holy serving of the Lord how awful is a suppliant hee serveth the Lord with feare and trembling whilest praying how humble is he he is carefull to keep his distance even in talking thus with the Lord Gen. 18. Abraham then telleth the Lord he is but dust Prayer also in the intents and desires of the suppliant it is serving the Lord all that which a true suppliant fetcheth of God in Prayer if you resolve it into its last end it is service He prayeth for outward things as Jacob Gen. 28. For parts and gifts as Solomon 1 King 3. For life and health for deliverance out of divers afflictions outward and inward as Hezekiah Esay 38. and David oft but in all it is that he might serve the Lord and glorfie him the more thereby he cometh with a servantly spirit for mercy from God ready pressed to doe any work of his to attend any command of his Psal 123. 1 2. A praying frame is an obediential frame a command of God bringeth a true suppliant upon his knees and on his knees he wayteth for a command from him Prayer is called knocking namely at the door of Gods grace and mercy in Christ 9 Prayer a spiritual knocking as 't is called in scripture Matth. 7. Knock and it shall be opened unto you Prayer is a holy approaching and repayring to the door of mercy for all manner of supplies of grace which the Saints stand in need of the saints rest not in this that there is a dooâ— of grace that there is mercy for sinnerâ— to be had in Christ but they are conscionable in the use of this holy means of opening the same mercy is freely promised to thâ— people of God yet may none rush into the door of God under pretence that it iâ— open without knocking Ezek. 36. 25 26 27 c. The doore of grace is set very open I will poure clear water upon you c but verse 37. For this will I be sought by the house of Israel Prayer acknowledgeth the Lords prerogative royal In all thy wayes acknowledge him Prov. 3. True suppliants eye the Lord as a great God as well as gracious and therefore are willing to keep their due distances though the Saints be the friends of Christ and of God who may make in a holy wise bold with him yet it is holy manners to them not rudely to presse upon his favour or challenge this or that benefit of it without asking leave Indeed pinching extremities will make them put a good face upon it and not continue walking to and againe aloof off within some general veiw of mercy but to knock and knock again and again at mercyes doore to pray often for the opening thereof to them True suppliants are in haste of earnest and weighty affairs in their converses with the Lord they have much to do with him much to say to him much to receive from him and therefore they must they will knock they are sure that a gracious father of theirs is within yea within hearing and therefore they cannot but thus knock and pray True it is sometimes this door of grace seemeth to be shut against them in some displeasure but yet this maketh them the more earnest Hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies Psal 77. 9. Luke 11 Trouble me not for I am in bed saith the friend within but yet see what prevailing importunity he useth so that for his importunity the friend riseth openeth and giveth what is desired What is Prayer but as spiritual knocking a special means of opening of the gate and door of Grace and so of all the lesser wickets as it were thereon depending Hence Psalm 119. 169. Let my cry come before thee saith the Psalmist and ver 170. Let my supplications come before thee as if he would say Open Lord to Prayer let it come in let not that stand without or as if it were a plea Lord Prayer is at the door therefore open So Psal 88. 2. Let my Prayer come before thee or come where thou art And Psal 55. 1. David prayeth that the Lord would not hide himself from his supplications Prayer it will come in where the Lord is will look him out as it were in all corners Psalm 66. 20. David blesseth the Lord that he had not turned away his Prayer Prayer standeth still at Gods door it will not away without its errand and answer Wisdomes out-doors even the Ordinances Prov. 8. 34. These are opened by Prayer Out-lary Gentiles fare the better this way for that Prayer Psalm 67. Let thy way be known among the people thy saving health among all Nations Matth. 9. end Pray the Lord of the Harvest that he would thrust out Labourers into his Harvest Prayer helpeth people to a fruitful Ministry Prayer helpeth to open the Ministers mouth openeth a door of utterance Colos 4. 3. Pray that God would open my mouth Prayer openeth a door of faith 1 Cor. 16. 8 9 The mystery of Salvation may be made known by it Ephes 6. 19. The Word may come to have an open and effectual passage into peoples hearts by it Hence that 2 Thes 3. 1 Pray that the Word may a have free course and be glorified c. The door of Liberty the Churches Liberties may be opened to the Prayer of the Saints as to Paul upon his Prayer Acts 11. Those strong and secret doors of death may be opened by Prayer Hence the Prophets raising of the dead child by Prayer 2 Kings 4. 32 33 34 35. So Jonah by Prayer had the belly of Hell the Whales belly and jawes opened to him to let him out Jonah 2. 9 10. By Prayer the doors of the womb as they are called Job 3. 10 are opened as in Hannahs case 1 Sam. 1. 15 16 20. and Rebecca's Gen. 25. 21. and Elizabeth's case Luke 1. 13 By prayer the doors of Heaven are opened If I shut heaven and my people pray c. I will hear c. 2 Chron. 6 26 and 7. 13 14. By prayer the Prison doors are opened as to Peter upon the Churches prayer Acts 12. 5 10. Secrets which otherwise are not to be opened yet are to be unfolded by prayer Dan. 2. 18 19. Then was the secret revealed upon prayer for the mercies of Heaven that way yea prayer will open even Hell gates as I may say as by Luthers Prayer one was recovered who had even given his soul to the Divel This kind of Divel goeth not out but by prayer and fasting Matth. 17 by fasting and prayer then even such a Divel is cast out and a poor man let go out of his possession As in other knocking there is a hand there are fingers which make a noise and help open the door so here there is a hand of faith which knocketh and that wil open that large gate and door of mercy and any of the lesser wickets depending Matth. 15. 28. O woman great is thy faith be it unto thee even as
spread them before the Lord in their prayers and therefore let them bee much with God in secret And let all our brethren and sisters All sorts for Christ brings us into his Chambers and every of them make conscience also of this duty of secret prayer the Lord Jesus bringeth us my brethren into his chambers where he delighteth most to be and rest and shew himselfe and secrets to his Saints Cantic 1. 4. and shall not wee hereby bring him into our chambers also the Lord hideth us in the secret place of his Hideth us in his secret place presence the secret chambers of his providence and protection are our chambers for our safety and honour Psal 31. 20. Esay 26. 20. and shall not our chambers be his for his use that wee there meet and talke with him in secret prayer and he with us by his gracious presence and answers Each particular Saint of God hath his Each Saint hath his chamber or mansion-house in Glory chamber as I may say his mansion-place of glory in which to praise God for ever Joh. 14. 2 3. Why shall not each Saint of God of what condition soever have here his retired oratory and place for secret praying unto God each of them are by their calling Gods hidden ones whilst here Psalme 83. 3. and let them be so in this Each Saint Gods hidden one Set apart for Gods Gods friends respect also by their secret repayres to the Lord in praier Each godly man in particular is set apart unto God Psalme 4. 3. and why then not more apart to pray to him we are his friends James 2. 8. John 15. 15 16. Cantic 5. 1 and let us then be his friends in a corner tell him our minds bee oft doing him this service of love in secret We are his spouses Hos Spouse 2. 19 20. now as Canticles 7. 10 11 12. The Church would have Christ goe aside as it were in private and there she will give him her loves so let us in secret give him this spouse-like love fruits of our lips in secret and there tell him all our hearts The spirit which is in the Saints is a free spirit Psal 51. 12 and truely there is the most free use and employment of that spirit in prayer when sequestred as from all occasions so from all other company Friends are most free and bold when alone so wee with the Lord when alone A gracious person is never more himselfe as gracious then when praying Psalm 109. 4. But I prayer saith he and truely never more seen to be such an one then whon praper or given to prayer in secret Hypocrites may and will pray and haply in private too but we must pray as most desiring privacy When the Lord would demonstrate to Ananias that Paul was converted he doth it by this argument for behold he praieth Acts 9. 11 it was alone in secret that hee Wicked ones have and serve their idols in â—ecret did thus he must inquire him out for hee was got into some corner of the house Let not wicked ones be more forward to set up an idoll in secret or to set up a false Christ in the chambers Ezek. 8. 8. Matth. 24. 26. then we to honour the true God and Jesus Christ thus in secret And that wee may yet a little further presse this so weighty a duty consider that it is indeed our priviledge in many respects ordered by the Lord in much wisedome and faithfulnesse for our good also as well as his glory that hee will have us thus to seek him by our selves alone in prayer For 1. Hee therein tendreth the very credit of his people They need not uncover their spiritual nakednesse before any man whatsoever nor all their personal plagues need be unbared before men it sufficeth that they have this priviledged precept to pray to their Father who seeth in secret and tell him all their hearts In Best for opening all their secrets some cases of personal sins against brethren personal confession of such sins is requisite and sometimes in case of some oppressing burthen upon our hearts wee are to goe to some faithfull Minister or experienced Saint of God and tell them our secret ayles but in ordinary course it sufficeth that wee tell the Lord in secret all our personall and particular failings and wants 2. If solitary Praier were not Gods Best for our necessities ordinance what should Gods solitary ones doe in sundry cases incident to them But now Jeremiah in a solitary loansome prison is encouraged Call upon me and I will answer thee Jer. 33. 13. Sometimes the Saints are like Pelicans and Owls in the desert Psal 102. 6. Well may they make their moans to the Lord but are of all others respect destitute Others would be like other birds fit to ho wt at them and make a wonder of them now welfare solitary prayer Sometimes the Lord worketh upon some one of the family a sonne or daughter or servant or the like the rest remain opposite to all good saying What profit should we have by praying unto God as they say Job 21. 15. nay now will such say of the other person we shall have him a precise foole a mopish sot father now is against child as Luke 12. 35. Now it is well that prayer in a corner where none seeth or heareth but the Lord is an acceptable service and ordinance The poor slave in the infidels family is now the Lords freeman for this business 1 Cor. 7. 21 22. So the poore Christian wife with whom her infidel husband liked to dwell though he yet like not her religion 1 Cor. 7. 13. she may pray alone with acceptance Banished John in Patmos may thus been in the spirit by himselfe alone Revel 1. 10. Manasseh in his fetters yet hath liberty all alone to make his praier to his God 2 Chr. 33. 11 12 13. If this had been no ordinance of God to what purpose had Davids couch-prayers been which yet prevailed Psalm 6. 6 7 8 9. Or how else had his cave-prayers ever come to be available as Psalm 142. title with verse 1 2. 3. If this had not been an acceptable ordinance there had not been such honorable records thereof kept by and with the Lord as 2 Chron. 33. 18 19. this is singled out amongst all that Manasseh did in his loathsome state in captivity as most notable and honourable and therefore is twice Best for the Saints honour repeated and his prayer and his prayer So Cornelius his prayers are as memorials before the Lord Acts 10. 2 4. 4 It is well for the Saints that this is an Ordinance in point of honour that God herein and hereby is wont to put upon them singly and severally as that hereby they come to have Testimonials from the Lord himself of the good of Grace which is in them and of their prevailing with him for desired mercyes Thus when Jacob is all
and his people that pray are to humble themselves and then the Lord promiseth them hearing 2 Chron. 7. 14. But Humility in prayer consisteth for our better proceeding in handling this condition of prayer Let us consider 1. Wherein that Humility which is required in prayer doth consist 2. When Humility expressed in prayer may be discerned to be saving 3. Why this Humility is required to prayer 4. What are usefull helps and means furthering such humility in prayer To the first we say Humility required in prayer consisteth in these six or seven things 1. In low thoughts of our selves to attempt 1 In low thoughts of our selves as unmeet to pray or set about such a duty When wee are going about it we judge our selves most unmeet and unworthy in our selves to speak to the Lord as we are imployed in praying still the serious and sensible thoughts of our owne worthlesnesse dwells with us and works on us That justified suppliant mentioned Luke 13. 13 14. standeth a far off and would scarce lift up his eyes to heaven he thinks he is not worthy to come nearer let others goe as high as they please as for himselfe hee will take the lowest roome in Gods house It is more then he is worthy of to be admitted to come there at all and heaven is too glorious a place in a manner for him a wretch as hee hath been to be so bold he hath sinned against heaven it is better for him to look on the dust yea to kisse and lick the dust In the words which the wiseman speaketh prayer-wise unto Christ that Itheil he that was his God and that Vcall that mighty one Prov. 30. 1 7 8 9. You see how humbly hee prefaceth in his speech so far as directed to him in way of prayer as verse 2 3. hee professeth hee is more bruitish then any man and hath not the understanding of a man so unfit and unworthy doth he see himselfe to speak either of Christ in an instructive way as verse 4 5 6. or to Christ in a supplicating way ver 7 8 9. The Disciples having been at praier with Christ they see so much weight in the duty and so much excellency in the due exercise of the gift and grace of Christ in prayer that they look at themselves as most unfit to pray as they ought and therefore intreat his help and direction Lord teach us to pray Luke 11. 1. The Psalmist beginneth his prayer in a kind of expostulation with God Psal 22. 1 2. and pressing of God with examples of his mercy to others in like cases verse 4 5. But if thou think hee is too bold with God and keepeth not his due distance hee will professe that for his owne part he is a worm and no man verse 6 7. he judged himselfe as infinitely unworthy to stand upon termes with God so even unfit to make comparison with others verse 5 6. But I am a worm and no man what ever our fathers were yet I look at my selfe as fitter to creep on the earth and feed onely upon the dust in respect of the guilt of sinne laid upon me for if you apply it to Christ the antitype God laid upon him the iniquity of us all Isai 53. 6. but we intend it of the Psalmist rather himselfe then as a man to lift up my selfe to heaven and therefore am justly made the reproach of men ibid. No sooner do the Saints essay to draw near unto God but the beames of the glory of God reflect upon the faces of their souls which doe thus awe and abase them they see in the glasse of that excellency their owne vilenesse 2. In abased thoughts of our selves 2 In low thoughts of our selves when heard when we do get any thing of the Lord by prayer True it is humble ones do speed best of all others in prayer but yet as mercyes of prayer found them so they leave them humble When Abraham hath gained upon the Lord by prayer Gen. 18. 26. yet then nay then especially is Abraham lowest and vilest in his owne esteeme then verse 27. he saith and seeth he is dust and ashes He then considereth what he is in himselfe whence he came and whither he must notwithstanding the favour which hee findeth with the Lord he knoweth no cause which should move the Lord to give any answer of mercy to so meane an one as himselfe but his rich grace What is in dust to move respects in God to it and secretly presenteth it as a plea to continue such undeserved mercy to such an one from that which moved the Lord to begin to respect his prayer Thus David Psal 34. 4 when hee had gained by his prayer and God was found of him yet verse 6. hee putteth an humble Emphasis upon the matter this poore man cryed That they verse 5. even better men then he such as had walked worthy of God and of his grace looked unto the Lord in prayer and were incouraged by answers of favour was no wonder but that this poor man that he poor wretch as he esteemeth himselfe one that as in the title of the Psalm saith he changed his favour and was not like himselfe in that case at Gath 1 Sam. 21. 13 yet he to cry unto the Lord and be heard this is a wonder of grace to him After Ephraim hath prayed for turning grace from God Jer. 31. 18. and is answered v. 19. then is he abased yea more abased in his own sight then before When the Church upon her request is drawn unto her beloved Cant. 1. 4. then she cryeth out of her blacknesse verse 5. Humblest Christians are the soundest and healthiest in spirit and as showres and blasts of affliction and temptation doe not much annoy them so neither doe warming gleames and shines of mercy distemper them still they are humble they are square men nothing comes amisse to them they will fall right which way ever they are cast if lowly Look as vessells whose sayls are filled if well ballasted they run a more steady course so is it here with the Saints when they pray with full sayled joy of faith yet when this holy ballast of humility is in the hold of the heart and not meerly aloft in shew above decks appearing to men they are not soon lifted up with every good successe they meet with but keep low and deep and carry it evenly with the Lord as humbly if not more humbly then before The Saints know well they are but beggers and stand in need of much they prayse not their good prayers but their good Master for the almes of grace which they get Not unto us and because once was too little to set forth their owne unworthinesse of any mercy they repeat it againe not unto us but to thy Name give glory c. Psal 115. 1. Liitle cause to be proud of a trade or art of such holy begging albeit through the bounty of God it proves
