thou wilt Come into all my Treasures of Grace and take even what thou desirest Godly desires knock and make a noise in Gods ears and he opens to them He heareth the desire of the humble Psa 10. 17. They will come in where the Lord is Psa 38. 9 Lord all my desire is before thee The Saints sighs make a noise at Heaven gates and God cometh forth to them For the sighing of the Prisoners I will arise saith the Lord. Psal 12. 5. and Psal 79. 11. Let the sighing of the prisoners come before thee room for the sighing of the prisoners Lord yea their very tears too make a loud noise at this door and they have their voice also in prayer Thou hast heard the voice of my weeping Psal 68. No wonder then that effectual prayer consisting of all these be indeed a knocking and meanes of opening of the gate and door of Mercy in Jesus Christ We pass by other names given to Prayer as that of seeking asking calling opening of the mouth wide running to the Lord for counsel referring ones case to him the like Come we now to give a description of Prayer Prayer is a spiritual and faithful opening of the heart to God in the name of Christ A general description of Prayer with an eye at seasonable help and relief from him By heart we mean thoughts desires affections these wants and weaknesses and sins to which the heart is privy and of which it is sensible We call it an opening of the heart in opposition to hypocritical covering and attempts to hide any thing from the Lord whereby their prayers become no prayers their Worship vaine whilst digging deep to hide the counsels of the heart from God Isaiah 29. 13 15. compared with Psal 119. 26. I have declared my wayes to thee that is prayed and thou heardst me Prayer is a shewing of God our waies or as the Hebrew word beareth a telling or counting them one by one as if we pray indeed when we do from our hearts deal plainly and punctually with God therein when we leave out nothing which we know by our selves untold before him even in a particular manner whether respecting our wants our sins or the like so Psal 38. 18. I have declared mine iniquity meaning all and each of his sins there were some more special sins sinnes which were chiefly his the Hebrew word signifieth a telling of some new thing Davids prayer and confession is not a high-way rode and some one track of confession but it is a telling him of any new fresh acts of sinne Jer. 20. 12 To thee have I opened my cause or prayed to thee Prayer is an opening of the souls causes and cases to the Lord the same word in another conjugation is used for uncovering making bare and naked Gen. 9. 21. The Saints in prayer do or should nakedly present their soules causes without all cover-shames or so much as a ragge of selfe or flesh cleaving to them All things are naked to him with whom Obs we have to doe he is privy to our secrets how is prayer an opening of the heart to him Suppliants are said in prayer to open Answ their hearts to God 1. In that they doe not dare not goe about to hide or desire that ought in their hearts should bee hid from the Lord. It is their desire he should and they are very glad that he doth know all their heart their hearts are ready to break when they through temptation or desertion want prayer vent 2. In that it is their desire and endeavour to present all within their hearts which God by a general eye of wisedome and omniscience seeth unto a more special energetical veiw of the eye of Gods compassion and love Psal 80. 14. Behold and visit this vine Psal 119. 132. Look upon mee as thou usest to doe on those that feare thy name Isay 63. 15 16. Looke downe from heaven c. where are the sounding of thy bowels c. 3. In that they doe thus in way of an ordinance of God which he doth eye and owne as opening of their heart to God Psal 62. 8. Poure out your heart to him or pray to him And albeit their hearts are open to God before yet not actually opened in this way of injoyned expressing the same till they do thus pray 4. In that when prayer is duly performed as their minds and hearts are uttered and poured out as before the Lords face Psal 62. 8. or before him so are they in lively manner quickned to behold Gods mercifull and energetical view of the same hence that perswasion of David All my desires are before thee Psal 38. 9. It is a spiritual opening Spiritual in respect of the efficient and working cause Gods spirit acteth and worketh therein It is prayer in the holy Ghost Rom. 8. 26. The spirit maketh intercession in us the spirit of praier is acted in it Zach. 12. 10. Prayer is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in-wrought our spirits also as acted and improved thereby are at work in it My God whom I serve with my spirit Rom. 1. 9. Our hearts are as water poured out to waft along each petition and confession or as oyle to anoint these messengers of the soul that they might flye the faster to Gods throne It is spiritual in the matter of it things of Gods Kingdome Matth. 