inequality in the work it self the Saints pour out other kind of prayers unto God then the unregenerate and therefore no wonder the successe be not the same albeit there may be much art and eloquence and great variety of pertinent expressions yet till the heart be renewed our censer's in stead of incense must be filled with such loathsome filth as must make our sacrifice abominable The old root doth continually send out and communicate so much venom to all its branches that no fruit can be gathered from thence but what is full of deadly poyson a polluted heart will so pollute and infect all our actions and performances that they must be naught in Gods account hence 1 Kings 8.38 this leprosy because of it infection is called the plague of the heart But though these two be very considerable 1. the state of the person for what father will not hearken more to the cry of his son and child then to the voice of a stranger and enemy 2. the quality of the work for who would lay brass in the ballance with gold Yet these are not the main grounds of discrimination and difference as to the present case concerning the acceptance and audience of the one and not the other but that must be brought from another root which now we shall only name as being already more fully opened viz. 1. the assistance and concurrence of the Spirit 2. the merit and intercession of Christ Hence A third reason of the point may be this we cannot pray acceptably without the help and assistance of the Spirit unless he enable us to speak and teach us what to say ah what can we plead upon the account of any though never so eminent work as coming from us Hence saith a (h) Mr. Fenner Sacrif of the faith pag. 6. and pag. 52. reverend Divine God no more respects the prayers of the wicked as being offered up by themselves without the concurrence of the Spirit then he respects the lowing of Oxen or the gruntling of Hogs None have the spirit of supplication but such as have the spirit of adoption and therefore we cannot be assured of the success of our prayers till our son-ship and adoption be cleared and sealed to us See Part 1. chap. 9.4 All the promises are yea and amen in Christ and therefore whatever the Lord out of his general bounty and pity and by the hand of a common providence may bestow upon an Ahab fasting and humbling himself and upon an Ishmael crying and weeping yet they had no covenant right to what they did receive nor could they lay claim unto or plead a (i) Nay Sua rez though a Jesuit and a great patron of the merit of congruity yet granteth ora tionem non esse impetratoriam ex vi promissionis nisi ex fide procedat quia promissio non fit orationi nisi procedat ex fide Suar ubi supra cap. 24. sect 1 2. promise in prayer and therefore though at a venture they might pray and God out of his soveraignty and by way of prerogative might answer their desires yet they could not promise to themselves as not having an interest in the promises that their prayers would prove successefull Christ is the alone way to the Father and he is our altar and therefore untill we be united to him we have not access to the throne and can offer up no acceptable sacrifice Nay saith (k) Zeal Christ pag. ult reverend Mr. Love God is as well pleased with the barking of a dog as with the prayers of a Christlesse man See Part 1. chap. 8. Vse 1. Use 1. Whenever then thou goest to Gods door to knock and cry for an asmes expect to meet with this question who art thou that calls whether art thou a friend or an enemy what is thy plea who brought thee hither what interest hast thou in the place canst thou produce the Kings bond did his Spirit fetch thee hast thou any claim to the purchase of his Son c. It s too ordinary not to consider or regard what prayers we offer up to God but to rest on the opus operatum the work done however it be performed but yet it is more ordinary not to enquire after the person his state and condition many care not what they offer as all gross hypocrits but even amongst the Saints there are not a few who seldom ask who art thou who takest upon thee to sacrifice to the Lord It is indeed an evidence of love respect to provide the best of the flock and not dare to bring the halt and the lame but that 's not enough thou must also take heed in whose hands thou put'st it under the law none durst offer but the Priests who were consecrated to that office and there is a Priest-hood under the Gospel by which only acceptable sacrifices can be offered 1 Pet. 2.5 Rev. 1.6 If thou durst appear before the throne of Justice and wert able to carry thy cause in point of law and equity then thou mightest order thy cause and not fear (l) Gen. 18.25 the juage of all the earth would do right But since we have nothing of our own to hold out but sin and misery indigence and wretchedness and like beggars our sores and manifold infirmities we might be the more hopefull to carry our suit if we could plead our relation to the place Supplicants do not prevail with God as an orator with the hearers but as children with their father the sigh and groan of the (m) Videmus vulgo parcutes magis delectari balbutienti infantia infantium quam universa eloquentra hominum eloquentissimorum â—patâ—r
all the prayers of his honest supplicants which is the foundation of faith so every Saint hath his own experiences which spiritualized sense and feeling may lay hold upon and is there yet any thing wanting for thy comfort and establishment is there yet any of the sons of Zion who dare doubt of the tender love and care of their Father and which is worse who dare give God the lie he may summond all his creatures and put them to it if there be any among them who can bear testimony against his Word O! what an impudent and blasphemous lie were it to say that God had not kept promise and yet this atheisme lurketh in the hearts of too many yea and so much of unbelief as lodgeth in the best so much also of this venom which the old serpent did (Å¿) Gen 3.5 6. spue out upon our first parents and which they too greedily sucked in but after that we have cast out all that poyson and are perfectly purged after that our eyes are anointed and all mists of darkness are dispelled we will doubt no more and complain no more after we are once entered in the light of glory we will then clearly see our errours and mistakes and will proclaim to all eternity the Lords faithfulness in fullfilling all his promises and his bounty and kindness towards us in not granting our foolish and sensual requests nay who did ever hear a Saint on his death-bed when carnal baits and worldly temptations could promise little and furnish no contentment and thus were not able so to allure infatuat and bewitch as formerly who I say was the man that entring upon the borders of eternity durst challenge the Almighty for not accomplishing his promises or who could say that at any time he had called upon God in vain All ages can give their evidences and all beleevers will and must sooner or at length confess that there was never a prayer put up in faith that proved abortive though all our labours and endeavours under the Sun may be fruitless and to no purpose yet prayer will never be as a (t) Hos 9. â—4 miscarrying womb and dry breasts but alwayes proveth that good seed which though it may for a while lie hid under ground yet still yields good fruit for the comfort and satisfaction of the sower What is (u) 2 Saâ—â—â— 22 said of the bow of Jonathan and the sword of Saul is a fit motto of the prayer of faith it never returneth empty And this truth will not be called in question by any except when sense and carnal reason these corrupt judges in the matters of God do sit on the bench and give out sentence But ah our unbelief negligence and estrangedness from God doth deprive our selves and the Church of many mercies and of much matter of comfort to our selves of praise to God and terrour and astonishment to enemies 7. If we consider the many sweet and binding relations which the Lord hath been pleased to undertake towards his covenanted people who are true Israelits and are sincers in their profession if we consider how all the persons of the blessed Trinity are affected towards them what is the love of the Father the purchase of the Son and the work of the holy Ghost our doubting and unbelief will be most unteasonable 1. then is not God our Maker our Lord and Master our Father and Husband c. And will not the infinit Creaator care for his creatures who depend upon him will not the great Lord and Master of heaven and earth care and provide for his honest servants will not the Father of mercies pity his children in the day of their trouble and hear their cry will not the Husband hearken to the voice of the Spouse and grant her desire c. 2. As to the relations under which we stand towards the persons of the blessed Trinity severally (x) Quem enim invocamus Patrem Fratrem Advoâ—atum Quo ausu Patre jubente Fratrejustituente Advocoeto inpellente Quae fiducia Patre promittente Fraire adjurante Advocato testificante Quid petimus baereditatem quam nobis impetravit Fraterconcessit Pater obsignavit Spiritus sanctus Gerhar harm Evang. cap. 149. is not the x Father our father the Son our brother and advocat and the holy Ghost our helper leader and guide and who will doubt of acceeptance welcome and success while his father commandeth his brother inviteth and his guide and counsellour perswadeth and allureth him to come and present this requests while the father promiseth the elder brother and heir reneweth and y confirmeth his fathers grant our leader and assistant doth put that security in our hand and is willing to engage with them in the same bond and putteth to his seal and subscription confirming their evidence and adding his own what place is there left for unbelief doubting and fears Especially if 3. we consider 1. the Fathers love that mysterious love in giving his only begotten Son to death that we might live Joh. 3.16 1 Joh. 4.9 and shall we think that he who spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us will not freely with him also give us what we shall ask in his name Rom. 8.32 I say not saith the Son that I will pray the Father for you for the Father himself loveth you Joh. 16.26 27. I would not have you think that you have no other ground whereon to build your faith (r) By a most emphatick asseveration which to many of the learned appeareth to be an oath as Joh. 16.23 c. but my intercession I will not pray for you to one who knoweth you not and hath no respect to you I will not pray for you as if ye were enemies and strangers neither should ye thus pray for your selves after that ye are reconciled to him through my blood after ye are become children and mutually love and are loved of the Father and me Courteours will confidently draw nigh to their Prince and we have moyen in heaven the King himself loveth us and hath adopted us to the crown and will he withhold lesser mercies and hide his face while we present our requests to him But as the Father doth thus love us and freely give and by covenant dispone to us all that we can desire or stand in need of So 2. the Son hath laid out a price for us and by his blood hath purchased all these things to us and ever liveth to make intercession for us and to apply to us the merit of his death and to put us in possession of all these good things which are the purchase of his blood ah we seldom visit the throne yet Christ is alwayes there we weary in praying for our selves but Christ wearieth not to pray for us our prayers are cold and without life but Christ doth not faint nor grow remiss our manifold iniquities do cry against us but the blood of Christ doth out-cry them And
since we come not in our own name but in his and ask not for our own worth goodness but for his sake who hath paid our debt and purchased our peace and acceptance through his own blood and who doth concur with us in our supplications why should we fear the Father alwayes heareth him Joh. 11.42 and therefore must also hear us with whom he alwayes joyneth the Father cannot reject us and our prayers unless he also hide his face from the Son of his love which since he will not and cannot do we may rest confident and secure but as the Father hath promised and freely disponed and the Sun purchased all the good things we can ask So 3. the holy Ghost doth enable fit and prepare us both to ask and receive he draweth and helpeth weak ones to ascend to the throne and putteth words in their mouth and teacheth them what to say Rom. 8.26 27. Joh. 14.16 17. And will the Lord reject those prayers that are breathed into us by his Spirit but as the Spirit doth thus help us to pray so to pray in faith as he helpeth our infirmities by enlarging the heart and filling it with spiritual affections so also by working in us a child-like confidence and making us cry not only with the mouth which were no great matter but with the heart having made an impression and sense of it there Abba Father Rom. 8.16 As he leadeth the Saints into all truth and putteth to his seal to the whole Word of God Joh. 16.13 Joh. 14.26 so particularly to the promises concerning the success of their prayers that if they knock it shall be opened if they seek they shall find c. Oh! what a blasphemy were it once to imagine that God could lie and would not perform these promises or that the Spirit of truth would put to his seal to an untruth The Lord pity and pardon our unbelief that having to do with such a compassionat and condescending Lord who hath stoopt so low and come so nigh to us who hath held forth himself to us under the nearest most amiable and engaging relations and who hath taken upon him so many bonds to do us good we notwithstanding will yet doubt of his good will and of his faithfulness in performing his promises Oh! 1. what a dishonour do we offer to our kind Master thus to question his love care and fidelity 2. what a shame to our holy profession 3. what a base return do we make for the many mercies we still receive and 4. what loss and damage do we bring to our selves we expect little and receive little we will not trust God and he will not satisfie our desires Jam. 1.6 7. Are ye now convinced of your folly and guiltiness in thus distrusting the Lord and is it the desire of your soul to have this evil cured O! then 1. ponder frequently and seriously these and such like considerations if this were the matter of your daily meditation if these things did sink down into your hearts and did abide upon your spirits they might prove a notable preservative against your unbelief doubtings and jealousies 2. Let us exercise our selves in the Scriptures especially laying hold on such promises as are most pertinent and sutable to our condition faith must have a word of promise whereon it must rest and the more express and particular that it be our faith will proportionably cleave to it the more firmly O! but what atheisme must there lodge in that heart that dare doubt where it hath this warrand thus saith the Lord 3. Labour to know more of God his love mercy power fidelity c. Ignorance of God his nature and attributes is the mother of jealousie and infidelity but they who know his name will put their trust in him Ps 9.10 With what zeal and success did Moses plead from Gods attributes Numb 14.17 18 19.4 Since sensible demonstrations are so concludent and prevail so much with us who live too much upon sensible objects let us observe and keep a register of the gracious returns from time to time made to the prayers of Gods people and honest servants 1. Our own experiences would be kept on record he who can say with David the Lord hath delivered me out of the paw of the Lyon and of the Bear will be able the more confidently to say with him the Lord will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine 1 Sam. 17.37 experience begetteth confidence But 2. we should also observe the dispensations of providence towards others the Saints experiences are recorded in Scripture for our instruction comfort and encouragment Rom. 15.4 If God regard the prayer of the destitute this must be written for the generations to come Psa 102.17 18. the success that others have met with will encourage vs to follow the like course 5 Let us be exact and circumspect in our walk if our conscience condemn us we will fear the Judge every blot in our life doth darken and obscure the promise and dazle the eye of faith when the Saints fall their faith doth shake guiltiness is the mother of jealousie when we do ill we become suspicious and are ready to question his love and kindness to us when we prove ungrate and come short of our duty to him O! but if we would believe without staggering let us not halt in our walking let us be conscienciously diligent in every point of duty and (z) 1 Pet 1.14 holy in all manner of conversation if we would plead the promise and ask in (a) Jam. 1.6 faith nothing wavering Hence for trial this will be a good negative mark whereby we may know who cannot pray in faith if we do not walk as children we cannot call God Father nor with confidence expect that he will hear us What son will not be afraid and ashamed to look his father in the face after he hath dishonoured him and how will he blush to mention that relation and to call him Father to whom he hath not paid the debt of love reverence and obedience And if any perfidious and rebellious son should be so impudent as with (b) Herod having given to his son Antipater his Authority as he speaketh his favour his secrets his heart and crown in a will signed with his hand yet that unnatural monster could not stay a little till his fathers death but laboured by all means to prevent nature particularly by sedueing and perswading Pheroras to poyson the King yet having the boldness to offer to kiss his father after he was informed of his conspiracy though the traitor knew not that his conspiracy was discovered met with this terrible repulse Avaunt thou murderer of brethren and father the kiss of a father was not instituted for thee Behold Quintilius thy Judge c. Nich. Caussin holy court part 1. lib 4. pag. 133. Antipater to offer to salute and kiss his father he might expect such a welcom and reward as he met
