any at any time dare to double with God in speaking to him making God like to man which might be mocked and deluded with goodly words and pretences and not to bee a searcher of their heart and reines else men durst not make so bold with him to baffle with him to his face David one that had made too bold to affirme that of his integrity of his hatred of Gods enemies Psal 139 22 23. qualifieth it with a plaine hearted motion to him whom he knew was privy to his spirit to search it and see whether there were any way of wickednesse in him and to steer his course for him in the right way Where faith is love will attend and shew it selfe love useth still to be candid and cordial and intire in all its speeches to him whom the soule loveth the more that aboundeth the more sincere When the Apostle prayeth that the Philppians may be sincere in all their words and walks respecting God themselves or others hee prayeth that their love may abound then will they approve the most excellent things The best way of praying to God serving of God and walking with God Philip. 1. 9. 10. Motives to sincerity in prayer may bee Motives to sincerity It will argue Gods effectual speaking to us and ours to him such as these In that it will be an argument of a saving and sound fruit of Gods speaking unto us and of our effectual speaking to him The former is evident when our prayer language is sincere surely God hath turned unto us some pure lip some soul-saving ministry Zeph 3. 9 10. Such of the Cities of Egypt as should bee converted savingly the Prophet saith they should as a fruit thereof speak the language of Canaan Isai 19. 18. Especially in worshipping God in prayer there they should not speak halfe the language of Ashdod as it were and halfe the Jews language like those Nehem. 13. 24. halfe carnal language natures sins the worlds language but at least in the desire and indeavour of their soules they speak the language of the holy Ghost pray in the holy Ghost And the latter is as evident truth in our seeking of God and mercy in Gods answers will surely meet together as in other cases they doe Psal 85. 10. The Lord himselfe maketh it an argument of his respect to his peoples desires in that they are children that will not lye Isai 63. 8. and giveth it as a pledg when they may expect infallibly that he will answer their prayers namely when they are cordial and intire in seeking of him when they seek him with all their heart Jer. 29. 11 12 13. And the Psalmist maketh his cordial and intire seeking of God to which his very conscience was privy and the Lord much rather as an argument with God to pray for respect to his desires Psal 119. 10 94. Sincerity and integrity in our speeches is amiable to men to all sorts of men Proverb 16. 13 and 24. 26. and the God of truth is not lesse but more delighted in the words of truth Hence it is that upright hearted Supplicants they are and well they may be freest and boldest of all others with the Lord. Such as come with true hearts come with much confidence Heb. 10. 21. they can and dare walk at liberty when conscious to their integrity that they seek the statutes of God Psal 119. 45. Consciousnesse of secret guile it will appall a man when to deale with an all-seeing God Hypocrites are afraid Isai 33. 14. but are perswaded that such as speak uprightly may come near to God boldly and converse with him safely albeit in respect of his justice a consuming fire verse 15. But amongst them who may or dare come near him with such stubble verse 14. and if they durst be fool-hardy as senslesse ones are yet it would be to no purpose salvation which they might desire would bee far from such persons as seeking not God but themselvs Ps 119. 155. 2 In that God will cover a great deal 2 Where this irs God wil cove many failings of weakness in their persons and in their Prayers where yet there is sincerity in the bent of their desires True it is that their sincerity in their prayers is a special preservation against any ruling evils in them They that seek God with their whole heart they do no iniquity Psalm 119. 2 3 God is engaged to protect and preserve them from such swervings Hence that plea Psalm 119. 10. 94. When Christians do not deale cordially and plainly with God and their own souls in the request they put up against their sins and for Gods grace they do but strengthen then the part of sin pretending to speak against it and not doing it cordially it provoketh God to leave them to such lusts and to receive a due recompence of such spiritual Treachery from such secret Traitors but as for the Saints that are cordial with God in Prayer albeit they escape that mischief of ruling evils yet are they perplexed and molested with indwelling distempers which haunt them and pursue them hard at heels even to the very door of Grace to which they repaire in prayer and herein is the kindnesse and compassion of God to them that he overlooketh these their distempers in prayer and owneth the meaning of his Spirit in theirs therein Rom. 8. 26. and Psal 34. Title with verse 45. God looketh at the bent of such a heart and by that measureth out to them mercy 1 Kings 8. 39. Do according to his wayes whose heart thou knowest God searcheth the heart both of sincere and false Christians in all their doings to give to every one according to his wayes Jerem. 17. 10. to the false heart indignation and wrath but to them that are sincere eye and aim at and seek for glory to them he giveth honour and immortality Rom. 2. 7. For of all others upright ones have the successful influences of all others prayers with them and with their prayers each sincere one prayeth that God would do good to them Psalm 125. 4. As for others they are left to be discovered and left to such courses at the length as shall declare them to bee evil doers verse 5. The Many are the evils of hypocrisie in praier continuance of Gods faithfulnesse to sincere ones is the joint request of all that are godly and the several Petitions of each of them Psal 36. 10. 3 Consider of the evils of hypocrisie in prayer God esteemeth basely of such prayers as but drosse of some Silver Prov. 26. 23. It is but as a stinking savour and steam rising from a dead rotten person Matth. 23. 27. He eyeth us then as speaking lies rather then uttering prayers because we pretend to pray and worship and serve God but do indeed therein but serve our own base lusts become Petitioners for them Hos 7. 13 14. and James 4 2 3. and that we speak against God rather then for God They lyed
straitnings in prayer the Causes and then of the cures and then of the differences of these straitnings incident to the Saints from that Judicial speechlesnesse of hypocrites and reprobates But first we shall premise and prove that the Saints may be straitned and have their mouthes in a manner shut up in prayer This is too evident in ordinary experience and it were most sad if such as were sometimes shut up that they cannot pray yea and that some continuance of time should be concluded to be therefore none of Gods called and chosen ones Davids mouth was in this respect shut and therefore he intreateth the Lord to open it for him Psal 51. 15. And hence also Asaph complaineth of his being spiritually shut up Psal 77. 4. I am so troubled that I cannot speak Hence even the Saints are described under the notion of prisoners Isai 61. 1. and whose experience doth not at some time or other seal to this But come we to consider things in the order as they were propounded and first of the causes of such straitnings and they are three Causes of straitnings in prayer 1. Gods withdrawing and shutting up God Satan and our selves 1. God is a cause he withdraweth his Spirit the Authour and efficient of all all our liberty of speech or steps which respect the welfare of our soules 2 Cor. â— 17. Hence called the free spirit from the effect because it freeth us to speak or doe any thing to or for God which he calleth us unto Psal 51. 