6. 33. or if other things yet under a spiritual consideration as according to Gods will and for his glory Spiritual in the manner namely in a sublime and elevated manner of performance Isay 37. 4. Lift up thy prayer Spiritual in the end a calling upon God whereby he is exalted Esay 12. 4. Spirituall in the motive and ground-work a command of God requiring a promise in encouraging Thou saidst seek my face my heart answered Lord thy face will I seek Psal 27. 8. for thou revealedst to thy servant saying I will build thee a house therefore hath thy servant found in his heart to pray this prayer 2 Sam. 27. 27. Faithfull opening that is unfeigned without reservations c. Prayer from unfeigned lips Psal 17. 1. To God not to Saints and Angels which neither know our hearts nor can help us Isay 63. 16. Though Abraham know us not And it is to God not as into the aire or as at an uncertainty where or to whom In the name of Christ There is a holy renouncing of our selves and our owne worth and strength and a resting and trusting upon the Lord Jesus onely through whom we come to the throne of grace and for whose sake alone wee plead for and expect audience and acceptance yea and assistance With an eye to seasonable help Our Our eyes are unto the Lord until hee shew us mercy Psal 123. 1 2. Thus much concerning prayer in generall We might give sundry reasons to inforce Reasons why we must pray this duty Taken 1. From God absolutely and relatively 1 From God considered who is thereby
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
may well be so called for 1. As that was so this to be presented by all sorts poor or rich none exempted from it 2. As those Offerings were costly to all sorts considering their several abilities so are these Spiritual Sacrifices 1 Pet. 2. 5. witnesse the suppliants tears sighs strivings pleadings c 3. As they were free services Lev. 1. 3. So are these Christs Suppliants are free Sacrificers Psal 1103. Hebr. Their spirit is forward to pray Matth. 26. 41. To will is present with them Rom. 7. 8. 21. Their Prayer is their gift Matth. 5. 24. 4 As those were to be clean and pure so are the Saints Prayers Job 16. 17. Also my Prayer is pure Mal. 3. 1 2 3 4. 5. If we should compare Prayer with their particular Offerings it would answer to this name As their Mincah or Meat Offering Psal 96. 8. All the Subjects of Christs Kingdome must bring an Offering Mincah into the Courts Mal. 1. 11 The converted Gentiles will bring an Offering or Mincah to the Lord meaning especially this holy Offering of Prayer which as that of old 1. Is to be of fine flower Levit. 2. 1. and well sifted tryed and refined in all the particulars and parts of it and mens aimes in it We should not ask amiss either unlawful things or though lawful yet to spend upon our Lusts James 4. 2. It must be mingled with the oyle of Grace and gracious affections 3 Also perfumed with the sweet Frankincense of Christs Merit and Mediation applyed by faith 4. All seasoned with that holy salt of gracious expressions outwardly Col 4. 2 3 6. and mortified desires and affections inwardly Mark 9. 49. 5 Avoiding the honey of humane Eloquence or affectation of expression but especially of inordinate desires or lusts We might also compare it with other of their Offerings but shall forbear remembring this only that we speak thus in reference to these as part of their Worship and not as Types of Christ Prayer is called Incense Psal 141. 2. Let 2 Prayer Incense my Prayer come before thee as Incense Mal. 1 11. In every place pure Incense shall be offered to thy name Rev. 5. 8. Vials full of odors which are the Prayers of the Saints Look as that was compounded of very costly materials Exod. 30. 34. so is a Spiritual Prayer as they were smal beaten so in this matters are not rudely and confusedly but deliberately advisedly preparedly and very particularly presented before the Lord. The Saints in their Prayers have also their hearts broken and bruised and parcelled out sutably to the very particulars mentioned in Prayer nor is the fire of the Spirit and of holy Zeal wanting therein which cauâ—eth them to send out holy vapors of fragrant spiritual sighs and desires before the Lord and whilst these spiritual Priests are through faith exercised offering up this their holy Incense upon the Altar Jesus Christ there is but a step as it were 'twixt them and heaven that Holy of Holies O how neer are the Saints so exercised to Jesus Christ as that covering Mercy-Seat What precious answers of grace receive they oftentimes from the Oracle of God! How speedily do their holy odors pierce and pass into the Holy of Holies into Heaven Prayer is called a lifting up of the soul and 3 Prayer a lifting up of the heart and soul to God of the heart Psal 25. 