O! let us labour to curb our lusts and beat down this their impetuousness and importunity but let us cherish and maintain that holy and spiritual importunity which is so acceptable and prevalent with God and profitable to us and if we would pray more confidently let us pray more fervently and importunatly when we are cold and formal in prayer we cannot be very confident of success as knowing a lazy and careless way of asking to be a kind of invitation to deny qui timide rogat docet negare Yea the heathens though they thought much babling acceptable to God Mat. 6.7 yet in their sacrifices they had a shadow that might have served for confuting that folly for (f) Neque enim sine igue ullum sacrificium fieri licebat Si autem mortus carbone sacrificetur signum neglectae religionis fore perniciosum nemo dubitavit Alex. ab Alexandro genial dier lib. 4. cap. 17. they would not presume to sacrifice without fire and if the fire had gone out they looked upon that as a sign that Gods worship was neglected and as a sad omen and presage to him for whom the sacrifice was offered 2. If frequency in praying be added to fervency as it may be a further ground So another evidence and mark of confidence without faith we would soon weary I believed therefore have I spoken Psa 116.10 But will believing David faint and leave off having once spoken Nay saith he but I will continue instant in this exercise and my faith being strengthned by renewed mercies given in return to former prayers I will call upon him as long as I live v. 2. As in handy-trades men would soon weary in following them if no gain were reaped or expected So the Saints would too quickly faint in trading with heaven if they did not see their reward and therefore when we continue instant in prayer when we constantly follow that course and not superficially and perfunctoriously but seriously and with the whole heart our faith must be acting and there must be some confidence that our labour shall not be lost But there be two cases in which after a signal maner this restless importunity diligence frequency and continuing instant in prayer doth evidence our faith and expectation 1. When we meet with long and continued delayes if notwithstanding we continue and still renew our supplications thus David under his long-continued persecution by the hand of Saul continued all the while busie at the throne he would not run away from God because he seemed to hide his face but rather maketh that sad dispensation an occasion to draw nigh to God and turneth it in matter of complaint not of but to God as Psa 13.1 How long wilt thou forget me O Lord But if we ask what kept David all this time from fainting I have saith he trusted in thy mercy his faith kept his head above the waters and sent him often to the throne Hope deferred maketh the heart sick Prov. 13.12 but when all other remedies prove ineffectual faith will cure that discase 2. When we not only meet with delayes but also many discouragments and contrary blasts in our face to make us streek sail and give over if we notwithstanding still follow our duty and continue to wrestle with God in his Ordinances while be thus seemeth to sight against us by his providence we must have our loins girt and our spiritual armour on and above all we must make use of the shield of faith in this great conflict thus while Christ seemed not only to slight the woman of Canaan and not take notice of her or her request but also to reproach her as a dog yet she continues to enforce renew and pursue her suit she being according to Christs testimony of her a woman of great faith Mat. 15 28. Thus also blind Bartimeous when checked and charged to hold his peace cryeth the more a great deal and will not be put off till he get an answer from Christ himself because he believed hence our blessed Lord ascribeth the whole work to his faith Mark 10.52 If falth be strong it will set it self against all discouragments and like an impetuous river will over-flow and carry down all ramparts and bulwarks that stand in its way and therefore if we faint in the day of adversity our strength must be small Prov. 24.10 But let none imagine that while we say that the believing sould will not be beaten from the throne whatsoever impediments and discouragments it may meet with in the way as if we excluded the use of other means nay faith will stir thee up to every mean the Lord in his providence offereth unto thee as knowing that to trust God and to neglect the means is to tempt God to work a miracle and to provoke him to do no more for us who would not improve what he offered for our help O! but faith in the use of the means will 1. regulat our choice and keep us back from all sinfull and unlawfull means though our strait were never so great and they never so probable and promising 2. Faith will regulate the use of them and will make us keep them in a due subordination not relying or trusting in them but only in God who can as he pleaseth bless or blast them and who can work for us though they were removed and therefore though all creature-help did fail yet a believer could hing and depend upon a word of promise till the Lord did beat him off by declaring his purpose as to the particular and then submission will come in the place of faith 3. As faith dare not tye God to the means So neither as to the time way and manner of working it dare not limit the Lord nor prescribe to him but will securely rest upon Gods wisdom love and care and leave all to Gods disposal 3. Quietness serenity calmness and composure of spirit after prayer is a good evidence of faith acted in prayer what can liberat the heart of anxiety fear sollicitude and carking cares what can rebuke these storms and make a calm in the soul if the Lord himself do not speak peace to it and if he do not fasten the hand of faith upon the rock of strength and defence and cause the soul rest safely there notwithstanding all the boisterous winds that may blow from without Deep calleth unto deep all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me saith the Psalmist But what had he no stay nor shelter under this storm his faith discovered a rock and unto that he did flee his faith did close with a promise which being pleaded in prayer he espied a command for mercy and deliverance flowing from thence Psa 42.7.9.8 And then particularly he applyeth the remedy to this distemper and chideth his own soul for being disquieted and cast down having the cure at hand What O my soul hast thou not put up a prayer to God v. 8. and yet art
by application of the word or argumentation from it however I say this assurance and perswasion be wrought in the heart it is a good foundation from which we may if the fault lie not much at our door gather the other assurance concerning the success of our prayers For if we know that we have eternal life and believe on the name of the Son of God this is the confidence that we may have in him that if we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us whatsoever we ask and that we have the petitions we desired of him 1 Joh. 5.13 14 15. If the Lord lift up the light of his countenance upon thee and speak to thy heart and tell thee as once he did (i) Dan. 10. Daniel by an audible voice that thou art greatly beloved he will also say to thee as he said to h him (k) Ver. 12. that thy words and prayers are heard if the Lord smile upon thee and embrace thee he will deal kindly with thee and welcome thee indeed he is not like dissembling men who will use the highest expressions of love and entertain with the fairest words and complements those whom they least respect and to whom they purpose to shew no favour nor to grant any of their requests O! if we were more humbled for our unbelief and did more seriously lay to heart 1. our sin and ingratitude in having such hard thoughts of so good a Master and distrusting such a kind and loving Father 2. our folly in not only thus provoking our God to hide his face but also by vexing and tormenting our selves with imaginary fears and depriving our heart of that quiet and peace which is the proper fruit of faith why should Jacob mourn for his Benjamin going to his elder and kind brother Ioseph his fear was but imaginary and grounded upon a mistake and such is thy fear O believing soul are not thy prayers sent to thy Joseph and will not he accept and welcom them and hath he not moyen with the King and shall thy Benjamin the Son of thy right hand return empty nay but he shall come with wagons full of provision for the way and to carry thee at length to thy beloved Joseph Ah! what a scandall are we to our holy profession what are the promises such dry breasts is thy God so hard a Master is there nothing in the word of life to keep thee from fainting in the day of trouble hast thou no advantage of Pagans and Atheists nay if thou dost not live by faith and look up to God for an answer to thy prayers unbelievers acting a kind of naturall (l) Arising from natural reason and some common notions of a Deity and of the divine attributes but not leaning to a word of promise faith may as to the present case have the advantage of thee ah how should Christians under their dejection and despondency blush when they hear of the composure of spirit and confidence of that excellent moralist (m) Ipsum vero Numam adeâ— divina in re spes suas collocasse perhibent ut cum aliquando fibi de hostium adventu atque incursu nuntiatum esset subrideret diceretque at ego sacrifico Plutarch vit Grac. Rom. fol. mihi 24. Lap. Flor. inter Numa Pompilius who hearing of the approach of the enemy was no whit dismayed of their number resolution valour strength c. but resting securely upon divine providence and as Plutarch saith laughing as it were at their folly and madness the Lord being engaged in his quarrel replied and said no more at these news but ego sacrifico I am busie offering sacrifice to God and therefore I do not fear what men can do Here it may be askt 1. Quaest 1. what faith did Adam in innocency act in worshiping God and calling upon his name Ans We will not enquire how long Adam continued in that state albeit we see no ground for that peremptory assertion of School-men concerning the (n) Thom 1. quaest 63. art 6. Bannez in locum alii passim apostacy of Angels next instant after their creation yet we grant that very early both devils and man did fall the Scripture telleth us that the devil sinned from the beginning 1 Joh. 3.8 And the first news we hear of man after his creation Gen. 2. is his fall and yielding to the temptation Gen. 3. and it is not improbably thought that he continued not in innocency for the space of one whole day so that the present question had place but for a very short while to which we answer that Adam while innocent exercised and if he had continued in that state would still have exercised the faith of immediat dependance upon God for the accomplishment of his promises As Adam had a rule and law whereof only one parcel is mentioned Gen. 2.16 17. so he had promises and encouragments for doing his duty to which he did firmly assent till the dark night of temptation surprized him but this faith did immediatly close with God and lean to his mercy power fidelity c. For Adam before the fall did not know the Mediator nor any thing of the mystery of incarnation and therefore could not tender up his worship in the name of Christ It s true Adam then had potentiam credendi as our Divines disputing against Arminians speak so that he would have believed that mystery if it had been revealed to him but it seemeth strange that any should imagine that Adam in that state did know that mystery but yet it seemeth more absurd and irrational to affirm according to the common (o) Thom. 3. quaest 1. art 3. ad 5. Becan theol schol part 3. tom 2. cap. 1. quaest 7. part 1. tract 5. cap. 2. q 5. alii passim opinion of the popish Doctors that he knew the mystery of incarnation and yet was ignorant of the mystery of redemption and of his own apostacy and falling away from that blessed condition but supposing both the one and the other to have been known to Adam yet while the first covenant stood Adam could not look to the Mediator he not having place in that covenant of works which did stand so long as man continued in his first and primeval state A second question may be concerning the Saints in glory supposing that they pray for the Church militant 2. Quest which in the general is not (p) As hath been observed part 1. ch 5. pag. 79. and ch 6. pag 1.37 denied by orthodox Divines whether they may be said to pray in faith Ans (q) Thom. 1 2. quaest 67. art 3.5 alii passim pro contraria tamen sententia citari potest A lens Durand Argentin c. Aquinas and with him the rest of the Roman Clergy denieth that faith is consistent with the state of glory yea (r) Apud Jo. de Lugo de virt fid disp 17. sect 1.
filled with shame and confusion they may notwithstanding assert his relation But you will say ah I should I utter a lie before God would he not account it a mockery to call him father while he is not our father Ans I grant there is too much presumption in the world and too many are ready to make bold with God and to call him father against whom he is coming in wrath to (b) Hos 3.5 tear them in pieces (a) Ps 50 22. But yet if 1. thou hast the love of a son thou mayest come to him at a Father if thou hast child-like affections thou mayest have a child-like confidence See Part. 2. 2. If thou hast godly fear and reverence and high and admiring thoughts of his majesty and art striving to give to him the honour due to his name if thou canst answer that question Mat. 1.6 If I be a father where is mine honour Thou needst not fear that ever he will question thy claim to him as a Father if thou (c) As having hope ver 3. abiding in him ver 6. being born of God ver 9. being the children of God ver 10. having passed from death to sâ—e ver 14. c. fear him and his goodness and art loath to offend him though there were not a rod to correct thee though thou should'st meet with rods and afflictions yet thou mightest know them to be but the corrections of a Father and not the stroke of avenging justice But we will not multiply particulars let us only hold out from 1 Joh. 3. two or three words more This point concerning our adoption is there laid down in the entry ver 1. and therefore though the words be d altered yet the case is the same that is brought to the trial to the close of the Chapter 3. Then such as hope that God is their Father must purifie themselves as he is pure v. 3. they must wash and make them clean and walk as becometh the children of such a family they must no more be like the swine of the world wallowing in the mire of sin he that is born of God must sin no more ver 9. for he that alloweth himself and continueth in the practice of any one known sin is not of God but of the devil ver 8. 4. If we be the children of God we must obey his commandments and do those things which are pleasing in his fight ver 22. we must deny our selves and renounce our own will and affections and take on Christs yoke which if we be his will not be wearisom but our relation and love to our Master will make his work sweet and easie Mat. 11.30 5. Such as love the Father will love his children for his sake such as are brethren must have some sort of sympathy with and mutual love to one another ver 14. If all thy delight with him Psa 16.3 be in the Saints and if thou judge them the excellent of the earth if thou delight in their society and rejoyce at their prosperity ye must be of one stock and kindred and belong to one and the same family and hence must follow that separation as to any arbitrary and voluntary commerce with those wicked ones to whom we are not bound by any natural or moral tye required in them to whom God promiseth to be a Father 2 Cor. 6.17 It will be no pleasure to the genuine son to stay in the company where his Father is reproached and dishonoured and O! when occasionally he is easten into the society of such wretches with what zeal and holy indignation will his heart burn (d) 2 Pet. 2.7 8. their vile and profane words and wayes must (e) Ps â— 6 vex his righteous soul Is it thus with thee O dejected Saint dost thou follow after God and still long and hunger for more of him and that he would lift f up the light of his countenance upon thee and though thou still walk in darkness and cannot see his face yet hearknest thou to his voice and followest after righteousness thou needest not fear to call him thy God and thy Father thou art allowed to claim an interest in him and to stay upon him as thy God Isa 50.10 Such hungring souls are blessed Mat. 5.6 and is there any blessedness without an interest in him who is the fountain of all blessedness yea though he seem to frown to forsake thee yet the union relation stands firm and sure My God my God why hast thou forsaken me said David Ps 22.1 and one who was greater then David Mat. 27.46 Zion said my Lord hath forgotten me And thus a beleever at his lowest may maintain his claim to God as the state of darkness gloominess and desertion doth noth not nullifie our relation So neither needs it hinder us to assert and plead it neither did the Lord at any time challenge nor was he grieved with a doubting beleever for staying on him and calling him Father but rather is grieved at their jealousie and standing at such a distance from him who hath stoopt so low to them only to the wicked God saith what hast thou to do to take my covenant in thy mouth and to plead any covenant-relation and to call me thy God or thy Father Ye who hate instruction and cast his words behind you ye may fear his severity and justice and look upon him as a Judge coming against you to tear you in pieces Psal 50.16 17 22. But you will yet say whatever truth may be in the thing it self yet I cannot in truth call him Father who know not and am not assured of my adoption Ans Thy knowledge is so far from being a ground of this thy covenant-relation to God that it is not so much as one of its bonds and ligatures now albeit the Spirit of Christ who is the author be also the keeper and preserver of our spiritual life and of all its priviledges and of our interest in God as not the least yet the same Spirit hath given us an arm whereby we receive and lay hold on him and every finger and joynt of that arm I mean our several graces are so many cords and bonds whereby we stay and lay hold on God as our God and portion and if thou see but any one of these bonds fastned on him what needst thou fear and complain as if there were no union interest or closing with him say then he is not thine by certain knowledge and perswasion I answer he cannot thus be said to be thine for though thou mayest know thy relation to him and O if thou didst know how sweet comfortable strengthning and encouraging must that evidence be yet he cannot be said to be thy Father by thy knowing that he is thy Father for the object must have a being and be presupposed to such a reflect act he must be thy Father (f) Si non tempore saltem naturâ— imoâ—â—eâ— per â—em pore si non
