wonders yet many carnall atheisticall spirits say this was an accidentall thing and the policie of such men brought it to passe they attribute all to naturall causes it is a sign of a wretched profane heart For if God ever magnified prayer he hath done it in these dayes There are 2 or 3 Scriptures that since the world began were never more magnified then by Gods working at this day One is in Exodus 13. In the thing wherein they dealt proudly God was above them Never since the world began was that more fulfilled A second is that in the 10. Psalme The wicked are snared in the work of their own hands If ever there were a fulfilling of that Scripture since the beginning of the world it is at this day A third is this in the text I said not to the seed of Jacob seek ye my face in vain God as I said hath raised a spirit of prayer among the seed of Jacob more then ever any in the world knew there was never the like spirit of prayer raised nor never the like things done for prayer And the Lord the rather honoured the ordinance of prayer now because men so dishonoured it before and persecuted it that the people of God could not meet and assemble to fast and pray but presently it was a conventicle and they were persecuted as factious people Because God saw this way despised he hath honoured it and the former and the latter mercies that we have received we are to attribute to the goodnesse of God by prayer they were obtained by prayer Let us still be incouraged to seek God for what we would have for God hath said it is not in vain to seek his face There are many of us now that can do little else if God have delivered you from sicknesse and other evils know that God hath delivered you to pray the lesse you can do otherwise the more you should do in prayer I have read of a heathen Numa Pompylius that he would never go about any thing but he would go to the temple and pray you that are instruments intrusted with our lives and liberties you had need to pray much go into your closets and sanctifie all your thoughts and resolutions by prayer that your help and assistance may not be in vain to us And all others had neeâ— to assist you in seeking God in prayer This incouragement we have that there is not any of us that seek God alone but we joyn with thousands why should our place be found empty why should not our prayers joyn with the rest We shall meet many prayers in heaven the prayers of our forefathers the prayers of those that are dead and gone that did not live to enjoy the fruit of their prayers yet when we pray for mercies our prayers meet with theirs in heaven therefore let us be incouraged to seek the Lord. And if mercies should come what a daunting would this be to our hearts that mercies are come but we have not sought them and if mercies come not conscience wil flie in our face that we have been sensuall carnall creatures it is for our neglect of seeking God that God hath denyed us the mercies that we expected And then it should be a use of rebuke to those that begin to seek God and continue not O wretch why hast thou left whether wilt thou go Is it in vain to seeve the Lord certainly thou wert never acquainted with God and his wayes thou wilt find it a dreadfull change when it shall appear that thou hast left God the fountain of living water and hast sought after vanity forsaken thine own mercy But the main of all should have been for the applying of it to the present occasion The Lord hath made good his word this day that he hath not said seek ye me in vain This day testifies it to be true that they are great things that prayer hath done I have heard many years ago by credible testimony that on this fifth of November when we had such a great mercy so many years ago that very day it was known that a great many godly people in the city kept it in fasting and prayer so as it was eminently known and delivered from hand to hand of them in the city at that time and you know what God did But what hath he done of late If our fathers should rise out of their graves and we should tell them that now the high commission that they were so troubled with is down that there shall be no more star-chamber that cutting off of ears is gone they would wonder how this should come to passe And whereas Parliaments were wont to be snapped in sunder that this Parliament is to continue by as firm an Act as any thing in the land is made by And for oppressours all the Courts and Bishops Chanceries they are down and gone God hath extirpated them they were first cast out of the house and now out of the kingdome And though an army did rise and seek to bring us into slavery yet God hath given us victory though some have suffered hardly and brought the adversaries very low to surrender their towns and castles and arms And here we are to rejoyce in God and to blesse him for all If many of our ancestours should rise and heare what we speak how we hold up our hands and blesse God with what hearts would they joyn in the praising of God and wonder that ever such things should be done Let not the grace of God be in vain as God hath not said to us seek my face in vain What use shall we make of it Let us give him reall praise and not onely come to repeat it and tell God of it but make his praise glorious put a glory on it and then we do it when we make a right use of his mercies when we receive not his mercies in vain What is it to make use of the memoriall we celebrate First the remembrance of these mercies must humble us that is a sweet humbling it is better to be melted by the beams of the Sunne then by the scorching of the fire You will say humbled for what There are three things that we have cause to be humbled for upon the consideration of the mercy of God towards us First the sinne of unbelief consider when we were straitned at any time when we heard ill news that our armies fled and came to danger how our spirits were down as if all were gone Let us check our hearts God rebuked us in a kindly manner we might have had a furious rebuke Secondly be humbled for all our murmuring and repining and discontent O we did not think that the warres would have held so long and O what taxations are upon us and all our estates are rent away And how many are there that had rather that all the good that God hath done for his people since these times should never have been done then
we provoke not God now but attend upon the word more then ever we did Lastly doth God say to us we shall not seek him in vain Let not God call to us in vain If when we seek God our seeking is not in vain then when God seeks us let it not be in vain There is all the reason for it in the world If God be so gracious to poor base worms sinfull creatures that if we do but chatter our prayers are not in vain is it not reason when God calls that he should not call in vain When God calls out of his word to perform such and such duties God seeks thee then make use of this text I have called upon God and I never called in vain and now I go to heare the word and out of the word he calls me and seeks me let him not seek in vain but say Lord what sayest thou to thy servant The Lord is ready to heare your cry be you ready to heare his and go on go on with incouragement the Lord hath incouraged us this day And let all your prayers and indeavours break through all difficulties and the Lords mercy shall break through all oppositions for he hath not said to the seed of Jacob Seek ye me in vain Psalme 16.3 But to the Saints that are in the earth and to the excellent in whom is all my delight IN the beginning of this Psalme David prayes to God for preservation and for deliverancc out of some great evil that it seems was upon him or that he was in danger of The argument that he useth is First his trust in God In thee do I put my trust And it was not an ungrounded and unwarranted trust but that which proceeded from his interest he had in God O my soul thou hast said unto the Lord thou art my Lord thou art mine But what if David should now perish in his distresse should God be any looser by it David seems to acknowledge this that though he should not be preserved yet God was bound to preserve his own name and his own cause my goodnesse extendeth not to thee Though I should live yet it is little that I could do for thee But to the saints that are in the earth Though my goodnesse extend not to thee yet I may be usefull to thy people unto thy Saints while I live it extends to them and they are they that my soul closeth with O I desire to live and to be preserved that I may be of use to them It is a great argument to prevail with God when any of you are in danger and seek for preservation if your hearts work thus to God that the desire you have to be preserved is that whatever you are and what ever you can do may extend to the Saints that you may live to be of use and service in the world to Gods people Many of you when you apprehend your selves to be in danger you cry to God to be preserved but to what end wherefore would you be preserved wherefore would you live If we