Christ is received and partaked of for that flows from the Principle of grace and so works more freely and absolutely But in this the soul is onely a Patient this is a saving work but not a sanctifying work but yet alwayes sanctification followes upon the same Now we come to the second question Quest 2. Whether every man and woman that hath this Contrite and Humble spirit shall certainly be made partakers of Christ and his benefits Answ Yes because this is the lost soul which Christ came to seek and to save for of this soul we must understand our Saviour when he saith Luke 19.20 The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost And this is the bruised reed which in no case he will break Matth. 12.20 And do but see Psal 51.17 A broken and a contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise not the broken and contrite heart aforesaid And Isaiah 57.15 Thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity whose Name is HOLY I dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones And so Matth. 5.3.4 Our Saviour saith Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdome of heaven And Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted It is the contrite and humble ones which our Saviour here intends Thus we see distinctly and plainly that every man and woman that hath the contrite and humble spirit aforesaid shall certainly be made partakers of Christ and his benefits Quest 3. Whether this contrition and humiliation be wrought in the like measure in all that are made partakers of Christ and his benefits Answ No and for the Causes and Reasons following 1. Some have committed more gross and heinous sins then others and therefore have cause and need to be more terrified and humbled then others 2. The Lord intends to bestow a greater measure of grace upon some then upon others to do greater works by them then by others and therefore prepares them accordingly by contrition and humiliation 3. Some have been Religiously educated from their Child-hood whereby as they were kept from gross sins so corruption was subdued in them gently and secretly by little and little without any great measure of contrition and humiliation grace and comfort being instilled into them almost insensibly 4. Some by natural constitution and temper of body are more fearful and sensible of anguish then others 5. Some after the Wound have the Medicine sooner revealed and applyed to them then others Now we proceed to the Uses Vse 1. To acquaint us that there is but a few comparatively that partake of Christ and his benefits and this will be evident if so be we weigh the particulars which the contrition and humiliation aforesaid contains As first a true and distinct sight of sin many see their sins in a general slight and confused way but where is the man that sees sin to be the greatest evil even separating from the greatest good to wit God himself Isaiah 59.2 nay that so far as he gives way unto it so far he joynes with the Divel and fights against God that sees into the vile and loathsom nature of sin And where is the man that sees himself to be guilty of Adams fall himself to be stained and polluted universally with natural corruption himself to be guilty of such and such actual sins sins of Omission and sins of Commission that turns his sins upside down considers them in the circumstances of them Psal 119.59 2. The second particular the contrition and humiliation aforesaid contains is unfained and sound sorrow for sin Psal 94.16 17. Alas the most sin is their meat and their drink their very delight they storm and grieve because they cannot sin as they would are sorry and angry they have such a Minister as will reprove them for their sins that they may not go on in sin without any controul or if they have any sorrow in them at any time it is onely because of the punishment that attends sin Many that mourn for this and that outward cross and calamity present and imminent but do not at al mourn for sin the cause of it but a few whose hearts are rightly pricked for their sins Acts 2.37 And so for the other particulars Where is the man that finds sin a load and burden upon his conscience that doth humbly and heartily confess his sins that importunately cryes to heaven for mercy and that truly dislikes sin even to a sinful thought The particulars aforesaid being perpended it will appear that there is but a few that have contrite and humble spirits and so consequently but a few that partake of Christ and his benefits Vse 2. For the comfort and consolation of all such as have contrite and humble spirits they all they shall partake of Christ and his benefits such all such are they whom Christ came to seek and to save Psal 51.17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit a broken and a contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise Isa 57.15 And Matth. 