profluat ex immediata irradiationâ— spiritus sed per argumentationem colligatur ut fieri solet before thou know him to be thy Father but there be some uniting graces whereby we close wâ—th him as our Father which though they do not confer the right of adoption yet they bind us to our Father and are as so many cords whereby he draws us in to himself and whereby we close and lay hold on him 1. then is not God thy Father optando seu vonto desiderio is it not the great desire of thy soul to have an interest in him and hath not this thy desire a lie in its right hand is it effectual operative and diligent in the use of the means not like the desire of the sluggard foolish faint and lazy 2. Is not God thy Father considendo seu aliquali spe expectaetione hast thou no hope nor expectation if thou be not assured that God is thy Father art thou perswadeâ— and dost thou know that he is thy enemy surely if it were so thou wouldst not thus seek in to him Say that thy hope is not so positive and peremptory that it is not grounded upon certainties and particular promises which thou dost apply to thy self yet seest thou not many promising and encouraging probabilities grounded upon general invitations entreaties promises which open to thee no small door of hope and makes thee look up to God seek in to him and follow after him hast thou not a may be and a peradventure and mayst thou not improve that without presumption thou art allowed to use a holy kind of violence to break through all discouragments and to lay hold on the King as well as to take his kingdom by force Mat. 11.12 3. Is he not thy Father amando seu filiali dilectione hast thou not the love and heart of a son and will he prove thy enemy 4. Is he not thy Father adhaerendo seu dependentia adhaesione acquiescentia dost thou not rely and depend upon God and cleave to him though he frown and follow after him when he forsaketh and withdraws from thee dost thou trust in him and cast thy self on him darst thou adventure thy soul upon his tender bowels free offer and promises art thou resolved to (g) Job 13.15 trust in him though he should kill thee dost thou acquiesce in him as the alone-fountain of all true happiness and how small soever thy hopes be yet with what indignation wouldst thou disdain the offer of a world to quit thy claim to and renounce thy part in him 5. Is he not thy Father obtemperando seu obse quio conatu opere reverentia honore dost thou not give him that honour reverence and obedience that is due to a Father and will he then use thee as (h) Luk. 15.91 one of his hired servants or reject thee as a vessel of wrath and disobedience what is God thus thy Father and dost thou lay hold on him by thy desire hope love reliance aed reverence and maist thou not in truth thus call him thy Father hast thou those fruits and evidences of thy adoption and findst thou those uniting graces to close with him Be of good courage thou needst not fear to come to him as a Father he will welcom thee as a son and hear and answer thy requests Sect. 2. After what manner and order should we direct our prayers to the persons of the blessed Trinity Eph. 2.18 Through him we both have an access by one Spirit unto the Father 2 Cor. 13.14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the holy Ghost be with you all WHile we who (a) Job 8.9 are but of yesterday and know nothing while we poor blind short-sighted sinners speak of this unspeakable and glorious mystery of mysteries which the Seraphims and holy (b) Vis scire naturam Dei hoc scito quod nescias neo in hoc contristeris quia nescias quia Angeli nescierunt sed requiris a me quomodo uno â—omine tres appellantur nescio libere me nescire profiteor quod Christus voluit indicare hoc solum scio August de tempor sermon 189. Angels do rather with admiration adore then curiously search after we would consider who we are how great our (c) Lutum vas figuli de creatore disputat ad naturae suae rationem non potest pervenire curiose quaerit scire de mysterio Trinitatis quod c. August ibid. ignorance is and how great and incomprehensible this sublime and transcendent object of which as (d) Hoc solum ex eo comprehendimus quod comprehendi non potest Ambros in Symb. Apost cap. 2. vide etiam August loc cit Ambrose saith we can know little more but that it cannot be known and therefore should rather in humility be (e) Ubi est mentis excessio idonea est fidei successio mirabile ergo illud de Trinitatis unitate de unitatis Deifica Trinitate Sacramentum magis est credendum quam exponendum Aug. de visitat infirmor lib. 2. cap. 2. believed then curiously examined by our shallow apprehensions narrow enquiry and halting reason it is true that a little knowledge here is as (f) Vbi quaeritur unitas Trinitatis Nec periculosius alicubi erratur nec laboriosius aliquid quaeritur â—ec fructuosius aliquid invenitur Aug. de Trinit lib. 1. cap. 3. Austin saith well worthy of the pains but an error and mistake is most dangerous and therefore while in all modesty and humility we search after it we have need to pray the blessed Trinity to anoint our eyes that we may see what is necessary for us to believe and that we may not be wise (g) 1 Cor. 4.6 above what is writeen Now albeit the (h) Tò 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Nazianzen orat 29 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the maner and way be inconceivable yet the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the thing it self is clearly revealed and we have here the concurring testimony of (i) Omnes quos legere potui qui ante me scripserunt de Trinitate quae est Deus divinorum librorum veterum novorum Catholici Tractatores hoc intenderunt secundum Scripturas docere quod Pater Filius Spiritus sanctus unius ejusdemque substantiae inseparabili aqualitate divinam insinuent unitatem August de Trinit lib. 1. cap. 4. Vide consensum antiquae Ecclesia omnibus Antitrinitariis pacis repudium mittentis apud Voet. sel disp part 1 pag. 492. consensum Christianismi media atatis hodierni pag. 493 494. adde etiam pag. 502. ad pag. 509. all Divines except some few contemptible hereticks the Arrians of old and the Socinians of late being the most famous opposers of this fundamental article of our faith and such a great cloud of so many witnesses may be no small support to our faith But certainly
this glorious mystery was not revealed either to satisfie our curiosity or to be mater of meer speculation as Arminians seem to maintain and would make us believe We will not now stay to confute those bold men neither will we enumerat the several practical uses of this high point especially since the learned Dr. (k) Voet. ibid. disp 28 29. Voet hath spoken so fully and judiciously to that head in two distinct disputes But we may well with this (l) Non facile enim quis obscurabiâ— ne dum ut extingu t in nobis fidem Trinitatis fiera tiam Filii amorem Patris communionem Spiritus sancti quetidie in nobis sentiamus confirmemus excitemus conâ—â—â—â— onibus precibus doxologtis renovatis fidei spei charitatisque amplexibus in quo quidem tum antiquae omnium tum hodiernae nostrerum concieues liturgiae doxologiae nobis affatim praecunt quippe quae à Trinitate incipiunt in Trinitate desinunt Voet. ibid. disp 26. antid gen advers Socin Author elsewhere assirm that such as find the grace of the Lord Iesus the love of the Father and the communion of the holy Ghost and who are daily labouring to cherish and confirm the same by prayer meditation and renewed acts of faith love and charity will hardly suffer the doctrine of the Trinity to be obscured far less will they be brought to deny or oppose it But we proceed to the case propounded in answer to which we offer in all humility these few conclusions Concl. 1. Albeit there be no inequality no superiority nor inferiority among the persons of the blessed Trinity yet there is an order not only to our apprehension but truly and really there is a natural order of subsisting according to which the Father is the first the Son the second and the holy Ghost the third person of the Trinity the Son is begotten of the Father the holy Ghost proceedeth from both but the Father as he hath not his being and nature So neither his subsistence and personality of any but is prorsus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is neither begotten nor proceedeth and according to this order of subsisting there is an order of working which notwithstanding opera Trinitatis ad extra sunt indivisa the works of the Trinity are as they speak individed and common to all the persons there being nothing proper and peculiar to any one (n) How the hypostatical union is proper to the Son sec Conel 3. Quod habet hoc est excepto quod relative quaeque persona ad alteram dâ—â—a ur Aug de civit Dei lib. 11 cap. 10. except their personal properties and intrinsecal relation and it is (o) Non potest operatio esse divisa ubi non sâ—lum aqualis est verum etiam indiscreta natura Aug contra serm Arrian cap 15. Non naturam sec mus sed unitatem naturae voluntatis operationis confitemur Ambros in symb apost cap 3 una ergo in tribus divinitas una essentia una omnipotentia quicquid substantiâ—â—ter potest dâ—ci de Deo Aug. de temp ser 38. Si quis non dixcrit Patris Filit Spiritus sanct unam divinitatem parem seu unam ut constat ex sermone citate Majestatem Potentiam unam Gloriam Dominationem unam Regnum atque unam voluntatem enathema sit ibid. ser 129. impossible it should be (m) In his penoâ—â—i ordo originis est secundum quem procedit non essentia ab essentia absolut in abstracto a ciprendo essentiam non essentia à persona non persona ab essentia non unus Deus abalio Deo led una persona ab alia persona vel aliis personis Forb instr hist theol lib. 1. cap. 35. thes 9. otherwise since they are not only (p) Ut idem non est simile ita nec aequale equal in power according to the ordinary though improper form of speech but have one and the same power as the same nature understanding will c. and therefore must have one and the same work what things soever the Father doth these also doth the Son likewise Joh. 5.19 Hence Concl. 2. There are not three first causes principal agents and governours but one only for though there be three distinct subsistences and personalities yet there is but one fountain and principle of action which is one and the same in the Father Son and holy Ghost for the personality as such is not the principle of action else there would be three agents but the divine nature (q) Non vacas jam inquirera utrum potentia divina sit attrib formaliter distinctum a vogluntate power and will And hence 1. all the persons must work 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and inseparably since all have the same nature and power which is the principle of action 2. Every one of these glorious persons is a principal and compleat agent because every one hath the compleat principle of action and all the three are but one compleat principal agent since every person hath perfectly all that nature and power that is in all the three 3. Here then there can no suggestion nor mediation interveen as if one person did begin and work before or without the other two or as if one were a nearer and more immediat cause then another for though there be an internal order as of subsisting so also of working yet as to the outward work and operation there is no difference as to its production emanation and dependance from all and every one of the persons hence as the Son is said to work what things soever the Father doth so to work likewise and after the same maner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 5.19 though then there be here an admirable order yet no subordination inequality nor inferiority no division nor separation in working Hence Concl. 3. That appropriation of works and attributes so frequently insinuated in the Scriptures and inculcated by Divines of old and late must not be exclusive as if thus what is appropriated to the Father did not also agree to the Son and holy Ghost or what is appropriated to the Son might not as truly be ascribed to the Father and holy Ghost but (r) We purpose not to meddle with the hold groundless and vain speculations of the School-men here but if this were not a subject that required the greatest seriousnesse and gravity we might go to the popish clergy for mater of recreation but for instance we shall only mention these two 1. our learned Countrey man John Maior his ridiculous reason for appropriating strength to the Father wisdom to the Son and goodnesse to the holy Ghost Resp inquit propter haereticos ponuntur divinis personis illa appropriata quia enim inter mortales inveniuntur Patres esse Filiis debiliores putarent aliqui Patrem in divinis Filio esse impotentiorem propterea consulto adjectum est epitheton fortis
had put off her coat and couâ—d not put it on she had washen her feet and would not defile them therefore Christ withdrew his Spirit and departs and when she laying to heart and repenting of her folly sought him could not for a while find him she called but he gave her no answer Cant. 5.2 3 6. Thus also while the Spirit of God cryed to Israel and they would not hear and testified to them both by his servants the Prophets and by his motions and inward suggestions but they would not hearken nor obey he withdrew and gave them up to the lusts of their own heart since they would not follow his counsel and directions he left them to themselves and to follow their own counsels Psa 81.8.10 11 12 13. But secondly though the spouse be not so incivil and unmanerly as to hold Christ at the door yet if she do not welcom him and give him entertainment suitable to his worth and kindness his Spirit will not stay if thou dost not make ready and prepare the heart to receive him he will not stay in any other room if the affections be not enlarged and roused up to wait and attend him he doth not value the empty complements of the fancy and imagination if the will which is the mistris and supreme do not welcom him he regardeth not the attendance of the inferiour faculties if thou be in a spiritual lethargy when the Spirit cometh to visit thee if thou meet him with a dead and dull (c) See Sect. 2. heart if thou be fearless of his terrible majesty if thou keep not a due distance casting off that filial reverence and tender respect which is due to so great and compassionat a Lord he will depart and forsake thee res delicatula saith an ancient est Spiritus Dei ita nos tractat sicut tractatur the Spirit of God is tender and sensible of all the affronts and injuries we offâ—r to him and will deal with us accordingly if we dishonour him he will afflict us and lay us low he will go away and then our (d) If the glory departed with the Ark which was but a symbol of Gods presence 1 Sam. 4 21. far rather when the Lord himself departs glory departs if we do not welcom the Spirit with the whole heart and entertain him with suitable and enlarged affections he valueth not our empty profession and vain oblations Luke-warm Laodiceans will be spued ous of his mouth Rev. 3.16 these who would not (e) Ps 81.10 open their mouth wide to receive his comforts shall have their heart filled with his terrours and shut that it shall not receive his influences But thirdly though there be not a total deadness or laziness though there be some life activity and diligence yet if there be a decay of love and zeal if we do not so cherish and entertain the motions of the Spirit as formerly this may grieve and quench the Spirit if love wax cold and if there be a decay of respect and affection that will bring on some sort of distance between married persons and will hinder friends from conversing so frequently and familiarly together and for this the Lord threatneth not only to remove the presence of his Spirit but also the candelestick and outward ordinances which were the means of conveyance of the Spirit from Ephesus Rev. 2.4 5. because thou hast left thy first love c. As the Spirit may thus be quenched negatively and by omission So 2. positively and by commission as 1. when we prostitute and subject the gifts of the Spirit his work and interest to our selfish and carnal ends desiring a name and taking up a porfession of godliness that with (f) Act. 8.9.19 Simon Magus we may seem some body when we make piety a cloak to cover our pride covetousness c. or use it as a stirâ—op whereby we ascend to some high place and station in the world c. 2. When we have low and undervaluing thoughts of the gifts and graces of the Spirit though they have some room in our estimation and affection yet if we prefer other things unto them not prizing them according to their worth and excellency nor regarding as we ought the condescension and kindness of the giver we dishonour and grieve the Spirit and he may justly take away those love-tokens thus when we will not lose our favour with man our moyen and interest with the creature our name place and possessions for his truth ordinances c. yea when we so far undervalue these precious things as to be ashamed of them before men when not only fear but also shame will make us dissemble our profession and conceal our graces duties c. may we not be afraid lest as the (g) Luk. 9.26 Son will be ashamed of such when he cometh in his glory So the Spirit when he cometh to manifest himself in the ordinances of life But 3. when not only his gifts and graces his love and his kindness are undervalued but also his commands and authority are despised his motions and sweet insinuations are choaked and opposed while as the contrary suggestions of Sathan the enemy are entertained cherished and cheerfully obeyed must not the Spirit be much displeased and highly provok't with such an indignity would an earthly King endure such an affront nay what friend is he who seeing thee but slight his counsel entreaty and request while thou didst welcom his enemy and gratifie him in what he desired could digest such a disparagement and indignity And 4. so much of illumination which is the work of the Spirit light knowledge and conscience is choaked and opposed by the sinner whatever be the particular transgression so far the Spirit is dishonoured and disparaged and provok't to depart and withdraw nay in every formal disobedience viz. when the command and counsel of God is known there is much not only of contempt but also of rebellion and what will provoke if that do not And thus albeit for distinctions sake we did put a difference between sins some of them being more directly against the Spirit his work and office that being as it were their object yet there is no known sin which may not be said to be against the Spirit of God and his work And thus we come to the second sort of provocation whereby the Spirit is not so directly opposed and quenched his peculiar office and work not being the matter and object of such sins albeit it be (h) The work of the Spirit is thus opposed quasi in obliquo indirectly and as a concurring circumstance but not in recto quasi objectum opposed and choaked by the sinner and here we have a large field if we would come to particulars but the (i) Gal. 5.19 works of the flesh are manifest and their opposition and contrariety to the Spirit of grace and holiness is no less evident Gal. 5.16 If we (k)