may judge of your ends according to your practise you would live that you may have more time to satisfie your lusts that you may have more time to dishonour God that you may have more time to do mischief in the places where you live There is this in the heart and God sees it God sees whatsoever will be after in your lives God sees before what was in your hearts when you cryed to be preserved But now one that is gracious he desires therefore to be preserved O that I might live to be of use in the place where God hath set me If God should take me away now my conscience tells me that it is little service that I have done for him I have been of little use in the place where God hath set me O that I might be preserved for this end that what I am or have might extend to the Saints in earth even the excellent in whom is all my delight Thus you have the scope of the words and the dependance of them And in them there are these two things First the high esteem of the Saints they are the excellent of the earth And secondly the sweet delight that Davids heart had in them in whom is all my delight For the first the high esteem that David had of the Saints and that Saints that were on earth the excellent The point is this that The Saints of God those that are godly are the excellent in the earth Then secondly from this that he saith in whom is all my delight Observe this that A gracious heart takes the most contentment in the Saints of God he is much delighted in them The first is but a preparation to the second therefore I shall passe it over briefly They are the excellent in the earth therefore my delight is in them They are the excellent in the earth Let them be what they will in regard of their outward meanness yet there is an excellency in them Job scraping upon the dunghill and Jeremy sticking in the mire in the dungeon yet they had more glory and beauty upon them then the great ones of the earth when they sate upon their thrones Though they lie among the pots as the Psalmist saith yet are they as Doves their wings are the wings of Doves whose feathers are of gold and silver Psal 77.13 beautifull and glorious You know the judgement that the holy Ghost passeth upon the Saints in old time that were outwardly mean enough there was as much meanness on them as the malice of the world could put the text saith they had tryalls of mockings of scourgings of bonds and imprisonments they were sawen assunder they were tempted they wandred in sheepskin and goats skins destitute aflicted tormented What kind of creatures were these surely they were some wretched men and women that were thus hunted up and down to wander in sheeps-skins and goats-skins destitute afflicted and tormented No such matter they were sâ—ch of whom the world was not worthy v. 38. that is the judgement of the holy Ghost upon such the world was not worthy of them The men of the world would have thought did think that they were such as were not worthy to live in the world but the judgement of the holy Ghost was such that the world was not worthy of them I remember Chrysostome hath this interpretation of the phrase they are such as are worth more then all the world more then many thousands of the world one of them is worth more then all the men of the world besides It is a truth so one Saint of God though never so mean one poor youth one servant that is truly gracious is worth more then all the men of the world besides that are not so All the Monarchs and Princes on earth have not that excellency in them that one poor child or servant hath that is gracious But the ordinary interpretation
polititians work never so craftily though Gods hand be on us and we have conscience accusing us and say I this is for your sins that God leaves you thus in the hands of your enemies that God gives them such power that they find such favour with the Prince as they do though this be for our sinnes yet let us seek to God to turn the counsell of Achitophel to folly It shall not be nor hath not been in vain we have found it so that in our affliction and affliction for sin yet crying to God to turn the counsell of Achitophel to folly God hath done so graciously and hath incouraged us more and more to cry unto him for that end But what need I seek to God God hath decreed and determined what he will do what God intends to do he hath decreed from eternity therefore whether we pray or not it shall come to passe if we do not pray it shall come to passe If God have intended to deliver me out of a sicknesse it shall be done whether I pray or no and when any ones time is come they shall die and so when the time of a Kingdome is come it shall be destroyed and not till then therefore what good can prayer do Though I suppose you cannot but be satisfied and think that this objection hath little weight yet for answer I will give you a Scripture or two Psalm 2. I will declare the decree The decree of God concerning the advancement of Christ in his resurrection and so of the successe of the work of Christs mediation I will declare the decree the Lord hath said thou art my son this day have I begotten thee Ask of me and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession Gods giving of Christ the heathen for his inheritance and the utmost parts of the earth for his possession it was decreed of God yet Christ must ask it of his Father notwithstanding Gods decree And another text remarkable is in the prophesie of Daniel where the text saith Dan. 9.2 In the first yeare of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years whereof the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the Prophet that he would accomplish 70. years in the desolation of Jerusalem And I set my face unto the Lord God to seek by prayer and supplications Mark Daniel understood by books what God had determined concerning Jerusalem what need Daniel go further he knew Gods mind what he would do whether he did pray or no but mark vers 3. I set my face to seek the Lord. After he knew what God had decreed and what he would do and what he had promised Now we know not Gods decree but if we did certainly know the decree of God in shewing mercy to the Land yet it could no way hinder us but encourage us to set our faces to seek the Lord and to seek him more earnestly therefore that is a vain objection Again it is not in vain to seek the Lord if we examine all we have had already though we have not all we would have yet if we consider the supporting mercies the preventing mercies and the guiding mercies that God hath granted us we shall find that it is not in vain that we have sought him There are abundance of mercies that thou hast had already It is an evil thing to complain of Gods grace when God hath bestowed such mercies thou thinkest thou hast nothing because thou hast not all thou wouldest have as a froward child because it hath not every thing to its mind casts away all God hath been exceeding gracious to us other souls would have adored God and have blessed him with their faces to the ground if they had had but the hundreth part of those mercies that we have yet because we have not all we desire we are ready to think it is in vain O let us take heed of dishonouring the grace of God Again further thou thinkest it is in vain because God sometimes denies in granting and grants in denying Many times God grants that we pray for in denying it and denies that we pray for in granting it our denyals are grants to us Wo to us if all were granted to us that we pray for Much good may be gotten out of Gods denyalls and God denyes us to do us good and to prepare us for mercies therefore it is not in vain that thou hast sought God because it is not in vain that thou art denyed But further it may be God delights more in thy praying then in thy praising voice therefore though thou have not that thou hast sought for give leave to God to delight in thee which way he pleaseth There is the praying and the praising voice of Gods people thou delightest that God should hear thy praising voice it may be God delights to hear thy praying voice and is may he should not if thou haddest what thou wouldest have Saith God to the Church Let me hear thy voice for it is sweet There is no man that will think the King denies his petition as long as thâ— King loves to reade it If one present a petition to the King he doth not say he will presently do it but if he reade it and when he hath read it calls for it again and again will any man think it in vain that he hath put up that petition as long as the King hears it and delights to reade it it is not in vain So as long as God loves to heare thy voice and to reade thy petition it is not in vain As for thy praising voice God shall have enough of that in heaven but he shall have none of thy praying voice therefore why shouldest thou not be willing that God should have more of thy praying voice here All that ever God shall have of thy praying voice it is in this world and after a little time God shall never heare us pray more Therefore let us be willing to go on and continue in prayer and not to wonder why God keeps us on in a way of praying because all the time that ever God shall have to delight himself in the praying voice of his people it is in this world and for our praising voice we would fain spend all our dayes in praising God for his mercies but that is reserved for another world Further it may be Gods way to stay till he bring a great deal of mercy together and not by bitts and drops As when men deal with great merchants they expect not to have payments by six pences or shillings or Crowns at once but though there be two or three or ten pounds due they stand not on that but stay for a greater summe Now little traders that deal by retail they take it in by pence and little summes Christians that are to deal with God they deal for great things and there are great transactions between God and