11.28 Come unto me saith Christ all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest The Lord doth not deal with the burdened conscience as Satan and his Instruments Satan Revel 12.4 when the woman was ready to be delivered of her Child was ready to devour her Child and so are his Instruments Now we hope say they you have followed Preachers gone to Sermons long enough no no Psal 147.3 He healeth the broken in heart and bindeth up their wounds to wit the Lord Isaiah 61.1 And to this purpose it is a wondrous thing to observe how the Lord sustains and bears up the wounded soul by a secret hope of mercy as we may see in the King of Niniveh Jonah 3.9 9. Who can tell if God will turn and repent and turn away from his fierce anger that we perish not But for this hope the bruised heart would break and but for this hope the means of recovery and raising up would not be endeavored This hope keeps from despair and provokes to the use of holy means It is true saith the wounded soul I am in a miserable case but if there be any hope I will cry to heaven for mercy I will depend upon the Ministry of the word constantly I will creep into the company of those that make profession of Religion in a special manner who can tell but that the Lord may shew mercy to my poor soul May some man say this is very comfortable that every contrite and humble spirit shall certainly pertake of Christ and his benefits But how may I know that my heart is truly contrite and humble Signes 1. If thou judgest sin to be the greatest evil and the favour of God to be the greatest good 2. If thou hadst rather hear of mercy to thy
poor soul then of an earthly Kingdome to be bestowed upon thee 3. If thou thinkest those that have true Peace of conscience and Joy in the Holy Ghost to be the happiest people under the sun 4. If thou tremble at the Word and honour the very feet of those Instruments that bring glad tydings of peace to such as thy self to wit to wounded consciences 5. If thou send up strong and uncessant cryes to God for the assurance of his favour in and through Christ 6. If thou dost pity and compassionate all such as have broken and bruised hearts Vse 3. To exhort all such as for the present have not contrite and humble spirits to labour and endeavour for that disposition Motives 1. The contrary disposition to wit hardness of heart and impenitency is a great sin and a grievous judgement A great sin Rom. 2.5 But thou after thy hard and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thy self wrath against the day of wrath A grievous judgement Exod. 9.12 And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh See John 12.40 Now there be two kinds of hardness of heart 1. Sensible that which is perceived and felt and this may be in the godly as Isa 63.17 Oh Lord why hast thou made us to erre from thy wayes and heardened our hearts from thy fear 2. Insensible that which is not perceived and felt and this indeed is a great sin and plague 2. The second Motive The sooner we labour after this disposition the more easily in likelyhood we shall attain unto it when a heart hath been long hardened with the deceitfulness of sin it will not easily become a contrite and humble heart and therefore Psalm 95.7.8 To day if ye will hear his voice harden not your hearts So Joel 2.12 13. Besides it may be hereafter we shall not enjoy the like means this way we do for the present 3. Without this contrite and humble spirit according to the Doctrine we cannot partake of Christ and his benefits this is the Messenger that Christ ever sends before him unto those of years for we do not now speak of Infants and wo be unto us if we do not partake of Christ and his benefits it had been good for us we had never been born 4. Whosoever hath this contrite and humble spirit shall certainly partake of Christ and his benefits Now this may greatly induce us to labour for this disposition when the issue undoubtedly shall be so good and so happy Suppose this business be difficult and tedious why yet such an issue must needs put us on in it These are the Motives Now we proceed to the Means of a contrite and humble spirit Means 1. Prayer to God in the best manner we can it is he that must bruise our hard and stony hearts Ezek. 36.26 I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and I will give you an heart of flesh to wit a contrite and humble heart 2. Because the Lord doth many times make use of afflictions and judgements for the bruising of mens hearts when he sends any great affliction upon us let us not stand out against him but joyn with him when he goes a bout to humble us let us labour to humble our selves as Saul afterwards called Paul Acts 9.6 trembling and astonished said Lord what wilt thou have me to do When the hand of God is upon us let us not stand murmuring and repining but fall to examination of our Spiritual estates and cases as the Wise-man adviseth us Eccles 7.14 In the day of adversity consider 3. Constant dependance upon the Ministry of the Word Jer. 23.29 Is not my word like as a fire saith the Lord and like a hammer that breaketh the Rocks in pieces Now we are to know that the Law hath a stroke in this work and so the Gospel 1. The Law by revealing of sin and the woful consequents of it and so the Spirit of God co-operating there is caused a servile fear and trembling a kind of contrition and humiliation which the Apostle Rom. 8.15 cals the spirit of bondage causing fear when the Spirit of God puts an edge upon the Law puts a sword into the hand of the Law to prick and wound the heart and to restrain it in the wayes of sin for fear of punishment Many a man and woman hears the Law opened and the threatnings of it thundringly denounced but stir not are little moved but when once the Lord by his Spirit puts an edge upon the Law