yet as one which seeth the emptinesse of his prayer even at the best he goeth out of that resteth not therein but as if he had not prayed in such sort he runneth to the Name of the Lord he looketh for nothing but from the rich and free grace of God in the Lord Jesus as Daniel Ch. 9. 3. 4. He is at it with God in such like humble prostrating his souls desires to him but in the close professeth the supplicaons which were presented though with much brokennesse of heart doubtlesse yet were not for any righteousnesse of their own whether of person or performances or prayers but for his mercies sake v. 18. And v. 17. desireth audience for the Lord sake for Christs sake And ver 19. for his name sake so Ezra albeit he had been weeping and casting himself down before God in praier Ch. 10. 1. yet ch 9. last he concludeth that he and the people in respect of themselves are before God in their trespasses and cannot stand before him by reason of the breach of covenant with God which he had then bewayled verse 14. Now touching the third thing propounded Humility required in prayer Because 1 Humble prayers speed best why this humility in prayer is required I answer briefly 1. Because prayers put up in and with such humility they doe ever speed best Mark 7. 29. For this saying go thy waies the divell is gone out of thy daughter for what saying namely that verse 26. wherein she taketh the name of a dog so quietly and meekly craveth the very portion of dogs in a manner the mercies slighted by the children The Lord will not look at what the proud bring to him but hath respect to the lowly to strengthen them with grace and peace in their soules Psal 138. 3. 6. to perfect all that concerns them verse 8. The lowly strangers see how the Lord welcomes them in prayer Isai 56. ver 6 7. The penitent Prodigall that speaks in such a vilifying way of himselfe to God his father Luke 15. 18 19. sees how royally and richly he is entertained by the Lord like as by that father verse 22 23. the costliest robes of grace and delicatest of mercy in Christ are readily brought forth to such greatest mercies are granted to such as pardon of sinne and the like Luke 18. 13 14. Yea in such a lively and convincing manner exhibited as that they shall carry it home with them the sight and light thereof shall stick by them he went home justified they shall in a holy triumphant wise carry home the garland of grace and peace for which they wrestled with God in praier wheras in defect of Humility no praiers nor tears of a proud Esau shal avail Heb. 12. 17. The Pharisees repair so diligently to pray to the temple is to little purpose whilst he doth not humble but rather exalt himself therein Luke 18. 10 14. God will not approve of any such mens persons or praiers and such a non-justified estate is a sad abasing of such ibid. as the gracious acceptance of the persons and prayers of humble ones in Christ Jesus is an high degree of honour and exalting to them 2. Because the servants of God are 2 Then are humble ones themselves never more themselves as such then when humble in a way of seeking the face of God When the converted Prodigall and Publican cometh to rights to himselfe then in that frame hee betaketh himselfe to this work Luke 15. 17 18 19. Assuredly penitent dispositions work then strongly zeal and holy indignation against sinne and our selves for it are then stirring then is faith and love doubtlesse active and putting forth themselves in our soules 3. Because an humble frame of heart 3 It putteth most honour upon God and Christ in prayer putteth most honour upon God and Christ and mercy and grace as all in all Agaâ— in that frame thinketh that it will put the largest heads and ripest wits in the world to it to conceive or express the glory of God in Christ Proverb 30. 2 3. compared with the 4 â—h And he wil magnifie the purity perfection and stability of his word verse 5. see verse 1 7 8 9. Asaph when in that frame of heart Psal 73. 22. then who but the Lord of heaven and earth with him and in his desire verse 25. and if such a poor soule get any mercy by praier of all others hee will use it best and give God the most glory of it and for it as might be shewed in divers instances 4 Because such a kind of spirit in 1. It fitteth us most for mercy prayer it doth fit us most for the mercies of prayer Hence it is compared to hunger which as it is good sawce to the body and prepareth it well for its meat so doth it fit the soul for its desired food of grace and mercy Hence is that opposition Luke 1. 53. betwixt the hungry and the rich and yet rich is rather opposed to poor because indeed the poorest in spirit the beggars in spirit are the most hungry Look as the emptying of a vessel fitteth it for being filled with precious liquor so humility by emptying the heart of all self-strength self-confidence self-sufficiency self-righteousnesse self-willednesse and self-conceit it fitteth the soul in prayer for what it doth pray for The heart of the humble is a prepared heart as to pray to God so likewise to receive and improve the mercies which it seeketh in prayer such an one is most flexible and ready both to use the best means to obtain the mercies desired and to walk worthy of them when obtained So Job 7. 20. I have sinned what shall I do to thee O thou Preserver of men As touching the last thing propounded Helps to humility in prayer namely What Helps and Means we should use to further such Humility required in prayer I answer 1. Set faith on work as we shewed at 1. Faith in the Lord. large the last Lecture Faith in Gods Promise and Providence made David pray so humbly as one not worthy to speak more to God or receive more from him 2 Sam. 7. 18 19 27. That made the Prodigal to throw down himself in such sort and humbly to seek his fathers favour considering in him a fathers bowels yea which possibly might move towards him he is apprehensive likewise that he hath all hee needeth and that moveth and furthereth him therein Luke 15. 17 18 19. So it is here the Publicans faith in that propitiatory merit and mercy causeth him so to speak as Luke 18. 13. It was faith that set the woman a begging in that humble and lowly as well as earnest manner Matth. 15. 26 27 28 The faith of that woman was the instrumental meanes of her salvation Luke 7. 50. that was the means of that her silent humble approach to the Lord ver 38. It is faith which taketh a true measure both of God and of
iniquity and receive us graciously For in thee the fatherlesse finde mercy The like is done Jer. 3. 23. Truly in vain is salvation hoped for from the hils truly in the Lord our God is salvation So is the Lord himselfe moved hence to help his people Esay 63 5. And I looked and there was none to help and I wondred that there was none to uphold therefore mine own arm brought salvation to me And Deut. 32. 36. The Lord shal repent for his servants when he seeth their power is gone 5. Plead the greatnesse of our sinnes not to keep us from mercy but to prevaile Our sins have been many and great for it Psal 25. 11. Pardon my sin why so for it is great Psal 41. 4. Heale my soule for I have sinned against thee Jer. 14. 7. Doe thou it for thy names sake for our backeslidings are many we have sinned against thee This is a strong plea when sincerely urged by an humble and contrite spirit It glorifieth God as one that is abundant in goodnesse rich in mercy and one with whom are forgivenesses and plenteous redemption and it honoureth Christ as infinite in mercy Hence also the Lord himselfe when he would stir up himselfe to choice acts of mercy to his poore people he first aggravateth their sin against him to the highest and then expresseth his royall act of grace to them So Esay 43. 22 23 24 25. Thou hast not called upon me O Jacob but hast been weary of me O Israel thou hast not honoured me with thy Sacrifices but thou hast made me to serve with thy sinnes and wearied me with thine iniquities I even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for my names sake The latter sort of pleas respecting our The good of Gods grace as Gods stirring us up to plead with him selves or the good of grace in us are 1. Gods own stirring us up to pray for such mercies When a petitioner can plead with God Lord I come not to thy blessed Court without thy sending for It was thou which appointedst me to come to thy doore of grace else I had not come thy Spirit moved me thy promise encouraged me so to doe and therefore O Lord I expect the fruit of my comming and request So David pleadeth 2 Sam. 7. 27 28. Lord thou saidest this and that touching my house and therefore hath thy servant found in his heart to pray this prayer And so Psalm 27. 7 8. He pleadeth Thou saidest seek my face and my heart answered Thy face Lord will I seeke And well may this be pleaded in that God useth not so to stirre up and strengthen us to seek him but when he intendeth to be found of us Psalm 10. 17. Thou wilt prepare the heart thou wilt bow thine eare to heare Jerem. 29. 11 13. Then shall ye seek me and finde me when ye shall search for me with all your heart And God maketh it an argument to himselfe that if he say to any inwardly as wel as outwardly seek my face he that speaketh righteousnesse cannot speak thus to them and frustrate their prayers and so bid them seek his face in vain Esay 45. 19. I said not to any of the seed of Jacob seek my face in vaine I the Lord speak right things If Ahashuerus bid his Spouse to ask surely he wil not faile to grant her petition Esther 7. 1. so here And as when Christ called the blind man to come to him to tell him his grievance it was truly said to him by them Be of good comfort rise for he calleth thee Mark 10 49. so it is in this case Secondly our waitings and the expectations Our waiting upon him of Faith which the Lord wrought in us may be pleaded That a King should occasion a petitioners expectation of bounty and faile him were not seemly it were strange Hence Asahs plea in his prayer for help Help Lord why so for we rest on thee 2 Chron. 14. 11. So Psalm 119. 66. Teach me good judgement and knowledge for I have believed thy Commandements And Psalm 25. 2 3. My God I trust in thee let me not be confounded And Vers 5. Lead me forth in thy truth For on thee doe I wait all the day And Vers 20. Let me not be confounded for I trust in thee And Vers 21. Let uprightnesse preserve me for my hope is in thee And Psalm 143. 8. Let me heare thy loving kindnesse in the morning for in thee is my trust And it is an argument with men such a one doth depend upon me and I have passed my word to doe such or such a thing for him and he commeth to meet me according to my own appointment at such a time in expectation of what I promised and therefore I cannot may not must not faile him So it is with God Esay 26. 3. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusted in thee And Psal 10. 14. The poore committeth himselfe to thee Thou art the helper of the fatherlesse Thirdly we may in all humility The breaking of our hearts before him plead our heart-breakings and weepings in sense of want of mercies which we crave and our pantings and faintings after the same As Psalm 39. 12. Hold not thy peace at my tears And Psalm 51. David who groundeth all his pleas onely upon the free grace of the Lord Vers 1. Have mercy upon me according to thy loving kindnesse c. yet Vers 17. he pleadeth the brokennesse of his heart The Sacrifices of God are a broken heart a broken and a contrite spirit O Lord thou wilt not despise It is a moving argument with a compassionate father when his child craveth this or that with teares from him not then to deny him In such a case a father wil be ready to say alas my deare child thou shalt not blubber thy cheekes any longer come doe not thus mar thy face with weeping thou shalt have what thou cravest so doubtlesse is it with the Lord towards his children When Ephraim smites upon his thigh is ashamed and even confounded because he bare the iniquity of his youth Jer. 31. 19. how this took with God we may perceive by what himselfe replieth Vers 20. Is Ephraim my deare sonne is he a pleasant child for since I spake against him I earnestly remembred him still therefore my bowels are troubled for him I will surely have mercy upon him saith the Lord. So Esay 38. 5. Isaiah is bid to goe to weeping Hezekiah and tell him from God I have heard thy prayer I have seen thy teares As if he had said to Isaiah Goe runne to yonder childe of mine bid him not weep so sore tell him he shall have his request So Psalm 6. 8. The Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping And V. 9. The Lord hath heard my petition His prayer and petition it selfe spake and his tears also spake aloud in Gods ears and prevailed for
time approaches when the promised mercies to the poor blinded Jewes shall be accomplished and what more seasonable work of love can we do for the Lord or them then to be now much in praying Oh that the salvation Psalm 14. 7. of Israel were come out of Zion In a word Let all the enemies of England old or new to Commonwealth or Church know that Churches of praying Believers are terrible as so many Armies with Banners as so many thundring Legions Let them tremble to think that what ever breaches they have occasioned amongst the Lords people yet that there is a considerable stand of resolute ones left right bred Israelites notable good wrestlers and as special prevailers with God I believe that the Churches enemies the Prelates and others of Englands enemies to their Civil State have been forced to see or feel the force of Saints Prayers We may set God to work pardon the expression in these dangerous times to Church and Commonwealth by our Prayers as hee did of old in like case Psalm 119. 126. It is time for thee Lord to work for they make void thy Law Wherefore Christian Reader albeit others have written worthily about this Subject of Prayer in their times yet let it not seem unseasonable to thee or bee unaccepted by thee that I also though the most unfit and unworthy to attempt so great a work do at this time likewise bring in Evidence with other Witnesses to the same Truth concerning the Nature Necessity Excellency and Efficacy of holy and spirituall Prayer and that I also according to that small measure of Light and Grace received of the Lord doe hereby endeavour to stir up thy pure mind by way of Remembrance that thou mayest bee mindfull not alone 2 Pet. 3. of their Writings but especially of the words before spoken both by the Prophets and Apostles concerning this Subject of Prayer that as in Preaching upon it here the Lord was pleased to blesse that Discourse of Prayer to sundry Souls so if it may be his gracious pleasure it may bee of lively and effectual use to thy souls welfare and peace Which shall bee his prayer who is Thine in the Lord Jesus THOMAS COBBET Lyâ— in New-England the 24. of October 1653. The Heads of the Chapters the particular Contents whereof stand in the Margin of the Book at their proper places which they refer to PART I. Chapt. 1. THe several Reasons of prayer taken from God Christ and the Holy Spirit and from Saints themselves also from the necessities of and engagements unto prayer Chap. 2 Ejaculatory prayer is described the excellency of it is showen in that it is the Saints first and last holy breathing the Alpha and Omega of Solemn prayer Chap. 3. The Requisites unto publick prayer are handled Chap. 4. The duty of Family-prayer is handled Chap. 5. Handling the duty of Closet-praier Chap. 6. The Rules about praying for others is handled and also of prayer of Imprication against others PART II. Chap. 1. Is shewne wherein Importunity in prayer consisteth Chap. 2. Handling the Opportunities of praier Chap. 3. Sheweth what it is to pray indesinently and not to give out in prayer Chap. 4. Touching faith in prayer and the necessity of it and what faith is required in prayer Chap. 5. Sheweth wherein Humility in prayer consisteth Chap. 6. Sheweth wherein Sincerity in praier consisteth Chap. 7. Sheweth a threefold watchfulnesse in praier is required and wherein it consisteth PART III. Chap. 1. Touching unregenerate persons prayer and that they are bound to pray Chap. 2. Touching distraction in prayer and the causes thereof and what distractions nullifie prayer Chap. 3. Shewing that things materially good suggested in prayer may be delusions Chap. 4. Shewing what means are to be used in praier Chap. 5. About the time that is to be spent in prayer which is to be much Chap. 6. Shewing the necessity of pleading in prayer Chap. 7. Shewing the causes of straitnings in prayer Chap. 8. About inlargements in prayer which are saving Chap. 9. About meltings in prayer which are from saving principles Chap. 10. Shewing how to conceive of God in prayer Chap. 11. In what order we are to direct our prayers to God GOSPEL INCENSE OR A DISCOURSE About PRAYER Delivered in sundry Lecture Sermons from 1 Thes 5. 