JACOBS SEED Or The Generation of Seekers And DAVIDS DELIGHT Or The excellent on earth By The late reverend preacher of the Gospel JEREMIAH BURROUGH Psal 27.8 When thou saidst Seek ye my face my heart said unto thee Thy face Lord will I seek Prov. 12.26 The righteous is more excellent then his neighbour Printed by Roger Daniel Printer to the Universitie of Cambridge 1643. To the Reader Christian Reader THou art presented here with a small Treatise of this reverend authour deceased who by his worthy works as Abel by his faith being dead yet speaketh Heb. 11.4 The work is but of small bulk yet hath many excellent truths contained in it concerning two of as necessary duties as fall within the compasse of a Christians course The seeking of Gods face a thing so needfull in these troublesome dayes and yet so generally neglected As also concerning the excellency in and the high esteem that true saints have of their fellow-saints which is so rare to find in these disjoynted and divided times The work had come abroad ere this had not the private ends of some been an obstacle in the way I am confident that of all the works of this worthy authour that have been published since his death there is none can so justly challenge him for the father as this both for matter and form as any one that used to heare him may perceive The former part of this work was delivered by him in two severall Sermons though now thought convenient to be joyned as one The former before the Right Honourable the Earl of Warwick in his own house The latter at Cree-church in London upon Novemb. 5. the annuall commemoration of our deliverance from the Gunpowder-plot it happening also to be a day of publick humiliation The last was preached in another church in London Accept the work then with the same candour as it is intended there and that thou mayest be furthered in holy walking by it is the desire of Thy Christian friend ¶ The contents of the ensuing Treatise The first part on ISAIAH 65.19 THe scope of the words page 1 Why the people of God are called the seed of Jacob page 2 The words opened page 5 Doctrine When God requires a people to seek him he will make it good to them that it shall not be in vain page 7 I. Evidences that it is not in vain to seek God 1. The great things recorded of prayer page 10 2. What the Saints have gotten by prayer page 11 3. No faithfull seeker of God will leave off ibid. 4. Wicked men seek him not in vain page 12 5. Godly men have given up themselves to it page 14 6. Godly men prize the prayers of others page 15 7. God is found of them that sought him not ibid. 8. God forbids prayer when he will shew no mercy page 16 9. Else a praying heart were not alwayes a mercy ibid. II What great things prayer doth 1. It is the right exercise of our faculties and graces page 17 2. It is the performance of our duty is creatures page 17 3. It is a tendring of homage and worship to God page 18 4. It shews we are on Gods side ibid. 5. God accepts every faithfull prayer ibid. 6. God grants every faithfull petition page 21 III. Wherein the efficacy of prayer lieth 1. God takes pleasure in doing good page 25 2. God hath made a covenant with his page 26 3. Prayer is Gods own work page 32 4. Right prayer seeks God for God page 33 5. It is part of Christs purchase page 34 6. Christ tenders them up to his Father page 35 7. God is a God hearing prayer page 36 8. It is a pouring out the spirit to God ibid. 9. The seed of Jacob are dear to God page 37 10. It is for Gods honour to heare his people page 38 IV. Objections against prayer answered Object 1. We have prayed and find not the issue page 39 Answ 1. Remember the times of old ibid. 2. God makes good his promise on believing page 43 3. God is great and we must wait page 44 4. We must seek God in prayer page 46 5. God answereth not vain prayers page 47 What makes prayers vain page 50 Object 2. It is in vain to pray page 54 Ans God heareth the seed of Jacob ibid. 1. Jacob was mighty in prayer page 56 2. He feared God ibid. 3. His heart was loose from the creature page 57 4. He was of a tender spirit page 58 5. He repaired to the covenant in his streights page 59 6. He was of an humble spirit page 60 7. He looked to his former condition ibid. 8. He was content with God alone page 61 9. Jacobs posterity were all of the Church page 63 10. Those of Jacobs seed have his inheritance page 68 11. Those of Jacobs seed are faithfull in their place page 70 12. They are taught of God page 71 13. They are carefull of their families ibid. 14. They are carefull of the Churches good when they be gone page 72 Object 3. I am a poore wretched creature page 73 Ans God hears the prayer of the destitute ibid. Object 4. The things we need are great page 74 Ans Not to great for God to give ibid. Object 5. But I pray in the time of affliction page 75 Ans Yet God will heare prayer ibid. Object 6. But my afflictions are for sinne page 76 Ans Yet God will heare prayer ibid. Object 7. But God hath determined what he will do page 77 Ans Yet God must be sought by prayer ibid. It is not in vain to pray 1. Because we have had many mercies already page 79 2. God denyes in granting grants in denying page 80 3. God delights in a praying as a praysing voice page 81 4. God stayes to bring a great deal together page 82 5. Our vessels are not sometimes capable page 83 Application 1. There are great things that God will do for the Church in these latter dayes page 84 2. The honour of those that are the seed of Jacob ib. 3. It is a great priviledge to have a praying friend page 86 4. To set the crown on prayers head in the mercies we have from God page 88 5. Reproof to those that begin to seek God and continue not page 92 What God hath done of late and the use of it page 93 1. To be humbled page 95 1. For our unbelief ibid. 2. For our murmuring ibid. 3. For being discouraged in Gods wayes page 96 2. To love prayer page 97 3. To be resolute in Gods cause page 99 4. To give God reall praise page 100 5. Not to let God call on us in vain page 102 The second part on PSAL. 16.3 The scope and dependance of the words page 105 Doctrine 1. The saints of God are the excellent in earth page 108 The doctrine opened page 109 They are excellent 1. Because they have holinesse the image of God page 111 Grace expressed in Scripture by
though the performance of this duty was exceeding hazzardable to Daniel yet he would not be deterred from it but every light trifle taketh off our hearts Again it is not in vain for the seed of Jacob to seek the Lord for it is not in vain for wicked men to seek him though they are not able to seek God as they oughâ— The prayer of the wicked is abominable Prov. 15.8 That is not to be understood of the prayer of every man that is unregenerate wickednesse is not so to be taken in that place For we know that God hath regarded the prayers of men unregenerate The prayers and fasting of Niniveh were regarded of God the prayer and fasting of Ahab was regarded of God God hath granted the wicked some mercies he hath looked on them as his creatures Though God seeth enough in their prayers to cast them off yet God hath manifested his regard to them Therefore if it be not in vain for the wicked to seek the Lord much lesse is it in vain for the seed of Jacob to seek him Yea the Lord heareth the cry of the very Ravens and the beasts Psalme 147.9 and Psalme 104.21 27 28. Therefore the people of Niniveh would have the beasts eat nothing that they might cry unto God Jonah 3.7 8. Surely if the brute beasts and the fouls be heard when they cry it is not in vain for the Seed of Jacob to seek God Again it is evident that it is not in vain because the people of God that have been wise and have conversed with God and have known much of the mind of God have given up themselves and all their strength to this duty Now it were a weak part and an idle thing for any one to give up his strength and all his might to that which were vanity and whereby there is no great thing to be obtained It is said of Jehoshaphat 2. Chron. 