then the stoutest heart trembles and quakes Now that the Law may have a kindly work upon us 1. By the Law let us labour for a distinct knowledge of sin 2. Rightly to understand what the Curse is which the Law threatneth unto sin and sinners 3. Examine our selves how guilty we are of that which the Law threatens the Curse unto to wit sin 4. Finding our selves guilty to labour our hearts to a deep contrition and humiliation Now as we have heard before as the Law hath a stroke in this work why so the Gospel more and more melting the heart by discovering Christ whom the sinner hath pierced by his sins and by supporting the heart by a secret hope of mercy and possibility of help in and through Christ even as Jonah Chap. 2. verse 4. Then I said I am cast out of thy sight yet I will look again toward thy holy Temple Or as the Prodigal Son Luke 15.17 18. And when he came to himself he said How many hired servants of my fathers house have bread enough and to spare and I perish with hunger I will arise and go to my father and will say unto him father I have sinned against heaven and before thee c. Now after the Law hath humbled us and the Gospel conveyed this glimpse of hope into our hearts it must be nourished and cherished 1. By considering of the Lords Infinite and Almighty Power how he is able more and more to bruise our souls to make us more and more capable of Christ and so to bring Christ nearer unto us that we may partake of him and his benefits Luke 1.37 With God nothing shall be unpossible And Matth. 3.9 God is able of stones to raise up children unto Abraham 2. The freeness of Gods mercy must be considered of he requires nothing of thee to procure this mercy but shewes mercy because he will shew mercy Suppose thou hast never so many exceptions to thy self why yet thou belonging unto him and his mercy being a free mercy he will proceed with thee until he hath made thee capable of Christ and bestowed Christ upon thee and his benefits Ezek. 36.26 I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and I will give you an heart of flesh And Isaiah 43.25 I even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake 3. For supporting of this hope consider we of the riches of Gods mercy unto the proper objects of mercy Contrite and Humble men
and women such as mourn because they can mourn no more for their sins such as would fain look towards Christ whom nothing can satisfie but Christ see Isaiah 55.7 Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon Thus far by occasion of the first Member of the fourth Principle Now we come to the second Member thereof MEMBER II. By faith alone WHerein the Catechisme further acquaints us how we may be made partakers of Christ and his benefits The Doctrine is this Doct. That a man may partake of Christ and his benefits he must not onely have a contrite and humble spirit but he must likewise be qualified with faith But because we have already spoken of a contrite and humble spirit take the point in a more brief form as thus That a man may partake of Christ and his benefits he must have faith he must believe See John 3.14.15 As Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness even so must the Son of man be lifted up that whosoever believeth in in him should not perish but have eternal life And Acts 10.43 To him give all the Prophets witness that through his Name whosoever believeth in him should receive remission of sinnes And Chapter 13. the 38 and 39 verses Be it known unto you Men and Brethren that through this man is Preached unto you the forgiveness of sinnes and by him all that believe are justified from all things from which he could not be justified by the Law of Moses And so Paul and Silas to the Jailor Acts 16.31 Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thâ—u shalt be saved Not that faith must be supposed to be in our own power John 3.16 But is the gift of God Romans 9.33 the Lord requiring no more in the Covenant of grace then he gives Now the Reasons of the Doctrine Reas 1. Faith is the condition of the new Covenant the Covenant of grace which is evident as in the places fore-cited so in other places as Mark 16.15 16. Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature he that believeth shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned And John 29.31 These sayings are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ the Sonne of God and that believing ye might have Life through his Name Reas 2. Faith is the onely Spirituall hand whereby we receive Christ and his benefits as John 1.12 As many as received him to them he gave power to become the sonnes of God even to them that believe on his Name No faith no receiving of Christ and then no benefit by him And it is not every faith that will do this but only that faith which by way of propriety is called the faith of Gods Elect Titus 1.2 none but the Elect having it and all the Elect being possessed of it in this life at one time or other Now for the further seeing into this Doctrine we enquire into the things following First The kinds and sorts of faith that so we may find out that faith which will serve the turne Secondly Wherein the Nature and Essence of that faith consisteth which will serve the turn 1. Touching the first there be four sorts of faith 1. Miraculous 2. Historical 3. Temporary 4 