17. Pray without ceasing PART I CHAP. I. Touching Prayer in General NOT to spend time in analysing the Chapter In this Text you have two parts 1. The Duty enjoyned Pray 2. The modification of the Duty Without ceasing In the former also you have 1. The Soveraign commanding this Duty even God the Father yea Jesus Christ his Son who by his Spirit sent Paul his Apostle to deliver this piece of Message 1 Thess 1. 1. 2. The Subjects injoyned this Duty the Church of Thessalonica jointly and severally and so in in them all other Churches of Christ and Members of them yea all Christians whatsoever whence observe That Incessant Prayer or Prayer without Doctr. ceasing is a duty which the Lord requireth of all and every one of his people in a special manner Luk. 21. 36. Pray alwaies Luke 18. 1. He spake a Parable to the end that men ought alwayes to pray Rom. 12. 12. Continuing instant in Prayer Col. 4. 2. Continue in Prayer Eph. 6. 18. Praying alwayes c. For the better and fuller handling of this weighty service of Prayer consider 1. Of the Duty it self Prayer 2. Of the Modification of the performance of it scil Without ceasing 3. Of the conditions required to such incessant Praying 4. Of some cases of Conscience respecting that incessant exercise of our selves in it Touching the Duty it self Prayer let it be considered 1. More Generally in the nature of it both as held forth in several names given to Prayer in Scripture and in a short definition thereof 2. More Particularly 1 In the sorts and species of it as 1. Sudden or ejaculatory Prayer 2. Set and solemn Prayer and that either publick or Church Prayer private or family Prayer secret or closet Prayer 2. In the parts of Prayer which albeit many yet wee shall briefly only consider of Prayer 1. Of Intercession 2. Of Imprecation Prayer is a duty very many wayes enobled and honoured of God and his people and as that which is of large use and extent whose worth is not knowne nor easily decyphered whose nature is not readily conceived or described and yet that which should be most familiar to the Saints it is set forth in Scripture by many names Let us then read over the Titles of this royal work It is called an Offering Zeph. 3. 10. My 1 Prayer an Offering Suppliants shall come and bring mine Offering or they shal in a solemn reverent and cheerful manner pray unto the Lord even as the Godly use to bring the Lords Offering to him Isaiah 19. 21. The converted Egyptians will do Sacrifice and Offering make Prayer their spiritual work and businesse And Prayer
and divisions if any such should be amongst us Reason 5 5. Because publick prayer is in a special 5 It s very delightfull to the Lord. sort delightful to the Lord hee putteth his people in special wise upon it Psal 81. 10. Open thy mouth wide in prayer and I will fill it hee is therefore troubled if publick prayer as well as private be neglected Esay 43. 22. Thou hast not called upon me O Jacob Jesus Christ is very ready to present and perfume publick as well as more private prayers of his Saints Rev. 8. 3. The Lord is ready to reward it in his people Let all the people or Gentiles prayse thee was the Churches prayer Psal 67. 5. and verse 6. Then shall God even our God blesse us they praying for a blessing upon others triumph for a blessing as upon others so upon themselves It is good and acceptable to him that publick prayer bee made for all Saints 1 Tim. 2. 1 2 3. Christ took it kindly that the multitude opened their mouthes to beseech mercy for one that had an imperfection in his speech and beseech him to lay his hands upon him Mark 7. 32. Vpon which he cured him verse 33 34 35. Reason 6 6. Such manner of approaches of Assemblies 6 It s a fruit of Christs death and represents his publick spirit to the Lord are a fruit of Christs purchase that way to Gods throne i◠made by the rending of the vaile of Christs flesh Heb. 10. 19 20 22 25. compared it represents the very spirit of Christ which is all for the publick good of his people There are in publick prayer the special influences of the spirit which were scattered in many compacted and gathered as it were in one the waters of various graces running in several gracious hearts as in sundry channels doe here disburthen themselves as in one pleasant and mighty streame One instrument alone well tuned will make good musick in Gods eares but he delights much in these praiers in consort where sundry two or three symphonize in what they ask it shall be done Matth. 18. 19. For there is Christ in the midst of them when thu◠gathered together in his name verse 20. Reason 7 7. Because publick prayer is a publick It s a publick ingaging and uniting of hearts engaging and compacting of the hearts and spirits of Gods faithful ones Acts 2. 42. They continued stedfastly in prayers ver 44 And all that believed were together and hal◠all things common Zeph. 3. 9. That they may all call upon him to serve him with one consent or one shoulder as it is in the Hebrew As if the former were meanes of the latter The joynt exercises of mutuall graces in the common work breedeth and feedeth love and mutual respect As it is with any two or three Ministers or other godly persons using to pray most together they love and cleave most together as Musicians that use to play often in consort together they use to be most friendly to each other So is it in an assembly of persons conscionably exercised in publick prayer Let us now apply the consideration of this of publick prayer as our duty First in way of reproofe of such who Vse 1 come not constantly or if they doe they Evils of not or late coming to publick prayer come not seasonably to publick praier but they come dropping in when the duty is halfe or almost finished These write not after their copy set them in that representative of pure worship in Gospel-Churches Revel 4. 8 9 10. When the foure living creatures representing the officers are to lead the rest and to begin and carry on the publick worship the rest of the Congregation represented by twenty four Elders for their gravity and experience in matters of the Gospel they are also present ready to fall downe in testimony of their joynt accord in the worship And observe it none of the number are wanting There is not a third or fourth part or half or three parts of the company as too oft with us when to give glory to God in prayer and thanksgiving but there are the whole assembly of Gods spiritual Priests by profession and holy calling the whole twenty foure This also is not according to the expresse pattern of the Primitive Church and the members there they continued stedfastly as in other parts of worship so in praier and the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 noteth their ready attendance upon the same as well as their continuance therein The same word is used Acts 10. 7. for the Souldiers waiting upon Cornelius and of Rulers attending on their work Rom. 13. 6. But for the further whetting and sharpning this admonition Consider First that it is a sinne of omission such 1. It is a sin of omission doe not joine in a duty of publick worship to which each of the assembly are bound being therefore publick as that which concerneth all such doe not give the Lord this holy sacrifice in the time of it God is not now lesse interested in the time of his worship as well as in the worship it selfe then of old Numb 28. 2. You shall observe to offer them in due season The very Prince who of all other hath weightie occasions lying upon him to withdraw or delay his coming into the assembly in the time of publick worship under the Gospel allusively represented under notions proper to that of the Law yet Ezek. 46. 10. And the Prince in the midst of them when they goe in shall goe in and when they goe forth shall goe forth He is to be there with the first and stay till the last all the professed subjects and lovers of Jesus Christ are to watch dayly at his gates and wait at the posts of his doors Prov. 8. 33 34. They are therefore to be in readinesse as those who watch and wait for any holy opportunitie of Christs publick ordinances and worship and so of this of praier among the rest or else they break rule neglect their duty How unsutably doe such walk to the example of other godly people abroad mentioned in Luk 1. 21. The people were there al waiting til Zachary had done offering incense and Exod. 35. mention is made of troops of women assembling at the doore of the Tabernacle 1 Sam. 2. 22. Yet women in regard of family occasions of children and the like if any might have been excused Peter and John went to the Temple at the houre of prayer The Tabernacle and Temple then where they were wont to assemble had publick prayers offered up among other services And not less diligence in ready attending publick worship prayer among the rest is prophecied of as in these dayes of the Gospel witness that Psal 110. 3. Thy people shall bee willing or free and forward sacrificers in the day of thy power Esay 60. 8. Who are these that flye like doves to the windowes Zach. 8. 21. Let us goe
there in the Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then was Prayer made which was stretched out upon the Tenters not so much namely in the length and largeness of the intercessions of such as put up the same as in respect of the thoughts holy affections and exercise of the graces of the spirits of those godly Suppliants in their prayer So in Acts 26. 7. prayer was one speciall piece of that service intended in that there mentioned Our twelve Tribes instantly serving God day and night The words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a stretched out manner serving God Psal 119. 145. I cryed with my whole heart Davids whole heart acted in that prayer with all earnestnesse his prayer was the common cry of all that was within him his desire love hope and all the graces of his spirit in his heart put forth themselves in his prayer So Rom. 12. 12. Continuing instant in Prayer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 continuing with all your might in prayer The acceptable prayer is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an inwrought praier A prayer wherein all the active hands within the suppliant are set on work according as there it is said of him Coloss 4 12. Alwayes labouring fervently in prayer for you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wrestling for you in Prayers A fervent Suppliant doth Wrestler-like bend and writhe and strain every joynt of the new man in their souls yea of their whole mind and heart so far as sanctified that they may take all helps and advantages of the Lord to prevaile with him in prayer All our lines must meet in this center of Prayer our whole man must wait upon this as the creature of the holy Ghost as it will share in this blessing so it must act in begging it and then it will put on the garment of prayses also for it Like as before the whole man went as it were in mourning weeds in the want of that blessing so the mercy will be sweetest to the whole man when it is thus holily imployed in the begging of it or if the mercy be delayed yet it can the more quietly sit downe in the want of it when it hath used Gods means for it A gracious Christian that prayeth much can want much hee hath that inward peace that guards his heart and mind from discontent Phil. 4. 6 7. Make your request knowne to God and the peace of God shall keep your hearts 2. Importunity in prayer consisteth in 2 In frequent renewing of our suits a frequent renewing of our suits when wee are at this holy work early and late the Psalmist was at it early when hee sayd Psal 88. 13 My prayer shall prevent thee and 119. 147. I prevented the dawning of the morning and cryed c. He was a good husband and earnest in this holy work who was at it so early a lively Christian will be up in his spirit and hard at this work when other lazy and drowzy professours are not stirring this way And verily hee had need be up betimes who preventeth the Lord with his prayer whose use it is before we call to answer us Isai 65. 24. Psal 21. 3. The importunate suppliant also will be late at it come for bread at midnight when he might have it inwardly suggested to him that he cometh unseasonably as that parable holdeth fotth Luke 11. 5. 8. He will pray with the first and with the last too he will pray againe and againe For this I besought the Lord thrice 2 Cor. 12. 7 8. His fresh suits freshen up the suppliants praying graces put a new glosse upon his faith love feare zeal holy desires and the like Sometimes the heart is more praying ripe then at other times importunity tryeth conclusions seeth how our hearts prayer-pulses beat at all times the heart is sometimes more full of holy motions and workings much more resolute more fixed upon God and good much more tender and sensible Importunity taketh all advantages of the heart of a Christian an importunate suppliant is wont to bee alwayes taking the skales and ballances into his hand and in his thoughts putteth in the mercies hee needeth and longeth for in the one skale and all his prayers pleas and tears for the same in the other And perceiving the mercies to weight downe all his praiers he then layeth in more prayers and sighs and yet alas they are not weight which makes him still to be laying weight after weight prayer upon prayer al his days Prayer is the souls messenger which it speedeth to heaven there to relate in the eares of its God and King the various cases which do concern it and as good speeding messengers are the most serious and the most serious messengers speed best so it is in the case of prayer yea as messengers are sent againe and againe till their errand bee fully told and their businesse dispatched or sufficient order raken for it so it is here Prayer after prayer is sent up to heaven until either the Lord doe what is desired or that which is equivalent to it as in Pauls case 2 Cor. 12. 7. hee said unto me my grace is sufficient for thee my strength is made knowne in weaknesse An importunate suppliant hath the art of praying and so hath his divers spiritual topick places as I may call them whence he frameth variety of holy arguments and pleas in prayer which is an holy reasoning with God as it is called he hath a great deal of spiritual eloquence and holy rhetorick so that hee is seldome nonplust in prayer but with sweet and apt variety of supplications is againe and againe pressing upon the Lord for mercy and when ordinary prayer seemeth not to prevail importunity in prayer will bee expressing it selfe in an extraordinary way fasting shall be joyned to crying mightily as Jonas 3. 6. and if our prayers alone prevail not it will make us goe another way to work with God even to set others on work to seek God with us and for us Cant. 5. 6 I sought him but found him not verse 8. If you find my beloved tell him I am sick of love 3. It consisteth in a holy impatience 3 An holy impatience of delay or denyall of an answer of delay or of denyal of our holy requests it maketh a gracious suppliant to stand as we say upon thornes the captive exile hasteth to be delivered Isaiah 51. 14. The Church is even sick of love for want of the desired presence of Jesus Christ Cant. 5. 8. Heare me speedily saith David my spirits fayle least I be like to one of those that go down to the pit Psal 147. 7. it is even death to such to be delayed much more to be denyed hence those frequent ingeminations How long Lord how long Ps 13. every day week or month is as seven to importunity love in the soul to the Lord his favours and fellowship keepeth due and true account how long he hath held us off and therefore
