(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
it may be comparatively (a) Accipit autem quando debet accipere quaedam enim non negantur sed ut congruo dentur tempore differuntur Aug. tract 102. in Joan. better for us to fight a while if in the mean time he furnish us with necessaries for the war and say unto us as he did to him 2 Cor. 12.9 my grace is sufficient for you Hence 2. The question is not whether it be better for us to have or to want the desired mercy but whether our time of receiving or Gods time be best though there may be a delay for a season yet not a denial or final frustration such warriours shall at length carry the day and triumph over their lusts the devil and the world Rom. 8.37 and 16.20 c. God knoweth how to time our mercies a right as what so when to give and should we not allow to his wisdom the liberty to choose the fittest time You will say O but delayes break the heart and God looks on while Sathan buffets his poor servants Ans But do not imagine or say that God looks on as a meer spectator he is a faithfull second nay he is more he is our help strength safguard and shield Ps 84.11 Ps 62.2 6. Ps 125.2 c. The Lord fighteth for us and enableth us to fight and he guards and defends us from Sathans fiery darts that they may not hurt us and if at any time they pierce and draw blood yet they shall not kill nor give a deadly wound but shall through the wisdom and care of our heavenly Physitian rather prove healthfull and (b) Ducere autem ad bonum tripliciter dicitur aliquid scil per modum causae vel per mo dum casus vel per modum occasionis differunt haec tria nam causa per se ducit causus vero privat intentionem sed non operationem sicut patet in fodiente qui invenit thesaurum occasio autem c. quod vero ducit per modum occasionis cum nullam habeat intra se rationem ordinationis in finem nec bonitatem propter hoc non potest denominari bonam cum ergo malum non ducat ad bonum ex se sed per illud quod clicitur ex ipso a sapiente Deo absolute loquendo malum sieri non est bonum I mo omnes consimiles sunt negandae c. vid. loc Bonavent in 1. sent dist 46. art 1. quaest 3. sect 20. medicinal these shall like the Spear of Jasons enemy open an inveterat imposthume which otherwise could hardly have been cured I do not say that it is good to sin or to yield to any temptation yet such is the power and wisdom of the great Physitian and such is his care of his honest supplicants that he can make poysonable darts become healing medicines to them and make those open a vein out of which shall run no blood but only venom and hurtfull humors the Lord can make our fall to alarm and awaken us and a mean through his blessing to walk more humbly and circumspectly hereafter and he can thereby empty the heart of much pride self-confidence security c. Hence (c) Audeo dicore superbis esse utile cadere in aliquod apertum manifestumque peccatum unde sibi displiceant qui jam sibi placendo ceciderant salubrius enim Petrus sibi displicuit quando flevit quam sibi placuit quando praesumpsit hoc dicit sacer psalmus imple facies eorum ignominia quaerent nomen tuum Domine August de civit Dei lib. 14 cap. â—12 Austins audeo dicere c. I dare saith that eminent Doctor affirm that it may be profitable for the proud to fall into some gross and manifest sin whereby they may fall out of love with and may learn to loath themselves c. Nay the same (d) Deus diligentibus eum omnia co-operatur in bonum usque adeo prorsus omnia ut etiam si qui eorum deviant exorbitant etiam hoc ipsum eis faciat proficere in bonum quia humiliores redeunt atque doctiores discum enim in ipsa via justa cum tremore se exultare debere non sibi arrogando tanquam de sua virtute fiduciam permanendi c. Aug. de corr gra cap. 9 similia habet Anselmus in Rom. 8.28 Lyra ibid. Austin Anselm (e) Sed nunquid etiam eis peccata co-operantur in bonum quidam dicunt quod peccata non continentur sub hoc quod dicit omnia quia secundum Angustinum peccatum nihil est sed contra hoc est quod in glossa c. hoc subtilius quam firmius esse recte statuunt nostri theologi communiterin hoc istiusmodi casibus sed dicendum est c. ex hoc autem quod justus cadit resurgit cautior humilior c. Thomas in loc Thomas and other Divines do not doubt to assert that the sins of the Saints are not excluded from these all things which are said to work together for their good Rom. 8.28 And thus the present case doth no wayes militat against the former Conclusion for 1. at length the Lord will give the particular in kind which was askt and 2. for the delay he maketh a compensation and doth us good in the mean while and maketh that delay contribute for the encrease of grace and our eternal comfort 2. As for the other two cases concerning mercies askt for others it is the opinion of a reverend (f) Treatise of prayer and Div. provid pag. 139. c. Divine that we can have no ground of assurance to speed for others unless they be in the state of grace and have all those conditions and qualifications which are required to a persons being acceptable to God and thus he will have that text Jam. 5.15 to require faith in the sick as well as in those who must pray for him and it may suffice saith (g) Ibid. pag. 141. he that in relation to others we have 1. a precept and command to pray for them and 2. any hope or possibility of the thing as Joels (h) Joel 2.14 Ames 5.15 Jon. 3.9 who knoweth Amos his it may be and Jonahs or rather the people of Nineveh their who can tell And 3. that however it be it will be to our good And as to them that 4. we have a conditional assurance that if they have the requisits and conditons sutable to the promises they shall have the benefit of those our prayers that are grounded on them and thus it will behove us to look more at our duty then any infallible certainty of the particular issue to them and to be more pressing in our desires then peremptory in our resolves Thus saith he I give my judgment and grounds for it under submission the case being not much handled by any that I meet with Ans Albeit upon the mater the difference will not be