Justifying 1. A miraculous faith is when a man believes that some extraordinary thing shal be affected either by himself or others or that some extraordinary thing shal come to pass for which he hath some special promise or revelation Mat. 17.20 1 Cor. 13.2 Acts 14.9 Now the commendation of this faith is rather from the ground of it to wit the special promise or revelation then from the gift it self Of its own nature simply it comes short of receiving and applying Christ as is evident by this reason Because it may be in a Reprobate See Mat. 7.22 23. Many will say to me in that day Lord Lord have we not prophesied in thy name and in thy name cast out Divels and in thy name done many wonderful works And then will I profess unto them I never knew you depart from me ye that work iniquity 2 The second kind of faith is an Historical faith and that is a bare assent and no more to the truth of the Scriptures a believing that the Scriptures are true without resting on them or affecting of them Now that this faith is too short to the purpose aforesaid is plain because it is to be found in the very divels themselves Jam. 2.19 The Divels believe and tremble The third kind of faith is a Temporary faith Now this kind of faith goes beyond the Historical in two degrees First In that with knowledge and assent is joined such a profession of the truth as carries a shew and form of Godliness as we may see in Simon Magus Act. 8.13 Then Simon himself believed also and when he was baptised he continued with Philip c. 2. A kind of rejoycing and glorying in that knowledg assent and profession as Mat. 13.20 21. He that receiveth the seed into stony places the same is he that heareth the word and anon with joy receiveth it yet hath he not root in himself but dureth for a while And John 5.35 our Saviour speaking to the Jews of John the Baptist He was a burning and a shining light and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light But this faith being not a well rooted faith at the length it vanisheth away and comes to nothing and therefore called a Temporary faith and being not well rooted it is too short likewise for the business aforesaid is not able in a found and kindly way to receive Christ 4. The fourth kind of faith is a Justifying faith so called because it apprehends that which doth justifie to wit Christ It is likewise called a Sanctifying faith because it purifieth the heart Acts 15.9 Purifying their hearts by faith and so a saving faith because the end of it is salvation 1 Peter 1.9 Receiving the end of your faith even the salvation of your souls Now this faith as it hath many effects beyond the other kinds of faith so likewise it comprehends them all as the Historical and Temporary why so the miraculous faith for he that hath Justifying faith if so be he had any extraordinary revelation or special promise made unto him hee could as well lay hold upon them as upon that Revelation and those Promises he doth lay hold upon And if you ask me what this justifying faith is I answer It is that grace of Gods Spirit whereby a man of a contrite and humble spirit is enabled to receive Christ and his benefits Not but that this faith hath other effects and a larger extent but yet this is a principal effect of it Thus we have found out the faith that will serve the turne We come now
Another parable spake he unto them The Kingdome of heaven is like unto leaven which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till the whole was leavened And so Psal 92.12 13 14. The righteous shall flourish like a Palme tree he shall grow like a Cedar in Lebanon Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God They shall still bring forth fruit in old age they shall be fat and flourishing Motive 3. If we do not grow we go back and a declining condition is very uncomfortable what with the dolours inward and the afflictions outward which attend such an estate These be the Motives Now the Means of growth that is to say some inward helps this way for as touching outward means the next Principle intreates Means 1. We must often by our faith apply Christ to Justification The more we apprehend Gods mercy in Christ unto us this way the more our hearts turn towards him in love and obedience 1 John 4.19 We love him because he first loved us And 2 Cor. 5.14 15. The love of Christ constraineth us because we thus judge that if one died for all then were all dead And that he died for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which died for them and rose again The more clearly we apprehend Christ our Justifyer the more we find in him to be our Sanctifyer See Eph 3.16 17 18 19. Means 2 We must often by our faith have recourse to Gods Promises in this kind The Lord hath made many gracious Promises to further us in the way of Sanctification as Hos 14.4 I will heal their backslidings And Rom 6.14 Sin shall not have dominion over you And so Mal. 4.2 Vnto you that fear my name shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in his wings And ye shall go forth and grow up as calves of the stall Jer. 32.39 40. And Mat. 25.29 Vnto every one that hath shall be given and he shall have abundance Such Promises as these we must call to mind and be earnest with the Lord in Prayer to make them good unto us Branch 2. To exhort all such as are not sanctified to labor for