12. David wanted and in his own sense had lost this spirit in such like efficacies of it and in the supporting influence thereof yea the Lord sometimes layeth some spiritual bonds upon some of his professed people Hence that complaint of the Church Why hast thou hardned our hearts from thy feare Isai 63. 17. She found her selfe clung up in the waies of God The Lord which sometimes opens the hearts and spirits of men can and doth other times shut them up so as none but himselfe can again open them Revel 37. He shutteth and nono can open Sometimes some of Gods own professed people which are not bound by any Church for sins deserving the same in the nature of them but being hid from the eyes of men they cannot sentence the persons guilty thereof yea but the Lord ordereth the matter so that they goe conscience-bound and excommunicated by God for the same So was David after his fall and before his confession of the same which as it is probable was not til a good space after even after the birth of the child which he had adulterously begotten 2 Sam. 12. 13 14 15. O how a Christians spirit is hampered at such a time in and by the cords of his own sin how is he bound up in petition and confession having no list to pray and when he is at prayer no life or delight in it If he come to pray he hath little or nothing to say his words stick in his teeth as it were his thoughts are not at liberty to attend his words his affections are not stirring he cannot get his heart to be affected If he doe strive it is but as against the stream he would fain weep sometimes over his condition in his prayer but cannot he is often pressed in spirit to make his moan thus and thus to God but when he commeth to it his spirit is shackled and he can but shake his chaines before the Lord his faith was in a dead sleep in his prayers he cannot tell how to apprehend any thing of God or Christ in a manner therein but is in his own sight like an Atheist the promises which sometimes have been a great support unto him now he is not able to see any thing in them or to make any thing of them his mind is full of hurries but at no liberty to fix upon God or his Covenant yea he is not free to desire grace and redress as formerly his conscience passeth by him whilst he is upon his knees and often upbraideth him with his sin or sins but wil scarce afford him any friendly word of direction what course he should now take to mend himselfe God seeth his servants sometimes play the spend thrifts and running into arrerages with him and then he wil lay them under restraint for a time till they doe humble themselves in serious manner to him or he taketh notice that they wax wanton and begin to abuse their inward freedome or are not so thankfull for it and in such a case he will cut them shorter and abridge their former liberty or else he observeth much pronesse in them to turn such grace of his into wantonness to grow secure slighty if not proud and self-conceited by occasion of that liberty of spirit which sometimes they have in prayer for the redresse and prevention whereof he shutteth them up and keepeth them short that if they have any liberty that way it shall be onely as they stand in great need of it It is probable it might be Hemans ease who being a man of rarest abilities as appeareth by 1 Kings 4. 31. he might happily have run more riot if not restrained and kept short and under Psal 88. 8. God wil by such restraints warn them from their own gift of prayer that they may not rest in it or trust to it and he wil make them know whence is all their freedome in prayer and prise it more when they shall again be enlarged and cause them the rather to see how God owneth them thereby and so put them upon a freer owning of him by occasion of his loosing even these spirit bonds Truly Lord I am thy servant thou hast loosed my bonds Psal 116. 16. In a word the Lord wil by such straitnings have them know their dependency as upon him so in part likewise upon their fellow brethren and sisters and to see a need of the help of their praying abilities as Cant. 5. 8. Now if there be ever brother or sister as there are ever some at liberty when some others of their brethren are confin'd under some restraint their liberty yet is welcome news putteth some life into these poore prisoners at the grates and now must they be speedily called and spoken with to remember their poor brethren and to take the next opportunity to bespeak their liberty and to get a grant from God for their speedy release Like Absolon when not suffered to come at Court earnestly sending to Joab a Courtier and one that had the liberty of the presence-chamber to speak to the King for him that he may have free accesse to him as formerly 2 Sam. 14. end 2. Satan he sometimes surprizeth the 2 Satan Saints they are in his hands he hath them Luke 22. 31. and then you see in the instance of those Disciples that they are so heart-bound this way that they could not watch or pray no not for the least space of time
very well bear the dry blows they meet with in fighting to enter in as the force of that Phrase Luke 13. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 holdeth forth fighting as those of old in the Grecian exercises some whereof were with fists and batts Brave spirits are up in the soul when a spirit of importunity in prayer is stirring and they will make suppliants bear any thing so much also the force of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used both Col. 4. 21. and Rom. 12. 12. For continuing instant in prayer holdeth forth continuing therein with much patient bearing of incumbrances or molestations 6. It consisteth lastly in being in a holy In holy insatiablenesse with mercies received wife unsatisfied with smaller measures of prayer-blessings pressing still on for more Importunate Abraham hath his additionall requests to the former when they are granted Gen. 18. 17 20 30. So Moses when heard for Israels pardon so far forth Exod. 32. 10 11 12 13. yet hee wants and must have the Lords gracious presence along with him and then Exod. 33. 12 13 17. when that is granted yet he wanteth a further light of Gods glory v. 18. And when he hath got that yet chap. 34. 8 9. he hath a further request for Israel againe verse 8 9. Gideon hath scarse ever done asking one signe and token of Gods gracious presence with him after another granted him Judg. 6. 17 18 37 38 39. compared Those earnests make them presse harder for the receipt of farther and larger sums of grace those gracious recoveries makes them to renew their suits and pleas those tastes do but whet their appetites after more of such spiritual cheare such first-fruits make them long the more for gathering in more of that blessed harvest now and then a view and kisse of their beloved at their request makes them more enamoured with love-desires after more Now of the second thing propounded Importunity in prayer must not be 1 Unseasonable What manner of importunity is required To which I answer 1. Negatively 2. Affirmatively Negatively also two wayes 1. Look that it be not unseasonable importunity but a seeking of Christ early in the day time of grace not in the evening the close and ending of that day Prov. 1. 28. Thou shalt seek me early and not find me when the door of grace is shut to cry Lord Lord open to us it is in vaine Luke 13. 25. when men have wearied out the Lord with knocking at their hearts and with calls and they answer not him they shall cry saith the Lord but I will not heare 2. Looke that it be not an inordinate 2 Inordinate or for a lust importunity an importunity of some lusts like Rachels wrastling in prayer also with great wrastling for a son Quest How may Inordinacy of affection Quest or lust be discerned to be the spring and give rise to importunity in prayer 1. Answ When importunity in prayer Answ 1 for mercies which we want is uttered with Markes of earnest prayer when from our lust 1 Undervaluing of mercies received undervaluing of the blessings wee already have or with discontentment at them Numb 11. 