20.3 that he feared and set himself to seek the Lord. It is translated composuit faciem suam he set his face he gave himself up fully to seek the Lord. They know what they do that give up themselves wholly to seek God Indeed carnall hearts condemn the people of God because they see them so earnest in those things that they think to be vain For it argueth weaknesse in any man to give up himself with all his strength to things that are vanity and have no strength in them Therefore because carnall men look upon the way of Religion as a thing that hath no end they think it foolish for men to be so earnest to give up their strength and their whole souls for it But the Saints of God know what they do when they give themselves up to seek the Lord they know it is not in vain Again this is an evidence that there is much advantage by prayer because men that were wise and holy have so prized the prayers of the Saints and made such high account of them Mark the expression of the Apostle writing to the Saints for their prayers Rom. 15.30 Now I beseech you brethren for the Lord Jesus Christs sake and for the love of the Spirit that you strive together in prayer with me in your hearts to God for me The Apostle Paul so great a man and one that had a mighty spirit in prayer writing to private Christians in the Church of Rome he beseecheth them for the Lords sake and for the love of the Spirit that they strive in prayer for him He knew that there was much to be had this way Yea further God is found of them that sought him not Isaiah 65.1 then surely it is not in vain for the seed of Jacob to seek him yea yet further God when he intends to shew no mercy giveth a streight charge to his people not to pray or he shutteth up their hearts that they are not able to pray This is an argument that prayer is prevalent because when God will not shew mercy he would not have such a precious thing lost and spent in vain Lastly it is not in vain because if it should then a praying heart were not alway a mercy from God but certainly it is Therefore though perhaps you cannot find the thing granted that you pray for yet to have a continuall praying heart know that it is a great mercy from God And those that are spirituall prize more the continuance of a praying heart many times then the granting of the thing they pray for All these put together are full evidences that it is not in vain to seek the Lord. There be many other evidences which I passe by on purpose that I may have as much time as may be for application But now wherein doth it appear that it is not in vain to seek the Lord what doth prayer do First it is not in vain to seek God if there were nothing else in prayer but the right exercise of the faculties of our souls and of our graces this alone were worth our time The graces of our souls must be exercised about somewhat Now prayer serveth for the exercise of all graces Secondly it is not in vain if it were nothing but the performance of our duty as creatures to God There are many people that are weary of prayer because they have not that by it that they expect But know that there are two arguments to prayer the performance of duty and the obtaining of mercy If there were but onely the former that alone should suffice to keep thee praying as long as thou livest Thirdly it were not in vain if it were nothing but the tendering that homage and worship that we ow to God Prayer is not onely a duty but a great part of the worship that God hath in the world While we are worshiping of God it is worth the time Again it is not in vain if there were nothing but this that we come and shew what side we are of that we joyn and side with God against his adversaries and for his people But these are not the things here intended Further it is not in vain because there is no faithfull prayer that ever was made but God accepts of it in heaven There was never one of the seed of Jacob that ever put up a faithfull petition to God but God took it in his hand and read it A King or any superiour when you come with a petition may refuse to take it but God never refuseth to take any petition from a faithfull soul Therefore saith the Psalmist Psal 6.9 The Lord hath heard my supplication the Lord will receive my prayer He will take it and look on it and read it not onely so but he will also accept it and take pleasure in it A Prince may take a petition and look on it and after frown and shew anger in his countenance but God doth not so with the prayers of his people The prayer of the upright is his delight Prov. 15.8 he never reads a
petition that his people â—enders but with a smiling countenance If it be a faithfull petition he accepts it of them and receives it graciously It is an expression of Luther speaking of the prayer of a contrite heart The least sigh of a contrite heart so fills heaven with noise that there is no noyse of any thing in heaven or earth heard at that time but onely the noyse of prayer Certainly a faithfull prayer taketh the heart of God very much yea every faithfull prayer is recorded in heaven You keep your letters upon the file that you may readily find them when you have occasion to look on such a letter sent from such a countrey so God hath his file in heaven where all faithfull prayers are kept upon record As Princes have their paper offices where transactions between one State another are kept so the Lord hath his prayer-office where he keeps all the prayers of his Saints that ever were put up to him Revel 8.3 Another Angel came and stood at the Altar having a golden censer and there was given him much incense that he should offer it with the prayers of all Saints Where were those prayers of all the Saints that he must take a censer and offer incense with God had them recorded with him and now they were to be offered to him And see what great things follow upon the offering of the prayers of the Saints vers 4. The smoak of the incense which came with the prayers of the Saints ascended up before God out of the Angels hand And the Angel took the censer c. and there were voyces and thunderings and lightnings and an earthquake These followed upon the prayers of the Saints It signified the time wherein all should come in remembrance before the Lord as if an Angel were offering yea Christ the Angel of the Covenant hath a time to take the prayers presented long ago and to offer them to God with his own incense They are all recorded in heaven therefore they are not in vain When a petition is taken and put upon record the petitioner petitioneth not in vain his petitionis not thrown out If a petition be presented to the Parliament and they take it and tell you it shall be kept on record and charge the Clerk to keep it there and say they will take due time to consider of it you will not say such a petition is in vain God doth so to all his people he takes their petitions and recordeth them they are all filed in heaven Yet further there is no faithfull petition but God puts his fiat to the bottome of it at the instant that it is put up to him There is a decree in heaven issued out for mercy at the very instant that the petition is put up God dealeth not with us in this kind as men do who are counted very gratious if they please to tell us they will consider of our petition no but your petition is presently gtanted A petitioner when there is time taken to consider of his petition trembles and shakes for fear it should not be granted but the petitions of the seed of Jacob are granted presently When Daniel had been seeking God at the evening sacrifice an Angel comes to him tells him that at the beginning of his prayer there was a decree to grant it and that he was sent to him at the beginning of his prayer Dan. 9.23 Psa 56.9 When I cry unto thee then shall mine enemies turn back this I know for God is for me Did not David cry oft and yet his enemies did not turn their backs when he cryed He cryed oft when his enemies prevailed yet he saith When I cried then mine enemies turned back and This I know why for God is for me The meaning must be this that at that instant that he cryed there was a decree in heaven the thing was done He looked on it as done even as certainly as if he had seen it with his eyes This is the reason that the Saints after they have prayed though the thing be not actually done fall to praising and blessing of God We have a notable example in Jehoshaphat of whom we reade 2. Chron. 