prayer and supplication may be for a season totally withdrawn but though the Saints be seldom laid so low yet there may be a partial departure accompanied with many sad effects which may easily be discerned if we reflect upon the several fruits of the Spirit mentioned Part. 1. Chap. 9. and those infirmities which he helpeth and removeth if then 1. thou dost not so prepare thy heart to seek the Lord if 2. thy ends be not so pure and spieitual if 3. thou art unwillingly drawn as it were to the throne rather by the enforcement of conscience then out of love to the duty if 4. thou pray not so frequently nor 5. so fervently and feelingly nor 6. so confidently nor 7. with such complacency and delight if 8. thy communion with God in that ordinance hath not such influence upon thy heart to warm and quicken it and to engage it for the Lord and against sin as sometimes it hath had c. it is an argument that the Spirit hath in part withdrawn It s true the most watchfull and zealous Saints do not alwaies and without interruption enjoy the comforting quickning presence of the Spirit the wind doth not constantly blow after one the same maner upon the most fruitful garden therefore we must not measure our state by some present indisposition unless there be some notable considerable and abiding decay and abatement of our spiritual life but when that is observed we have reason to mourn and to lay to heart our loss and the greater and more eminent and longer continued we should be the more affected and sensible of this evil what a misery and sad judgment was it to Sampson and Saul to have but the common gifts and operations of the Spirit removed from them for as we may suppose Saul never to have had So Sampson never to have been totally deprived of the saving and sanctifying presence of the Spirit we may read their lamentation Jud. 16.28 30. 1 Sam. 28.15 And what is the chiefest measure of gifts and common priviledges and excellencies in respect of the least portion and degree of grace Ah! do not then sit down content when the breathings of the Almighty are withdrawn but go and cry to the (n) Cant. 4.16 north wind to awake and to the south wind to come and (o) If the wind blow not thy ship cannot come to the haven but being tossed to and fro by contrary tides is left to be a prey to pirats blow upon thy garden that the spices thereof may flow out go in faith ye have a promise for your encouragment the Father will give the holy Spirit to them that ask him Luk. 11.13 We will not insist on directions but reserving those in great part to the following Section let us now remember that if the unclean spirit return after he hath been cast out and find the house empty and swept he will enter in again and lay claim to his former possession Mat. 12.44 Nay though the house be not totally desolate yet so much room as he findeth empty he will seek to possess so far as the Spirit withdraweth so much the nearer Sathan approacheth if the Spirit withdraw his holy motions Sathan will improve the advantage and will fill the heart with vain idle impertinent and sinfull motions as Pirats may easily surprize the ship when the Pilot is gone So having entred it and finding it empty they will not fail to loaden and fill it with their trash and stoln wares Sect. 2. What may be the cause of that deadness and indisposition and these wandring thoughts that arise in the heart upon the Spirits departure and what course should be taken for removing this evil and for recovering and maintaining the presence of the Spirit and a praying frame and disposition Psa 81.11 12. But my people would not hearken to my voice and Israel would none of me So I gave them up unto their own hearts lust and they walked in their own counsels Hos 4.11 Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart IF the Sun be set and leave our hemisphere it must be night with us and darkness must cover the face of our earth if the soul be separated from the body the man must be dead and coldness must seize upon the liveless carrion So if the Spirit which is our Sun and life depart what darkness deadness and emptiness must be in the soul But as if it were too little to be dead and destitute of life foolish sinners will kill themselves and harden yet more the heart which already is harder then the adamant or flint and when the sun goeth down they will shut the doors and windows yea and pull out their own eyes that they may not see and thus as Seducers in respect of a total privation of life are said to be (a) Jude 12. twice dead So the Saints themselves many a time in respect of their partial deadness and the gradual departure of the Spirit of life may be said to be twice hardned blinded and indisposed for duty Not only doth sin provoke the holy Spirit to depart and thus morally and by way of demerit it stops the fountain of life but also by its poison and venomous nature it doth pollute and infect the heart it leaveth such a blot and tincture upon the soul as disposeth it for blindness and deadness Sin is not only of it self and formally opposit to grace but it maketh upon the heart as it were efficiently such a contrary impression to grace and matterially indisposeth it for a communion with God and spiritual exercises and thus stealeth and taketh a way the heart Hos 4.11 And albeit every sin hath more or less of this malignant quality in it yet their be some sins which in a special maner do produce this wofull effect after which we shall now enquire having in the preceding Section spoken of the former head viz. of the withdrawing of the Spirit and of these sins which did most directly and immediatly bring on that sad stroke but there being such a connexion between our deadness and the departure of the Spirit of life and the causes and cure of (b) Viz. of the with drawing of the Spirit and of our deadness and indisposition for duty both those evils being much alike and the same we may without any culpable confusion here speak to those joyntly especially since we referred to this place one sort of those (c) Viz those causes which did not so directly and by way of indignity and contempt of his office and work but rather condignly and by way of demerit prrooke the Spirit to depart causes which did provoke the Spirit to depart Before we speak of the remedy we will search after the causes which we shall rather name then enlarge and insist on at any length First then as to the causes of deadness indisposition and wandring thoughts in prayer for all these cursed branches may spring
to the great King 10. Wilt thou also guard the outward senses 11. Wilt thou look after the frame of thy heart and first give a discharge to distracting objects before thou come before the throne Wilt thou choose the fittest season for calling upon God 12. Wilt thou be more frequent in thy adresses to God And 13 Wilt thou be more serious not giving way to laziness and formality 14. Wilt thou labour to keep thy conscience clear having a constant respect to all the commandments and hating every sinfull way yea and the very garment spotted by the flesh 15. Will ye not walk in the counsel of the ungodly yea nor stand in the way of sinners 16. Will ye watch against the wiles of the devil and resist his temptations 17. Will ye take heed least ye grieve the holy Spirit by dallying with his motions and ordinances c. And Will ye observe these qualifications of an acceptable prayer of which we spake Part. 2. and applied several of them to this present case If ye have come this length there are but a few things which I would now further add for compleating the cure of a dead heart and for holding out wandring thoughts in prayer but before I name those other directions I would premise these two things concerning what we have here said as to the removing the former impediments and obstructions and what we are now to add further by way of remedy 1. ye would remember that the Spirit must (m) The Spirit may be present operatively where he is not present sensibly help you to put these directions in practice else they will serve to little purpose he must help you to take the right course for getting his help and must work what ye are directed to do else your endeavours will be fruitless and yet ye must so (n) Our inability must not be pretended as a cloak for our negligence we have received strength which we should improve waiting for the help of the Spirt apply your selves to perform these things and to follow those or such like directions as if ye stood in need of no help and as if of your selves ye could carry on the work and when thou art acting to the utmost of thy strength thou mayst expect a sensible manifestation of the Spirits assistance 2. We must not think that the most active and diligent Saints do alwaies enjoy the quickning presence of the Spirit this state of our pilgrimage is not for a constant abode and the Spirit is a free agent the wind bloweth where it listeth that thou mayest learn not to ascribe thy enlargements to thine own activity and diligence though none but active zealous and circumspect Christians are lively and enlarged in duty as to any constancy or considerable measure yet they do not alwaies enjoy the same influences nor are alike enlarged but though vivacity in duty may thus for a while be lost to thee yet if it be not lost by thee as it will not be reckoned unto thee as being procured through thy fault and negligence So neither will it marre thy after-comfort and enlargement if the Spirits withdrawing be not penal though it be for thy exercise and tryal yet it needs not discourage thee it shall not hinder thy acceptance nor the success and prevalency of thy prayers but if thou procure this stroke through thy folly and sloth and if thou rest and sit down under it securely not being affected with it as not being much concerned in that dispensations if thou do not lay thy deadness to heart and labourest not to be rid of that burden such a sleeping Jonah may fear a storm from the Almighty to awaken him Now come we to these other directions 1. if you would have your heart enlarged in duty labour to get your heart inflamed with love to your Master and his work if ye (o) Vbi est amor non est labor sed sopor Bern. came in love ye would stay with delight when love is the cord that draws any together they will not weary in the mutual fellowship and society of one another but as there will be a longing in absence So a delight and contentment in presence and enjoyment and what makes the husbands presence so uncomfortable to the adulterous wife but want of love love is an uniting affection and pretend what we will the want of love to God is the cause why we weary at his work and in his company for the heart not being fixed by the bond of love nor arrested by delight it gads abroad and would be rid of the duty as of a wearisom burden hence wandring thoughts break in and the duty is marred but in heaven when we shall see God face to face and love him perfectly we shall not weary of his fellowship unto all eternity We will not digress to speak to these motives which may serve to quicken our love but certainly if we loved the Lord as we should we could not it would be an insupportable burden to stay out of his company and we would sooner part with our life then abandon his fellowship and Daniel would let others know that he served such a master as he would not be ashamed to own and go unto notwithstanding all their cruelty and threatnings Dan. 6.10 If the Lord be kind to David and his love of God be sincere then this must be the conclusion that must needs follow (p) The illation seemeth rather to be founded upon his love to to God then the benefits he had received from God though both be named there therefore will he call upon God as long as he liveth Ps 116.1 2. hence also flowed his gladness to go to the housâ— of the Lord Ps 122.1 and would he then readily weary while he was in it 2. When thou find'st thy heart indisposed and that deadness hath already seized on it before we set upon the duty we would stir up and awaken our dull and sleepy spirits and rouse them from their drousiness saying to our soul with Deborah when she was employed in praising God Judg. 5.12 awake awake O my sleepy soul awake awake and draw nigh to the provok't King for thy lifâ— liberty provision protection c. We will not prescribe the several heads of meditation there being here so many several topicks which may with great variety be improven to this purpose only in the general let me entreat that choice may be made of such considerations as may serve most to quicken 1. the sense of thy indigence misery and hazard and thus 2. what may most humble thee and make thee see thy own vileness and insufficiency for doing so great a work 3. what may most inflame thy heart with love to God and his service and 4. what may most quicken thy diligence and activiity while David was thus employed he found life come in to his joynt When I was musing saith he the fire burned Ps 39.3 and then he goes
all the other affections of the soul to be sinfull and that they should be abandoned but we would rather think with this Author Serm 2 Pag 16 that beleevers must not be stocks altogether senceless of Gods judgments and dispensations towards them As for these sinfull grounds and effects of this sorrow which be mentioneth Page 141 142 144. these may and should be guarded against But why doth he not as well condemn all fear as sinfull there will be found to be parity of reason here and yet he pleads for such a kind of fear as not being sinfull See Serm 2. sorrow that we may not desire and pray for we (i) Quomodo Paulus desideraverit mortem quam sibi inferre non liciut statim videbimus must not set our hands a work against our heart and tongue nor make our prayers and endeavours to be at such variance and contrariety but we may not procure afflictions nor cast our selves in the furnace but should use the means for keeping us from and bringing our feet out of the fetters the law of God and nature obligeth us to the duty of self-defence and preservation from such evils we will not rashly condemn the practice of holy men of old those eminent Martyrs who in the time of persecution did offer themselves to the flames not knowing but they might have been stirred up by an heroick and extraordinary impulse the Lord intending to make their ashes the seed of the Church for as their courage and zeal did strengthen their brethren and encourage them to stand So it invited strangers to come and embrace the faith but their practice is no warrand to others not being in the like case nor so moved and strengthened to follow their foot steps and even among them some by their fall did leave us a warning to mind our own frailty and not to be rash in running upon trials without a call least our courage fail us while we are in the waters And thus though the great Physician can extract honey out of the sowrest herbs and make the most bitter pills medicinal and healthfull to us yet we are not licenciat to take and prescribe to our selves such a remedy as nature first and last sinless and corrupt abhorreth such a course and diet So the Lord whose commands are equal and full of condescension hath not made that an object of our choice and desire neither will he prescribe a bitter potion when cordials are more pertinent he k doth not afflict willingly and there is no time when we can say that the rod would do us more good then mercies and therefore we must never take upon us to determine and to prescribe to our selves that which the only Physician of souls hath reserved in his own hand but supposing his appointment and while in his holy providence he calleth us to suffer we are commanded to submit and patiently bear the chastisement of the Lord to hearken to the voice of the rod and to improve it as our talent but thus it is not made an object of love and desire but is left to be the matter and an occasion to exercise our patience submission and faith and thus while we are in the furnace we should pray for the sanctified use of it and before we be called to the trial we should prepare for it and pray that the Lord would fit us for and do us good by every rod and trial he purposeth to exercise us with and would make these as well as our mercies contribute for and all work together for our good according to that word Rom. 8.28 Obj. 1. What God promiseth that we may pray for but the Lord promised to hedge up the way of his ancient people with thorns and by cross dispensations to drive them in to their first husband Hos 2.6 7. This is clear saith a late Author from Psa 89.31 32. where in the midst of the promises that of visiting their iniquities with rods is put in the bosome and if it were believed that crosses were the accomplishment of the promises it would help a Christian to much humble submission and holiness under the cross Ans In both these Scriptures as frequently elsewhere threatnings are mixed with promises and both may well be said to belong to the covenant the promises as its object yea rather as its integral parts and the threatnings as the hedge to keep us within the bounds of the covenant and as a cord though sharp to draw us back when we step aside and do not perform the conditions to which the promises are annexed and thus both threatnings and rods which are the execution of threatnings to the Saints may be called evangelical as proceeding from the same fountain from which the promises do flow and having a like gracious event and effect afflictions to them loss as it were their nature and name and though in themselves they stil continue to be bitter and evil yet to them they prove good they are fatherly chastisements and medicinal corrosives and still the object of the threatning though as to the sanctified use of them and the good reaped by them they may fall under a promise indirectly in obliquo But thus not the rod it self but the fruit of it is the proper object of the promise and this may be desired and prayed for You will say that the Saints are afflicted in faithfulness Psa 119.75 and therefore their crosses must be an accomplishment of some promise Ans Fidelity and faithfulness appeareth as well in accomplishing threatnings as promises and thus the Psalmist in the words cited explaineth their scope while he saith I know O Lord that thy judgments are right viz. according to thy righteous threatnings and thus he justifieth the Lord in all the evil afflictions and trials he had met with 2. Obj. What is good may be desired and may be the object of the promise but afflictions were good to David for saith he It is good for me that I have been afflicted ver 71. and gives his reason ver 67. and 71. before I was afflicted I went astray but now c. And we may here again argue thus That which is matter of praise to God because he hath done it may be a fit material of our prayers to him and we may desire that he would do it but if we view that context we will find the Psalmist there collecting and gathering together motives and grounds of praise and he reckoneth his afflictions as not the least Ans The Prophet calls not his afflictions good they being of themselves evil and bitter and for removing of which he prayed most frequently and fervently and praised God when and because he removed them but he saith that it was good for him that he was afflicted thus pointing out the sanctified use and fruit of the rod for which he had reason to praise God yea and now all things being considered it was better for him that he was afflicted then if he had