4. You fell a lusting and wept saying who will give us flesh and verse 6 We can see nothing but this Man Like children that whilest crying for an apple from their fathers hand will fling away the cake that is in their owne and so get a whipping rather then a pippin as wee say so such get a lashing rather then their longing which argueth an inordinacy in such children 2. When such importunity in seeking such 2 Valuing of things desired even with a bad estate or such things from God is accompanied with a prising of a very bad estate in the enjoyment of the things we ask as we remember say they the flesh we did eat in Egypt Numb 11. 4 5. they are so eager for flesh that Egypt it selfe where they had such flesh hath now an honorable memoriall with them and they could even be glad of Egypt againe upon condition they had but flesh enough as formerly A place of bondage a place where sacrificing to the Lord was an abomination to the Egyptians would be a welcome place with that desired flesh they crave Luke 15. 12. The younger said father give me the portion of goods which falleth to me he will have it though he want his fathers presence and the communion of his family and be left to himselfe to shift for a living The Israelites will have a King though they are told from God that they will be in a farre worse condition under their tyrannous usages then ever they were under the government he appointed over them even under their Judges 1 Sam. 11. 11. to the 18. And vers 18. And you shall cry out in that day because of your King which you shall have chosen you and the Lord will not hear you in that day verse 19. Neverthelesse the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel and they said nay but we will have a King over us Like some young men that against all their fathers wholsome admonitions will needs have such an one for their wife and night and day sollicit their father to let them have her though told that they will but undoe themselves by it 3 Asking things unsutable to our condition 3. When we aske things of God that are unsutable for our condition as for the younger sonne to ask his father to have all at his own dispose when no way fit to manage it Luke 15. 12 13. So for Israel in a wildernesse to desire quailes a meat altogether unsutable for their place and estate So for James and John to desire that one might sit at his right hand and the other at his left hand in the Kingdome of heaven Mark 10. 35. 37. before they are fitted to suffer with Christ or for him to be riding on horseback ere they are able to goe on foot 4 Rashnesse in asking 4. When wee are rashly importunate as James and John were Mark 10. 36. You aske you know not what they considered not understood not what they asked or as in that request for fire to come down from heaven to consume those Samaritanes Luke 9. 54. Christ told them you know not what spirits you are of they considered not from what spirit they were moved in that request When we waite not for Gods counsell advise not with the Lord about what we are to aske or not seasonably before our hearts are growne inordinate with their desires Psalm 106. 13 14. They waited not for his counsel they lusted in the wildernesse when desires prevent or outrun deliberate judgement they are not right or when judgement the mistresse must waite upon these her maids there is disorder When your princely minde must go on foot whilest servantly affections ride on horseback there is confusion when understanding must only dance after affections pipes there must needs be
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.
gainfull 3. In affectionate amplifications of 3 In affectionate amplifications of our vilenesse and of Gods grace our owne vilenesse and Gods mercy and excellency As beggars which use to make very lamentable relations of their owne miseries but yet giving their benefactors all their titles to the full So those in Psal 115. 1. ingeminate the expression of their owne utter unworthinesse Not unto us not unto us And the Publican in his prayer speaks of himselfe as a sinner none else such a one as he Luke 18. 13 14. So the Prodigall in his request to his father acknowledgeth his extreame and unparallelled sinne and unworthinesse Luke 15. 18 19. So those converts Jer. 31. 18 19. Do the like such like amplifications being as so many forcible arguments in their prayer with themselves to further compunction and contrition in them and with God to further their participation of the benefit of his compassions Out of the abundant heart-abasement the mouth speaks As pride is large in speaking for selfe so is humility in declaring against selfe 4. In framing all our pleas in our petions formâ pauperum in the manner of poor 4 In framing all our petitions formâ pauperum undone persons and pleading for mercy in regard of our extreame misery That wee are under wofull captivity and oppression not of Turks and such like but even of spirituall enemies of our soules corruptions of nature temptations of Sathan c. which are far more grievous That we have sustained losses in soule that are almost inreparable lost the goodly patrimony in our first parents of Gods favour and image which never can be sufficiently bewailed yea haply have lost that little light and life and comfort of grace through some ill course we tooke since the Lord set us up againe and trusted us with a new stock of grace yea are strangely runne behind hand with God yea we are extreamely in debt by our sinne to divine justice yea we are afflicted with many spiritual diseases and distempers and sorely wounded in our spirits through some sad foils of the enemies of our souls and in all wee are utterly insufficient to recover our selves yea and helplesse and shiftlesse in the very use of such means as might tend thereunto Wee see indeed that if we could believe that would succour us but yet are not able if wee could so earnestly wrestle for and breath after help of God in Christ we might have relief but see also that of our selves wee cannot doe so much but as wee are able through the might of God Wee tell him of our grievances and plead our miseries and spread them before him and his people if they may move to mercy and so wait his gracious leisure for the same Jeremiah pleads for mercy to him and his people because their backslidings were many Jer. 14. 7. David pleads for pardon because his sin is great Psalm 25. 11. and craveth mercy because a poor shiftlesse stranger and sadly gone to decay Psal 39. 12 13. So Psal 38. 1 2. intreateth the Lord to forbear to go on to afflict him because his arrows stick fast in him he is sorely wounded already ver 2. he is sick in body and spirit ver 3. he is already fallen under a burden that is too heavy for him ver 4. and ver 6. his back is already ready to crack under his pressures and so on with such like sad pleas taken from his forlorn condition he presseth God for mercy in that Psalm 5 In much inward brokenness and relentings 5. In heart brokenness therein of spirit Hence that smiting upon the brest in the Publicans prayer Luk. 18. 13 14. There there lay his sin and misery there was his wound and burden little did men think what he felt and saw Ah that brest of his how had it harboured rebellion formerly against God! his heart within was smitten for it whereof his brest smiting was but a shadow Psal 51. 