to prayer then that lawfull working of heart which proceedeth from faith in Gods immensity And nothing more quickning to serious attention and intention to the duty and to comforble expectation of the issue then a lively apprehension that we speak not to an absent but to a present deity not to a friend out of hearing but to one that is with us and by us when we are praying 2. Faith in Gods omniscience is also 2 In Gods omniscience required in prayer Thus David in his and Jeremiah in his and Solomon in his prayer look at God as one that tryeth the heart and the reynes 1 Chron. 29. 17. Jer. 32. 16. 19. 1 King 8. And faith in prayer cometh not to bring light to God but rather to borrow light from him in all the businesse of praier It knowes his all-seeing eye as well as his all-hearing eare Faith maketh a sincere heart the more free and bold with God because it eyeth him as one who is privy to all it hath to think or speak in prayer Nothing more terrible to sinners thoughts in their wayes then that God seeth them But nothing more comfortable to godly ones then this perswasion that now they are before an all-seeing one they are glad that they serve such a Master and speak to such a father who doth throughly know them and watchfully eyeth them The suppliants of God have secret things in secret corners to commit to the eares of God and oh how well is it for them in their esteeme that they may pray to God which seeth in secret Matth. 6. 6. Pray to thy Father which is in secret saith Christ Suppliants are to seek Gods face about matters carryed on by Gods and their own enemies secretly and slyly and had need eye the Lord as one who seeth what is contrived and done in the dark yea sometimes they are so sorely assailed and charged by the wily enemies of their soules that they have no way left them but to appeale in prayer to the Lords all-seeing eye to judge of the false charges of men and divels and sometimes of their corrupted tempted consciences accusing them when they should excuse disquieted when they should rest in God Hence why art thou so sad O my soul and why art thou disquieted within me trust still in God Psal 42. 5. and verse 7. Deep calleth to deep and verse 8. My prayer shall bee to the God of my life That Tepilla or appeale prayerwise unto the Lord as one that heareth where the right lieth helped much Sometimes we know not what to ask as we ought but the spirit it self maketh intercession for us with sighs and groans that cannot be uttered Rō 8. 26 27. and he that searcheth the heart knoweth what is the mind of the spirit So said Pauls faith so saith the faith of each gracious suppliant 3. Faith in Gods all-sufficiency is requisite 3 In Gods all-sufficiency wherefore Christ teaching us to pray teacheth us to look at God as one whose is the kingdom and the power and the glory Mat. 6. 9 13. compared Hence the lowest room and one days residence in Gods house of prayer is desirable to David Ps 84. 10. He believed that God is a sun and a shield and would withhold no good thing from them that walk uprightly verse 11. Moses prayeth to the Lord for mercy as one whose mercy would fill all the desires and corners of their soules Psal 90. 14. O satisfie me early with thy mercy None are more selfe-empty and needy then true suppliants and therefore faith in Gods all sufficiency is most needfull to them None are more sensible of their utter inabilitie to withstand the force and guile of their soules enemies and so need such a faith the more yea the truth is true suppliants use not to seek of God this or that so much as God and Christ in that which they seek of him God in a spouse in a friend in liberty in health in ordinances in comforts and the like and therefore they must needs eye the Lord as all in all and all without him to be nothing yea in a barren land where no desirable comforts are and can then in seeking him by faith be satisfied with him as with marrow and fatnesse Psal 63. 1 2 3 5. c. 4. Faith in Gods Almightinesse is requisite in prayer Paul who bowed his knees 4 In Gods Almightiness or prayed unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Ephes 3. 14. hee looketh on him as one who was able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think according to the power that worketh in us ver 20. So Jehoshaphat in his prayer argueth by faith with God thus 2 Chron. 20. 6. And in thy hand is not there power and might that is there is So Jeremy in his prayer Chap. 32. 16 17. I prayed unto the Lord saying Ah Lord behold thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and outstretched arm and there is nothing too hard for thee Sometimes Gods suppliants are put hard to it in the course of their prayers the last grain of their faith and patience seemeth to be put into the scale their pressures are such that they even squeeze them to the last drop of their faith and patience there appeareth but some small spark thereof under the ashes they seem to cease in some fainting fits to be even departing onely some gasping panting symptomes left of life therein namely some workings of faith in Gods Almightinesse that he is yet able to help and succour them A may be a possibility in respect of Gods Almightinesse is eyed by faith and that carryeth them out in prayer Sometimes the very faith of Gods suppliants is at a stand at a non plus in regard of Gods will it is an if to them whether he will help yet they beleeve he can help and therefore pray as hee did Matth. 8. 2. Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean and such a faith in the Lords Almightinesse doth great things by prayer For hence that I will be thou clean saith Christ immediately his leprosie was clensed v. 3. He who prayeth in faith of Gods power shall have beyond his faith the benefit of his gracious and energetical will So the Centurion in his prayer to Christ believeth that if he but will his servants cure hee can work it he can even command it by his soveraigne word Matth. 8. 8. Speak the word onely and my servant shall be whole He is not sure that he will give out that energaticall word but if he would but speak the word he concludeth that hee hath power over all desirable blessings as servants at his command even as his souldiers were at his beck v. 9 10. And Christ approveth of this his faith in his soveraigne power saying Verily I have not found so great faith no not in Israel So the man mentioned Mark 9. 22 23
24 25 26. he maketh a request to Christ for his child but at first questioned Christs power saying If thou canst doe any thing help us and so long his request took not but being quickned up by Christs word to faith in his power that hee could doe any thing for them and to expect any thing from him in such a way of believing if thou canst believe namely that I can doe any thing for you all things are possible to him that so believeth then the man cryeth out with teares Lord I believe namely that thou canst do any thing for us and so getteth the blessing he prayed for where prayers are put up in faith believing all things are possible to the Lord believed in and attainable upon believing in him there all things are possible and attainable to such a faiths-request Sometimes the suppliants of God deale with God in prayer about intricacies where the determinations of the will of God seeme or are hid and obscure yea for such good things as come within the reach of his power and herein it were sad with them if faith in Gods power might not or did not relieve them Yea sometimes they deal with God about cases wherin the Lord cometh to expresse his will and mind to the contrary and yet faith in Gods Almightinesse putteth words into their mouthes and biddeth and incourageth them to speak and to pray to him and to try it out with him even in such cases When God telleth Moses that he will smite the people and disinherit them Num. 14. 11 12. Yet because Moses believed the greatnesse of Gods power which might else be dishonoured hee pleadeth that the nations will say that because the Lord was not able to bring them into the promised land therefore he slew them and then betaketh him to this hold Let the power of my Lord be great according as thou hast spoken the Lord is long suffering and of great mercy forgiving iniquity c. He looked at him as now able to fulfill the other part of his revealed will even to be a God pardoning his peoples sins This set the Ninivites a praying when yet God had said yet forty dayes and Niniveh shal be destroyed Jonah 3. 3 4 5. Yet for ought any knew to the contrary God might shew them mercy verse 8 9. who can tell if God may not turne and repent of his fierce anger that we perish not and their prayers tooke effect verse 10 God repented of the evill that he had said Besides true seekers of God are continually sensible of mighty adverse powers of darknesse against them so that if they had not faith in Gods almightiness overmatching those powers they would not pray without ceasing 5 Faith in the gracious nature and disposition of God as in his love mercy bounty compassion long-suffering goodnesse is required Nothing more usuall with the Saints in their prayers mentioned throughout the scripture then to set their faith on worke in prayer upon the gracious nature of God I need not mention the scriptures In this ocean faith can freely swim and bear up all the suppliants burdens and packets In this holy chancery court and court of grace it can have right in any cases which concerne the soule Nothing more sutable to the hungring and thirsting desires of suppliants and nothing more sweet and satisfying then the marrow and fatnesse of Gods loving kindnesse Psal 63. 1. to 5. The upright remember the love of the Lord more then wine Cant. 14. A poore suppliant seeeth here by an eye of faith the true riches which his soule needeth and that it is here ready for him that God is rich in mercy to all that call upon him So did David Psal 86. 41. This is a spirituall all-heale to the poore diseased wounded soule crying to God for cure therein it seeth and eyeth the particular salves that are most sutable to the severall sores of which it complaineth when the people of God are tossed with tempests of troubles and temptations as they were Isai 44. 11. yet they eye this as a sweet and safe harbour if they can but put in here they are sheltred in all weathers if they can but cast the anchor of faith and hope here they can ride it out securely and without hurt or losses from any windes which blow 6. Faith in Gods simplicity is required 6 In Gods simplicity Solomon in his prayer looketh at God as alwayes acting and all act one whose eyes were open night and day 1 King 8. 29 so the Psalmist Psal 65 2. and thou that art hearing ever hearing prayers to thee shall all flesh come The like faith in the eternity and immutability of God and in his faithfulnesse in what he is to his poore redeemed ones and in what he saith to them and doth for them in a way of grace and favour is needfull Habbakuk in his prayer maketh use of the eternity of God Hab. 1. 12. Art not thou from everlasting oh Lord my God my holy one wee shall not dye Nehemiah in his prayer improveth Gods faithfulnesse chap. 1. 4. O God that keepest Covenant and mercy for them that love him Those afflicted soules mentioned Psal 102. doe in their prayer improve by faith Gods unchangeablenesse Thou art the same and thy yeares have no end verse 24 25 26 27. The suppliants themselves and their cases vary much and suffer many changes but faith in these incourageth them to hold on in incessant prayer to the Lord. We might have instanced in the particulars of faiths improvements of the relative nature of God in prayer as that of a Father of a Saviour Redeemer and the like as is often mentioned in Scripture as Jer. 14. 8. Esa 63. 15 16 17. and 64. 8. c. but I shall forbear proceed we therefore 7. In the Lord Jesus to the second branch of faith required in prayer namely Faith in the Lord Jesus Heb. 7. 23. Christ is able to save such to the uttermost which come unto God by him Out of Christ God is a consuming fire and if we eye him as such a one only wee are driven from him rather than drawn to him Daniel craveth all things for the Lords sake Dan. 9. 17. David requesteth mercies of the Lord for his words sake or as in 1 Chron. 11. 9. for his servants sake the saints of old looked in their prayers towards the temple 1 King 8. 29 30. 35 38. So Jonah chap. 2. 4. Now the temple was a type of Christ Christ spake of the temple of his body Joh. 2. It was not enough for the Israelites to cry out of wounds nor for Moses to pray with them or for them but they must look to the brazen Serpent Numb 21. 7 8 9. which in Joh. 3. 13 14 15. is made a type of Christ Christ is the altar whereon wee offer all our spirituall sacrifices if acceptable Heb. 11. 12. And if we doe in offering them but touch this blessed altar
will farther his gracious audience of his servants prayers What will not love grant 5 Consider what account the Lord makes 5 What esteem he hath of his Saints prayers of his peoples prayers They are his delight Prov. 15. 8. as sweet musick in his ears Revel 5. 1. They are memorials before him ever in his eye minding him of what is meet to be done for his people Acts 10. 4. They are as a Recompence to him he liketh to be paid in his dues in prayers also Psal 116. 12 13. he thinketh we never pray enough John 16 13 14. Hitherto you have asked nothing namely in comparison open thy mouth wide Psal 81. Mercy accompanieth prayer if the Lord would turne away the one yet not the others pleas Psalm 66. 20. 6 Consider what measures the Lord 6. What measures he keepeth in his respects to praier keepeth in his respects to prayer He heareth sometimes before we call preventeth his people with goodnesse Isaiah 65. 24. Sometimes even whilst praying they have answers of grace ibid. Sometimes when his people seek him for pardoning grace and the manifestation thereof he sheweth mercy even above their thoughts Isaiah 55. 6 7 8 9. giveth them as above what they ask so beyond their thoughts and expectations Eph. 3. 20. Wherefore raise up our expectations in this way of seeking the face of God touching his gracious disposition to hear and help us and when we have got up our thoughts therein to the highest yet believe it he hath mercy and answers of grace for us above our thoughts 7 Consider what method God continually and infallibly useth in his respects to 7. What method he observeth in his respects to praier prayer namely first to incline hearts to be cordial and serious in prayer and then to give his promised mercies Psalm 10. 17. Jerem. 29. 11. 12. The nearer and surer mercies are the more praying motions and workings there are then in our hearts Both are to the same mercy as one works to help to pray and to hear prayer Mercy would not be at work with us in the one if the other part of God's mercies work were not to be effected Lastly That we may clear up our fainting 8. Consider the Parable Luk 18 1. to 9. spirits and drooping hearts in expectation of faith that our prayers shall not fail of good successe from God consider of that Parable of our Lord Jesus which he for this purpose propoundeth Luke 18. 1. ad 9. A Judge a man comes off to hear a poor suppliants request and will not God a Father do much more for his An unjust Judg hears and will not a just and righteous God hear the cryes of his poor ones One that was a hater and disregarder of men and of his own name yet hears and will not God and Christ hear whose delight is to be with men Prov 8. One that was utterly averse from hearing He would not hear one to whom asking was a trouble This widow troubleth me yet at length grants the request of her which sought to him How much more will the Lord to whom prayer is a delight and whose property it is to be hearing even ready to hear prayers surely he will hearken to his suppliants requests much more One that while he denyed and delayed his Petitioner considered it not till afterward Then he considered with himself and he cometh off How much rather will the Lord who wisely weigheth all circumstances and inconveniences in case of too long delay to hear Isai 57. 17. He will surely fulfil his peoples desires One that in granting his Petitioners desire meerly to avoid disquiet Lest she should weary him out with her out-cryes he hearkens and will not God who delighteth in mercy do much more for his precious ones One that is solicited by a certain widow one no way allyed to him coming to him without any other Intercessour to plead her cause yet he cannot deny her Petition and can or will the Lord deny his own deare children which come to him in the name of him in whom he is well pleased yea and have the Lord himselfe to intercede for him Touching the last thing propounded very briefly The Marks of one praying in faith Marks of praiing in faith are these 1 When a soul is borne up and carryed 1. Praying amidst discouragements on in praying amidst discouragements to pray If he pray without ceasing when yet there are so many things sometimes which may seem to occasion ceasing to pray save that he prayeth in faith When we are hindred and opposed in it by Satan and others yet a Joshuah stands before the Angel notwithstanding Satans resistance Zach. 3. 1. or like him in Mark 10. 47 48 51 52. we continue crying Jesus have mercy on us even when others would forbid us when we are delayed and held off from our desired answers and left in some deeps of affliction in the interim and yet trusting in the Lord in Prayer We will wait Psalm 136. 1 2 3 4 5. When the Lord is long silent yet we will not be silent but plead How long Lord Psal 13. 1 2. When denyed of God as the woman of Canaan as if we had no part in the mercy we ask it were not for us yet we continue asking Matth. 25. 25. 26 27. Surely there is faith emboldning thereunto verse 28. When we seem to be curbed and silently rebuked as the friend wished not to trouble his friend yet will not give over his suite Luke 11. Surely he thinks he speaks to a friend within or else he could not would not then continue asking 2 When we pray with some more then 2 Praying with boldnesse usual boldnesse and liberty of speech as sometimes in an awful and spiritual manner we are wondrous free to plead with God more then at other times now is faith stirring in such a Prayer 1 John 3. 21 22. Eph. 3. 12. 3 When we pray with a kind of delightful 3 Praying with heart calmness calmness and stilnesse of spirit not tossed like waves in prayer through the power of unbelief Jam. 1. 6. 4 When in setting our selves sometimes to pray to the Lord and petition him 4. Prayers turned into praises we are even ready to make a holy digression and diversion and turning our intended Petition into melting admiring praises of God as oft times spiritual Christians have experiences thereof surely then faith is stirring So Christ turning himselfe to approach to God John 11. 41 42. saith I thank thee Father that thou alwayes hearest me CHAP. V. Of Humility required in Prayer WE have entred upon the discourse of things propounded touching the conditions required for the incessant performance of the duty of prayer and have dispatched the first namely Faith And now we are to speak of the second condition thereto required and that is Humility It is the desire of the humble which the Lord heareth Psal 10. 17.