20.3 that being in a great fear had set himself to seek the Lord and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah He did not seek God slightly but set himself to seek the Lord. And what his prayer was ye may see from vers 6. to 12. And Jehoshaphat said O Lord God of our fathers art not thou God in heaven and rulest over all Kingdomes Mark how he pleadeth with God for the Covenant he had made vers 8. Speaking of the Sanctuary they had built for his names sake If when evil commeth upon us as the sword judgement or pestilence or famine we stand before this house and in thy presence for thy name is in this house and cry unto thee in our affliction then thou wilt hear and help He urgeth the promise made to Solomon at the dedication of the Temple For that prayer of Faith which Solomon made and God accepted hath the strength of a promise in it O our God saith he wilt thou not judge them for we have no might against this great company that commeth against us neither know we what to do but our eyes are upon thee Though he profest that his enemies were so many that he knew not what to do and that they had no might to resist them yet after his prayer was done and before the battell began when he had consulted with the people he appointed singers unto the Lord and that should praise for the beauty of holinesse as they went out before the Army and to say Praise the Lord for his mercie indureth for ever vers 21. Mark he had not yet gotten the victory the battell was not fought yet as soon as he had ended his prayer he praised the Lord for his mercie indureth for ever He made account that the thing was done It was decreed in heaven Therefore surely the people of God do not seek him in vain Nay it is not onely decreed but ere long God will satisfie his people and fill their longing souls with goodnesse Psal 107.9 A time shall come when they shall say their prayers are heard and that they have enough Yea the Lord giveth more sometimes then his people mention in their prayer they ask temporall blessings and he bestoweth spirituall yea he giveth them himself and that is all in all Surely then the prayers of the Saints are not in vain But wherein lyeth the efficacy of prayer What makes prayer so powerfull and present with God One thing is because God delighteth in mercy and in communicating himself to the children of men He taketh more pleasure in doing good then any can in seeking it yea then any can in enjoying it from him Our hearts cannot be so strongly set to seek for any mercy from God as he is to communicate mercy to
At one time God comes in at the first at another time not till seven times it is Gods prerogative And take this note it is a true sign of a gratious spirit though God defer yet still for the soul to cling to God to think well of God and of the wayes of God of the duty of prayer it is an excellent sign the ready way to find favour with God You have sometimes two beggers follow you for alms one perhaps hath true need pure need and is of a soft tender spirit the other is a sturdy rugged beggar you deny them both he that hath pure need hath a soft tender spirit he thinks he is unworthy that the other man should be bountifull to him and he fals a weeping yet he thinks well of the man will be ready to beg of him upon another occasion he hath good thoughts of him But the sturdy begger rails breaks into an angry passionate mood he will ask no more who of them is like to prevail the soft spirit that hath an ingenious disposition or the sturdy spirit that soon breaks off Thus there are many passionate hearts that are not froward with men but with God they come ask mercy of God but their hearts are stiff and froward sturdy if they have not that they would they presently break off say why should we wait on God and cry it is in vain to seek the Lord. But now a gracious tender ingenious disposition though the thing come not that he prayes for he justifies God in all and speaks well of God and well of prayer and loves that still and waits on God in that way this is the soul that is likely to prevail But further to answer from the text it may be thou hast not sought God Seek ye me saith God It may be it is somewhat else that thou hast sought in prayer then God though thou name God in thy prayer it may be thy heart hath been after creature-helps and thou hast made more account of the help of the creature of Armies and strength thou hast made account that they would do it rather then prayer and if there be no help but prayer thou thinkest it but a dry businesse A carnall hearted man when he hears of an army of twenty thousand men well clothed and the like he thinks much may be done but for the prayers of Gods people they think they be nothing Now if thou have sought help by creatures rather then by God thou hast not sought God all the while Or if it have been but outward safety that thou hast sought and not the face of God thou hast not sought God Seek my face saith God Psalm 27. This is the generation of them that seek thy face O Jacob. Psalm 24. Thou seekest not God without thou seek Gods face without thou seek God for himself And ordinarily God is not sought but thy estate is sought and thou cryest out for the danger thou art in Therefore thou hast no cause to say it is in vain look to thy prayers take up thy prayers again Do as the fishermen do if they find that there comes nothing up that they do not catch they take up their net it may be there is a hole a rent in the net And so the Angler if the fish do not bite he takes up the bait it may be there is somewhat wanting on the hook So look to thy prayers it may be it is not God that thou hast sought take them up and see what is amisse in them Another answer is this it may be thy prayers 〈…〉 fore no marvell if nothing but vain come of them Surely God will not hear vanity Job 35.13 If there be nothing but vanity how canst thou expect that God should hear them The word here in vain it is the same word in Genesis 1. At the first all was without form and void a confused chaos So ordinarily our prayers are without form and void that is there is nothing but vanity a confused lump a chaos Not that God regards so much the setting of a mans words in form handsomely for the grones and sighs of the spirit of God are accepted though they be not methodicall as the making of a speech to men God looks not to that But they are without form and void that is that is a vain thing that hath no end or not a good end Many pray and they know not why but because others do but they propound not the true end of prayer I appeal to thy conscience when thou hast gone to pray to God hast thou propounded this end I am going to tender up that worship and homage that I a poor creature ow to the infinite glorious first being of all things you call your families sometimes to come to prayer never think what you do what you aim at I and my family are now going to seek the great God in prayer I am now going to joyn with my father or my master now that we are altogether in this family to tender up that worship and homage that we poor creatures ow to that infinite glorious first being of all things whereby to testifie our high respect and esteem of him Now if thy prayer be a customary way of prayer it is vanity it hath not a right end It may be thou goest to prayer meerly to satisfie conscience Or some have this by end in prayer a wicked end that is they think to satisfie God for their former sinfull wicked wayes They take libertie in company to drink and please the flesh and as they served themselves then so now they will serve God and set one against another Sometimes they will give liberty to the flesh to take contentment that way but they will not alway do so sometime they will be devout and serve God There is no man so wicked as to be alwayes in the acts of wickednesse but they think God must have his turn and they must have their turn sometimes And this is the prayer of many people to put their sinnes in one scale and so many devout prayers in the other scale and the one shall poize the other This is vanity this is not the end of prayer Then a thing is vain when it is empty when there is not substance in it Now when the heart is empty in prayer there are words and they are wind the Lord sees not the strength of thy spirit thou dost not set thy self before the Lord in prayer thy expressions are meerly empty God doth not see thy expressions filled with the graces of the Spirit this is vanity Take heed of vain expressions when there is nothing but nature in prayer though there be never so much earnestnesse in prayer if there be but a naturall spirit it is vanity we must pray in the spirit as the Scripture speaks And take heed of sluggishnesse in prayer that makes it vanity The breath that comes from life