1. Vnto thee O Lord do I lift up my soul i. e. to thee do I pray So Psal 86. 4. and 143. 8. The work of Prayer being not so much to lift up eyes and hands and voice as to lift up the heart and soul and as if we had not prayed when our spirits were not elevated Surely that work whereby the souls of Gods Suppliants when sinking when cleaving to the dust are raised up is a great work yet Hannahs Prayer did it She looked no more sad 1 Sam. 1. 15 18. compared The like lift was Davids Prayer to him in that sad plight from under those grievous weights upon his spirit Psalm 6. 1 2 3 4 8. yea hereby Gods Suppliants do get above worldly cares fears and distractions Phil. 4 6 7. Be careful for nothing meaning inordinately but in every thing make your request known by Prayer c. And the peace of God c. shall keep your hearts and minds The work of Prayer is not to move or remove God he is in one mind he is still the same but to move and remove our hearts neer to the Lord and then have we prayed to purpose when by Prayer our hearts and spirits are in a more sublime and celestial frame when we are more above natural carnal and formal self when more off and above the world and all the incouragements and discouragements of it when in and by Prayer we have recovered yea haply exceeded our former lively apprehensions of and affectious to the Lord Jesus our former strength and bent of spirit to his favour and wayes c. For then our hearts are indeed lifted up yea prayer is not only a lifting up of the heart effectivè because when duly performed it doth thus lift it up but it is so formalitèr because the very forme nature and essence of a spiritual prayer lyeth and consisteth in the heavenly movings workings and approvings of the mind and heart as spiritual toward God and Christ in the several expressions of their desires Gracious suppliants as such they mount up with wings as Eagles Esay 40. 31. They approach to the Lord Jer. 30. 21. Draw near to the Lord Psal 73. 28. They flye to heaven for refuge Heb. 6. 18. They flie to the Lord for refuge David who in Psal 143. 8. pleadeth for favour and salvation because hee lifted up his soul to the Lord in the 9th verse reneweth his plea in this expression because he did flye to the Lord to hide him Prayer is called meditation Ps 5. 1. Consider 4 Prayer 2 Meditation my meditation i. e. my prayer Gen. 24. 63. Isaak went out to meditate or to pray so that prayer is not lip-labour if rightly performed but it is a work of the mind exercised herein It is blamed in hypocrites worship and prayer which is therefore accounted null vaine that they draw near with their lips but their hearts are far from God Esa 29. 13. Prayer in the rise of it is a studyed work many a thought spent before hand about the sins which the Saints confesse about the wants which they expresse upon the mercies which they doe acknowledge upon the purity majesty immensity all-sufficiency fidelity and bounty c. of the Lord to whom they pray the beauty and fulnesse c. of the Lord Jesus in whose name they pray yea immediately before they pray they have their preparatory musing of what of whom and through whom they are to ask and as they are praying their minds are attent and intent upon what they pray for yea they usher in their
ver 18. Come now and let us reason together c. And then onely it is seasonable to pray when wee lift up our hands and hearts Psal 66. 18. If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear my prayers Josh 7. 10 11. Wherefore lyest thou thus upon thy face Israel hath sinned Job 11. 13 14. If thou preparest thy heart and stretchest out thy hand toward heaven if iniquity be in thy hand put it far away else all that is to no purpose God heareth not sinners h. e. imponitent ones John 9. 31. It is no fit season for us to goe a wooing to Christ if not clear of privy leagues with any of our lusts not is it seasonable to trade with the Lord in prayer if we have any kind of traffique with his proclaimed enemies 3. When wee are under any special 3 When under special hurries of lusts power of passions and distempers and as then not seeing the sinne of them to lift up wrathfull hands is unacceptable and so unseasonable 1 Tim. 2. 3. Lift up pure hands without wrath It is not seasonable to offer up our sacrifice with such common yea wild-fire Such leaven of wrath and malice is apt to sowre our very Mincah and maketh it come as out of due season Such was the petition of James and John to Christ Lu. 9. 54 55. Wilt thou that wee command fire to come down from heaven to consume them Such were Jobs petitions Job 3. from verse 3. to verse 11. Such was that of Jonah chap. 4. 3. Take away my life from me Look as it is in a strong blustring time knocks at the doore are scarce heard if at all so is it here the noyse of our distempers outsoundeth the voice of our knocking 's in such like prayers It were better to pause a while till the blustering noise be abated And as Revel 9. 