17. A broken and contrite spirit is the all of his Sacrifice and prayer Surely that heart is low in prayer and brought down to the dust which is broken as it were to dust What ever speech humble ones have in prayer it is sure they have sighes attending If the Dove-like Spirit of Christ breaths in them they will bee breathing out Dove-like moanes and groans in the ears of God The Psalmist speaketh not so much of Gods hearing of the words of the humble as the desires he heareth the desire of the humble If they do fall short at any time through some occasional impediments of expressions yet broken hearted desires expressed in groans are present and stirring and they are to God as prayers Psal 10. 17. The groanings of the prisoners are the prayers of the afflicted and destitute Psal 102. 17 20. in Gods account 6 In a meek and quiet submission and 6. In a quiet submitting to the Lord amidst discouragements bearing all discouragements without quarrelling against God nay awfully clearing the Lord therein If rated like beggars if rebuked if upbraided if delayed if denyed yet putting up all contentedly The reproachful name of a dog moveth not the humble suppliant she taketh it very well and maketh good use of it and doth not mutiny against the Lord Jesus for it Mat. 15. 27. They in Judges 10. hear and bear and take all that well which the Lord in a holy upbraiding way speaketh Judges 10. 11 12 13 14 15. They yeild to all as so and just if worse with them from the hands of God then it is but yet with the leave of his mercy they crave his favourable acceptance of their request ibid. If humble ones come to Christ in prayer or otherwise surely they come with holy dispositions to stoop to any yoak and burden of Christ which he will lay upon them as wel as desire to have their own burdens taken off by him Matth. 11. 28 29. They may indeed plead with God why he carryeth it so towards them as Psal 22. 1 2. but they are clear in it that he cannot but carry it well albeit the particular cause they know not So Psalm 22. 3. But thou art holy and however it cometh about that such divine forsakings are occasioned yet still thou art holy and spotlesse and pure in all thy dispensations 7 In a real preferring others prayers before 7. In a real preferring others prayers before ones own our own Thus the humble Centurion in his request he had to make to the Lord Jesus he thought better of the Jewes prayers then of his own as being in his own sight a most unworthy Gentile Luke 7. 3 7. Not that under this pretence men should in a way of voluntary humility repaire to deceased Saints that is idolatrous humility yea even the madnesse of persons then living So Hezekiah preferreth Isaiahs prayer before his own and therefore sends solemnely to him to lift up his prayer in the case of Judah Isaiah 37. 1 2
owne end but he correcteth himselfe presently But now O Lord what wait I for c. he thinketh it more needfull to exercise faith and patience then to be so hasty and discontented Job uttered many things out of the abundance of his troubled heart before the Lord which were materially good Job 13. 20 21 22. and 14. 1 2 3 14 15. compared with chap. 15. 12. but his heart did but carry him away in sundry of them A heart transported by a distemper may make religious motions and put upon religious expressions The spirit of good Moses that man of God suggested things considerable and put him upon uttering the same before the Lord in prayer Numb 11. 12 13 14. Have I conceived this people c whence should I have flesh to give them c I am not able to beare this people alone yet verily by that which the 15. verse mentioneth it appeareth that his spirit was not regular and spirituall therein but carnall If thou deal thus with me kill me I pray thee The Spirit of the Disciples moved them to pray as is mentioned Luke 9. 52. 54. Lord wilt thou that wee command fire to come downe from heaven upon them as Elijah did The ground and warrant seemed weighty and rational verse 33 The Samaritans did not receive him yet they were deluded and mistaken in listning to these motions of their owne distempered spirit as verse 55. Jesus rebuked them saying yee know not what spirit yee are of Whilst Jacob was praying so wel Gen. 32. 28. As a Prince saith the Angel hast thou prevailed with God Yet an unseasonable and unsutable and unwarrntable motion materially good ariseth in a his heart whence that further request uttered by his lips Tell me I pray thee thy name ver 29. A desire to know more of so glorious and gracious a one as the Lord was who would suspect that or any thing which it moveth yet verily curiosity blended and mingled it selfe therwith hence so checked Wherefore askest thou after my name verse 29. Jeremy whilst hee is praying humbly Jer. 15. 15. Remember and visit me take me not away in thy long suffering yet behold a tincture of a distemper though fair faced ariseth therewith and moveth him to speak thus verse 18. Wilt thou bee altogether to me as a lyar and as waters that fail The disciples Acts 1. 6. seem to themselves to have good ground for that desire and motion Lord wilt thou at this time restore the Kingdome of Israel but were transported with curiosity and thence that secret check of Christ verse 7. It is not for you to know the times c. And as mans heart can thus sophisticate so Satan he can inject and suggest things They may come from Satan materially good to our minds Thus when Christ had been fasting and praying too in the wildernesse he suggesteth a peice of Scripture to his mind Matth. 4. 1 2 4 5. It is written he shall give his Angels charge over thee c. Thus whilst Joshuah is before God Satan can present to him his sins and charge his heart and thoughts with them and that groundedly for Joshua was clothed with filthy garments Zech. 3. 1 2 3. 4. the Lord also addeth I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee And what humble soule but would be ready to judge it meet to think of its sins When to come before the Lord with that holy zeal of the Church of Corinth against the incestuous Corinthians sin 2 Cor. 7. 11. Satan by his wiles would be transporting the same beyond bounds of compassion and charity 2 Cor. 2. 6. Sufficient is such a ones punishment inflicted of many ver 7. So that contrariwise yee ought rather to forgive him and comfort him lest he be swallowed up with overmuch heavinesse And ver 11. Lest Satan should get an advantage for we are not ignorant of his divices The poore penitent Corinthians sin was very great and his sorrow needed to be exceeding great and he was moved to sorrow exceedingly and is there any evil in this yes a device of Satan to carry him out in his very sorrow for his sins beyond all bounds The man Gabriel an angel of light brings a gracious message to Daniel in prayer Dan. 9. 20 21 22 23. Satan can imitate the like message at the like time for he can transforme himselfe into an angel of light 2 Cor. 11. 13 14. as his Ministers can like those of Jesus Christ speak things materially good to the outward eare which are formally Satanicall ibid. The like legerdemain can that old deceiver play in reference to our inward senses verifying that Proverbs 17. He that speaketh truth sheweth forth righteousnesse but a false witnesse deceit namely when in pretence he holdeth forth righteous things The Saints are most indangered by such a white devill being more aware of him when he speaketh like himselfe It was the divell in the poor possessed man who made that motion in him to doe homage to Christ Mark 5. 5. When he saw Jesus a far off he ran and worshipped him He also moved another such a like person to goe to the Synagogue as outwardly to obscure the Sabbath exercises Mar. 1. 