in mans body is warm but the breath that comes from bellows is artificiall and cold some mens breath in prayer is artificiall and cold but the prayer that comes from life is warm breath that comes up to God Again vanity is this when all is eaten out with vain thoughts thy heart roves in prayer thou knowest not where thou art thou canst not call that which thou makest a prayer A prayer with vain thoughts is like bear or wine that is dead and hath lost the spirits Vain thoughts are worms that eat out the strength of a duty would you present a dish to your superiour that were worm-eaten or that were gnawn on before when we let out our thoughts in duties and present them to God they are worm-eaten and torn the strength of them is quite gone And after you have prayed take heed that you make not your prayers vain by not looking after them for the accomplishment of them or by being proud of your prayers and gifts by resting in them And it is vanity when thou undoest all as soon as thou hast done by going contrary to thy prayer in thy life not adding watchfulnesse to prayer If a man take pains to weave a web and spend so many hours in it and then ravell it out this man spends his time in vain So do most people with their prayers they pray for mercy and grace and as soon as they have done they go quite contrary and ravell and undo all is not this vanity No marvell if thou think it in vain when there is nothing but vanity in thy prayers And take heed that you make not the prayers of others vain Luther writes to Melancthon angerly in regard of his fear of the power of his adversaries saith he You make our prayers void So it may be said of many that are cold and luke-warm and dead-hearted and do not take to heart the cause of God that fear the displeasure of this body and that body you make our prayers void You that have praying friends it may be fathers and mothers that are dead whose prayers are put up in heaven take heed that you make not their prayers void that you give them not cause if they should come to live again from the dead to weep and cry out O how are our prayers made void by the prayers of such and such But you will say Lord what will become of us we have abundance of vanity in our prayers Therefore that you may not be discouraged know that though there be many vain thoughts in prayer yet if there be sighing and mourning and humbling of the soul and panting of the heart after God in groning and sighing and though there be a mixture of vanity yet there is a working of the Spirit of God and of grace in the heart after God know that the Lord will not charge this vanity on thee the Lord will do away thy sinne therefore let not that discourage thee The efficacy lies not in the excellency of thy prayer but in the merits of Christ and his mediation Onely Christ will have somewhat of thy self in thy prayer he will haue thy heart pant and work after him but there may be abundance of vanity thou drawest a line and makest a blot and another line and another blot Christ draws all fair again and presents it to his Father But another question is this you say it is in vain to pray Can you make good that you are one of the seed of Jacob this priviledge belongs to them it may be you are of the seed of Esau The seed of Esau what is that The Apostle speaks of Esau what his guise was Heb. 12.6 and saith Take heed that none of you be such as Esau lest there be any fornicatour or profane person as Esau who for one morsell of meat sold his birth-right Now if thou prove a fornicatour thou art of the seed of Esau or a profane person what is that for one morsell of meat he sold his birth-right that is to please and satisfie and consent the flesh he sold his birth-right that was the land of Canaan and so typified the priviledges of the Church of Gods and even a type of heaven it was His birthright had a spirituall meaning is had reference to the spirituall priviledges that the Saints of God have to this day in all the ordinances of God That man or woman that prizeth any carnall contentment before spirituall priviledges they are of the seed of Esau and not of Jacob. Thou thinkest there is some favour in money and in a good trade and in good chear and such a day as this November 5. is better then a fast-day because of the good chear but for the spirituall duties of this day to come and magnifie God and to attend upon his word thou thinkest they are circumstances and by-matters and thou art troubled if the Sermon be too long to hinder thee of thy dinner thou art a prophane Esau all that I have said belongs not to thee thou dost not belong to Jacob but to Esau that preferrest carnall things for the flesh before the spirituall priviledges of the Saints But how shall I know that I am one of the seed of Jacob How do you know such an ones child but by his likenesse to his father One that hath the spirit of Jacob is of the seed of Jacob. There are many things that the Scripture speaks concerning Jacob and see if you do answer them First Jacob was a mighty man in prayer he was a wrestler with God and he wrestled till the day broke and was as strong at the last as at the first hast thou the spirit of thy father Jacob art thou not discouraged in prayer though mercy come not presently yet dost thou wrestle all night and resolve whatsoever come if thou die thou wilt die wrestling here is a child like the father therefore thou art of the seed of Jacob. Secondly Jacob was one that feared God when God appeared to him he looked on the presence of God as dreadfull How dreadfull is this place Genesis 28. because God was there So dost thou look on the presence of God as dreadfull that thou canst say the fear of the great God is on thy soul when thou comest into his presence mark for this is that expression in the Psalm Ye that fear the Lord praise him all the seed of Jacob glorifie him and fear him all ye seed of Israel Psalm 22.23 If you will be sure not to seek God in vain but that you may praise him in seeking him fear the Lord all the seed of Jacob. Hence we reade that when there was an oath between Laban and him the oath that he took was he swore by the fear of his father Isaac God was the fear of Isaac and Isaac so feared God that he had his denomination from his fear Now Jacob swearing by the fear of his father Isaac that notes that the fear of God was upon
a gracious heart therefore think not much that God stayes with a greater summe For as God deals with the wicked in the way of justice so he deals with godly men in a way of mercy He lets wicked men go on a great while he comes not to judgement for sin but stayes till all come together till a great summe of wrath and judgement come together So he deals with the saints he comes not with lesse mercies but he stayes till abundance come and when Gods time is come mercies will come to the full indeed Further it may be God hath so much mercy that thou hast not a vessell capable of it Onely know that heaven and earth and all are working for thee Is the plowing and the sowing of the husbandman and all the showers in vain because the corn is not in the barn we account it not so so we must not account our prayers in vain because the thing is not attained we pray for There are many other answers but the time is so much gone I come briefly to the application First if it be so that God saith not to the feed of Jacob seek my face in vain certainly there are great things for the Church that we may build on God is to do in these latter dayes Why because all the seed of Jacob ever since Jacobs time have been seeking God not onely for their own times but for the Church to the end of the world all their prayers are upon the fyle and must be answered one day O what a glorious harvest will it be blessed are they that shall live to partake of it We have a little but certainly there are glorious things for the Church because every prayer shall be answered Secondly you that are of the seed of Jacob know your honour though you be never so poore otherwise God hath given you that which makes you rich you have the key of heaven you may open the treasures in heaven and it shall never be in vain Gods people are such as are exceeding honourable in the eyes of God and in this regard that they have credit in heaven that they shall never seek God in vain Bathsheba saith to Solomon 1 King 2.20 I desire one petition of thee I pray thee say me not nay It is translated by some Ne confundas faciam confound not my face Indeed the denying of a petition it is a dishonour and a confounding of the face but God will not confound the faces of his people he never saith to them seek ye me in vain they are honourable ones Now as it is said of their father Jacob he prevailed as a prince with God so it may be said of the seed of Jacob they prevaile as Princes with God they can do great things with God it may be they cannot do other things that vain spirits can do but they can do much with God in prevailing O here see your priviledge and your riches all the prayers that you have made in your life time they are all trading in heaven they are not lost If a man have ventured a stock abroad to the Indies and do not hear of it in a great while he thinks it is lost and gone but if he hear certain news that all his stock is safe and in the place where he would have it and those that are there faithfully improve his stock he is revived by this it rejoyceth his spirit and he can say blessed be God I hope to be a rich man for all this I say to thee be of good comfort thy stock is not lost it is trading in heaven and every prayer that thou hast put up is there We should account our prayers as riches as adventures sent to heaven and not as children that shoot arrows and do not mind them And then learn this it is a great priviledge to have a praying friend a praying companion Many of you love friends that are delightfull of a cheerly nature and merry but are they praying ones praying friends are the speciall friends because prayer can prevail with God To have a friend in the Court that can obtain any petition we think it a