1 3. Silence was made a while before that the holy incense was offered so should it bee here 4. When our heads and hearts are over-full 4 When under hurries of occasions and even sore charged with carnal occasions and inordinate thoughts about them it is not so seasonable to go abruptly from such a crowd and throng into the holy presence of the Lord without some pause It is most unseasonable to enter upon so holy a discourse with God with so many batlers attending us when there should be but one speaker Eccles 5 1 2 3. Such rashnesse is irregular and therefore unseasonable such a foolish seekers prayer will be no better then a dreame arising from multitude of businesse stuffed with multiplicity of unseasonable impertinent and independent expressions 5. When we come to pray in remediless 5 When praying in remediless cases cases or for persons past recovery Jer. 11. 14 Pray not for this people for I will not hear them when they cry unto me for their trouble 1 Sam. 16. 1. How long wilt thou cry for Saul seeing I have rejected him 6. When wee will be praying at such 6 When praying whilst other ordinances cal for our attendance times wherein other ordinances doe call for our attendance As when we will be praying at home when we should rather bee in the publick assembly or praying in our closets when religious family-exercise requires our presence Now let us consider of prayer-seasons Most seasonable to pray offered by the Lord which hee requireth us to take These opportunities are either generall or special The general opportunity 1 When God is near us more generally by his word of prayer is that general Season of grace held forth in the offers of the dispensations of the Gospel Isa 1. 5 6. Seek him whilest he may be found Whilst God may be found it is a season to seek him Isai 21 12. If you will inquire returne come Whilst the Prophets incourage to come 't is a season to inquire Our calling and cry is but the echo of the Lords call Psal 27. 8. When thou saidst seek my face my heart answered thy face Lord will I seek Its the season of the echo to wait upon the voice a demand of grace upon a former offer of it it s very seasonable This blessed day work is most sutable to the day time of the Gospel and grace of God But besides this general opportunity there are some more special praying seasons Ps 31. 8. For this shal every one that is godly pray unto thee in a finding time as it is in the Hebrew As bountifull Princes have their so the Lord hath his special seasons for petitioners to come in with their suits and have each their dayes of audience Our blessed Father hath his set dayes of paying to each child his portion of mercy blessing upon demand and suit for it Now these special seasons of prayer are of three sorts 1. When God in special sort is near to us Or secondly we in special sort near to him Or thirdly in case of emergencies or special necessities calling for speedy help First when God in special is near to 1 When more specially God is near us â—A us then call upon him while he is near Is 55. 6. The Lord as our gracious king goeth his holy progresse and now he is nearer this people and such and such subjects and now againe he is nearer to others Let each accordingly take and observe their particular seasons of holy approaches to him with their suits If the loadstone be near the very iron moveth the approaches of the Lord to us have or should have this holy magnetical attractive vertue to draw us near to him in Prayer 1. Now the Lord is thus in special 2 By some special act of mercy sort near to us by some special mercy vouchsafed to us as when answering to former prayer or the like Psal 34. 18. The Lord is nigh to them that are of a broken heart Yea but wherein or whereby doth he shew that he is nigh to them It followeth He saveth such as be of a contrite spirit Gods ordering some special favour to his people by his providence is called his visiting of his people The Saints repairing to the Lord with earnest fervent Prayer is called their visiting of the Lord. Isai 26. 16. Lord in trouble have they visited thee how tbey have powred out a prayer to thee c. When God first beginneth to give us a gracious visit it is seasonable and sutable for us to give him prayer-visits Exod. 33. 17. And the Lord said unto Moses I will do this thing also which thou hast spoken verse 18. And Moses sayd I beseech thee shew me thy glory Moses made Gods time of giving to bee his opportunity of begging mercy If ever the Saints hearts are filled with love it is when they partake of manifest tokens of the Lords love to them and if ever it be a season of this friendly talking with God or praying 't is then when in such a friendly
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