ejaculation till thy business permit thee to go to the throne in a more solemn and continued way But let not such ejaculations be pretended as a cloak for laying aside a constant course of continued prayer that were to make things act contrary to their nature and to make the means which are subordinat and should be subservient unto the end to exclude the end for this is one and a main fruit of such ejaculations to fit and prepare the heart to continue instant in prayer when of purpose we perform that solemn duty But least any should abuse these Scripture-instances making these a cloak for their negligence and want of love to the work saying what should we be more holy and continue longer in prayer then those eminent Saints whose supplications are recorded in the Word Let such consider 1. that as of sermons So of prayers for the most part we have but some brief notes all was not written that was at such an occasion spoken by the Saints though all was spoken that is written of them and yet as to the present case there is so much written as may rather make us tremble then thus boast and presume as if it were no great matter to come that length for though the words be not set down yet the time is sometimes specified and such a proportion of it as few will make their measure thus our blessed Lord continued all night in prayer Luk. 6.12 Nehemiah spent certain daies in fasting and prayer Neh. 1.4 and a fourth part of a day is spent in prayer and confession Neh. 9.3 The Jews fasted and to what purpose did they fast if prayer was not joyned therewith neither eating nor drinking three daies Esth 4.16 17. And David professeth that he had cried himself hoarse and that his throat was dried Psa 69.3 that all night he made his bed to swim and watered his couch with tears Psa 6.6 And will any dare yet to boast that they have come the length required or recorded in Scripture But 2. such would remember that the prayers that are set down in the Scriptures were poured out upon some special occasion and were framed only or mainly in reference to the present particular but we in our daily and constant course of prayer must look to all our wants and necessities and must petition not some one mercy but what we stand in need of (z) 2 Pet. 1.3 for life and godliness personal mercies and publick mercies mercies for our selves and for all the Saints and we should particularly confess our sins with their several aggravations and beg pardon for all our provocations and grace and strength for every duty and praise God for all his mercies And can all this be to purpose performed in so short a space of time as those vain talkers and mockers of the holy Scriptures would allow But yet as we said in the entry we will prescribe no time only we would not have any upon a mistake to limit themselves to a shorter time then the nature of this exercise and their own need doth require But here we may behold our duty and great priviledge to pray alwaies as we are obliged So it would be our happiness to improve every season and opportunity of prayer Christ purchased to us not with his money but with his blood this liberty to draw nigh to the King as oft as we will and as our need requireth I have read of one who offered to his King a great sum of money but to have leave once or twice a day to come and say God save your Majesty But you may not come once or twice but as oft as you please to the King of kings you will alwaies get access and will never be sent away empty and without the blessing if you come to bless and praise his great Name you shall be blessed of him if you come to ask you shall receive not only (a) Mark 6.13 unto the half of a kingdom but a whole kingdom and an incorruptible crown of glory that fadeth not away Ah! who would not come to his doors who hath such an almes to give But ah the folly and desperate negligence of secure sinners who will not enter in at such an open door who will not knock nor cry though their need press them never so much and who will not seek though they have a promise to find O! what diligence and frequency is necessary here An earthly King will get great attendance and yet what hath he to give to his followers and supplicants Solomons servants waited upon and stood before him continually 1 Kings 10.8 and yet we soon weary in standing before the King of kings the importunate widow Luk. 18. did not faint but from time to time renewed her complaint till she was answered and yet though our business be great though our life and happiness and matters of soul concernment be lying at the stake we are secure and negligent as we are foolish and injurious to our own souls So we are unfaithful to our Master and Lord and a scandal and reproach to our holy profession though no master can so reward his servants yet what master is so ill served The Idols of the nations were more diligently and frequently worshiped no cost was spared in their service how sumptuous were their sacrifices Nay they did not (b) Jer. 7.31 and 32.35 vid. Alex. ab Alex gen lier lib. 6. cap ult Polyd. Vergâ—l de invent rer lib. 5. cap 8. spare their children yea nor their own lives in their sacrifices and yet though our Christian sacrifice be so easie and reasonable how slow are we to offer it Maâ—umeâ—ans and Papists will rise up in judgment against us Mahomet and canonized men and women are more carefully and frequently worshiped then the true and living God and the ordinances of that great Impostor and of Antichrist are better observed then the commands of the Lord of heaven and earth (c) Alex. Rosse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sect 6. pag. 171. Mahomet appointed his followers to pray five times a day and they do so the Papists have their seven canonical hours of prayer and these must be observed no business nor employment will hinder or divert them and this is the (d) Certum est horas canonicas non esse panciores quam septemâ— uar loc cit lib 4. cap. 6. unde Rainerius cum glossa interpretatur haec verba Psal 119.164 septies quotidie laudo te sic septies inquit in die i. e. septem vicibus seu septem horis canonicis incumbit religiosis laudare Deum Rain pantheel in voc orat cap. 7. least their canons will allow and yet though our Lord and Saviour command us to pray alwaies and without ceasing many will not pray at all and not a few but for the fashion And who are they that continue instant in prayer at all seasons and occasions and how shall we then be able to stand in
excellency of this notable piece of armour that it is not only a weapon for defence but a talent also wherewith we may trade for time and eternity its usefull in times of peace as well as war and therefore it shall continue and abide even then when according to that sweet promise concerning the dayes of the Gospel Isa 24. men shall beat their swords into plough-shares and their spears into prunning-hooks and shall learn war no more What is said of godliness in the general 1 Tim. 4.8 may well be applied to prayer in particular it is profitable unto all things and in all times in every trade and condition of life in every business and occurence it may be improven to advantage the praying soul as he only so alwayes is happy and successfull he cannot miscarry nor be disappointed when his faith and expectation is regulated by the promise the least jot whereof shall not be un fulfilled to him the Lord will hear him when he crieth and satisfie his desire Psa 145.18 19. And this is the confidence that we have in him that if we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us and we know that we have the petitions we desired of him if we ask it shall be given if we seek we shall find if we knock it shall be opened and we shall receive liberally not some few things but all things whatsoever we shall ask in Christs Name 1 Joh. 5.14 15. Mat. 7.7 Mat. 21.22 Mark 11.24 Luk. 11.9 10. Jam. 1.5 Ioh. 14.13 14. Ioh. 16.23 24. c. We will not now stay to enumerat the several promises made to prayer these being so many and obvious nor to vindicat the Lords fidelity from atheistical cavils or to hold forth some grounds for supporting our faith in waiting upon the Lord for the accomplishment of his promises having at so great a length insisted to these particulars Part 2. Ch. 2. Sect. 2. Let us now only view some few Scriptures and ponder how pithily the Spirit of God there expresseth the efficacy power and prevalency of prayer Let me alone saith the Lord to praying Moses Exod. 32.10 Domine quis tenet te who holdeth thee O Lord saith Austin an honest supplicant holds as it were my hands and will not saith the Lord let me alone though I would compound with him and buy his peace yet he will not be put off but I must yield to him v. 10.14 And then let us consider what is recorded of praying Jacob Gen. 32.24 25 26.28 Hos 12.3 4. first that he had power with God yea and 2. that he had power (c) Vid Calvin supr citatum in loc over God and prevailed over the great (d) See Diodat on Hos 12. Angel of the Covenant 3. that though he said Let me go yet he would not let him go till he blessed him and 4. wherein his strength did lye viz. in his tears and supplications but let none through their folly and ignorance strain and abuse these words which do most significantly hold forth the power and success of prayer but not any weakness and imperfection in our holy and mercifull God Who did as Calvin speakeah hold up Jacob with his right hand and fight against him only with his left To these we shall add no moe but a word or two from Isa 45. where v. 11. the Saints are invited to to ask him of things concerning his sons which we may conceive to be spoken of spiritual mercies to every thirsting soul or of publick mercies to the Church and concerning the works of my hands or things that fall under a common and general providence viz. temporal and outward mercies (e) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 praecipietis mihi Pagnin Jubete mihi Mercer in rad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 command ye me saith the Lord who commands all the host of heaven and earth v. 12. If these words had dropt from the pen of a man we might justly have abominated them as blasphemous but the Lord himself having thus stoop'd so low to strengthen our faith let us admire this wonderfull condescension and improve it to the right end for supporting our confidence when we draw nigh to God What shall worm Jacob have power with God and pot-sheards on earth strive and wrestle with their Maker yea and may they in the combate prevail and carry the day Yea saith the Lord this honour and priviledge have all the Saints all mourning Jacobs shall become prevailing and victorious Israels What may the base beggar and wretched rebel come to court and have access to the King Yea saith the Lord the beggar may come in his rags and lay out all his sores and if the rebel hath submitted and gotten a pardon he may present his supplication to me and all my subjects and servants of whatsoever rank or condition may not only come and ask what they will but they may command me surely the Lord doth not complement with his poor creatures when he saith they may command him There is here the reality of the thing but in a way that is suitable to the glorious majesty of the great and infinite Lord in that the Saints have more power and moyen with God then the greatest Courtiers and Favourits of an earthly King have with him and in that they shall as certainly prevail as if they could command O! when will we be sensible enough of this astonishing condescension and love that the high and lofty one will regard us and take notice of our requests and then stoop so low to express his tender bowels and to encourage us while we draw nigh to him as in our own dialect to speak to us and to hold out himself as one with whom and over whom we had power yea and shall I say what he himself hath said whom we may command and shall we be so base and ingrate as to doubt any more O! let us rebuke our ignorance and unbelief and from henceforth with confidence and in (f) Heb. 10.22 full assurance of faith draw nigh to him knowing that though the fig-tree do not blossom nor fruit be in the vines though the labour of the Olive fail and the fields yield no meat though the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls yet all honest supplicants may rejoyce in the God of their salvation who will not suffer the promise to fail nor disappoint those that wait upon him the return of prayer is more certain and infallible then the seasons of the year though these long ago were established by an un-alterable covenant Gen. 8.22 yet the Lord hath reserved a liberty not to follow alwayes there the same course and by such variations of providence to punish when it seemeth good to him the delinquencies of men but this word of promise concerning the success of prayer is so absolute and peremptory that it admits of no exception and the return of prayer being grounded
naturae desiderio procedentem Deus audit ex pura misericordia Thom. 22. quaest 83. art 16. in corp testimony of his general bounty kindness and propension to shew mercy and do good to all his creatures thus he maketh his Sun to rise on the evil and on the good and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust Mat. 5.45 Thus he is kind to the evil and unthankfull and thus he satisfieth the desire of every living thing Luk. 6.35 Psa 145.16 And as 1. thus to be an evidence of his bounty So also 2. that he may manifest his long-suffering and patience towards the vessels of wrath he will with-hold deserved judgments and follow them with outward mercies Rom. 9.22 And thus he will show that he is what he is called Rom. 15.5 the God of patience not only by working it in his Saints but by exercising it towards all men 3. To allure them and lead them in to repentance Rom. 2.4 This is the end of the (k) Finis operis licet non operantis work and dispensation which though wicked men may abuse to their own ruine yet the Lords counsel must stand they cannot frustrate his holy designs however they pervert his work 4. The Lord will do good to the wicked and satisfie their desires when they offer them up prayer-waies to him to evidence his approbaton of and delight in the prayers of his servants he will so far welcom and regard the very picture of prayer as to give some benefits of a common providence to show the power and prevalency of a regular and a well qualified prayer and to encourage his people to the frequent and incessant practice thereof to raise up their hearts to an higher esteem of prayer and to strengthen their faith and confident expectation of a return to their prayers thus in testimony of our tender respect to a dear friend we will welcome and show kindness to any who is like and doth resemble such a person and thus the Lord taketh notice of Ahabs fasting and prayers 1 King 21.39 But you will say doth not the Lord say Obj. Ans because Ahab had done so therefore he would c Ans Yet Ahabs humiliation was not a proper mean as not being right qualified nor such as the Lord required yet it gets the name and the reward not for it self but as being a sign and shadow of that which should have been and thus the Lord did hearken to Ahab not for his own sake nor for his prayers sake but to evidence his high esteem of that duty when performed aright 5. The Lord will thus satisfie the desires of the wicked for the trial of his honest servants their faith and patience must be brought to the touch-stone and be as many other waies So also assaulted by this temptation and that often proveth a very strong one Psa 73. where we will find the servant of God sore put to it and much shaken His feet were almost gone his steps had wel-nigh slipt when he considered how the wicked had all and more then their heart could wish while he was plagued and chastened every morning thus also Psa 37. Psa 17. from