priviledge to have one great friend in heaven is a great priviledge Many people when they lie on their sick beds they send to such and such to pray for them why do they not send to their companions that they did drink with and swear with to pray for them O they dare not Here is enough to convince any mans conscience who are the best men whatsoever they say Suppose thy condition were thus that thou diddest lie on thy death-bed and thy life did depend upon the prayers of foure or five men If God should speak thus from heaven thou art at the brink of destruction onely this favour thou shalt find thou shalt have leave to choose where thou wilt foure or five men to pray for thee and according as they pray so it shall be with thee thou hast liberty to choose through the world whom thou wilt I appeal would a drunkard choose foure or five drunkards or a swearer choose swearers or unclean ones that they most delighted in all their life time If all should depend upon it thou wouldest not choose such therefore thou art convinced in thy conscâ—ence thoâ— knowest that those are not precious in Gods eyes however thy lust have prevailed but that the other are better men that are gracious and have more credit in heaven Learn to prize praying friends that can prevail with God And let us set the crown upon prayers head in the mercies we have from God in publick mercies and private deliverances of friends attribute it not to second means to fortune and chance take heed of denying God his glory It is a sign of a carnall spirit when God hath glorified himself in answering the prayers of his people to attribute it to any other means As I remember I read of the Porphirian atheists that followed the atheisme of Porphirie they darkned the work of God in delivering the children of Israel out of Egypt thorough the red sea They say that Moses had learned of the Egyptians and they were great Astronomers and Moses knew when it would be a low tyde and what constellations there would be at that time and that the tyde would prove low then more then ever in the age of man and Moses took the nick of time and lead them through the sea Thus atheists would darken the works of God and put them of to naturall causes So I find it related of the old Prophet in Jeroboams time Josephus hath it related of him he sent to Jeroboam to stretch out his hand he tells us that this was by accident he was wearied all the day long and now he had the Palsie and after it was restored again that which was done by prayer he would have it by naturall means Just thus it is when God hath so magnified his mercy to England and wrought such
but though God have such a house in heaven yet he is not as it were contented with that house but he desires another house he hath a desire to Zion to be his habitation and the house where his honour dwelleth You know a Prince may have some houses of meaner regard when he goes to his sport he may have a mean house to lodge in for a while but his pallace where he shews his Majestie and honour that is more glorious So the people of God and the Church is called the house of Gods honour it is not a mean house but a house of honour Further it is that house that he means to dwell in for ever he loves it so well This is my house I will dwell in it for ever I am so well pleased with it I will rest in it for ever Surely we have cause to rest our hearts in Gods people when God finds rest there and for ever It may be some of you are sometimes acquainted with the people of God and at the first delight in them but your hearts being carnall you soon grow weary of them It is not so with God he delights in his people and rests there and rests there for ever But you will say how is God present with his saints more then in other places why is God said to dwell among his people his Saints I answer in two regards God is said to dwell among his people in a speciall manner First because he makes himself known to his people more then to all the world besides There are none that know the counsell and mind of God so as his saints do God is known in Judah Psalm 29.9 There God opens himself In his Temple every man speaks of his glory Secondly because God communicates himself most among his people God is said to be in heaven Why but because there he manifests his glory more then in other places therefore heaven is his habitation If that be his habitation where he manifests himself more then his people are his habitation because he manifests himself most there Secondly heaven is the place of Gods residence because he communicates himself most there then also Gods people are his residence he communicates himself there And he communicates himself to them in a speciall manner in foure regards 1. He communicates more choise mercies 2. He communicates mercies more fully 3 He communicates mercies more powerfully 4. More universally then to others 1. He communicates goodnesse among his people and saints more choisely more choise mercies of God There is a remarkable place in the Psalmes The Lord that made heaven and earth blesse thee out of Zion Psal 143. ult He saith not the Lord that made heaven and earth blesse thee either out of heaven or earth but out of Zion as noting that the choyse mercies that God hath to communicate are out of Zion among his people joyned together in the way of worship Would you desire that God should blesse you with the chief mercies that he hath look upon God as blessing out of Zion out of Zion God communicates his choisest mercies therefore it concerns all to be in Zion that they may have God to blesse them out of Zion there runs the sweetest of Gods mercies indeed in Zion Again God communicates his mercies more fully among his people then any other way Psalm 36.7 8. How excellent is thy loving kindnesse O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatnesse of thy house and thou shalt make them drink of the rivers of thy pleasures They shall be abundantly satisfied how not with the creatures but with the fatnesse of thy house Neither with thy communication to them alone God hath abundance of mercies for his saints alone but when they are among the saints joyntly together then they shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatnesse of his house and he shall make them drink of his rivers of pleasures While they are alone in corners they may have many sweet drops of pleasure from God but when they are joyned with the saints there are rivers of pleasure and delight that come to their hearts therefore there is great delight to be had in the saints of God when they are joyned together Thirdly he communicates them more powerfully mark in Psalm 13â— 3 As the dew that descended upon the mountain of Zion for there the Lord commanded a blessing even life for evermore There was blessing and the Lord commanded it there went a powerfull work of Gods grace upon the hearts of people there when they were joyned together in Zion there God commanded the blessing If you would have God speaking powerfully to command a blessing on your souls you must be among his people you must joyn in a holy fellowship with his people there God commands it In the last place more universally all the goodnesse of God is communicated among his people therefore the Church is called the perfection of beauty Psalm 50. that some translate the universality of excellency and beauty There is a universality of all among the Church and people of God And in another place All my springs are in thee Psa 87. speaking of joyning with the people of God that is all my springs of truth that are revealed to me all the springs of comfort that I have communicated to my soul all the springs of grace that I have to quicken me they are all in thee in the joynt society and communion with Gods people I find all Thus we see the presence of God among his people in regard of the communication of himself to them and therefore what a great deal of cause there is to joy and delight in the saints joyntly together Again further there is abundance of cause to delight in them joyned together in regard of their admirable priviledges as they are joyned together They have priviledges as they are alone but as they are joyned they have committed to them the oracles of God Rom. 3.2 all the ordinances by which God conveyes himself To them are committed the seal of the covenant you cannot singly have the seal of the covenant but joyned with the people of God closing with them To them is committed the very power of Jesus Christ saith the Apostle When ye are together with the power of Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 5.4 a glorious priviledge Yea further take this one thing they are inheritours to all the promises that ever God made to the Church from the beginning of the world There is no society of saints that joyn in Christian fellowship but they are so See a remarkable place for that in Isa 54.17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgement thou shalt condemn this is the inheritance of the servants of the Lord. That promise that God made to the Churches before this is their heritage And conceive of this