reach out thy hand open thy mouth wide inlarge thy self O Desire to crave these and these mercies which the soul needeth which the Lord is ready to give And Love do thou the like never a more lovely object presented to thee from one who so dearly loveth the soul wherein thou art Zeal be thou fervent put an edge upon Desire and Love the case so requireth the mercies are neer its pity they should be lost for want of putting to a little more strength to wrestle for them Humility stoop thou the heart fall down be low and vile before one that is so glorious Fear awe thou the heart let it tremble in the presence of the holy One of Israel Joy do thou enlarge the heart in the sense of mercies already gotten by prayer and more mercies are at hand Hope stand thou on tiptoe and look up and look out for verily mercy is not far off the Lord is neer such secret motives and whispers of faith that are in the souls of Gods suppliants their spirits are incouraged and moved variously to act in prayer from that faith which they have in the Lord when it is exercised Look as Davids faith in the love of God towards him occasioned made that speech in his soul when to praise God so that David from the strength of his faith therein speaketh to his soul And all that is within him to praise his Name Psalm 103. 1. The like speech doth faith occasion in a gracious heart when to pray requiring all within the same to be imployed in furthring the work So when David is to make his prayer to the God of his life in faith that God will command loving kindness to him Psalm 42. 8. here is a charge given in his heart to attend it patiently and hopefully and distempers are commanded to stand by the while v. 11. 3 Faith in Prayer is a moderation to regulate 3. It doth regulate and rectifie the souls pleas yea to dictate Arguments to back those holy pleas Prayers of Faith use to be pleading prayers filled and carryed on in lively reasonings with the Lord. And because oft-times the spirit of a Suppliant may be even non-plust almost and not know how to carry it on by reason of secret cavils raised in the heart whether from Satan or distrust or otherwise Faith then stepping forth and whispering some spiritual and sutable answers cleareth up the mist upon the Spirit and the mistake and sophisme and so the soul is a fresh carryed on in his pleading with God Psalm 77. 7. Will the Lord cast off c. this was secretly whispered by distrust as if God would cast him off but will he do it for ever and so ver 8 9. David his spirit was pinched in these reasonings and cavils at present he could not positively answer that God would not do so the cavil of distrust became a real question to his tempted deserted spirit by reasoning so much with that whilst he was crying to the Lord ver 1 but faith gave light to the case and upon discovery hee perceived that these were but cavils of an infirm spirit of his own ver 10. The case is resolved and determined through the help and light of Faith exercised and acted and standing up which before sate silent and he concluded this was his infirmity Faith is a Second to the soul in its holy wrestlings and pleadings with God to succour it in its suits both in point of assistance perswading with the heart that the Lord will prepare the heart to seek him and so the rather to prevail Psal 10. 17. And in point of Assurance 1 John 5. 15. it is the speech of faith We have what we ask of God It is as sure as if it were already granted And so in point of Acceptance ver 14. We know he heareth ver 7. Now when at any time the spirit of a Suppliant beginneth to give out when any fainting fit is upon it then faith reneweth the charge upon the Lord taketh up the holy weapons which the spirit of the Saints began to lay by the Arguments which it was ready to forgo and now the soul gathers up it selfe afresh and plyeth the Lord with renewed strength of holy requests at this passe was Jonah chap. 2. 4 7. he said he was cast out yet would look again to the Lord and ver 7. when fainting and when faith minding him afresh of something in the Lord he is revived and sends up many Supplications to him What give out wil Faith say nay fie for shame It claps the soul on the back as I may say and bids it chear up wrestle one bout more pursue once again it may be nay it is likely thou wilt prevail nay thou shalt indeed prevail 4. Faith in prayer is an Agent for the 4. It pleadeth soul to improve and plead all the foregoing principles and spiritual Topick places mentioned That of Gods gracious disposition it is a large field and very fruitful in prevailing Arguments when improved by faith so is that of God his All-sufficiency All-mightiness Eternity Immutability and so is that of Christ considered in his Offices Merit Mediation and Intercession the Promises of God likewise are several heads of holy pleas Faith improveth them wisely and seasonably and sutably as the cases of the same require It would bee improving them all in and through the Lord Jesus for the souls succour and support in this Ordinance of Prayer verifying that Isai 12. 