ver 9. Jer. 12.1.2 Habak 1. from ver 13. c. But this doth add very much to the trial when the wicked prosper in their oppression of the Saints when the Lord seemeth to reject his people and their prayers and in his providence to smile upon their enemies and this was the case of the Saints and the occasion of their sad complaints in some of these Scriptures now cited as Hab. 1. Ier. 12. c. But 6. this may not only be for trial but also for correction and a paternal castigation of the people of God for their sins when the Lord is wrâ—th with them he sets up the right hand of their adversaries and makes their enemies to rejoyce Psa 89.38 42. c. 7. The Lord will thus deal with the wicked in judgment and in wrath You will say how can it be possible that these good things can be given in wrath they seem rather to be pledges of love Ans These things in themselves are mercies and should lead us in to repentance and make us fear and love the Giver but yet those venemous vipers suck poyson out of these sweet flowers and thus in the issue these blessings according to that sad word Mal. 2.2 prove cursed and hurtfull When the Lord purposeth to show his wrath he endureth with much long-suffering and entertaineth with many favours the vessels of wrath fitted for destruction Rom. 9.22 Mercies abused degenerat into curses and prove dangerous snares and occasions of sin and misery hence kindness thus shown to the wicked is called by an ancient misericordia omni indignatione crudelior mercy more terrible then any rod and judgment And another comparing the affliction of the Saints with the prosperity of the wicked calleth the one misericordia puniens mercy punishing and the other crudelitas parcens fury and indignation sparing Wo (l) Male ergo usurus eo quod vult accipere Deo potius miserams non accipit pro inde si hoc ab illo petitur unde homo ladatur exauditus magis metuendum est ne quod posset non dare propitius det iratus Aug. just in Joan. tract 73. to him who gets his will to his ruin the Lord many a time in (m) Aliquando Deus iratus dat quod petis Deus propitius negat quod petis Aug. de verb. dom serm 53. mercy with-holds from his children what he giveth in wrath to enemies the prosperity of fools shall destroy them Prov. 1.32 and not only their abundance and having more then their heart could wish but their necessary accommodations their food and raiment their table and that which should have been for their welfare becometh a snare a trap and stumbling block unto them Psa 69.22 The success and prosperity of the wicked becometh an occasion both of sin and misery first of sin and here we (n) Qui nimios optabat honores Et nimias poscebat opes numerosa parabat Excelsae turris tabulaâ—a undeâ—altior esset Casus impulsae praeceps immane ruinae Quid Crassos quid Pompeios evertit illum Adsua qui domitos deduxit flagra Quirites Summus nempe locus nulla non arte petitus Magnaque numinibus vota exâ—udita malignis Juven satyr 10. might instance several particulars as it proveth an occasion of pride (l) Sed quae reverentia legum quis metus aut pudor est unquam properantis avart Ad scelus atque nefas quodcunque est purpura ducit Juven Sat. 14. if the Lord grant the desires of the wicked they will exalt themselves Psa 140 8. Secondly of impenitence security and self pleasing when Ephraim became rich and found out substance in all his waies he said no iniquity should be found in him Hos 12.8 when the ground of the rich man
(Å¿) We are not now speaking of spirituals which have no place here because these shall not be with held no not as to their measure and degree as may appear from Patt 1. Chap. 7. Sect. 2. indifferent and may in the use prove serpents to sting thee and not bread to nourish thee and so could not be given to thee when such but in wrath But if thou hast learned to pray as thou ought'st submitting to him who is (t) Isa 28.29 wonderfull in counsel and excellent in working to the only wise God and thy compassion at Father who will not give thee a stone in stead of fish and confining thy desires within the bounds of the promise for these indifferent things only then fall under the promise when hic nunc they are good to us as hath been shown Part 1. Chap. 7. and Part 2. Chap 2. if thou hast thus learned to pray aright thou needst not doubt of the success of thy prayers but maist be assured that though thou hast not gotten the particular that thou named in thy prayer yet thy prayer hath been heard and answered the true sense and meaning whereof must be this (u) 1 Tim. 1.17 O Lord thou knowest what is good for me to have or want and this is the mercy that I desire if it may prove a mercy and blessing indeed but otherwise let me rather want it then have it in wrath and to be a snare unto me So that every prayer for outward and temporal things must have a condition either tacite or expressed and so must have two parts and members and as we pray for such a supposed mercy upon supposition of expediency and conveniency So we pray against it and that it may not be given upon supposition of inexpediency and hurt Hence its evident that the Lord in denying when the condition of expediency faileth or delaying till it be placed doth hear and answer thy prayer and if he did give the particular he would not answer but reject thy prayer for under both parts of the supposition this is it which is absolutely said and askt Lord do thou as a wise and tender father make choyce for thy foolish child and do as to the particular desired what may prove for thy glory the good of the Church and thy servants comfort advantage and eternal happiness And when we thus pray if the Lord did not with-hold what would be for our hurt for otherwise as we may suppose from Part. 2. Chap. 2. Sect. 2. and what here followeth when these outward things would prove good for us they will not be with-held and if he did give the particular we named he should not answer our prayers nor fulfill his promises nor do according to our faith and expectation nor according to our trust in him or that fatherly care and providence he exerciseth towards his chosen ones but in with-holding what we thus desired in the supposed case of inexpediency he answereth all those ends and engagements And upon the former ground we may yet further argue 1. what is only conditionally askt if the condition fail it is not askt and what is only relatively and in reference to such an end loved and desired when it will not conduce unto but rather hinder and obstruct that end it is not loved and desired but rather hated and loathed But the Saints pray for these outward and temporal things only conditionally and relatively as we have seen Part 1. Chap. 7. Sect. 2. and in the present case the condition faileth and their subserviency to the great end and therefore they being thus cloathed with such circumstances they are not askt not desired and therefore their prayers cannot be said to want an answer because these are not given 2. Such conditional petitions must have two parts and those opposit according to the nature of the condition viz. that such a particular may be given upon the supposition of expediency and upon the contrary supposition of hurt and inexpediency that it may be with-held and not given now both these conditions cannot concur as being opposit and so both these parts joyntly and in sensu composito cannot subsist nor be askt and one of them and that the best and which only in the supposed case is desired and shall I say absolutely x askt is alwaies heard and answered (u) When the condition is placed and included an bypothetical proposition be coâ—eth absolute conditionâ—lis pâ—sita couâ—â— one fit absoluta even then when the particular is not given 3. If our prayers must not be thus resolved and so thus heard and answered when the particular is denied as we would 1 prove forgetfull of our main and great unsiness and the one thing necessary in not asking in subordination threunto and 2. as we might prejudge the Church and wrong others who may be also concerned therein So. 3 we might be injuâ—â—ous to our own selves in reference to our self ends which then must rule and mislead for what knowest thou but in the denial there may be a reservation for some greater mercy of the same nature and kind which would have been obstructed by â—â—y getting what for the present thou so earnestly desired if thou hadst come to such a place and hadst been put in such a station and condition of life as thou didst so greedily cover that might have obstructed thy greater preferment and better accommodation in the world and then again â—â—y getting such a particular might bring along with it some sad and heavy cross which the having of such a mercy could not counter-ballance and therefore the Lord in his love and in his pity may prevent such a great evil by with-holding a less good And thâ—n wâ—at hath been said in reference to the prayers of the wicked that they are not accepted heard nor answered aâ— being 〈◊〉 abomination to the Lord when the particular they desired is given may serve as a second ground for illustrating the present point concerning the Lords hearing and answering the Saints prayers when the particular is not granted As there will hear be found parity of reason though upon contrary grounds So the ends and designs keeping still the opposition will appear to be proportionably alike by comparing what hath been here said concerning the one viz. the ends propounded in the dispensation of those mercies to the wicked with what followeth Sect. 4. concerning the trials and disappointments of the Saints only in the general now we may suppose that as the Lord in wrath giveth to the (y) Eph. 2.3 children of wrath that which through their folly and abuse becometh a snare and occasion of their ruine So in mercy he with-holds from the vessels of mercy what would harm them and become a temptation and occasion of their hurt and therefore as he answereth â—ot the prayers of the wicked when he giveth them their hearts desâ—re So he answereth the prayers of his servants when he withholdeth the particular they
up to pray and enlargeth the affections in prayer 2. if by or in prayer he quiet the heart and make thee Hannah like come from the Kings presence with a contented and calmed spirit 3. if whilst thou art praying the Lord smile upon thee and lift up the light of his countenance upon thee and make any intimation to thee concerning his love and thy adoption and son-ship 4. if he stir up in the heart a particular faith whereby thou assuredly expectest the very particular thou desired enabling thee to wait for it maugre all impediments and discouragments but this now-a-daies is not very usual 5. when the Lord doth put a râ—stless importunity in the heart whereby it continuâ—th instant in prayer though with submission as to the particular 6. (d) Cha. 6. after prayer how is sucâ—ess may be discerned if after prayer thou walk obediently and circumspectly if thou be as carefull to hearken to the voice of the Lord in his commandments as thou art desirous that he should hearken to thy supplications 7. if all the while the Lord delayeth thou wait upon him and look up for an answer 8. but if thou get what thou desired and in that very way and by thess very means which thou pitchedst upon as it often falleth out what needest thou doubt of the success of thy prayers But now we come to particulars and 1. by these directions we may know that our prayers are heard when the thing we desired is not (e) Cha. 9. accomplished as 1. if thou canst discern any thing given by way of commutation and exchange thou wilt not readily more dâ—ubt of the success of thy prayer then if thy desire had been accomplisht But though thou canst not discern a compensation made to thee yet if 2. thou wast not perâ—mptory in thy desire if thou durst entrust the Lord and roll all over upon his wise choice thou needst not fear least he dis-appoint thee if thou hast prayed submissively to his will thou mayst be assured that he will do what will be most for thy well 3. would not this support thee if the Lord should deal with thee as he did with Moses giving to him a (f) Deut. 34.1 c. Pisgah-sight of that land into which he so earnestly desired to enter if the Lord do yield far in such a particular as if he laboured to give thee all satisfaction would not that quiet thy heart Nay 4. if he discover his hand by some remarkable dispensation in suspending his ordinary influence or turning second causes even then when it would have appeared that such a mercy as thou desiredst was brought to the birth this may be an evidence to thee that the Lord hath some special respect to thee and to thy prayers and some special design in with-holding such a supposed mercy â—ts true if there be any (g) Psa 139.24 wicked way in thee such a dispensation may be for thy warning and instruction but yet alwaies it is in mercy and in love towards thee who committing thy way to God dost call upon him in sincerity 5. (h) This and the following hoâ—d forth the effects that a sanctiâ—â—ed acnial or rather a graciouâ— grant â—â—cundum cardinem precationis hath upon the heart If the Lord fill the heart not only 1. with a â—â—ent submission unto his will but also 2. with a holy contentment and satisfaction in his choyce as being best for thee and thus if 3. out of faith thou canst praise and render thanks to God râ—sting on his love care and fidelity whatever sense and carnal reason depone and suggest to the contrary this may be an evidence to thee that the spirit that now resteth upon thee hath led thee to the thâ—one and hath not suffered thee to go away empty You will say but who is he that useth to praise God for denying what he askt and doth not rather complain and mourn when he meeteth with such a dispensation Ans Our ignorance unbelief and groundless jealousie makes us too often take a quite contrary course to what we ought and should follow and thus while we are called to praise we are ready to murmure and complain and the cause of this our errour and mistake besides our unbelief and sensuality is our negligence and because we will not be at the pains as to bring our hearts into a right frame and to pray with the whole heart so neither to reflect vpon our hearts and prayers and to compare them with the rule and those qualifications which the promise doth require that thus we might judge aright of the success of our work 6. If thou be not discouraged neither entertainest hard thoughts of thy master and his work if thou love not prayer worse but continuest instant in that exercise not daring to run away from God in a fit of discontentment as this may be an evidence of thy patience submission and (i) That which the Lord mainly regardeth is thy faith without which we would soon weary and yet thy patience and submission abstructly considered cannot but be wel-pleasing to God For â—aith our Author here it moves ingenious natures to see men take repuâ—ses and dâ—niaâ—â— well which proud persons will not do and 〈◊〉 it movâ—s God c. faith So also of the acceptance and success of thy prayer in that the spirit of prayer and supplication doth thus rest upon thee thou mayst conclude that thou hast prayâ—d in the Spirit and that therefore thy prayers cannot want an answer Now we proceed to the other branch of thâ— question viz. how we may discern whether mercies come to us by the hand of a common providence or in return to ouâ— prayers 〈◊〉 (k) Ibid. cha 7. If we can discern the Lords hand in a mâ—re then ordinary mâ—nner we may be confident he hath hearkened â—o our voice as first when he bringeth a thing to pass through many difficulties that stood in the way 2. When he provideth and facilitateth the means and makes them conspire and combine in the accomplishing of a mercy for us 3. When he doth it suddainly and ere thou art aware of it as Josephs and Peters delivery from prison and the Israelites return from Babylon they were as men in a dream and could scarce believe what was done because so suddainly and unexpectedly 4. If God do above what we did ask or think giving an over-plus and casting in other mercies together with that which we desired and perhaps for a long time prayed for 5. By making some remarkable circumstance a token for good and a seal of his love and care and thus a circumstance small in its self may be magnum indicium as the dogs not barking at the children of Israel when they went out of Egypt in the night Exod. 11.7 c. 2. The consideration of the time when such a mercy is accomplisht and given may help us to discern whether it be in answer to our prayers as 1. if