21. Christ entred into the Synagogue on the Sabbath day and taught and ver 23. There was there in the Synagogue a man of an uncleane spirit The devill also could strongly move such a one to make for substance a goodly confession for the man cryed out saying I know thee who thou art the holy One of God But this was whilst the Auditours should have been hearkning to Christs doctrine and joyning in his prayers sanctifying the action Whilst the Apostle and his company were at prayer Satan moved the possessed Damosel present to expressions in substance good saying these men bring unto us the message of salvation and are the servants of the most high God Act. 16. 16 17. when praying dispositions in those there present had been more sutable So that it concerneth us the more to indeavour to a clear discerning of any such delusive motions materially good from such as are truly good and heavenly A mistaken devill entertained for an angel of light is most mischeivous and not easily excluded when once admittted Such comfort or counsell slyly suggested will not so soon be rejected but being admitted for good is apt to be maintained The good witches as they call them which will tell men news of lost things and how to right injuries done are most mischeivous as bewitching and besotting the spirits of such as listen to their counsell they are poysoners Revel 21. 8. Greek Hence the devils instruments Hereticks and Schismaticks which propound Scripture grounds for what they hold forth these beguile and hurt more soules then other wretches they bewitch people Galat. 3. 1. Who hath bewitched you These flatterers spread a net for mens feet Prov. 29. 5. Seven abominations are in the heart of Satan and his subtil
without measure or whip them to death Potters doe not use to conceive so deep a distaste against a poore vessel of clay as to rage against the same without all respect to their own credit or to their own workmanship and therefore surely thou our heavenly Father and Potter canst not wilt not doe thus Thus David pleads his Fashioning by God Psal 119. 73. Thy hands have made and fashioned me give me understanding that I may learn thy Commandements God himselfe maketh it an argument to himselfe why he wil bear his people Esay 46. 3 4. I have made and I will beare even I will carry and will deliver you And it is a prevailing reason with God not to contend for ever lest the soule should faile before me saith he and the spirit which I have made Esay 57. 16. so would God have this an argument to help the weakest faith to expect its desires above all its feares Esay 43. 1 2. But now thus saith the Lord that created thee O Jacob and he that frmed thee O Israel Feare not And so V. 7. For I have created him for my glory I have formed him yea I have made him And therefore surely the Saints may wel urge this in any like case in prayer 2. We may plead the imbecillity and We are fraile creatures frailty of our natures So Iob pleadeth for the speeding of Gods manifesting of his pardoning and reconciling grace to him Iob 7. 21. Why dost thou not pardon my transgression and take away mine iniquitie for now shall I sleep in the dust c. As if he had said Lord if ever thou intendest as I am perswaded thou dost to renew the former beams of thy favour and pardoning mercy thou hadst not need to defer too long lest it come somewhat too late for ere long I shall returne to my dust This is Davids plea in the like case Psal 39. 12 13. Keep not silence at my teares for I am a stranger with thee Spare me a little that I may recover my strength before I goe hence and be no more So Iob pleadeth this Iob 13. 25. Wilt thou break a leafe driven to and fro and wilt thou pursue dry stubble What credit it is to so great a Majesty as thou art to shew thy power against a poor leafe or to runne after a poor leafe which every puffe of wind whisketh hither and thither or is it any honour so much as to a man to be cutting and hewing a poor leafe which can make no resistance Thus Abraham pleadeth for Audience and patience in hearing him because he is but dust and ashes of little substance short continuance before the Lord if the Lord please now to heare him whilst he is before him he is not like to trouble him long it is but a very little and he is gone he is but weak and it is not much discouragement in denial of requests which he is able to beare Gen. 18. 27. And the Lord hath sanctified this plea as an argument to himselfe to shew his servants mercy Psal 103. 13 14. He pittieth those that feare him for he knoweth our frame he remembreth that we are but dust So Esay 57. 16. I will not contend for ever for the spirit should faile before me This prevaileth with the Lord not to charge too hard upon his poore people 3. Plead we the extremities of our miseries We are in extremities inward or outward our extremities being Gods opportunities of hearing and helping us Psal 27. 16. Have mercy upon me O Lord why so for I am desolate And Psal 143. 7. Heare me speedily O Lord why so my spirit faileth I have but a little spirit left O Lord to breath after thee and speak to thee let me not spend that in waste Lord my soule is dying away speak Lord answer Lord before I faint quite away A gracious answer Lord would even fetch life in me again and nothing else but that wil recover me and therefore heare me speedily a poor dying sinking fainting spirit O Lord I intreat thee So Psal 69. 12. Save me O God for the waters are come even to my soule I sinke in the deep mire where is no standing This plea in effect is thus Lord I am ready to drown if ever thou wouldst save a poor perishing servant of thine save me my troubles and temptations are too deep for me I am ready to sinke over head and eares in them and therefore Lord reach hither thy gracious hand and beare up my head above water least otherwise I miscarry but especially if such extremities continue the continuance of them may be pleaded Such is Hemans plea Psa 88. 14 15. Lord why hidest thou thy face from me I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up whilst I suffer thy terrours I am distracted and God maketh this an allowed plea to himselfe of shewing his people mercy in such a case Esay 42. 19 20. I have a long time holden my peace Now will I destroy and devoure at once And I will bring the blinde by a way they know not c. Christ the Angel useth this plea Zech. 1. 12. O Lord of Hosts how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem against which thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten yeers 4. Plead we our helplesnesse in our We are helples otherwise selves and in any other besides himselfe So Psal 22. 11. Be not far from me for trouble is neer for there is none to help So Ier. 14. 22. Are there any among the vanities of the Gentiles that can cause raine or can the heavens give showres Art not thou he O Lord our God therefore we will wait upon thee for thou hast made all these things So 2 Chro. 20. 12. We have no might we know not what to doe but our eyes are unto thee Either then thou must help O Lord at this dead lift or else thine enemies will prevaile So Psal 60. 11. Give us help against trouble for vain is the help of man When people are in a perishing condition it must not keep them from making out to God but they must take this to bottom their requests upon for mercy their spirituall oppressours and oppressions must make them repaire to the Lord and that wil prevaile for succour from that great one the Lord Jesus They shall cry unto the Lord Esay 19. 20. because of the oppressours and he shall send them a Saviour and a great one and he shall deliver them Psal 72. 12. It is engaged concerning Christ the true Solomon He shall deliver the needy when he crieth the poore also and him that hath no helper He cannot forget the cry of his sucking shiftlesse babes that hang upon the breast and can no more shift for a living then a poore infant God himselfe urgeth his people to come to him with this plea in their mouthes Hos 14. 2 3. Take unto you words and say Take away all