brought forth plentifully he said to his soul take thee ease eat drink and be merry Luk. 12.16 19. Because the degenerat Israelits saw no evil and had plenty when they sacrificed to the queen of heaven they would not hearken to the words of the Prophet Ier. 44 16 17. Thirdly of cruelty (m) These words may esspecially relate to the prosperous dayes of Antiochus Epiphanes who yet in his sickness and when the hand of God was upon him professed much tenderness to the people of God a Maccab 9. though the tender mercies of the wicked are usually cruel Prov. 12.10 yet especially when they are lifted up with success then they become intolerable not only their hand but their tongue is cruel and full of venom Heb. 11.36 (o) Non est cur sideles deflectant a lege sibi divinitus imposita vel invideant incredulis quasi magnum lucrum fecerint ubi a depti sunt quod volebant Calvin instit lib. 3. cap. 20 37. And as thus the prosperity of the wicked becometh an occasion of sin So also of misery and suffering their victorious sword will at length enter into their own belly Psa 37.15 they will ere long be enclosed in their own fat Psa 17.10 their prosperity shall destroy them Prov. 1.32 Ier. 12.1 2 3. their success is not only a fore-runner but also a preparation and occasion of their ruin tolluntur in altum ut lapsu graviore ruant they are lifted up that their fall might be the greater and their place in the world becometh a p rock from which they are casten down head-long We need q not then fret our selves because of evil doers nor envy their prosperity Psa 37.1 neither need we question the Lords fidelity either in performing his promises to his children or his threatning against the wicked nor have we any reason to ask with those wretches Mol. 2.17 Where is the God of judgment nor to say with them Zeph. 1.12 the Lord will not do good neither will he do evil but whatsoever cross-dispensations the godly are exercised with and whatever success the wicked get in their evil waies yet we may be perswaded that the froward is an abomination to the Lord and that his secret his blessing though thou discern it not is with the righteous that the curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked though full of riches and his blessing on the habitation of the just though never so mean and poor Prov. 3.31 32 33 34 35. And now we proceed to that other branch of the objection that concerneth the Saints their disappointments and want of success as if the Lord did not hear nor regard their prayers For answer as we would remember what the Lords hearing of prayer doth import So we would know how and what be the different waies after which the Lord answereth the prayers of his people least through our ignorance unbelief or want of observance the Lord hear and answer our prayers and yet we not know nor take notice of his hand as it was with Iob ch 9.16 17. and the reason he giveth there of his mistake may also blind our eyes for we often like foolish children regard not what we have and take little notice of what we receive because we get not what we would have and what our carnal desires crave and thus when the Lord delayeth for a while though he draw nigh to us in the fit time and right season yet as that eminent Saint professeth of himself ver 11. though he goeth by we see him not and when he passeth on we perceive him not our eyes are shut that we cannot see his hand and our ears are heavy that we cannot hear what he saith in answer to our prayers especially when the heavenly echo doth not answer voice and when he giveth not the particular mercy which was askt but some other thing though better for us by way of compensation and gracious commutation It would then be diligently observed that the Lord may hear our prayers four different waies 1. by way of performance and giving the very particular we desired and in our time and manner 2. by way of compensation when he giveth not the very particular but maketh a commutation in that which is better for us 3. by aâ—â—â—ying to give till the fit time for us to receive and 4. by denying what we askt For though then he make a compensation yet it is no smal mercy that he with-holdeth what would hurt us and of it self is a gracious return of our prayers and should with thanks-giving be acknowledged though no new and other mercy were then added You will say when the Lord performeth and satisfieth our desire by giving what we askt yea and when he maketh a compensation and exchange giving us some other mercy in lieu of it especially when he giveth what is better as spirituals in stead of temporals as usually he doth in those cases it will not be denied that the Lord heareth our prayers but 1. while he delayeth and during the interim of the delay 2. when he denieth what was askt and will â—ever give it we cannot conceive how in those cases the Lord can be said to hear and answer our prayers especially siâ—ce the Lords denying to give what we prayed for appeareth to be nothing else but his rejecting our prayers and denying to answer them Ans It s too usual here to confound things much different and to commit a most gross and dangerous fallacy as if it were one and the same thing to receive what we ask and to receive an answer to our prayers and not to receive what we desire and ask and to have our prayers rejected But as we have shown that the wicked may get their hearts desire and more in wrath though their prayer be an abomination to the Lord So now it shall appear that the Lord doth accept and answer the prayers of his servants though he give not what they askt yea and that the very delay for a season and an absolute denyal may be a return and answer to their prayers You will say that is strange doctrine Ans But most certain and which should not be questioned amoâ—â— beleevers for clearing of which 1. let me ask how 〈◊〉 didst pray for such a supposed mercy whether absolutâ—ly and peremptorily as if thou hadst 〈◊〉 Lord I knowâ— what is fit for me to have and this I have made choyce of and desire not to want upon any terms and as to this let me have my will and not be at thy disposin and if thou hast prayed thus thou hast reason to go and beg pardon for thy folly and intolerable pride and presumption otherwise thou mayst fear an answer in wrath to humble thee and make thee know that thou (r) Rom. 8.26 knowest not what to ask and to learn thee to be no more so rash positive and peremptory in desiring those those things which are in their own nature
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