3. Drawing water out of the wells of Salvation 5 Finally Faith in prayer becometh as it were the common pledge between the 5. It undertaketh Lord and the Suppliant that each shall do right in all that hath been pleaded Faith undertakes to become bound and to be a pawne to the soul that the Lord for his part will do what is meet and what becometh him for the soul And againe it ingageth it selfe to the Lord that by his help the soul shall attend to its duty which concerneth it See Psalm 55. 3. Davids faith you see there pawneth its credit that the Lord will not shall not say him nay My voice shalt thou hear O Lord and then faithfully promiseth on Davids behalf that he will and shall rightly order his prayer and so wait and leave it with the Lord and unto thee will I direct my prayer and look up 3. In the third place we come to consider of some useful Helps unto sincere Suppliants Helps to saith in prayer Faith in prayer The Helps and Encouragements to faith in Prayer may be such as these 1 Let us take and make all holy advantage of the least may be of Mercy where on 1. Improve every may be of mercy we may ground an expectation of a gracious successe and answer of our prayers We may yea must do thus Meek ones must seek the Lord hoping for his mercy when there is but a may be of being hid from the Lords anger Zeph.
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
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
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
of it it is high time to draw a solemne petition to our gracious King to take some effectuall order to suppresse it 3. In case of some weighty service of God 3 Difficult service which we look at as above our strength Now must young Solomon that thinks himselfe but a child for such imployment ask of God 1 Kings 3. 5 6 7 c. 4. In case of greatest danger impendings 4 Danger impending as when Yet forty dayes and Niniveh shall be destroyed Jonah 3. 4. Now if ever poor Ninivites must call mightily to the Lord and verse 10. God saw their works and repented him of the evil Exod. 32. 10. Gods hand is up against Israel with his slaughtering weapon Now pray Moses or never and he did so v. 11 14. God repented of that evill also Touching the last particular that wee are bound to take these opportunities of prayer it is undenyable we are bound to pray without ceasing and therefore to bee taking all opportunities to pray And wherefore else doth the Lord put such a talent of opportunity of Motives prayer into our hands but that he expecteth the faithful and fruitful improvement thereof to be made by us or else he will assuredly take his time to expresse his displeasure against us for so grosse a neglect of his grace and of our own souls advantage But that we may be quickned up to pray opportunely or to take all opportunities of prayer Consider 1. That opportunity is the very cream and This Opportunity is the best and all of Time flower and spirits yea the very All of time Hence this Pray continually i. e. opportunely he that prayes as oft as he hath opportunity prayeth alwayes 2. That opportunity of asking offered 2 'T is an ingagement to the Lord to hear by the Lord doth as I may say ingage the Lord to answer Why should the Lord set out such almes-dayes and audiencedayes and some way signifie it to his people if hee meant not to heare and help them Friends in such a case stand upon their credit if they appoint times to meet and to entertaine a friendly discourse with their friends they are not wont to faile them so here opportunity of asking given us by the Lord it imboldneth us to ask and to expect a seasonable answer 3. That opportunity of Prayer it 3 It is the grace and beauty of prayer doth grace and beautifie our Prayers As every thing else is beautifull in its season Eccles 3. 11. So is Prayer in its season opportunity is a wheele to the chariot of prayer which safely strongly and swiftly carryeth it in before the Lord. A word spoken in season to men is in the Hebrew phrase a word spoken upon the wheeles Prov. 25. 11. So is it in these words spoken to the Lord in their season yea opportunity helpeth to carry our praier also in an holy state before the Lord as upon a royall Chariot-wheele Opportunity of Prayer greatly furthers their acceptance in Christ These fruits of our lips also are then best and most welcome to the Lord when brought forth in their season 4 It useth to succeed well 4. That seasonable prayer is ever speeding prayer Psal 5. 13. My voice shalt thou hear in the morning namely praying in the season of prayer 5. That opportunity of seeking and 5 It is beg'd for us by Christ getting grace by prayer and other means is begged for us by Christ In an acceptable time have I heard thee as saith the blessed Father to the Mediatour Isai 49. 