our selves and thereby furthereth such humility 2 Get our hearts filled with love to the Lord. Love is a stooping grace it will 2. Love to the Lord. make a Christian think meanly of all he saith or doth in behalf of Christ whom he loveth that he never speaketh nor doth enough for him Love will make a man amplifie his worth and excellency and glory and even be speaking well even the best of him and that wil surely make him carry it submissively to him as very loath to displease or dishonor him and when at any time a Christian wrongeth or offendeth the Lord Oh how will love occasion self-loathing and displeasure and distaste and trouble for it The Lord Jesus in giving that answer in that poor womans hearing Luke 7. 47. Her sins which are many are forgiven her for she loved much sheweth that love also set her on work in such humble and melting sort to expresse the secret desires of her soul unto him touching the conserving and clearing of her Justification ver 38. 3 Be we sincere in heart in our prayers 3. Sincerity which we make The sincere hearted Publican will humble himself in seeking of Gods favour by prayer when the leaven of hypocrisie will heave and puff up that Pharisee whilst he is praying Luke 18. Sincerity will make us in prayer speak all freely and ingenuously on the part of God and Christ in way of good and on our own part in way of our evil and emptiness it will make men of yeilding and flexible tempers and cause persons to be open and plain hearted with the Lord and that they shall not refuse or be unwilling to take any shame before God 4 Improve we the thoughts and serious 4. Thoughts of our need and Gods greatnes considerations of our needy conditions as likewise of the greatnesse of God The Saints are stiled such as are beggers in spirit Matth. 5 3. hungry ver 6. Luke 1. 53 Destitute ones Psal 102. 17. such as whose best habilements are rags Isaiah 64. 6. Clay vessels the Lord our potter ver 8. Dust Gen. 18. 27. and such like the consideration whereof kept those Saints of God as Abraham and the rest humble in their praiers When we look at this ragged condition of ours it will make us remember our selves and keep us humble in our Supplications 5 Spread we much our own and Ancestors 5. Thoughts of our Ancestors sins sins before the Lord when we are to pray And thus did Daniel chap. 9. thus did Ezra chap. 9. The very serious mention and meditation of an offence of a child of God against his Father will make a Regenerate nature begin to work and then will issue such holy blushes in the face of an ingenious Christian If through the wily slights of Satan and our deceitful hearts we should begin to gaze on our goodly feathers and have some risings of spirit in way of pride yet at the sight of this black foot of ours we should then assuredly fall in our spirits 6 Take we all holy advantages of such 6. Taking advantage of melting workings in our selves melting weeping plights in which we are sometimes above others Davids heart being in that humble plight upon occasion of a good word of the Prophet sent to him from God then David goeth in and prayeth and then he carryeth it so humbly 2 Sam. 7. 18 19 c. When Ezra upon the hearing of the evils among them was put into that abased frame Ezra 9. 3. then he falleth into that humble sort to pray before the Lord ver 5 6. c. So whilst Nehemiahs heart was even broken at the present hearing of the sad newes he forthwith setteth himself in solemn wise to pray and weep before the Lord Nehem. 1. 2 3. compared with verse 4 5. c. Albeit such melting desires and inclinations should haply be raised from other causes or spiritual miseries yet being stirring already they may the better be spiritualized There are times when we are so strangely stupified that scarce any thing will affect us but when affected seriously with any thing it is an advantrge if improved wisely to turn such waters the sluces being now opened into the right channel 7 In our secret approaches to the Lord 7. Premeditation spend some time in serious premeditations it will help to put us into a more serious frame of spirit and that is the next neighbour to an humble and sensible plight It will add plummets to fleety lofty spirits especially if we seriously consider of his Majesty and Soveraignty before whom wee come surely that will help to bring us on our knees The sight of the Kings Colours will doubtlesse make all but some presumptuous carelesse stout spirits to lower their sails even when they are going on full sail'd in prayer CHAP. VI. Of Sincerity required in Prayer HAving spoken in part of the third general thing propounded touching the conditions required to the incessant practice of this Duty of Prayer and therein handled two of those conditions required namely Faith and Humility we come now to a third namely Sincerity or Purity or Integrity The approved Suppliants are such as call upon God out of a pure heart 2 Tim. 2. 22. such as call upon him in Truth Psal 145. 18. The prayer of the upright is a delight to the Lord Prov. 15. 8. Prayer that is pure Job 16. 17. For our better handling of this Requisite to prayer consider we 1 Wherein this Purity Integrity and Sincerity required in prayer doth consist 2 Why the Lord requireth it 3 What are the Marks of it 4 What Meanes and Helps there are to it 5 And lastly what Motives may stir us up to indeavour it To the first we answer That such Sincerity consisteth in these six or seven Sincerity consisteth things 1 In carrying on the whole business of 1. In praying as to God prayer as to God Whether we confesse our sins and miseries or crave redresse of them whether we ask such or such blessings or favours for our selves or others or whether we blesse the Lord for Grace already vouchsafed us for what else we do in Prayer we are to carry it with such awe and reverence as those which are speaking to God and with such intention and attention and observance as those that are now to deal with God and to keep our true distance neither heartlesly distrustful and dismayed and yet not heedlesly and presumptuously or malepertly bold with God Afraid of him yet not terrified by him sollaced in him therein yet trembling before him satisfied in him yet unsatisfied in continued desires of mercy from him resting on him yet restlesse and albeit restlesse as pressing upon him for mercies we need yet resting on him quietly for the same Having such apprehensions of God in the duty as befitteth him and as are sutable to us to the Duty to the present work and workings therein If we confess our
place of it 6. Such men will in the midst of their thanksgivings be with heart and mouth too sometimes censuring and putting contempt upon others falling short as they conceive of their excellencies yea albeit those others be better men then themselvs as this gracious Publicane was then the Pharisee so saith this seemingly thankful Pharisee God I thank thee I am not as this Publicane not such a varlet not such a wretch c. 3. Unregenerate men may be carryed out with some faith as well as fervency in their praiers As Luke 17. 12 13 14 3 They may pray with some kind of faith 15 17. The nine as well as the tenth who was truly gracious cry as loud as he and believe as strongly upon the word of Christ as he that the Lord Jesus had granted their request of healing and goe a great way to Jerusalem as men already cured to shew themselves to the Priest as the manner then was when yet they were not then actually cured they set forward in the journey upon that errand upon confidence of Christs word as if they had been cured at the very instant wherein he spake and yet not at that very instant but afterward even as they journeied towards Jerusalem from that part of Samaria were they actually cured As an unregenerate man one who hath not love may have the gift of the faith of miracles so as to remove mountaines 1 Cor. 13. 2. So may they exercise that faith in such a way expecting answers of prayer in cases of wonder They that cast out devils did it by invocation upon the name of the Lord accompanied with such â— faith for hearing them and helping them Mat. 7. 22. And in thy name cast out devils And as an unregenerate man may have that common temporary faith believe for a time Luke 8. 13. So may he for such a time act such a faith in prayer or the like albeit it be in matters onely of a common nature and not such as are properly saving as for clearing up pardon of sins subduing secret corruptions sanctifying of afflictions an holy rescue or issue from temptations or the like Touching the third thing propounded God may be said in some sense to heare their prayers praying with others I say God may in some sort and in some cases heare unregenerate mens prayers both such prayers as they put up to the Lord with others or by themselves alone Prayers put up by them with others may be heard in a saving way and manner by the Lord albeit not in a saving manner to themselves yet in a saving way to the Saints which joyne with them in the praiers which they put up Matthew chap. 3. 5 6 saith the Centurion came unto Christ beseeching him to heale his servant but Luke 7. 3 4 5. expoundeth it that he sent to the Elders of the Jewes to beseech Christ to doe it He joyned with them in the request it was his but it was presented by those proud hypocritical and unregenerate Elders who breathed none of the Centurions faith or humility as appears by their plea with Christ from the Centurions worthiness saying that he waâ— worthy that he should do this for him yet thâ— Lord Jesus heard graciously answered thâ— good Centurions hearty desire consenteâ— to the substance of the prayer They that presented the poore palsie man to Christ with a tacit desire of cure he had some oâ— them at least a faith of miracles for his cure but the man himself no doubt had a further desire even of his souls cure with the pardon of his sins and when Jesus saw their faith Mark 2. 5. he saith to the sick of the palsie as Matthew hath it chap. 9. Sonne be of good cheare thy sins be forgiven the mans grievous disease might trouble his freinds but this was his greatest trouble in the want of pardon of sins and his desire and faith was accordingly carried out and this soul mercy of his pardon and peace is given in as an answer in common to them all When he saw their faith he saith to the palsie man Son thy sins be forgiven thee Abiathar who proved a treacherous and bad man 1 Kings 2. 26. yet if he made inquiry of God for his counsel about distressed David 1 Sam. 30. 7 8. or about David in a strait 2 Sam 2. 1. God giveth a gracious answer for David who by him seeketh unto the Lord for his counsell and surely the desires of saith are acceptable to God and successefull whether expressed in others prayers wherein believers joyne or in their owne alone Psalm 145 19. He will fulfill the desire of them that feare him The fruit of no one ordinance of God doth depend meerly and onely upon the worthinesse and goodnesse of such as chiefly act in it Christ authourised the twelve Disciples and Judas among the rest to preach the Gospel Matth. 10 4. 7. And so as that if they came to worthy ones humble soules ready to receive their doctrine their peace was to come upon them verse 13. If the house be worthy let your ptace come upon it even all kind of blisse to their souls also which you petition for in your prayers and hold forth in your preaching that shall come upon it Let the Preacher be unworthy himselfe yet if the hearers be worthy their peace cometh on them The Gospel and Gospel-ordinances are the power of God to salvation to the believing hearer and partaker be the Minister regenerate or unregenerate The cup in the Lords Supper is the Communion of the blood of Christ to the worthy receiver be the Minister whom the people called to dispense the same to them regenerate or unregenerate 1 Cor. 10. 16. and so in praier Gods compassions are to his peoples miseries for redresse whereof the prayer is made be the man that is the mouth of the people therein Godly or ungodly Notable is that example of wicked Jehonhaz 2 Kings 13. 4. Jehoahaz besought the Lord and the Lord heard him for he saw the trouble of Israel wherewith the King of Aram troubled them Nor would God ever shew such respect to prayers put up by unregenerate persons in behalfe of his people or any of them if it were as some say a sin to joyne with an unregenerate Minister Parent Master Husband c. in their prayer And since every Hypocrite how godly soever he is taken to be by the most judicious Christians yet he is an unregenerate person if an hypocrite and since he that we judge to be truly godly yet it s very possible he may be an hypocrite we cannot bee infallibly sure in any ordinary way of anothers saving estate but onely in the judgement of charity we may esteeme such or such a one truly godly so that if we sinne if we joyne in prayer with an unregenerate person we cannot assure our selves but that we sin in joyning with any other at all because we cannot ordinarily bee
yet a little sleep c. 3 Such as notwithstanding which yet the heart is quiet Prov. 24. 31 33. it breaketh 3. When leaving the heart quiet not his sleep it molesteth not his ease nor is he so much as willing that such spiritual mischiefs and evils should disquiet him he is all for ease and will not have that disturbed ver 33. Yet a little sleep c. such a ones case is sad God regards not him nor any thing he saith but eyeth him as a loathsom sluggard fit for ruine 4 Such as overcome the soul and by degrees 4 When over-running the heart eat out the very motions and dispositions to prayer or any other good work ibid. compared with Prov. 21. 25. such a sluggard had his desires but even his desires too are overcome with such distempers The desire of the sluggard killeth him for his hands refuse to labour 2 There are some other distractions in prayer which may stand with hopeful Others not bindring answers of praier successes of the prayers annoyed by them As 1. Such distractions in prayer which are 1. If resisted strongly resisted prayed against and bewailed Albeit sometimes by their violence they captivate us so that as he said The good we would do we cannot because of that present evil Rom. 7. 21. And this part of the law of our members rebelleth against the law of our minds is quite crosse to the bent of our spirits as spiritual ver 23. whence with Paul as verse 24. we are ready to cry out Wretched men that we are who shall deliver us from the body of this death 2 Such as are frequently overcome so 2. If frequently overcome that notwithstanding that opposition of the Spirit in us by the flesh yet the flesh hath not its will of us Galat. 5. 19. The Spirit lusteth against the flesh namely so as to put it to the worst 3 Such which at the first arising of them do amaze and appall the heart and 3. If amazing the heart so Satanical and not ours 4 Such as are mainly occasioned from bodily distempers melancholy unwonted 4 If occasioned from bodily aâ—ls drowsinesse sicknesse paines c. in which case he pitieth us as a father his children remembring our frame that we are but dust Psal 102. 13 14. as in sick Hezekiahs chatterings c. Isai 33. 8. 5. Such which are occasioned by some 5 If occasioned by outward occurrents outward occurrents as the disturbance occasioned at that prayer and fasting 1 Sam. 7. 5 6 9 10 7 8. compared so by sudden outcries accidents c. CHAP. III. Touching good things suggested in prayer and how discerned to be or not to be delusions A Third case of conscience about prayer Quest 3 now to be considered of is touching things materially good which are suggested in prayer how they should bee discerned to be or not to be delusions Before we lay downe the marks of differencing Things materially good may be moved in prayer and not from a good principle cause these motions materially good from those which are so formally we must premise that such good things for the matter of the motions may bee suggested and raised up in the spirit of a Christian when praying to God and yet not spring from the spirit of God Even such like motions may be raised from our own natural spirits as far as they are carnal and likewise they may be cunningly propounded by Satan And because this to some may seem strange that good motions should be suggested to Gods people or to others whilst exercised in so good a work and yet the same not to come from a good spirit let us evince it a little from Scripture examples and grounds That such motions may come from our They may arise from mans deceitful heart own hearts as they are carnal will appear by the charactar of mans heart in its selfe considered and as far as natural Jer. 17. 