no nor when in the most danger Matth. 26. 40 41. Yea albeit there were some stirrings in their spiritual part to the contrary fain they would have prayed but could not their spirit was willing the Lord gave leave to Satan to hamper them a little and to correct their former prefidence pride and carnalnesse Luke 22. 24. Matth. 26. 8 9 10 35. Sometimes the Saints are Just Captives under the hands of their spiritual enemy Esay 49. 24. Sometimes the divel layeth a snare for them and so they are entangled and straitned thereby namely by raising carnall fears or cares in them or by increasing or strengthning them being raised 1 Tim. 6. 9. Prov. 29. 25. or he doth peradventure hurry them into some slowes of temptation in which they sinke and stick fast and cannot scarce speak or stir Psal 69. 2 3. The Psalmist was so hampered and bemudded through temptation that he had no list to cry or pray I sink in the mire I am weary of my crying 3. Our selves and so our straitning in 3 Our selves prayer is caused 1. From some lust or sinne unto which by some lust our hearts are let out some deceit of sin causeth such benumming and stupifying of the sinews and spirits of the soule of a Christian that he cannot bestir himselfe in any such holy service as prayer is Heb. 3. 13. Lest any be hardned by the deceitfulness of sin And look as it is said of the wicked that he is bound by the cords of his own sin Prov. 5. 21. so is it true in part in the Saints themselves and as it was with Simon Magus he being under the bond of iniquity under the binding power of covetousnesse and pride he could not pray for his heart himselfe but beggeth Peters prayers Acts 8. 23 24. So is the same in part verified in respect of some degree of straitnings occasioned from like sins in them albeit not in like power such sinnes will bind both by their hardning power as before was said and by their terrifying perplexities which they may occasion in the soule for as legal terrours in the strength of them are imbondaging and binding to the spirits of men under the power of them hence that of the spirit of bondage to feare Rom. 8. 25. So any other feares occasioned by sin which are not so properly legal yet they are in this sense binding to the Saints ofttimes Hence Asaph is so troubled with perplexing feares in the sight and sense of his sinne that he cannot speak to God namely with that freedome and liberty of spirit and speech which formerly he did Psal 77. 4. 2. From some carnal distempered griefs which doe contract our spirits as spiritual as griefs doe the natural spirits as we are naturally such in sufferings we cannot utter our minds Rom. 8. 18 26. When a discouraging sinking fainting frame of spirit seizeth on us it is with us as it was with Daniel we are not able to speak to the Lord Dan. 10. 16 17 19. the Disciples under that frame could not pray although enjoyned by Christ Luke 22. 40 45. Aaron could neither speak nor doe ought before God that day when too much oppressed with griefe about his sons death Levit. 20. 19. 3 From our straitning of God and of his Saints or servants When we straiten 3 Straitning of God or of his Saints and servants the spirits motion in meditation or otherwise then cannot wee hold on either in praying to God or praysing of him they cannot pray indefinitely or in every thing give thanks which quench the spirit Hence when the Apostle exhorteth to these hee dehorteth from this 1 Thes 5. 17 18. as a bar thereto when the spirit is pent up in us then doth he leave us Hee is a free spirit and will be at liberty where he dwelleth and abideth and when wee allow not room to him he will be gone and then our spiritual liberty goeth away with him or if we are straitned toward Gods poor afflicted Saints truely God will leave us to straitnings in prayer Hence if those the Prophet spake to will inlarge their bowels to the poor draw out their souls to the needy he promiseth in the name of the Lord that their spirits shall be free and ready to pray and that the Lord will be as free and as ready to answer Isai 58. 9 10. else if otherwise with them no wonder that they set times apart to fast but are not inabled to pray sutably ver 3. They were like tonguelesse bulrushes in comparison of true Suppliants they could bow down the head but not sincerely open the mouth in prayer to the Lord verse 5. 4 From distrust and strength of unbeliefe 4 Distrust an unbelieving Zachariah shall bee dumb Luke 1. 22 20. Men under the power of unbeliefe are wholly shut up Rom. 11. 32. he hath shut them up in unbeliefe so is it partly manifest in this businesse of prayer None are so free to powre out their hearts upon all occasions in prayer as they that trust in God Psal 62. 8. Trust in the Lord at all times and powre your hearts to him when faith is not stirring in the soul to take hold of God a praying spirit is not stirring to call upon God Isai 64. 7. When a professed people of God through distrust secretly think that Gods hand is shortned it is no wonder then that even God by his spirits motions doth call on them and invite them to prayer or the like that they have no list to that nor are they free to make a sutable answer therein unto the spirit in their prayers whence that complaint and expostulation of God Isai 50. 2. Wherefore when I called was there none that answered Distrust doth limit confine and straiten the power mercy and truth of God the merit and mediaion of Christ the latitude and vertue of the covenant of grace which should bee the foundation of the souls inlargement in prayer Psal 78. 41. they limited the holy one of Israel It is by faith only that we comprehend those dimensions in the Lords love c. Eph. 13. 18 19. without which the soul cannot see or conceive any such height or length or breadth or depth and know the love of Christ as passing knowledge That hee may dwell in your hearts by faith that ye may comprehend with all Saints what is the height and length and breadth and depth and know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge 5 From an unsetled and unstable frame 5 An unsetled and unsutable spirit of spirit whether in respect of the practise of the duty or in respect of the place of our abode Proverb 17. 24. When a man is as it were upon journeying still his prayers are sutable to those travellers whose spirits use not to bee inlarged in prayer through the many occasional hurries of their spirits 6 From resting in former inlargements 6 Resting in former inlargements or present
his people whom he admitteth and inableth to be so free in opening their minds and heart unto him and as David saith Psalm 18. 32 33. God girdeth mee with strength and maketh my way perfect maketh my feet like Hinds feet so may we apply the same to this case that verily the Lord maketh our way perfect when there are no more such blunders therein and he communicateth special strength to us when we can more freely without such stops lets and abruptions and restings keep on in this part of our Christian course and race yea and it is an Argument that we shall by him be enabled to do great things when he thus enlargeth our steps ibid. v 35 36 37. He setteth me on High places and thou hast enlarged my steps c. And that the Lord hath known our souls in adversity he hath owned us and so also will when in this wise also he setteth our feet in a large room Psalm 3 1. 