Sanctification Motives Means Motive 1 No Sanctification no Salvation Heb. 12.14 Without holiness no man shall see the Lord And Mat. 5.20 Except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees yee shall in no case enter into the kingdome of heaven and the Scribes and Pharisees were men very civil 2 By Sanctification we shall conforme to the holy God have his special image upon us which we had and lost in Adam Ephes 4.24 3 Sanctification is the end of our Election Redemption and Vocation The end of our Election Ephes 1.4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy The end of our Redemption Tit. 2.14 Who gave himself for us that he should redeem us from all iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works The end of our Vocation 1 Cor 1.2 Vnto the Church of God which is at Corinth to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus called to be Saints 4 Sanctification is not the least part of glory and eternal felicity 2 Cor. 3.18 But we all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory that is from one degree of grace to another even as by the Spirit of the Lord. 5 Where there is not Sanctification there can be no true faith and if no true faith why then no Justification nor Adoption These the Motives to Sanctification Now the Means or inward helps for as touching the outward means the next Principle acquaints Sanctification we know consists of Mortification and Vivification 1 Touching Mortification 1 Weigh and perpend that either sin must die or the sinner must die eternally Rom. 8.13 If ye live after the flesh that is if sin be not mortified in you ye shall die that is to say eternally 2 Weigh and consider the great love of God in giving his Son to dye for sinners John 3.16 and wilt not thou shew love to him again by fighting against sin which he hates 3 Weigh and perpend the great love of Christ who willingly underwent that accursed death of the Cross for thy sins Now wilt thou nourish that which cost him his life Then as touching Vivification the other part of Sanctification weigh and perpend Christs Resurrection 1 The efficient cause of it to wit the Spirit of God And thus think with thy self If the same Spirit which raised up Christ from the dead dwell in me he shall raise up my soul from the death of sin to the life of grace as Rom. 8.11 If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by the Spirit that dwelleth in you and as their mortal bodies at the last day why so their souls in this world 2 Meditate upon the end of Christs Resurrection which was that death might no more have dominion over him but that he might for ever live to God which should be thy study and endeavour even to live to God in a life of holiness and Righteousnesse See Rom. 6.9 10 11. Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more death hath no more dominion over him for in that he died he died unto sin once but in that he liveth he liveth unto God Likewise reckon ye also your selves to be dead indeed unto sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. 3 Meditate upon the consequents of Christs Resurrection to wit his Ascension into heaven and his sitting at the Fathers right hand So shouldst thou labour to have thy affections above and thy conversation in heaven Colos 3.1 2. If ye then he risen with Christ seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God Set your affections on things above not on things on the earth And so the Apostle professeth of himselfe Philippians 3.20 Our Conversation is in heaven from whence also we look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ And thus much touching the fourth Principle PRINC V. Quest What are the ordinary or usual means for obtaining of faith Answ Faith cometh only by the preaching of the Word and increaseth daily by it as also by the administration of the Sacraments and Prayer MEMB. 1. Faith cometh only by the preaching of the Word and increaseth daily by it THE fifth Principle acquaints us with the ordinary outward Means whereby faith is obtained and encreased And first the Catechisme makes known unto us the ordinary outward Means whereby faith is obtained Faith cometh only by the preaching of the word And this passage of the first Member we commend to your consideration
when this great deliverance should be doth not thereupon forbear prayer but is the more earnest in prayer Dan. 9.2 3. And the Prophet David although it were revealed to him that the Lord would establish his house and the kingdom upon his posterity yet doth not cease to pray in that kind but rather prayeth 2 Sam. 7.11 12 18 19 25 26 27 28 29. 