9. The heart is deceitfull above all things and desperately wicked Surely if the heart could not play such a cheat as this that speech would bee too hyperbolical When David sought God in and about his soules cases hee had experience of such seemingly friendly counsels to doe this or that to take this course for his succour and that whereby the Lords displeasure might be removed but by his complaint of them it appeareth he found them deceitful counsels he is weary of such heart-counsels saying Psalm 13. 1 2. How long shall I take counsell in my selfe When David was in so sad a case as he mentioneth Psalm 42. 1 2 3 4. one might think sad musings and thoughts being so sutable to his case need not be suspected to be sinfull yet David perceived that those he had were tainted and therefore chideth his soul for them verse 5. Why art thou so sad O my soul when Asaph was crying to God in prayer in that sad condition Psalm 77. 1 2 c he had motions in his mind then propounding grounds of comfort whilst he sought God for he saith I sought God my soul refused to be comforted verse 2. Again at the same time he had other motions crossing the former and perswading that it was not for such a wretch as he who had lost Gods favour to take hold of comfort and these motions prevailed against the other for he saith I sought the Lord my sore ran and my soul refused to be comforted both motions had their probable grounds of equity and truth but could not be both from a good principle He had also in his prayer many thoughts of Gods past mercies to him yet other motions and inquisitions are made in and by his spirit which make him but the more troubled and overwhelmed amidst his complaints verse 3. I remembred God and was troubled I complained and my spirit was overwhelmed True it is that the thoughts of Gods mercies together with the serious musings of our vilenesse and unworthy walkings they work kindly when they humble us and break our hearts but it is never of God that they should overwhelme us as these did this good man The like might be said of such motions demanding will the Lord cast off for ever is his mercy cleane gone for ever Albeit he doth cast off and his mercy be gone to sense at present yet is it so for ever was there any hurt in these yea verily Asaphs owne conscience being Judge afterwards verse 10. And I said this is mine infirmity Psal 39. 3 4 5 6. David hath motions in his heart which put him upon that Lord make me to know mine end and it was materially a good thought which he expresseth man at his best estate is vanity yea but Davids heart was too hot within him it was distempered heat against the prosperity of the wicked at which he was troubled and these are but the sparklings of that wild-fire he doth as good as pray to hasten his
sadnesse and smoak Eccles 7. 5 6. The song of fooles is like the crackling of thorns under a pot Like those that in seeking God Hosea 5. last in their affliction they will seek me early they had such motions of returning to God Hosea 6. 1. Come let us returne to God and of following on to know him verse 3. Then shall we know if we follow on to know the Lord but verse 4. their goodnesse was like the early dâ—w and clouds vanishing away So Psalm 78. 34. in seeking God when he slew them they had motions materially good stirring as verse 35. For they considered that God was their rock and the high God their redeemer But their heart was not right with God neither were they stedfast in his covenant It was then without force upon their hearts which indeed were never sincere and serious but deceitfull But when the spirit moveth upon the face of our souls in any ordinance whether it be in and by motions of conviction or consolation it maketh the spices flow out it causeth the various graces of God in the soule to give their fragrant smel Cant. 4. 16. Awake O North wind and blow O South upon my garden that the spices may flow out When Christ cometh to us in prayer or in any other of his holy ordinances by the motions of his spirit he cometh as showres that water the earth Psal 72. 6. the force thereof mollifieth our souls and makes them fruitfull Isai 44. 3 4. 7. Such motions which are various confused 7 When confused and independent one upon the other or upon the present businesse which then we are in hand with in our prayers Such albeit they may be for the matter of them good yet being not distinct methodicall or seasonable they are not from Gods spirit but from some other delusive spirit Such Items are not words upon the wheeles in due order according to our particular suits c. which are then in motion and agitation Christs lips when he speaketh to us more immediately by his spirit or otherwise they are as lilies dropping sweet smelling myrrhe Cant. 5. 13. His words and motions come not in heaps but orderly drop after drop and pertinently as of the same myrh-like nature all of them as he guideth his truly wise servants so that their tongue useth knowledg aright Prov. 1â— 2. so the fruit of his lips by his spirit floweth forth aptly dependingly in a right order season and manner but those of a delusive spirit they are like sea waves tumultuous independing in no certaine course or channel 8. Such motions materially good which 8 When puffing up the heart put us upon high thoughts of our selves and of our good estates which heave up our spirits they are delusive like those in Zedekiah who was confident that the Lord moved him to speak 1 Kings 22. 11. Thus saith the Lord saith he and that his spirit had been with him verse 21. yet see how proud hee was and how he despised Micaiah who indeed was moved by Gods spirit to speak he smote him on the check saying which way went the Spirit of the Lord from me to speak unto thee The spirits motions in prayer tend to humble rather As in Abrahams praying and saying which am but dust Gen. 18. 26 27. Those lilly like drops from Christs lips of which we spake from Cant. 4. 13. they are as myrrh of a holy funeral abasing and mourning use as myrrhe used about dead bodies to keep them from putrefaction 9. Such motions materially good suggested in prayer which put us upon any breach 9 When putting upon breach of relations of special relations or duties of our callings are delusive As when Jonah thinketh how mercifull a one God is and thence is put upon it to turne aside from his calling to pray at Niniveh Jonah 4. 2. O Lord was not this my saying when I was yet in my countrey therefore I fled before unto Tarshish for I knew that thou are a gracious God and mercifull slow to anger and of great kindnesse and repentest thee of the evil Or if a private man should be followed in praier with Scriptures urging him as he thinketh to cast off civil subjection to higher powers such as 1 Cor. 7. 23. Be not the servants of men Or Mat. 17. 16. Then are the children free or if some private man should be moved in prayer very strongly to kill such or such a wicked Ruler from Ehuds example Jud. 3. 15. Such like motions would be found to be delusive The Apostle to prevent such abuses saith 1 Pet. 2 16 17. As free but not using your liberty as a cloak of maliciousnesse 10. Such things materially good as are 10 When tending to justifie any unwarrantable practice moved in prayer either to justifie some former evil thing in us as Jonah in his praier now mentioned Jonah 4. 2. he reviveth in his mind those former thoughs of Gods gracious nature as a plea whereby to have justified him in that refusal to obey his call to Niniveh O Lord was not this my saying c. Or when they are moved to ground some present distemperd request in prayer as that pretended humble motion of Jobs in prayer Job 7. 11 17 18. What is man that thou visitest him brought in as it may seeme to back his distempered desire not to live any longer in such misery expressed verse 15 16. I loath to live my dayes are vanity and verse 17. what is man c. So 1 Kings 19. 4. distempered Elias saith he is no better then his fathers good yea but it s brought in to plead that God would dispatch his life O Lord take away my life for I am no better then my fathers and this was delusive Lastly when God in judgement ordereth 11 When tending to harden a person in some unsafe way it to some false and perverse seekers of him that some things which they conclude to be good shall be suggested to them whilst seeking of him but in judgement for some inordinacy or hypocrisie in their requests and so in wrath not in mercy God had once told Balaam inquiring of him that hee should not goe with Balaks messengers Num. 22. 12. Thou shalt not go with them and yet out of his covetous mind and desire of the wages of unrighteousnesse he will goe againe to move him for his counsell about going verse 19. Tarry yee here saith he to Balaks second messengers this night that I may know what the Lord will say more to me and ver 20. God came to Balaam at night and sayd to him if the men come to call thee rise up and goe with them Balaam was inordinately set to goe and God when he againe inquireth about going doth in judgement bid him go For ver 32. The angel telleth him behold I went to withstand thee because thy way is perverse before me Ezek. 14 47. Every one that putteth the stumbling block of
his iniquity before his face and cometh to the Prophet to inquire of him concerning me I the Lord will answer him that cometh by my self according to the multitude if his idols And as God dealeth judicially with such rotten hearted ones inquiring after his counsell in the word he in like sort dealeth with like persons inquiring after his counsell in prayer CHAP. IV. Touching use of means with prayer VVE are now to proceed to some other cases of conscience about prayer A fourth case is how far forth means are Quest to be used together with our prayers In Answer wherunto let us shew 1 That Answ means are to be used with praier And 2. how they are to be used Touching the former That meanes are to be used with our Means to bee used with prayer prayers It is clear in all instances of the Suppliants of God in their prayers and in Christs example also using the meanes with his prayers Nehemiah as he prayed that he might bee improved as an instrument of good to his distressed countrey-men so also did he use his interest in his Lord and Master the King to further him therein Nehem. 1. and 2. 4 5 6 7 8. shew and when hee was in hazzard by reason of his enemies powers and policies as he prayeth with the people so he setteth a watch Neh. 4. 9. Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God and set a watch against them night and day because of them Ezra and the rest had confessed the sins of the people but must use the means to reforme the same Ezra 10. 1. Now when Ezra had prayed c. Shechaniah answered now therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away the strange wives and from v. 3. Arise for this matter belongeth to thee c. Abrahams servant with his prayers for successe in the businesse of procuring a wife for Isaak Gen. 24. 12 13 14. He useth the means to speed therein he bestoweth bracelets upon her when he began to perceive her to bee the woman v. 21 22 23. c. Paul with his praiers that the Philippians love may abound Phil. 1. 9. 10 will use exhortations too for that end Phil. 2. 1. Christ when to raise Lazarus as he will pray so commanded that the stone be removed from the grave Joh. 11. 38 41. And with his prayers for the not failing of Peters faith c. Luke 22. 31 32. He useth that means of recovering words also Let us add three or four Reasons hereof Reasons because 1 God ordinarily effecteth our desires by means why means must be used with prayer 1 Because ordinarily God giveth us in the blessings which wee seek of him in the use of means If David pray for a victory over the Philstins God will give it him but he must listen to the noise in the tops of the mulbery-trees to know when he must fal on as he must first fetch a compasse the better to lie in ambush 2 Sa. 5. 23 24. 25. So he shall recover all upon his prayer and inquiry that the Amalekites took from Ziklag 1 Sam. 8. But he will use means to come upon them where they are securely by making use of the information of that Egyptian soldier of theirs whom they left behind ver 11 15. Jacob shall prevail over Esau having prevailed over God Gen. 32. 32. But will use the means by a large gift to pacifie his brothers wrath Paul hath a promise of the lives of all in the ship Acts 27. 24 25. Yet some means as that of that boat must not be used ver 31 34. and other meanes more unlikely must be used for the safety of all ver 44. they that can swim must doe it and the rest get upon boards and pieces of the wrack to the shore Not a bone of Christ shall be broken yet God ordained it that he should be dead before they came to hasten his death by breaking his bones as they did the others Jon. 19 33 35. compared Of those that the Father gave me have I lâ—st none according as it is written Joh. 18. 9. Yet will he use the means that his weakly disciples may at that present escape that temptation of suffering ver 8. God delighteth to blesse the use of means as his owne ordinance he will be seene to bee all in meanes and over means and will have his people discern the sweet accord betwixt the first and the second causes 2 Because the more costly and difficult 2 Use of means maketh mercies more valued mercies are to us the more they are prized by us and they stay and stick the longer with us Hezekiah hath means prescribed for his recovery which God could have wrought without them but his recovery is thereby the more memorable Abrahams servant with prayer using sundry means had made many more affecting observations of speaking providences for accomplishing his business and did the more thankfully admire God therein and repeat the same the more feelingly for others benefit See Gen. 24. 21 22 23 24 25 26 27. 50 52. There are more conspicuous varieties of Gods wisdom grace power and truth in such a way Both the means and the mercies which we obtain in and by prayer with use of means are more sutable to our humane condition here when means are used by us we are often minded of the mercies received thereby by like cases and means occurring and are fitter to mind others thereof occasionally 3 Because the Saints using means with 3 The Saints are the more quieted in the successes their prayers are quietest and most at peace in the issues thereof whatsoever they prove and are strongly armed against objections impugning their fidelity to God themselves or others being thereby also senced against temptations to discontent c. Hannah having prayed by her selfe and having set good Eli also on work with God for her also she is quiet 1 Sam. 1. 13 16 17 18 David after he had with his praiers to defeat Ahithophels counsel 2 Sam. 15. 31. Lord turn Ahithophels counsel into foolishness used means to escape Absoloms bloody Army martialling his own Army for that end 2 Sam. 18. 1 2 3 4 5. how quiet he is Psa 3. title compared with v. 1 2 3 4 5 6. sheweth A Psalm of David when he fled from his son Absolom v. 5. I laid me down and slept c. he can then sleep as sweetly in his Tent as in his Palace 4 Because the Saints using means with their 4. The Saints then come to have the things themselves or as good prayers are sure either of the good things they seek or as good and the Lords blessing upon them Abrahams servant Nehemiah and others had the very mercies they sought Paul and Moses had the good of that which they sought 2 Cor. 12. 8 9 10. Deut. 34. God gave not Paul the desired deliverance from the evil he complained of but yet giveth him grace sufficient to