8. And thence it is that the members of this head of the Church have any such time of acceptance 2 Cor. 6. 2. For hee saith in an acceptable time have I heard thee Now is the acceptable time 6. That great will bee our disadvantage by letting such holy opportunities of Prayer slip for besides the losse of such jewels and of what wee might have gained by trading with the same our spirits will come to bee very much straitned and hardned as sad experience in the Saints themselves witnesseth CHAP. III. Of Constancy in Prayer WE come now to the third and last thing held forth in the modification of the practise of this duty of prayer that it be without ceasing i. e. Indesinently or constantly It is then our duty to pray indesinently or constantly Now for this Consider 1. What it is to pray indesinently or Tâ— pray constantly is 1. Not to give out from prayer constantly or what is implyed in it and why we must so pray and then make we one briefe Use of it Touching the first To pray indesinently or constantly is Not to give out from praying not to let God alone untill hee doe blesse us To pray and not to faint Luke 18. 1. Not to give God rest Esa 62. 61. To look to him in prayer untill he shew us mercy Psal 123. 1 2. Quest May any true childe of God give off prayer for a season Quest Answ Yea verily Gods own dear Saints may be weary in praying though Answ 1 not so weary of prayer The duty it selfe is to them very desirable in it selfe but the discouragements may be such in tempted times that they may be even afraid to goe to God to seek his face sometimes Psal 6. 6. I am weary with my groaning and 69. 3. Godly ones may give out from prayer for a little season I am weary of my crying yet hee gave not off wholly or not long verse 13. But as for me my prayer is unto thee If they give out for a spurt from solemn Prayer they cease not to be darting up ejaculatory prayers Jonah 2. 4. I sayd I am cast out of thy sight yet will I looke unto thy holy Temple When God in deserted times seemeth to turne his back upon his Saints or they through distrust and distempers are as if turning their back upon him yet they give many of these love-casts of the eyes of their souls towards God desires will be ever and anon stepping out of such a gracious heart to look after the Lord. That holy fire within the heart albeit it blazeth not out yet will be ever and anon sending out these sparks There are times wherein the Saints are so spiritually sick of sinne and of temptations that their very speech faileth them even they have their spiritual swounds and may lye a while speechlesse yet either they are making these holy signes in their fainting fits or some of this holy breath is stirring If Hezekiah cannot speak out in solemne prayer yet can he chatter and make these shorter holy mutterings of his heart and these dove like moanes of his spirit Isai 38. 14. I am oppressed O Lord undertake for me Quest How cometh it to passe that any Quest such sad silence or speechlesnesse in respect of solemn Prayer doth at any time or for any shorter space befall Gods owne people Answ Sometimes through some dangerous fall
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
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
alone praying he hath a new name given him he is told he hath prevailed with God Gen. 32 27 28. Then is Daniel told that he is greatly beloved and his prayers heard Dan. 9. 20 22. Again they have this honor put upon them to have choicest secrets revealed to them as to Gods friends in a corner those three Worthies severally praying have this secret given unto them Daniel 2. 19 20. and Jeremiah calling upon God all alone in prison hath great and wonderful things shewed him that he knew not of Jer. 33. 1 2. Peter when alone praying hath the mystery of the bringing in of the Gentiles revealed to him Acts 10. 9 10 11. yea such in special shall have thir honour of deteining of the Lord when he carrieth it â—s willing to be gone Let me go saith Christ to Jacob I will not let thee go until thou blesse me nor did he Gen. 32. 26 27. 28 29. Let me alone saith God to Moses but he suffers himself then and afterwards to be staied from going on his course of displeasure against the people by Moses his wrestling with him as we say hand to hand Ex. 32 10 11 12 13. Deut. 9. 13 14 18 25 26 27 28. compared I held him Cantic 3. 4. by the exercise of faith in prayer The Lord knoweth not how to leave a praying suppliant or to proceed in a way of displeasure against him and is not all this then well for the Saints that each Saints prayer in secret is an ordinance of God and a very acceptable service unto him Let us wind all up with a caution or Cautions two annexed 1. Look that it be not alone secret prayer 1 In secret affect secrecy in respect of the place apart from others but in respect of our desires and indeavour as much as may bee of privacy That as Christ saith of secret fasting and prayer in an extraordinary way Matth. 