2. I answer Although by prayer we cannot alter Gods decree why yet by prayer it being hearty and holy we alter our selves the heart thereby being put into a fitting frame and so we made capable of Gods blessings Object 3 But there be divers men and women that are far from the practice of true and kindly prayer who enjoy the blessings of God in great abundance Answ It is true but yet sanctifying grace which is the best blessing they do not enjoy the least measure of it sanctifying grace and kindly praier they ever go together want the one and want the other and have the one and have the other Zach. 12.10 It is but outward blessings and common graces at the most which unpraying persons do enjoy 2. These blessings which the persons aforesaid do enjoy they enjoy them rather for the good of others then for the good of themselves suppose health wealth strength wit learning Cyrus was a man of great parts and power but was it not for the good of the Church rather then for his own good Isa 45.4 3. There is a great difference betwixt the having of blessings through the providence of God and the having them from the mercy of God and his speciall love in Christ Unpraying persons have blessings only the former way and not in mercy 4. The blessings such have it were better for them to be without them they proving but snares unto them and they living to abuse them to their owne utter overthrow Object 4 But there be divers that use prayer and have prayed for this and that blessing a long time but yet come short of it Answ This may be true and for the reasons and upon the grounds following 1 It may be the parties we speak of live in some known sin or sins unrepented of and then what promise have they of audience Psal 66.18 Job 11.13.14 Or 2. It may be they ask such things as would not be good for them to enjoy and then it is no unkindnesse but love in the Lord to deny them See we how the promise runs Psal 34.10 Matth. 7.11 Or 3. It may be they ask in an evill manner in their praiers prefer temporall blessings to spirituall or if they be earnest for spirituall blessings it is not because of the excellencie and beauty of them but only because of the necessity of them because without them they cannot be saved Or it may be they ask heedlesly and irreverently do not consider of the Lords majesty and greatnesse Psal 2.11 and 5.7 Or it may be they ask coldly and faintly Jam. 5.16 and are such suitors like to speed Or it may be they go in a proud way to God as the Pharisee Luke 18.11 not with a through sense of their own unworthinesse and wants as the Publican and Prodigal Luke 18.13 and 15.21 Or else it may be they do not ask in faith that is do not lay the promises before them grounding their confidence upon them Or do not in their prayres set before them the worthinesse of their advocate and high Preist who sits at his fathers right hand to present their prayers unto him and to make them acceptable unto him Now the persons we are speaking of asking in an evil manner to wit in the manner aforesaid it is no wonder that they speed no better Jam. 4.3 Or 4. Suppose they do not live in any known sin unrepented of and that the things which they ask would be good for them in Gods time and that they pray in a right manner Suppose all these things why yet there may be divers good reasons why the Lord doth defer and delay them As 1. Hereby to make trial of their faith as we may see in the woman of Canaan Matth. 15.22 c. Although the Lord did intend to grant her suit yet he deferred her and put her off long and all for the trial of her faith ver 28. Or 2. He defers them the more to humble them He intended to take from Paul that messenger of Satan wherewith he was bâ—ffeted but not so soon as he would have had it Paul was not yet sufficiently humbled but in danger to have been puffed up with his former revelations 2 Cor. 12.7 8.9 As if the Lord had said it is too soon for thee Paul to be rid of that thorn thou must be brought to a greater pitch of humilliation Or 3. He defers them to make them more earnest and importunate in prayer as we may see in the examples before alledged to wit the woman of Canaan and Paul Or 4. He defers them lest they should think that they merited by their prayers although never so fervent Dan. 9.17 18 19. Or 5. He defers them that they might be more able to use and manage those blessings he means to bestow upon them This was one cause why he deferred to bring David to the kingdome that he might be the better able to manage it when he came to be possessed of it 6. Or lastly He defers them that he might cause them to account more highly of the good things they obtain of him by prayer The good things that are easily and readily come by are usually lightly esteemed After the Spouse had lost her welbeloved long it is said Cant. 3.4 She held him c. 5. And in the last place for answering of the objection we are to know that the Lord grants requests divers waies 1. When he gives the particular blessing begged As Gen. 20.17 1 Sam. 1.27 2. When denying the particular thing begged he gives a better thing As Gen. 17.18 19 And 2 Sam. 12.16 compared with verse 24.25 of the same chapter 3. When though he neither grant the thing begged nor a better thing in the same kind why yet he supporteth by his grace and giveth strength to beare the want of it As 2 Cor. 12.9 And Psalm 138.3 Hebrâ— 5.7 4. When the particular blessing begged is not given and afforded why yet the Lord warmes and cheeres the heart by assuring that the person and prayer is accepted Philip. 4.6 7. Psal 35.13 5. Lastly When the particular blessing is not obtained neither inward comfort afforded and yet the Lord gives to hold out in prayer abilitie and strength to pray when God seemeth to neglect is a speciall work and fruit of Gods Spirit Rom. 8.26 Now God cannot but hear and regard the voice of his own spirit for verse 27. he knoweth that is approveth it And Psal 10.17 See also thus have we answered the main objections against prayer We come now to the fourth thing propounded touching prayer to wit