at or about that very time when thou art most instant and earnest in prayer for it as Peter was sent from prison to the Church while they were assembled to pray for him Act. 12.12 2. if in the most fit and acceptable time as first when thou hast most need and thy extremity is great as Peters delivery in that night which Herod had decreed should be his last Secondly to encourage thee against some new trial and conflict Thirdly when thy heart is most weaned from such a temporal mercy and thus thy heart is fitted to receive and improve it which otherwise might have proven a wofull snare and might have become thine Idol if it had been given before the inordinacy of thy affection was cured as the Lord doth not with-hold such mercies from his servants out of want of love So neither so much for what is (i) Former sint if bewailed and pardoned do not hinder the success of prayer past as for the present evil disposition of their hearts and to keep them from hurt thereby 3. If we see the Lord observe as it were some proportion in his dealing with our prayers and walk as there is often a proportion between sin and the punishment of it So between our work and reward and thus when thy desires were spiritual and thy prayers fervent thy success in business was proportionable but now thou art grown faint in prayer and negligent in thy walk and all thy hopes are as it were dasht and now while (l) Exod. 17.11 Meses his hands fall down Amaleck prevaileth if as the more pure and spiritual thy ends in praying were the mercy proveth the more pure and stable and the less zeal and fervency thou expressed in prayer and the more self-interest did prevail the more of bitterness and worm-wood is mingled with the mercy when granted c. and how should the consideration hereof that the Lord will notwithstanding our failings yet regard and in some manner answer our prayers and discover his hand that he takes notice of our way and walk how should this 1. humble us for our manifold failings and not regarding the Lords hand 2. stir us up to thankfulness for thus warning and waiting upon us and filling our hands with so many mercies 3. provoke us to diligence and circumspection zeal and sincerity in every part of his worship and in our whole course and conversation 4. We may discern whether our mercies be given in answer to our prayers by their (m) Ibid. cha 8. effects upon the heart as 1. if they prove not fewel to feed thy lusts but do rather kindle thy zeal for and love to God if they draw thy heart nearer to him and make thee rejoyce more in his favour discovered by the giving of such or such a mercy then in the thing it self and to prize it as a greater mercy that thy prayer hath been heard then that such an outward thing hath been given 2. If the receiving of mercies enlargeth thy heart with thankfulness self-love makes us more forward to pray then to give thanks but thankfulness of all duties proceeds most from pure grace if then the Spirit of grace doth stir thee up to praise God for his mercies he hath helped thee to pray and to obtain such a mercy by thy prayer it must then be a good sign that a mercy hath been won by prayer when it is worn with thankfulness 3. If the receiving of mercies make thee carefull 1. to pay thy vows made in prayer and 2. to improve what thou hast received to the honour of the Giver it is an evidence that such mercies have come from God otherwise they would not thus lead in to him 4. If thou look over second causes by faith acknowledging his sole hand who governeth and ordereth second causes according to his pleasure it is an evidence of thy dependence on him and that thou hast prayed in faith and so must have prevailed 5. If the mercy obtained encourage thee to continue in prayer and in all other cases to run to God making thee say with him therefore will I call upon God so long as I live Psa 116. 1 2. if it quicken thy diligence and strengthen thy faith in prayer it s a token the Lord hath spoken and thou hast heard his answer 6. If with the mercy there come some evidence of love if the Lord smile upon thee and lift up the light of his countenance and intimat his favour there will be no place left for doubting since thou hast not only a love-token but a letter also with it to bear witness of his love And 7. the event will bring with it an additional confirmation that such a mercy hath been obtained and sanctified by prayer if it prove a real and stable mercy if the trouble vexation and snare that otherwise might accompany it be removed it may be an evidence that it is a blessing indeed Prov. 10.22 Now for the right (n) A Caution improvement of these directions I deny not that these and the like particulars deserve our serious consideration and when they occur may be helpfull for discovering the Lords mind in his dispensations towards us but we would distinguish and put a difference between those necessary qualifications of prayer which are required on our part and which belong to the performance it self and so are indispensably required at our hands and between those gracious dispensations which the Lord according to his meer good pleasure may impart or with-hold As to the 1. we would carefully observe those directions that concern our duty for if we be negligent in prayer and in those other duties that relate thereto or if we be loose in our walk we may fear the rod but cannot expect a gracious return to our formal prayers But 2. as to those signs that depend upon the good pleasure of the Lord to bestow or not we would beware of curiosity in requiring expecting or looking to much after them and of rashness and presumption in laying too much weight upon them if they shou d occur Therefore the safest and surest course must be not to lean too much to sensible demonstrations of providence but rather to reflect on Gods Word both on the word of promise and precept and according to that rule to judge of our prayers and their success and thus though we can espy no ground of hope and encouragment from any dispensation of providence yet if we find our prayers run parallel with the promise and the qualifications and conditions thereto annexed and that we have prayed according to the will of God both as to the matter and manner of performance we need not doubt of their success whether we have gotten the particular we askt or not But here it may be enquired whether those mercies which the Saints receive when they are on the declining hand and are negligent in their walk and cold and formal in their prayers be given in
know that there is so much of the old root in the best that if the Lord with-draw his hand and with-hold the blessing neither rods nor mercies could do us good but the venom within us would suck poyson out of the most pleasant flowers and turn the most healing medicines into deadly corrosives Let us not then rest on our enjoyments though thou be a Son thy Father may grant thy desire in anger parents when most grieved and displeased with their children may give way to them and let them have their will without controll but ere it be long the father will chide his son and upbraid him for his medling and taking upon him and then the son if he be not an unnatural wretch could wish that his liberty had rather been restrained then his father in anger given way to his course and who among the genuin Sons of Zion would not rather choose to be under the rod then to have his hearts desire with the displeasure of his heavenly Father O! then do not mistake as if thou hadst with thy fathers leave and good will because thou didst ask and he hath answered thy desire for he may give thee in wrath as he did the Israelits Psal 78.29.31 thine own hearts desire and not with hold the request of thy lips Let us then examine our hearts and wayes and then rejoyce in our mercies let us observe the Apostles method 1 Joh. 5.14 15. and judge of our having and receiving by the audience of our prayers which must be known not by sensible demonstrations of providence but by comparing our prayers with the right rule viz. the will of God revealed in his commands and promises but if we proceed contrarily and conclude that our prayers are heard because we have the petitions we desired of him we may readily mistake and apprehend these prayers to be heard and answered whereby the Lord hath been provok't and dishonoured O! but when it is with us as it was with him Psa 21.2 6. when the Lord gives us our hearts desire and with-holds not the request of our lips and we rejoyce in his salvation and are glad because he lifts up his countenance upon us when these are joyned together then is our peace stable and our comforts solid but when we rejoyce in mercies and grieve the God of our mercies our joy will end in mourning Sect. IV. A modest enquiry after the reason holy designâ— and ends why the Lord delayeth or denieth the particular merey that was desired though he accept and answer our prayers Psa 30.18 Therefore will the Lord wait that he may be gracious unto you and that he may have mercy upon you for the Lord is a God of judgment 2 Cor. 12.8 9. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice and he said unto me my grace is sufficient for thee THe present question is not concerning the Lords hiding himself from the prayers either of the wicked or of the Saints that being the matter of the following Chapter but concerning such and such a way of answering the effectual fervent prayer of the righteous which must prevail and cannot want a return viz. 1. why the Lord for so long a time delayeth to give what he purposeth at length to give 2 why he denyeth and with-holdeth the particular mercy that was askt and will rather give some other thing which will be better for us in lieu and consideration of what was desired and thus will rather make a gracious compensation then grant the mercy in kind that was desired We shall begin with the last as being many a time the sad tryal and exercise of the Saints who not seeing the Lords design nor observing the compensation it haply being in spirituals which are not so easily discerned have been ready to apprehend such a dispensation to be in wrath and that the Lord hath hid himself from their prayers But here it would be remembred that our work is not to enquire after the meritorious and procuring cause which by way of demerit doth provoke the Lord either to deny or delay because although the Lord delay to give or deny what was askt yet he doth not as the question supposeth either deny or delay the acceptance and hearing of our prayers yea such a denial and delay is not only in mercy and love but by (a) See Sect. 2 way of answer to our prayers and he who knew no sin did meet with such a return to his prayers Mat. 26.39 42 44. And therefore now we must only enquir concerning the holy ends and gracious designs the Lord propoundeth in such a dispensation under which we would not have the castigation of his people to be comprehended for albeit in his purpose and in the issue that hath much love in it yet it being in it self grievous bitter and afflictive and not a fit (b) See Part. 3. Chap. 3. object of our prayers it cannot so properly be said to be given by way of return to them yet since it proceeds from love and may be very profitable to us and thus may be askt conditionally and comparatively as hath been (c) Ibid. shown we shall in the close add a word concerning it though still it would be considered that there is a great difference between this and those other designs which have nothing of anger and wrath in them and here the object it self being absolutely considered is (d) Malum paena evil a fruit and punishment of sin and a testimony of divine displeasure and therefore whatever be said of the fruit and event yet the thing it self abstractly considered cannot well be called a return and answer of prayer Now let us name some of those gracious ends for which the Lord denieth to give the particular mercy we desired as 1. the exercise of our faith and patience graces are giuen us for use as talents wherewith we should trade and gain and not to be laid up in a napkin to rust and corrupt and therefore its needfull that the Lord in his providence should offer occasions for their exercise as in the present case while he with-holdeth our hearts desire then in patience to submit to his holy counsel and still to depend upon him as it must be the work of honest supplicants So 2. it is their tryal thus the sincerity of their hearts and reality of their grace is brought to the touch-stone not only must our graces be exercised for their growth and encrease but also for their tryal and discovery and to give Sathan the world yea and our own hearts an evidence of their truth yea and sometimes of their strength and perfection if notwithstanding we meet with no sensible demonstrations yet we will believe God's Word of promise depend upon him and patiently bear a seeming repulse and denial 3. Hereby the Lord would draw our hearts off from the creature that we may enjoy a more fulâ— and immediat communion with himself he will cut off the streams
that we may run to the fountain it self to have a supply and an up-making there the Lord will with hold many creature enjoyments that we may know our home not to be here and that our minority is not yet past nor the inheritance to be yet intrusted to us as being but pupils who must depend and roâ—l themselves and their affairs over upon the care and fidelicy of another and that thus our hearts may be enlarged with longing desires after that day when our wills shall run parallel with our good and the glory and purpose of our Master 4. To prevent our hurt we are ready to mistake and to ask a serpent in stead of an egge but God will not grant such foolish desires but will according to Christs (e) Joh. 17.25 prayer keep us thus as it were against our wills from the evil of the world 1. from the evil of temptation for often (f) See Sect. 2. such things prove an occasion of sin 2. from the evil of suffering for riches honours and pleasures have often proven a precipice from which the men of the world have been cast headlong 5. to promove our good and greater advantage what we desire may prove obstructive of a greater mercy either spiritual or temporal and the Lord in his pity and love will not suffer such a block and impediment to be cast into our way 6. for our instruction what is said of the cross schola crucis schola lucis may well be applied to this dispensation which often through our ignorance and mistake proveth a sad affliction to us thus we may learn no more to live by sense and hereby we may be set a work to examine our hearts and wayes more narrowly that we may know whether such a dispensation proceedeth from anger or love and thus we may be brought to espy what formerly did escape our view c. nay here we might alledge all those motives which prevail with the Lord to afflict his people and honest servants while he doth not pursue any quarrel against them as in the case of Job of the Apostles and Martyrs for as this case is much like to that this being often very grievous to us and looking affliction-like So the ends and motives on the Lords part will be found to be much alike and for the most part the same As to the second branch of the question viz. those ends for which the Lord delayeth to give what he purposeth at length to give we might here resume several particulars mentioned in the former head as there also might be applied much of what we are now to say these cases not being much different as to the present enquiry since both those dispensations flow from one and the same fountain of love wisdom care and fidelity of a compassionat father towards his children and servants 1. Then the Lord delayes to give till we be fitted and (g) Tauto quippe illud quod valde magnum est sumemus eapacius quanto fidelius credimus speramus sirmius defideramus ardentius prepared to receive and that such a dispensation may be a mean to humble and prepare us every thing is good and beautifull in its season and the Lord knows best how to time our mercies right if the Lord should give in our time and before we be prepared to receive and improve such a gift would be as medicine unseasonably taken which would rather encrease and beget then remove diseases but as the Lord thus delayeth till we be fitted to receive and improve his mercies aright So 2. till other things be fitted and be in readiness to joyn with the desired mercy for our good that thus according to that sweet though little pondred or believed word Rom. 8.28 all things may work together for our good that impediments may be removed and other means may be placed and joyn hands with such a mercy that fit occasions may be offered and such circumstances may combine c. and thus a considerable space of time may interveen before the right and fit season come 3. To make us prize the Lords bounty the more when he fulfilleth our desire and to make us the more thankfull for the mercy (h) Augustin supra citat cito data vilescunt soon and easily gotten little prized and soon forgotten 4. To make us pray more frequently and importunatly (i) Ibid. Deus differt dare ut tu discas orare the Lord delayeth that we may add both to the number and measure of our prayers that we may become both more assiduous and more ardent supplicants 5. That at length he may appear for our greater comfort the Lord waiteth that he may be gracious and that our mercies may be full compleat and stable 6. To learn us that hard lesson of submission and that we may not dare to limit and prescribe to the Lord that we may patiently wait and look up to him untill he show us his loving kindness to make us examples to others of patience dependence and self-denial c. I have not insisted on these particulars because many of them or such like are more fully handled and applied to a more (k) Viz. both to this and that which followeth chap. 2. general case by the judicious Mr. Gee in his elaborat Treatise concerning prayer-obstruction Chap. 4. But what hath bee said may suffice for convincing us of our impatience folly and ingratitude to our kind God who waits that he may be gracious to us and who will not with-hold our desires when these are not contrary to his glory the good of his people and our own comfort and happiness CHAP. II. When and whose prayer will the Lord not hear nor answer WE will 1. speak of this question as it concerneth the Saints 2. as it concerneth the wicked Sect. 1. When will the Lord not hear his children and servants and what are these sins that will obstruct and hinder the success of their prayers Psal 66.18 If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear me VVE may speak of the Saints prayers either for privat and personal mercies or for publick mercies to the Church and incorporation of believers but as to the present case we need not insist on this distinction but in reference to both sort of prayers we may generally answer with the Psalmist Psa 66.18 if we regard iniquity in our heart the Lord will not accept or answer any of our prayers either for our selves or others See Part. 2. Chap. 1. But it may be askt what are those sins which in a special manner do obstruct and hinder the success of our prayers Ans Albeit we condemn the stoical dream concerning the equality of sins it being evident from the Word of truth and sound reason that there is a great difference between sins and sins some being much more hainous and grievous then others both in respect of the act object manner of performance and many aggravating