7 8. Thou hast knowne my soul in adversity thou hast set my feet in a large room I have urged this the more to be so apprehensive of the evil of this imprisoning of our spirits in prayer if ever wee mean to get at liberty because there are a sort of Spiritual Prisoners whose hearts and spirits are shut up in prayer and other holy Ordinances and yet they lay it not to heart or when they perceive and feel themselves to begin a little to be restrained they are but slightly affected with it they think all is not well with them indeed or so well as formerly and wonder what is the matter that they are not so free and so much carryed out in prayer as heretofore but it may be this is but nine dayes wonder to them and so by degrees their spirits are still more and more straitned and then they begin to have more serious troubles and fears about the same what the issue thereof may prove and sometimes their fears are more desperate lest the Lord hath thus laid them up as intending ere long to proceed against them in a way of wrath and justice and then they begin to bestir themselves and make out for help But if this straitning continue long with them then haply as it is with prisoners which although at their first coming into prison it seemed somewhat strange and sad to them which but then walked at liberty to be thus cooped up and they many times sadly bemoan their case yet having been long in prison then they begin to grow more resolute and desperate and are less solicitous of using meanes to get out So is it here with many Christians at first they are much troubled at their straitnings in Prayer but when they have been a long time shut up in their spirits truly then they are apt to grow more desperate and secretly to think and conjecture that there is little hope now that they should recover their former freedom of spirit they have used such and such means but all in vain they seem but to strive against the streame in wrestling in their poor measure with God and themselves for their liberty and therefore they were as good even to be content and quiet and so suffer their sins like Dallilahs to lull them asleep and to bind them in such sort that their strength departeth from them and they are made a miserable prey and reproach unto the enemies of their peace So much of this first Means of cure 2 Plead it with God that his Promise 2. Plead Gods Promise to inlarge us and Covenant is to inlarge us Jer. 31. 9. If he will lead us with Supplications then with multiplyed inlarged expressions of our hearts in Prayer if with weepings too then with inlarged affection also For what God promised to them of old hee is the same to make it good to us as need requireth I will saith God lead them with weeping and supplications in a strait way wherein they shall not stumble Yea set we our faith on work inforce such sutable Promises made to persons even in their sad plight upon our owne hearts let them shamefully give God the lye If they doe if they dare to deny to expect freedom by vertue of the same Since the Lord Jesus is annoynted appointed and fitted of God for this very purpose to speak and that effectuallly liberty to the Captives indefinitely surely then to such poor souls as are spirit and heart-bound groaning under and mourning over the same as their extreme misery Isai 61. 1. God is verily faithful in his promise to make the dumb to sing and speak forth his praise for Gods opening their mouthes loosening their tongues in his Service Isai 35. 6. Yea but will some poor soul say I have given just cause of this my Imprisonment I am in for debt and delinquencies I am justly inhibited and restrained my former freedom of spirit and therefore what have I to plead Answ We will grant all this and if thou have nothing to plead then cry Guilty and confesse all is just and put thy self upon the King and Judges mercy yet withal plead the benefit of the Kings pardon and of his Royal Clemency ingaged in the word of a King for the deliverance of just Captives Isai 49. 24 25. This Promise being as well verified in the delivery of imprisoned and captivated spirits as in that of Babels Captives of old which were justly delivered for their sins Imitate David herein whose case was a like case after his grievous fall he felt himself in the net his spirit strangely hampered intangled and bound up yet he purposeth that he would constantly wait and expect and look for his liberty again Psal 25. 11. My eyes are even unto the Lord he shall pluck my feet out of the net So do you and albeit while you plead and urge your case before the Lord and presse the same upon your own spirit yet you seem to your selfe but hard and slight as the Church whilst and when pleading strongly yet cryeth out of her hardnesse of heart Isai 63. 15 16 17. Why hast thou hardned our hearts from thy fear c. yet cease not to do it still and when at any time you doe get hold of any word of Grace and grant of your liberty from the Lord hold it fast and be not beaten out of the same by any cavils of the enemies of your peace If when we go on in this or any other way of God we would not have our steps any more straitned take fast hold of any item of Gods mind of Grace and if we once get such a gracious Instruction and Information of Gods love in his Promise set home by his spirit then keep it for the very life and livelihood of our souls depends thereon Prov. 4. 12 13. When thou goest thy steps shall not be straitned Take hold of instruction let her not go keep her as thy life 3 Improve we the Offices of Christ 3. Improve the
Offices of Christ for this end for this end for as was but now hinted the Lord Christ was annointed and designed to this work of procuring prisoners liberties he is given of the Father for that end Isai 42. 6 7. And if to free Spiritual prisoners at their first conversion when they are under such strong iron bolts and gyves and yet he doth it What can he what will he not do for such as he can once so set at liberty but since that time they are haply held under some smaller cords for a time and be it that we are justly under such a spiritual restraint for our Covenant breaches c. as was before mentioned from Isai 49. 24 25. yet inasmuch as the Lord Jesus is given to be a Deliverer of all spiritual prisoners by being given to become their Covenant Isai 42. 6 7. and 49 8 9. Therefore the Lord supposeth that such a let shall not hinder the free passage of his promised grace to such I will give thee for a Covenant to bring the Prisoners from the Prison The Lord Jesus he even begged this Office that he might have the honour of this gracious work of delivering the poor darkned straitned spirits Hence Isai 49 8. The blessed Father is brought in as speaking to the blessed Son saying I have heard thee c. and I will give thee for a Covenant c. ver 9. that thou maist say to the Prisoners Go forth and to them that are in darkness Shew your selves and when he mentions his saying so he meaneth his operative word of command of their liberty who are ashamed to shew their heads in respect of the sense of their owne misdoings Improve the Priestly Office of Christ Improve his Priestly Office and the Priestly Merit and Mediation and Intercession of the Lord Jesus for this end for so in a special manner is he given as a Covenant for this purpose Isai 42 6 7. He is our Surety and such a Baile as the blessed Father will not refuse His suffering as one dumb before the Shearer Isai 53. 7. and as one from whom God withdrew for a time Matth. 27. 46. hath merited and purchased our liberty to approach and freely to pour out our souls before the Throne of Grace Heb. 10. 19 20. Ephes 3. 11. He was forsaken for a time that we might not for ever be forsaken By the Blood of his Covenant it cometh to passe that the Lord delivereth his Prisoners not only from a Babylonish but from all other imprisoned conditions of soul or body Zech. 9. 11. therefore let all the poor Prisoners of God which are Prisoners of Hope turn hither as to their strong Hold v. 12. So did Hezekiah when not able to speak out or pour out his heart distinctly and freely before the Lord but in an abrupt manner and when held under the pressures of his heart he cryeth out for the benefit of this his Surety I am oppressed O Lord undertake for me Isa 38. 