said Lord I undertook not the journey upon my own head but thou badest me goe and I have thy word for a good successe and therefore I look thou shouldst beare me harmlesse and blesse me in this undertaking So Moses David Daniel and others their prayers are full of holy pleas And that we may strengthen this by two or three reasons consider Reasons 1 It s an argument of familiarity with God acquaintance and friendship thus to plead with God in prayer and therefore most suitable to this holy talking with God As men use to plead with such as they are most intimate withall so is it here Hence the Saints which have been men inward with the Lord to whom he hath made himselfe most known and opened his mind and bosome to them and they theirs to him they ever use the most pleas with God in their prayers What meere men more intimate with God then Abraham Moses and David and who pleaded it more stoutly freely with him then they did This is a branch of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we have through Christ and it being so deare a bought priviledge we may wel improve it to the utmost Ephes 3. 12. By whom we have free accesse with confidence Heb. 10. 19. By the blood of Jesus we have accesse with boldness unto the holy place 2. It will be an argument of fervency 2 Of Fervency and holy seriousnesse in our spirits in prayer to back the same with prevailing pleas As it is in all petitioners amongst men suing for things they most strongly desire 3. It will be an argument of our careful and serious minding and recording of 3. Of holy minding of Gods word and works what the Lord holdeth forth in his word or works for our encouragement in our prayers Hence when the Ministers of the Church are wished to be Pleaders in the Churches Case they are called Remembrancers Recorders and therefore men fittest to plead yea persons called to plead with the Lord for his people Esa 62. 6 7. Ye that make mention of the Lord keep not silence Give him no rest c. and the Hebrew Affix doth shew their eminency in it the Word Mazkir there mentioned is for such a one who by his office did note down al the memorable matters of the King and used to suggest to the King seasonable Items of things to be done accordingly Esa 36. 3. 2. Sam. 8 16. But three or four things may be objected against the necessity of such pleading Objections against pleading in prayer Obj. 1. Jesus Christ is the common pleader and Advocate for his people 1 John 2. 1. If we sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous What need they then do any more then barely present their requests unto God in his name Answ True Christs office is to present our requests to God which we bring before him but withall also to perfume those holy pleaes with the odour of his merit and mediation The Lord Christ meant to pray the Father for them but yet will have the Disciples in his name to ask more to purpose then ever they had done Ioh. 16 23. 24. Hitherto ye have asked nothing in my name ask that is more freely and fully and strongly that your joy may be full yea he is an Advocate to sollicite and plead on our behalf as well our pleaes for what we sue for as the suits themselves Obj. 2. God is not as man hard but rather easie to be intreated as being much more merciful and wise then any of the sonnes of men whose wisedome from above is to be easie to be intreated Besides as men the more intire and sincere they are the more candid they are in ready answers to others desires which they may grant They will not assent to carry it otherwise then they intend no more will the Lord but as he is so will Mich. 7 18 Esa 65. 14 he shew himselfe to be ready to shew mercy and ready to forgive and therefore what need such a urging on pleading Answ True the Lord is thus ready to help and heare yet who more full of pleaes for his mercy then David the Pen-man of the Holy Ghost in ascribing this to God that he is ready to forgive and plenteous in his mercy to all that cal upon him Psal 86. 5. in that very place he pleadeth incline thine ear and hear why so for I am poor and needy vers 1. and preserve thou my soul why so for I am thy servant and trust in thee vers 2. c. Bee merciful to me O Lord why so for I cry to thee continually vers 3. And rejoyce the soul of thy servant why so for unto thee O Lord do I lift up my soul Verse 4 which is backed with another argument from this very gracious disposition of God vers 5. For thou Lord art good and ready to shew mercy and rich in goodnesse to all that call upon thee This readinesse then to mercy must not hinder but further the Saints pleading in prayer and help to finde the more Argument whereby to plead with God therein Jesus Christ knew that his Father alwayes heard him Ioh. 11. 42. yet in that his solemne prayer recorded Ioh. 17. how many Arguments doth he use to strengthen his Petitions as to glorifie him verse 4. 5. Father glorifie thy Son why so The Houre or the Time is come Ibid And verse 4. 5. I have glorified thee on Earth And I have finished the work thou hast given me And now or therefore glorifie me c. V. 21. Let them be one in us why so That the world may know thou hast sent me V. 24. Let them be with me to behold my glory why so For thou lovedst me before the world was Surely God himself must needs be ready to do what himselfe willeth yet as one stirring up himselfe to act he argueth with himselfe Esay 51. 9. Awake Awake O Arme of the Lord why so Art not thou it that hast wounded the Dragon and verse 10. Art not thou it that hast dried up the Sea So Esay 63. 8. For he said Surely they are my people children that will not lye So he was their Saviour and Psal 12. 5. For the sighing of the poor and cry of the needy I will arise saith the Lord and set him at liberty from him that pusseth at him God glorifieth his readinesse to mercy in that we no sooner plead for it in our prayers but he sheweth mercy Esay 65. 14. Whilst they yet speake I will heare Psal 65. 2. O thou that art hearing prayers It is the Lord who prepareth our hearts in prayer and furnisheth them with holy pleas and it is the rather a pledge that he is ready to heare the pleas of his own spirit The Lord may and sometimes doth prevent his people with mercy Esay 61. 24. Before they call I will heare Yet ordinarily he will have us to
consider what a disparagement it wil be to thy glory in the eyes of thy enemies to deale so strictly with thy people men are forbidden to lay a stumbling-block before the blind and wil God lay such an occasion of offence and falling in the way of blind Aegyptians The like plea is used in Psal 79. 9 10 11. Help us for the glory of thy name purge away our sins for thy names sake wherefore should the Heathen say where is there God Render to them the reproach wherewith they have reproached thee O Lord. So Psal 74. 18. 19 22. and in many other places to like purpose The cases wherein Gods name and glory is in any special sort engaged are of greatest weight and concernment and therefore none necd be afraid or ashamed to plead them in such sort before the Lord in such pleas truly if the Lord should deny his Saints he should deny himselfe And the self-deniall of the Suppliant shines forth the more in such pleas when he pleads the case not so much in reference to himselfe as to the Lord himselfe and to his name Secondly the suitablenesse of the relation His relation to us and fitnesse to help us betwixt God and us as Psal 79. 9. Help us O God of our salvation Deliver us for thy name sake As if they would say thou stilest thy selfe the God of our salvation we by thy grace doe eye and own thee as such a one wherefore shew that thou art such a one by saving of us let it appeare that it is no empty title And what is more suitable to a God of salvation then to save his people or wherein shall that Name of thine be more magnified then in thy delivering thy people So Esay 63. 16. Doubtlesse thou art our father our Redeemer c. As if they had said O Lord we have no other but thee of whom should children seek for reliefe or from whom should they expect succour but from their father Now we are resolved to own no other for our father but thee and can a father be curst to his poor desolate disconsolate sick or sad children when it is in his power to relieve them To this we may adde the suitablenesse of the mercies we ask of God unto him and unto us So Numb 11. 17 18 19. Let the power of my Lord be great as thou hast said the Lord is long-suffering and of great mercy forgiving iniquity c. pardon I beseech thee the iniquity of thy people As it is suitable to a sinning people to get a pardon so it is most suitable to a sin-pardoning God to give forth a pardon to them So Psal 130. 4. But there are forgivenesses with thee that thou maist be feared I need not speak more in this case or so much as scruple it that thou shouldst be strict upon a poore desolate tempted creature to mark what is done amisse and so to proceed to condemne or confound such a one as I am for there are Forgivenesses with thee the manifold pardons that I need for my manifold and multiplied sins are in readinesse in abundance with thee thou canst not deny the benefit thereof to me in my case I wil and do conclude it as a granted case there are forgivenesses with thee What then that thou maist be feared Thus the Faith of Heavens suppliants wil be coming within God and wil be framing good conceits of God and telling him how wel they are perswaded of him and of his generous nature that if he deny them he should disparage himselfe in their eyes who had better thoughts of him As Paul desiring Agrippa's becomming a Christian he windeth him in by his holy Rhetorick thus Believest thou the Prophets yea I know thou believest so that if Agrippa deny this he must in a manner weaken his own esteem so when the Saints in their prayers and pleas hold forth their faith in God as such or such an one in his gracious nature the Lord useth not to exercise himselfe short of their apprehensions but it is for his honour to make good the utmost of his peoples desires and expectations of Faith Thirdly the little gain that the Lord The little gain the Lord wil have by our ruines would have by denying his people in the mercies they request David beggeth his own life of God using this plea What profit is there in my blood Psal 30. 9. So did the captive Church plead Psal 44. 12. Thou sellest thy people for nought and dost not increase thy wealth thereby So then poor Saints of God when they come and tell the Lord in their prayers that indeed he may condemne or confound or cut or cast them off he may continue to frown upon them and to withdraw his spirit from them he may deny such and such requests of theirs for such and such just causes in them but what wil he gain thereby he may gain many praises c. by hearing them and helping them but what good wil it doe him to see them oppressed by the enemies of their soules or what delight would it be to him to see them sighing and sinking and fainting under sad pressures c. this is an allowed and a very succesfull kind of pleading We might instance in many other pleas respecting God as that Esay 63. 15. Where is thy zeale and thy strength the sounding of thy bowels and of thy mercies towards me are they restrained These are prevailing pleas since the Lord can as soon cease to be as cease to be zealous of his own glory in his peoples welfare since he neither wanteth power nor wil to help them in any needful case which concerneth them for he hath strength and therefore is able and bowels of compassion and tender mercies and therefore is willing to answer and succour his people Yea every Attribute and Title of God and every promise is a several plea which God cannot deny The second sort of pleas respect the Saints themselves which plead and they Pleas respecting us are of two sorts First some respect the dependency and needinesse of our condition As our needinesse as we are creatures Secondly others the good of grace shining forth in us Of the former sort let us instance in these 1. It may be and hath been pleaded that we are Gods creatures both considered as men and as Saints by calling we are the workmanship of his hands and as such plead for his gracious respects Job 10. 9. Thou hast made me as the clay and wilt thou bring me to dust again As if he should say thou hast been at such cost and paines to make me and now wilt thou altogether marre me by afflictions and temptations so the Church pleadeth Esay 64. 8 9. But now thou art our Father we are the clay thou art the potter be not wroth very sore Which is as much as to say Fathers doe not use to be irrevocably displeased with their children nor wil they correct them
audience Fourthly the integrity of our hearts The integrity of our hearts and waies and waies in former workings after God and service for God may by faith in Christ as all in our justification be also pleaded Esay 38. 3. Remember that I have walked before thee in sincerity c. Psal 71. 17 18. O Lord thou hast taught me from my youth and hitherto I have declared thy wondrous works Now also when I am old and gray headed O God forsake me not Psalm 119. 10. With my whole heart have I sought thee O let me not wander from thy Commandements The Lord himselfe maketh it to himselfe a motive to shew mercy to his people Esay 63. 8. They are children that will not lye so be became their deliverer Jer. 2. 2. I remember thee the kindnesse of thy youth c. onely we must use this plea more rarely and sparingly in a self-denying way in faith in Christs righteousnesse as made ours The like also may be said of our integrity with men which in some cases as of reproach slander or injurious dealing from men may be by way of appeale pleaded before the Lord. Jer. 15. 15. Know O Lord that for thy sake I have suffered rebuke Psalm 26. 1. Judge me O Lord for I have walked in mine integrity Fifthly we may plead our sufferings Our sufferings especially those that are most directly and properly for God and his cause Other sufferings also may be pleaded as Nehem. 9. 32 33. Let not all the trouble seem little to thee which hath come upon us Howbeit thou art just in them Psalm 90. 15. Make us glad according to the daies wherein thou hast afflicted us But especially plead those which are undergone for the Lords sake Psalm 44. 22 23. For thy sake are we killed all the day long Awake why sleepest thou Sixthly our former experiences of mercy Our former experiences in like cases may be pleaded as Esay 63. 15. Where is the sounding of thy bowels and of thy mercies towards me are they restrained Which is as much as to say Lord thou hadst wont to be a compassionate God I have had experience in various conditions and cases of thy bowels how commeth it to passe that they are so shut up now So Psal 71. 17 18. Thou hast taught me from my youth up forsake me not now when I am old Psalm 61. 23. Lead me to the rock that is higher then I For thou hast been a shelter to me Lastly the great good which we might both get and doe may be also pleaded The good that we might get and doe God put that plea in their mouthes Hos 14. 2. Take away iniquity and receive us graciously why so so will we render the calves of our lips And Vers 3. We will no more say to the works of our hands ye are our Gods Psalm 119. 33. Teach me O Lord the way of thy Statutes and I will keep it to the end V. 34. Give me understanding and I shall keep thy law Psal 51. 12 13. Restore to me the joy of thy salvation Then will I teach sinners thy way And as the Saints may plead the good which they may do if answered so that good of inward quickning encouragement and enlargement which they may thereby receive Psal 90. 14. O satisfie us early with thy mercy why so so shall we rejoyce and be glad before thee all our daies A third sort of pleas are those respecting Pleas respecting others As their experience of a like help others which are these 1. Others experiences of the like mercy in like cases as Psal 119. 