viz. the abuse of Gods mercy by making that which is the only rock of safety to which the ship-broken passenger should run for his life a stone of ruine and destruction against which they dash their brains as if a man were so foolish as to imagine a bridge to be broader then it is and in this delusion step aside the bridge would not keep him from drowning so while deluded sinners extend the mercy of God beyond the bounds he hath set in his Word and thus in their presumption step aside to their own crooked wayes the mercy of God will not keep them from falling head-long into the pit of destruction To continue in sin saith (d) Peccare de Dei creatoris clementia praesuâ— mere pelago justitiae ejus exponi est Greg loc prius cit Gregory and yet to presume of the mercy of God is to cast our selves into the sea of his justice and displeasure The Lord ere it be long will vindicat his mercy from such a base abuse to the everlasting confusion and astonishment of presumptuous sinners But we may not insist only to our purpose let such remember that this delusion is a black mark of a never-do-well and therefore doth the Apostle abominat it with so much indignation shall we continue in sin that geace may abound God forbid Rom. 6.1 2. and then by several arguments showeth that a child of God will not cannot make such an inference And the Apostle Iude speaking of some who were of old ordained to condemnation describeth them by this that they turned the grace of God into lasciviousness ver 4. O! would you then escape damnation beware least ye be hold to sin because God is slow to anger and least ye add to your iniquities because the Lord is gracious and abundant in goodness and that ye delay not your repentance because he is long-suffering and patient And if thou must needs tempt God first take a tryal in thy body or outward estate before thou hazard thy immortal soul and everlasting portion go and waste thy estate and provision and see whether the mercy of God will keep thee from begging and put thy finger in the fire and try whether the mercy of God will keep thee from burning but if thou wilt not trust the mercy of God while thou slightest the means he hath appointed as to these inferiour ends and yet wilt misspend this day of the Gospel and slight the ordinances of life which are thy portion and allowance and the talents wherewith thou shouldest trade for eternity and yet think it will be well with thee hereafter if thou wilt cast thy soul into the fire of sin and yet think to escape the burning and torments of hell profess what thou wilt it is not thy confidence in God but thy negligence and want of care for thy soul that makes thee despise the means of grace and slight thy duty and thy body estate and perishing life is thy idol for which thou takest more thought then for thy soul and eternal happiness 9. Earthly-minded covetous worldlings are lying under the serpents curse which hardly or never will be removed Mark 10.23 Gen. 3.14 First they go upon their belly and cannot stand streight nor look up-ward their heart cleaveth to the earth and they cannot (e) Colos 3.2 set their affections on things above they only (f) Phil. 3.19 minde earthly things and spend all their (g) Joh. 6.27 labour for the meat that perisheth 2. Dust is their portion and food they slight the childrens bread and undervalue the (h) Rev. 2.17 hidden manna and with the swine of the world live upon the (i) Luk. 15.16 husks and yet those miserable wretches will not want fair pretences and plea's we must will such say live and provide for our families the times are evil and we know not what may fall out and all we can purchase may be little enough what should we be idle may we not follow our calling and watch on our business c. But thinkest thou O worldling this to be a sufficient plea for making the world thy idol and for neglecting the one thing necessary Knowest thou not that the love of money is the (k) See the testimonies of heathens concerning which the Apostle apud Reusner symb imp clas 2. symb 36. root of all evil 1 Tim. 6.10 and that he who will be rich rather rich in wealth then in grace for himself rather then towards God Luke 12.21 fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and hurtfull lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition and pierce them thorow with many sorrows v. 9.10 and is not Christs verdict of such very terrible It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle then for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God Mat. 19.23 24. Ah! this devil of earthly-mindedness hath destroyed many thousand souls it so filleth the heart that there is no room left for the Word of God to enter in but it choaketh the Word at the very entry and makes it become unfruitfull Mat. 13.22 this was it that hindred that people from profiting under Ezekiels ministry Ezek. 33 and this is the great obstructer of the Gospel wherever it is preach'd They come unto thee saith the Lord to the Prophet and sit before thee as my people and with their mouth show much love and they hear thy words but they will not do nor obey them for their heart goeth after their covetousness v. 31. Hence the Apostle must weep when he thinks on covetous wretches Phil. 3.18 but what alleth thee O Paul thus to bewail such wealthy well-guiding and thriving men Ah! saith the Apostle whatever be their portion of the world and whatever be the estimation of the wicked who will be ready to bless the covetous whom the Lord abhorreth Ps 10.3 yet they are most despicable and miserable creatures for their glory is their (l) Pronunciat Apostolus gloriam qua nunc sunt inflati ignominia mutatum iri Calv. in loc shame and their end destruction v. 19. and as for their religion profess what they will they are the grossest idolaters Eph. 5.5 their belly being their god Phil. 3 19. Ah! ill and un-wise merchants who sell heaven for earth and your soul and the immortal crown for an empty and perishing trifle how hath the world thus be-fooled and (m) Gal. 3.1 quasi praestigiis quibusdam dementes facti Beza in loc Quadam veluti magna incantatione Calvin in loc with sorceries Hammond ibid. bewitched you 10. There is little hope of mockers of piety haters of God and of his servants and who are ready to revile and tear their faithfull monitors and reprovers I joyn these because usually they go hand in hand for hatred of holiness as it floweth from enimity against God So it will beget enimity against his children and servants and a cursed impatience and rage
off from closing with and seeking after the Lord while indeed they should drive thee in to him and make thee forsake and turn from the evil of thy doings But will the Lord suffer infatuated sinners thus to mock his holy Majesty and to pervert and abuse those divine excellencies and to encourage themselves from thence to continue in their wickedness and rebellion against him and were it not a righteous thing with him to send such fools to hell to learn wisdom there that they might become better divines then to bring from heaven a cloak pretence or encouragement to sin for as sinners in hell know better the evil and parentage of sin So they are more sensible of their own folly and since at length they have taken themselves to Gods justice and severity were it not fit to make them find the power of his justice and wrath unto all eternity But 2. if thou be indeed awakened and to purpose pricked in heart and askest what must I do is there no remedy I would counsel thee to humble thy self before the Lord and to cry mightily for a broken and contrit spirit thy case is most sad and dangerous and thou must not expect to go through without trouble and difficulty the imposthume is inveterat and therefore thou must suffer the lancet to go the deeper what ever course the Lord take with others who have not so grieved and dishonoured him and though he draw them in with a word of love and softly open their heart as he did Lydias Act. 16.14 yet if ever thou be born again its likely to be by sore labour and travail all who are about thee will hear thee cry out of the pangs of thy new birth and the deeper the foundation be cast the building will be the surer and stronger and the more sick thou art thou wilt be the welcomer to the Physitian For 3. albeit thy case be so dangerous yet it is not altogether desperat and therefore thou mayst seek after a remedy and must seek the more diligently general threatenings though most peremptory and irrevocable as it would appear by the maner of expression yet leave room to the free grace and mercy of God to pity whom he will it s his royal prerogative to scrape out whose name he pleaseth out of the black roll of judgments either spiritual or temporal and that he may magnifie the riches of his free grace he will sometimes lay hold on the worst of sinners on Manasseh Paul the Theef Rahab Mary Magdalene c. We needed not have named these or any such in stances for these are well known to such as know little more of the Scriptures and it were good for them that they either knew more or that they knew not so much since they make that knowledge a wofull snare to themselves for what should be an encouragment and open a door of hope to penitent sinners to turn from their evil wayes to the living God they make a ground and encouragment to continue in their sins to delay their repentance and turn their back on God To thee then and for thy use O mourning penitent and disconsolat one are those examples and as it were miracles of mercy recorded in the Word that thou shouldst not dispair but lay hold on the sure word of promise and invitation come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest Mat. 11.28 whosoever will let him take c. Rev. 22.17 c. Is not that a sweet and full Word is there not room enough there for to receive thee is not that a plaister fitted for thy sore is not that Word large and comprehensive both as to persons their condition and exigence and as to the circumstance of time O do not then say ah that it had come a little sooner before the day of grace was past it s too late for me now to lay hold on mercy when the doors are shut and lockt by an irrevocable threatening for the day of grace is never so far spent to any sincere penitent but he hath day-light enough to let him see home and the door of mercy alwayes stands open to such and they shall have no reason to complain that they came too late and could find no entry The promises of the Gospel know no other term but what time soever a sinner doth repent when I say unto the wicked thou shalt surely dye if he turn from his sin he shall surely live and not dye Ezek. 33.14 15. Ezek. 18.27 At what instant I shall speak cencerning a nation or kingdom and why not also concerning a person or family to pluck up and to pull down and destroy it if it turn from its evil wayes then I will repent of the evil I thought to do unto them Jer. 18.7 8. let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon Isa 55.7 But you will say I saw in these characters my name written in such legible letters that he who runs might have read my case and condition was so set out to the life that no place was left for shifts and evasions I know my self to be included in one or moe of those cursed ranks and is it possible for me to escape that dreadfull sentence pronounced against me by the mouth of him who is truth it self Ans But may not the Lord give the occasion with Paul to say I who was before a blasphemer persecuter and miscrable wretch have now obtained mercy 1 Tim. 1.13 see Eph. 2.2 3.4 Tit. 3.3 c. What or who can hinder the infinit bowels of mercy from embracing thee There is no threatening so peremptory as to bind up Gods hands that he may not pity and shew mercy to whom he will nor receive a sincere penitent Ezek. 33.14 c. And as to those characters they hold forth as we said grounds of fear and far more then a probable conjecture concerning the finall state and eternal portion of such as did come under them but are not infallible rules nor a sufficient warrant for us to pass a peremptory sâ—ntence against our selves or others in reference to the decree of reprobation we are exhorted to give all diligence to make our election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 but we are no where commanded to make our damnation sure there be in the Scriptures infallible marks of the one but not of the other the one is a duty and our sweet priviledge but the other is left to be manifested by that finall sentence after death and at the day of judgment depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire Mat. 25.41 4. Then art thou convinced and humbled is sin imbittered unto thee and darst thou sin no more seest thou thy need of a Physitian and is Christ precious in thine eyes c. this is a good evidence that the
nor purpose to give nor his love and fatherly affection toward us can hinder the Lord from saying to us in reference to all our mercies what he said to his ancient people Ezek. 36.37 concerning the mercies there promised I will yet for this be enquired of by my people to do it for them It is true the Lord often (c) We heard the Jesuit Tolet confessing that the prime and principal mercies both in nature and grace are previous to our asking part 1. chap. 8. pag. 317. with whom Salmeron joyneth tom 5. in evang tract 45. in haec verba scit enim pater vester quid opus sit vobis antequam petatis prevents us with his mercies Isa 65.24 but not to take us off but the more to engage and encourage us to pray and praise him As to the place Joh. 16.26 27. Christ doth not there deny that he will pray for them that being contrary both to his promise and practice but he would there lead his disciples in to the fountain and principal cause of all their mercies viz. the eternal love and free grace of God which did put a difference between them and others from which fountain through his blood all our mercies do stow so that not only our weak and imperfect prayers but also his most effectual and powerfull intercession is but a mean for obtaining and conveighing to us those mercies which our gracious Father of his meer good pleasure and love in Christ Jesus hath appointed and prepared for us from all eternity as we have shown at length and vindicated this place Part 1. Chap. 5. Sect. 1. Pag. 68. Christs scope there is not to exclude his intercession but to prefer the Fathers love and his death and to prevent that mistake that is incident to mourning sinners ah think they Christ is mercifull and tender-hearted toward sinners else he would not have shed his precious blood for them but we are afraid lest God prove a consuming fire to us and pursue us with his justice O but saith our blessed Lord I would not have you even after your eyes are opened to see my love in laying down my life for you and going to heaven to prepare a place and to intercede for you so to look on my death and intercession and my kindness toward you thus sealed and manifested by such convincing demonstrations as to exclude the father and to imagine that he hated you and were unwilling to do you good for saith he the father himself loveth you And though I did not intercede for you yet having elected you to obtain salvation through my blood he would show mercy on you no less then on your forefathers who had not the benefit of my intercession the love of the Father is the first fountain of all our mercies for though we were elected in Christ yet the free love of God who is Father Son and holy Ghost in order did preceed every thing that can fall under the notion and consideration of a mean hence it s said that God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son c. Joh 3.16 1 Joh. 4.9 10. And now we may (d) It s observable that all the objections here may be as we have shown made use of as so many arguments and motives to encourage us in going about this duty where can we then look and not see some one or other motive and encouragment since all that can be alledged by devils or men against this work may serve as a mean to stir us up to the diligent performance of it retort this and the preceeding objection which are so far from holding forth a discharge from and discouragment to pray that in both we have a notable encouragment and engagement to this duty ah what can more sweetly and strongly draw a poor indigent sinner to the rich treasure then the cords of the free promises and where is there such a cordial for a fainting soul that dare not look up to the throne of grace as the consideration of Gods mercy and fatherly love toward us in Christ and what madness must it then be to make these become a heavy burden and so many weights to press us down while we would lift up our hearts to the Lord and to make those healing medicines become deadly poyson to us Ah! had not the Lord prevented us with his free love and gracious promises in Christ what warrant had we more nor devils to draw nigh to God but now having such a loving Father such gracious Promises and so great a Mediator and Advocat we may come with boldness unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need Eph. 3.11 12. Eph. 1.13 Act. 26.6 7. 1 Joh. 3.1 and 4.10.2 2 Cor. 7.1 Heb. 4.16 c. As to the question whether we intended by our prayers to move God its commonly answered and but briefly and in a word that prayer works a change in us but not in God who of himself is willing to give if we were ready to receive he (e) Isa 30.18 waits only that he may be gracious and (f) 1 Chron. 4.10 bless us indeed and prayer enlargeth the heart and those pleas and arguments we use in prayer do serve to strengthen our faith and to beget such a holy humble and confident frame of spirit as the promise of audience doth require and which will be ready to receive mercie aright and to improve them to the honour of the Giver and thus prayer is that rope whereby as the Jesuit g Salmeron from the supposed Dionysius saith we pull our vessel to the rock (q) We do the rather take notice of this allusion as being owned by a Jesuit who otherwise teacheth according to the principles of of the pelagian School that God will concursus scil in actu primo seu voluntas qua Deus statuit cum causis secundis concurrere c is determinable by the will of the creature to this or that act Est ergo inquit oratio que madmodum magnus ait Dionysius de div nominib cap. 3. veluti catena aurea è caelo demissa per quam qui ascendunt videntur quidem cattnam ad se trahere sed revera ipsi potius ab ea trahuntur in caelum dum precamur Deum ' non ipse sit aptior paratior ad nos audiendos sed nos capiendis illius beneficiis preparatiores Salm. in evang tom 5 tract 45. prope finem vid etiam Toletum in Joan. cap. 16.26 27. but not the rock to us But albeit upon the matter this be a truth yet not a satisfactory answer to the question for clearing of which we would offer these few considerations 1. it cannot be denyed that as the exercise of every grace is a mean for the growth and strengthening of it and quickning the heart for for a communion with God So in a speciall manner that spiritual and