6. 15 16 17. wash thy face and anoint thee with oyle that thou appear not to men to fast so avoid lowdnesse of voice when alone or if melted in secret let it not bee perceived if you can that you have been weeping yea if you cannot goe aside unobserved of some in the house let us even wish that we might so pray alone that none might know how oft or how long we are therein if any secret motion arise to think of what others will think of us let us abhor the thought of it else if in secret our hearts desire others to take notice of us that desire maketh it before God as if we prayed in the street corner 2 Avoid customarinesse 2. That wee vanish not into customarinesse in praying in our closets going aside thither to pray for fashions sake living in good families and seeing others goe aside for that end we doe it too or wee have been trained up to it and so we will hold it on as a custome Yea lest we goe about it as a more formal task which if we but performe let it be well or ill we mind it not regard it not so we doe it we are satisfied if we doe it not indeed wee are troubled but in all not moved from any principle of love and longing after communion with the Lord in it or prevailing with God through grace by it for pardon of this or that sinne we groane under or supply of this or that spiritual want over which wee mourne Verily such customarinesse will Evils of customariness in it Listlesnesse to prayer produce other evils as listlesnesse to pray even when got into our closets such will have so little of God in their customary seekings of him that they will have little incouragement to set about seeking of him It will also cause slightnesse in praying The Slightnesse in praier formalists praier is called vanity Job 35. ver 13. And if slight in praying usually as sleighty in praising None saith seriously at Praises Exercises of repentance Hearing of the word least where is he that giveth us songs in the night verse 10. 11 12 13. compared Such are as sleighty in setting upon the work of through repentance Such as sleightly complain of their pining away in their sinnes Ezek. 33. 10. and are therefore so roused up to turne unto the Lord as even too well content to dye in their sins verse 11 12. Turne you turne you why will you dye c yea they are as sleighty in hearing the word of God as though but hearing onely some musical song which as we say goeth in at the one eare and out at the other Ezek. 33. 30 31 32. yea commonly such are very serious in some way of Seriousness in some sinne sinne against God Jer. 3. 4 5. Wilt thou not from this time cry namely in this sleighty fashion my Father Behold thou hast done evil as thou couldst Yea such are wont to be serious in discontented complaints of God in his dispensations of providence as that his way was not equal when 't is their owne wayes rather which are unequal as those sleighty complainers of their sinnes Ezek. 33. 10. are bold to charge God verse 17 20. as if his wayes were not equal CHAP. VI. Of Prayer of Intercession and Imprecation HAving spoken of the sorts of prayer in generall we come to speak of the parts which are of special consideration in these sorts of prayer especially of solemn and continued prayer and letting passe those which respect our selves we shall onely single out those two respecting others viz. Prayer of Intercession and Imprecation Concerning prayer of intercession wherby upon all occasions we are bound to pray for others good we shall not mention the persons especially concerned in it as Magistrates Ministers Parents Masters Husbands and all other superiours for their inferiours as also their inferiours respectively for their superiours or any other special relations as of friends kindred for their friends and the like of which Scripture instances are plentiful but we shall consider it generally as that which respecteth all sorts of godly persons nor shall we spend time in urging reasons and motives from the honourablenesse of this holy service of love in it self the advantageousnes of it to the persons themselvs who so plead for others welfare every way the sutableness of this to that matchless pattern thereof in the Lord Jesus and the mighty things which have been done for others thereby and the like But shortly come to lay downe First some rules to guide us in it Secondly some meanes to help us in it Thirdly some markes to discover our gracious speeding in it Touching the first thing propounded observe Rules about praying for others we these rules in it 1. Attend the times and observe them when the Lord is in any more special manner with us by his spirit and quickning presence and when our hearts are got near Mind when God is near us and we him and then do it to him