Christ with his people Think it not enough to go up and down and now and then get a good sermon and snatch in one place and in another but you dishonour God and are unthankfull to the grace of God if you do not what you can to joyn with the saints of God in the nearest communion you can so that you may not onely come to be partakers of the gifts of men but to look on men as the officers of God set over by Christ to watch over your souls This was the intent of Christ when he ascended he gave gifts some Prophets some Apostles some teachers The gifts of Christ in his Church to shew his magnificence to appoint ordinances to build up the body that there might be relation between people and pastor So you are bound to look not onely to hear now and then but to joyn with the saints in a way of ordinances in the strictest communion that the worship of God may be set in a solemn way according to all his ordinances that you may look on men as pastours set over you by Christ to watch over your souls and herein the body of Christ must be built up The exercise of gifts this way or that way though they be usefull to do good it is not the speciall ordinance the benefit that chiefly you have is to receive good by men deputed as officers and appointed by Christ though they be men of meaner gifts then you may expect to be built up Therefore let it be your care to come to the people of God in the nearest relation that may be It is an expression of Calvin concerning that text seek my face Psalm 27. he interprets seeking of Gods face to seek God among his people in his ordinances there is Gods face saith he though there were no way for me to get my living but by scratching in the ground with my nayles I would seek to get my living that way rather then not be where the face of God is I would be among the people of God in the way of worship in the way of his ordinances Therefore plead not it is difficult and hard You must be willing to suffer for this the people of God formerly were willing to suffer It is observable concerning those godly people among the Jews when the ten Tribes were divided from the rest there were many of the godly whose hearts the Lord stirred and they would not be content to be at Samaria or where Jâ—reboams false worship of the Calves was set up but they would needs go to Jerusalem they would obey there though they suffered much before they came thither You shall find an expression in Hosea that shews that there was watching of those that did go to Jerusalem to intrap them and catch them and inflict punishments upon them Hear ye this O Priests and hearken ye house of Israel and give ye eare O house of the King for judgement is toward you because ye have been a snare in Mizpah and a net spread upon Tabor Hos 5.1 Mizpah and Tabor were two places between the places of Idolatry and Jerusalem that as they went from Samaria they were fain to go that way now they were a snare on Mizpah that is they watched who did go from Samaria to worship at Jerusalem yet many went as the story saith though it were as much as their lives was worth yet they would go the way to Zion through the valley of tears and they were contented though they suffered much to go through the valley of Bacah that they might come at length to Zion There were many difficulties in the way and many objections against them but certainly those whose hearts the Lord hath touched they will not be quiet if there be any nearer union to be enjoyed in the world with the saints they will never rest till they come to it And God will make the way plain to those that have upright hearts he will take the stumbling blocks out of their way and shew them the way that meets God in uprightnesse And though there be many stumbling blocks yet God will be at the same time in the way and will take the stumbling blocks out of the way Psalm 84. Blessed is he saith the Psalmist in whose heart are thy wayes If there be any man or woman though they have not gotten to Gods people in the nearest communion yet if the way to Zion be in their hearts blessed are they And there is a promise too of strength for them though you find difficulties God will grant his strength as Moses saith that God in his strength would lead them to his holy habitation Exod. 15.13 Indeed it requires the strength of God to lead men to his holy habitation there are so many troubles that lie in their way There is a prophecy that men should bring to Zion men and women in Chariots and Litters Now Litters are instruments to convey weak ones in so that there is no excuse for those that are old and weak what shall we do Where God stirs the heart though they be carried in Litters though they be never so weak if it be possible they will go thorow That which we delight in we are never quiet till we enjoy it and every one of Gods people can say those that are excellent in earth are all my delight I find sweetnesse when I find but one or two of them O if there were more of them what delight should I have To conclude if there be so much delight in the saints in this world what will there be in the saints in heaven If it be worth the greatest labour and pains to joyn with them here what will it be worth to have everlasting communion with them For then we shall not onely have communion with a few but with all the Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles and Martyrs and all the worthies of God If there be delight in one what will there be when there shall be all and we shall delight in all when they shall be spotlesse Now it damps our joy the weaknesse that we see in the saints that are sincere we see many froward passions in them many passionate fits that makes their communion uncomfortable many times but then there shall be no more sullennesse or passion there shall be no more indiscretion or weoknesse as there is now Now to come to joyn with any if there be a little grace to sanctifie them there is abundance of weaknesse but then we shall come to have communion with saints that shall be all filled with God there shall be nothing but God in them Men now have excellent gifts but their corruptions so darken the communion that it is not delightfull But then all shall be in holinesse there shall be nothing but God in them And they shall be alway exercised in praising God it is comfortable to be with the saints in civill affairs in eating and drinking but it is more delightfull to pray and to have the Sacrament and to conferre graciously with them But then hereafter we shall be in heaven with them and shall never do any thing but alway worship and praise God night and day together One day with Gods people what is it worth when it is graciously spent in holy exercises how delightfull is it if it were not for the wearinesse of the flesh but then we shall never depart nor never be weary Now when we come to Gods people to be with them an hour or a day or two it is delightfull but this doth not last long but we shall be so with them then as never to part how delightfull will that be And all this in our fathers house in the presence of God where there shall be no enemy to hurt us and before our fathers children and friends delight in one another in a strange place but in their fathers house in the presence of their father they have more delight we shall then all come before God our father To be the children of God in a dungeon as the Saints and Martyrs they found it delightfull but then we shall be ever in the pallace of our Father before the King even in his Majesty and glory It were worth our labour to get heaven if it were but for this to be with Paul that gracious spirit if it were but to be with one or two of the worthies of God but then we shall come to heaven to all the Saints Saith Sizillanum speaking of death O famous day I shall be delivered from this world to Cato and to such wise men my soul shall go to them and shall converse no more with these people in the world a heathen had so much in his morall virtues But now the children 〈…〉 of God how comfortable may they die how famous a day will it be to them Here through Gods mercy I had much sweetnesse in the saints of God I delighted in them in the world now I go to change my place but not my company it was the dying speech of Doctor Preston I go where I shall converse with those that I lived with here He meant especially God and Christ We change our place and our individuall company for a while but we go to a place where we shall meet with them again As it is a commendation of the Church we are come to an innumerable number of the souls of saints made perfect c. It shall be fullfilled in heaven we are to go to an innumerable company of angels to all the souls of the excellent on earth that are made perfect Therefore as ever you would have communion with them hereafter delight your selves in their communion here the more comfortable delight you have in them here the more comfortable assurance you shall have of communion with them hereafter FINIS