132. Be mercifull to me as thou usest to doe to those that love thy name Lord doe not change thy wont doe to me as thou hast ever done to others in my case Let not me be the first Anomalon 2. Others discouragements or encouragements Their discouragements or incouragements in ours in ours Psal 69. 6. Let not them that wait on thee be ashamed for my sake 29. Let thy salvation O God set me up on high why so vers 32. The humble shall see this and be glad If thou heare me others wil be encouraged or if not they wil be ashamed 3. The subtle and malicious desires of Enemies plots and desires ours and Gods enemies Ah Lord our miseries snares feares straits temptations and falls they are that for which they plot and wait and are ready to reproach us with and therefore the rather tender our case Thus may we plead as others have done Psal 27. 11. Make my way plain because of my enemies Ps 38. 16. I said hear me lest otherwise they rejoyce over me Psal 39. 8. Deliver me from all my transgressions make me not a reproach to the foolish Now touching the last thing propounded namely the rules which we are to attend to in pleading in prayer they are these 1. Look that we plead in faith yea with some strength of faith acted suitably Believingly to our pleas Esay 53. 15 16 17. Where are thy bowels towards me Doubtlesse thou are our Father Why hast thou hardned our hearts from thy fear 2. Look that we doe it with holy skil Improving those promises or Attributes Skilfully of God which are most suitable to our present cases which are most strongly speaking most apt to move at least our selves to believe and such as used to prevaile that way formerly So did the Church Esay 63. 15 16 17. 3. Look we be submissive in our pleas and not inordinate impatient or distempered Submissively Moses was somewhat distempered in those pleas Exod. 5. 22 23. Wherefore hast thou evil-entreated this people why hast thou sent me and Numb 11. 12 13 15. Whence should I have flesh for so many I am not able to beare the burden alone If thou deale thus with me kill me 4. Look that we be humble and self-denying Humbly therein and come not to God to stand upon terms with him or to chop Logick as we say with the holy one Job was too blame herein Iob 23. 4 5. and so were they Esay 58. 3. Wherefore have we fasted and thou regardest it not So Matth. 7. 21. Have not we prophesied in thy name and in thy name done wonderfull works 5. Look that we be sincere in our pleas Sincerely that there be nothing lurking with us and too well approved by us which may be counterpleaded against us and that justly by our own consciences As Esay 58. 3 4. Behold ye fast for strife So Matth. 7. 22 23. Depart from me ye workers of iniquity CHAP. VII About straitnings in Prayer and their Causes Cures and Differences HAving spoken of sundry cases of Conscience touching the incessant practice of this duty of prayer we come now to speak of the seventh Case considerable therein namely concerning straightnings incident to the Saints in prayer and therein we shall enquire of Quae. 7 About the Saints
All things without God are finite too short a portraiture of an infinite Majesty In all comparisons there must be some proportion and equality Now unlesse we could equal God to any thing how can he be likened to it Esay 40. 18 25. 2. Look that we doe not goe about to 2. Prie not too far into his Deity comprehend in our minds his glorious Essence prying too far into his Majesty and the like his Godhead is one of the invisible things of God and must no further be reached after by our shallow and dark minds then as shining forth in the works and word of God Rom. 1. 20. If we goe any further we shall become vaine in our imaginations vers 21. Who can by search finde out the Almighty to perfecton Iob 11. 7 8 12. we should shew our selves in affecting such wisdome to be but vain men Ibid. Iacob when he was at prayer was a little too busie herein and too inquisitive after the name or nature of the Son or Angel of God and therefore is rebuked for asking his name yet his weaknesse is passed over and the Lord blessed him notwithstanding Gen. 32. 29 30. But rather in our approaches unto God conceive we of him in his back parts in his glorious Attributes Conceive of him as one not to be fully conceived by us and so pray to him with such apprehensions of him Moses did desire in prayer to have God to shew him his glory his invisible being and Majesty was too much for him to ask or to have answered God telleth him he could not see his glory and live mans finite underdanding and spirit would be swallowed up and confounded therein Exod. 33. 18 20. but his goodnesse and name of grace his back parts are fitter objects for Moses to contemplate upon and to behold vers 19. 25 compared with Chap. 34. 5 6 When God came down to his people that they might worship him Exod. 11. he came down in a Cloud that their prying eyes or spirits might be bounded the Altar of Incense where the Incense of prayer was to be offered was before the Vaile that was by the Arke of the testimony before the Mercy seat Exod. 20. 6. God would have his servants to behold and mind him in their prayers but yet his Mercy seat was covered with Cherubs wings they might not prie too far and indeed it is but an endlesse work we may weary our selves in this maze of the divine nature but make nothing of our work when we have done It is a fruitlesse bootlesse work no good commeth of it but amazement and discouragement we shall but reflect upon our selves as if we were very Atheists conceiving and believing nothing at all of God when we goe about to conceive more of him then is meet When at any time the Saints of God out of a witty kind of reasoning of their deceitfull hearts perswading that it is meet that we should conceive of God to whom we pray and the like which is in a sense true doe lance out in their slender skiffs or Canows into this vast Ocean without the Cord and Compasse of the Scriptures now if any gust of temptation arise as twenty to one but it doth how are they amazed and affrighted and know not where they are nor how to get safe ashore again having forgotten the work they intended at the first and commonly the work and businesse of prayer is for that time disappointed and left undone or as good being never at such a time performed to any purpose Besides the advantage we give to the enemy of peace and truth hereby which is great and if no worse thing follow yet we get a check from God for our labour as Jacob Gen. 32. 29. and Manoah are reproved for asking after the name of that Angel the Son of God which was secret Iudg. 13. 17 18. Why askest thou after my name since it is secret 3. Conceive not God absolutely as out 3. Think of him relatively as such or such a one to thee in Christ of Christ but as in Christ and so mercifull gracious and abundant in goodnesse and truth We must look as they of old to the glory of God in offering up our spirituall Incense but as in Christ considered as Mediator who is that Mercy seat for so the Hebrew Capporeth translated usually by the Septuagint by the word Hilasterion and approved by the Holy ghost Heb. 9. 5. which in Rom. 3. 25. is applied to Christ whom God hath set forth to be Hilasterion the mercy seat or mercifull Covering or propitiation for our sins or that Capporeth to which Gods Priests must look when offering their Incense of prayer Exod. 30. 6. 25. 20 21 22. compared We are not taught in the Lords prayer to look at or think of God absolutely but relatively as a father namely in Christ Our thoughts of God must be suitable to our worship of him in prayer which is a comming to God not immediately nor absolutely considered but in and by Christ Heb. 7. 25. Which eome to God by him 4. Let us not too much beat our thoughts about particular and personall apprehensions of God or conclude that we are 4. Goe not too far in personal thoughts of God Atheists in defect thereof but be satisfied in conceiving and believing that of him that he is and that he is a rewarder of such as seek him Heb. 11. 6. with such other generall apprehensions which serve to keep the heart humble awfull and attentive namely that he to whom we pray is such a God which seeth and knoweth all our secrets our thoughts wants and sins and the like that he is such an one that is with us whereever we are and that we are in him and live by him that he observeth what and in what manner we do any service before him that he is a very holy God that he is such a one which comprehendeth us albeit we cannot so fully comprehend him and that therein lieth our blisse Psal 139. 6. and so throughout the Psalm 2 Sam. 7. 20. Acts 17. 27 28 29. Fix we our minds somtimes upon God under one and sometimes under another of such like notions touching him and let the aw and impression of God either as one that is most holy or that is most wise or that is most mighty carry us as far along as the Lord helpeth and then consider of him under some one or other like notion and in our prayers carry that along in our minds as far as we can and if our spirits wax flat or slight notwithstanding try them with thoughts of God under some other notion as before mentioned 5. Look that we limit not God to our 5. Limit not God to our conceivings shallow comprehensions of him but in all our thoughts of him conceive of God as infinitely above all our conceivings as Agur did Prov. 30. 1 2 3 4. yet conceive of him to be
gainfull 3. In affectionate amplifications of 3 In affectionate amplifications of our vilenesse and of Gods grace our owne vilenesse and Gods mercy and excellency As beggars which use to make very lamentable relations of their owne miseries but yet giving their benefactors all their titles to the full So those in Psal 115. 1. ingeminate the expression of their owne utter unworthinesse Not unto us not unto us And the Publican in his prayer speaks of himselfe as a sinner none else such a one as he Luke 18. 13 14. So the Prodigall in his request to his father acknowledgeth his extreame and unparallelled sinne and unworthinesse Luke 15. 18 19. So those converts Jer. 31. 18 19. Do the like such like amplifications being as so many forcible arguments in their prayer with themselves to further compunction and contrition in them and with God to further their participation of the benefit of his compassions Out of the abundant heart-abasement the mouth speaks As pride is large in speaking for selfe so is humility in declaring against selfe 4. In framing all our pleas in our petions formâ pauperum in the manner of poor 4 In framing all our petitions formâ pauperum undone persons and pleading for mercy in regard of our extreame misery That wee are under wofull captivity and oppression not of Turks and such like but even of spirituall enemies of our soules corruptions of nature temptations of Sathan c. which are far more grievous That we have sustained losses in soule that are almost inreparable lost the goodly patrimony in our first parents of Gods favour and image which never can be sufficiently bewailed yea haply have lost that little light and life and comfort of grace through some ill course we tooke since the Lord set us up againe and trusted us with a new stock of grace yea are strangely runne behind hand with God yea we are extreamely in debt by our sinne to divine justice yea we are afflicted with many spiritual diseases and distempers and sorely wounded in our spirits through some sad foils of the enemies of our souls and in all wee are utterly insufficient to recover our selves yea and helplesse and shiftlesse in the very use of such means as might tend thereunto Wee see indeed that if we could believe that would succour us but yet are not able if wee could so earnestly wrestle for and breath after help of God in Christ we might have relief but see also that of our selves wee cannot doe so much but as wee are able through the might of God Wee tell him of our grievances and plead our miseries and spread them before him and his people if they may move to mercy and so wait his gracious leisure for the same Jeremiah pleads for mercy to him and his people because their backslidings were many Jer. 14. 7. David pleads for pardon because his sin is great Psalm 25. 11. and craveth mercy because a poor shiftlesse stranger and sadly gone to decay Psal 39. 12 13. So Psal 38. 1 2. intreateth the Lord to forbear to go on to afflict him because his arrows stick fast in him he is sorely wounded already ver 2. he is sick in body and spirit ver 3. he is already fallen under a burden that is too heavy for him ver 4. and ver 6. his back is already ready to crack under his pressures and so on with such like sad pleas taken from his forlorn condition he presseth God for mercy in that Psalm 5 In much inward brokenness and relentings 5. In heart brokenness therein of spirit Hence that smiting upon the brest in the Publicans prayer Luk. 18. 13 14. There there lay his sin and misery there was his wound and burden little did men think what he felt and saw Ah that brest of his how had it harboured rebellion formerly against God! his heart within was smitten for it whereof his brest smiting was but a shadow Psal 51. 17. A broken and contrite spirit is the all of his Sacrifice and prayer Surely that heart is low in prayer and brought down to the dust which is broken as it were to dust What ever speech humble ones have in prayer it is sure they have sighes attending If the Dove-like Spirit of Christ breaths in them they will bee breathing out Dove-like moanes and groans in the ears of God The Psalmist speaketh not so much of Gods hearing of the words of the humble as the desires he heareth the desire of the humble If they do fall short at any time through some occasional impediments of expressions yet broken hearted desires expressed in groans are present and stirring and they are to God as prayers Psal 10. 17. The groanings of the prisoners are the prayers of the afflicted and destitute Psal 102. 17 20. in Gods account 6 In a meek and quiet submission and 6. In a quiet submitting to the Lord amidst discouragements bearing all discouragements without quarrelling against God nay awfully clearing the Lord therein If rated like beggars if rebuked if upbraided if delayed if denyed yet putting up all contentedly The reproachful name of a dog moveth not the humble suppliant she taketh it very well and maketh good use of it and doth not mutiny against the Lord Jesus for it Mat. 15. 27. They in Judges 10. hear and bear and take all that well which the Lord in a holy upbraiding way speaketh Judges 10. 11 12 13 14 15. They yeild to all as so and just if worse with them from the hands of God then it is but yet with the leave of his mercy they crave his favourable acceptance of their request ibid. If humble ones come to Christ in prayer or otherwise surely they come with holy dispositions to stoop to any yoak and burden of Christ which he will lay upon them as wel as desire to have their own burdens taken off by him Matth. 11. 28 29. They may indeed plead with God why he carryeth it so towards them as Psal 22. 1 2. but they are clear in it that he cannot but carry it well albeit the particular cause they know not So Psalm 22. 3. But thou art holy and however it cometh about that such divine forsakings are occasioned yet still thou art holy and spotlesse and pure in all thy dispensations 7 In a real preferring others prayers before 7. In a real preferring others prayers before ones own our own Thus the humble Centurion in his request he had to make to the Lord Jesus he thought better of the Jewes prayers then of his own as being in his own sight a most unworthy Gentile Luke 7. 3 7. Not that under this pretence men should in a way of voluntary humility repaire to deceased Saints that is idolatrous humility yea even the madnesse of persons then living So Hezekiah preferreth Isaiahs prayer before his own and therefore sends solemnely to him to lift up his prayer in the case of Judah Isaiah 37. 1 2