14. Improve we the Intercession of Christ for this likewise whereby the Lord Christ is fully able to deliver and rescue us from this or any other bondage He is able to save them to the utmost that come unto God by him forasmuch as he ever liveth to make Intercession for them Heb. 7. 25. Improve his Prophetical Office also for this purpose Inasmuch as the blessed Father Hie Prophetical and that he might bring about liberty for all spiritual prisoners he hath given him to be a light to them Isai 42 6 7. and experience proveth it that no sooner doth the Lord become light to poor deserted tempted ones but they regain liberty of spirit likewise it is the Son that maketh any free indeed but it is by discovering some special part of that mind and Covenant and Promise of God they come to know more of his Truth and that truth so made known to their souls that doth set them free in this kind as well as otherwise Ye shall know the Truth and the Truth shall make you free Joh. 8. 32. They are the Scruples and Objections and mists which are in the mind which keep the spirit so strait laced and so long as that darknesse remaines that prison state of soul remaineth too Isai 42. 7. and them that sit in darknesse out of the prison when they are cleared up then those binding fears and griefs of distrust vanish and the Spirit is sweetly at liberty again to pray more freely or to do any other spiritual service In a word Improve we the Kingly Office His Kingly Office of the Lord Christ for the same purpose The Lord Christ is a true Solomon which openeth his mouth for the dumb Prov. 31. 8. That spiritual bondage of the poor soul it hath been occasioned either through some violence of temptation and corruption or through some wily deceit of their own hearts drawing them to give at first but a little way to slightness and remisness in prayer or to some other distemper and then to suffer our selves to go on a little in some such unsafe way until we have been so intangled in the snare of slightness that we know not how to get into a serious and fervent frame yea but the Lord Christ as the Antitype of Solomon he is promised that he shal redeem his from deceit and violence Psa 72. 14. And as the Antitype of Hezekiah under his Government the tongue of his stammering subjects such as are spiritually tongue tyed c. yet their tongue shal be free and ready to speak plainely of God or to him Isai 32. 4. The tongue of the stammerers shall be able to speak plainly 4. Improve others liberties of the Throne 4. Improve others liberty of Gods Throne of Grace The Lord ever useth to keep some in his Churches at liberty for this very end sometimes it is the turn of such his subjects and favorites and houshold servants to have the liberty of the Kings Court and presence-Chamber sometimes again some others are thereto admitted now seek wee them out inquire out such Princely spirits who may open their mouths for you which are dumb persons Prov. 31. 8. Look as imprisoned Joseph made use of the Butlers liberty to be a mean of his Gen. 40. So do we in this case he that had such an impediment in his speech hee had got others to speak for him Mark 7. 32 33. And those dumb ones which had friends to bring them before Christ and to cast them down before him they got cure and were enabled by Christ thereupon to speak Matth. 15. 30 31 So will it be here in like case 5. Be we sincere and cordial with God in 5. Be we sincere in prayer our approaches to him consciousness thereunto and conscience thereof greatly furthereth our liberty of spirit David who made conscience to seek Gods Statutes and was conscious to himself that he did what he did from obedience and respect unto the
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
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
a little of the excellency The excellency of Ejaculatory Prayer and necessity of the duty of praying without ceasing in an ejaculatory way give Reasons for it and apply it The excellency hereof may appear both by the Nature and by the rise of it It is as I may say the first breath of a Regenerate man as soon as a It 's a Saints first breathing man is born again he thus at least cryeth Abba Father In that ye are the sons of God he hath sent out the spirit of his son into your hearts crying Abba Father Gal. 4. 6. And when his body breathes its last this is a gracious persons last breathing Hence such It is a Saints last breathing parting cryes of Gods children at the stake in the flames amidst the stones on a Cross c. Lord receive my spirit into thy hands I commend my spirit And such were Stephens who was stoned calling on the Lord and saying Lord Jesus receive my spirit Lord lay not this sin to their charge The last words of the Worthies of God we account to be most memorable and to have some spiritual excellency instamped upon them and these words are such like Ejaculations If it were possible to hear the last whispers of the Saints souls as ready to leave their bodies they would be found to be such like breathings of their desire to him to whom they are going Ejaculatory Prayer also is the first and last of set and solemne It is the α and ω of Solemn Prayer Prayer when rightly performed God prepareth the heart of the humble to pray acceptably even by these preparatory liftings up of the heart a prayer-wise Psal 10. 17. The heart is first thus prepared then the hand that way stretched out Job 11. 13 Look upon Solomon in that presidental prayer of his 1 Kings 8. 22. his hands spread to heaven before he spake shewed where his he art was lifted before hand The last also of Solemn prayer is issued in an Ejaculation an Ejaculatory Amen comprehending the closing desires and feeling motions of faith to all before pleaded for All the prayers of a gracious Suppliant are not ended with his continued speech in prayer no his heart is lifting and lifting as you see a bel-rope oft hoising up after you have done ringing the bell Many a long look and heart wish followeth such an ones desire to heaven and all together come before the Lord for mercy Hence the Lord as hee is nigh to them that call upon him so he fulfilleth the desires of them that fear him Psal 145. 18 19. Solomons heart was as well left in heaven after the end of his prayer whereof his fixed eyes there was a speaking sign 1 King 8. 54. as gotten thither before he began ver 22. Ejaculatory prayer It is the spirits of solemn prayer is the very quintessence of solemn praier it is the very spirit into which that is distilled and resolved When a gracious persons heart is left in heaven uttering its after-requests now praier was well carried on These shorter postscripts written after the other longer letter indited by the spirit and directed to the Lord they have ever something of note and worth This epitomâ— of praier how solid is it So much for a taste of the nature of it Let us withall consider of this holy dutiâ— It is the eccho of the spirit of ejaculatory praier in the spring and rise thereof and namely those lively and forceable â—â—bounds of the gracious spirit of a Saint of God moved by the hand of the spirit of God Ejaculatory praier is the harmonious sweet-sounding eccho of the spirit fore-speaking to the heart â—hen thou saidst Seek my face there is the Lords voice my heart answered thy face Lorâ— will I seek there is the eccho Psal 27. 8. David before he is solemnly praying as afterward he is v. 9 10. He turneth his speech to the Lord telling him what his heavenly desires say I will seek thy face or my hearts desires are so to doe Ejaculations It is the venting of a heart full of the spirit are the spiritual ventings and breathings of a gracious heart filled with the wine of the spirit Eph. 5. 19. very precious verie pleasant to the taste of the Lord. Sometimes the Saints hearts are so filled with a spirit of holy joy sometimes of praise sometimes of love to the Lord that variety of holy desires pressing fast on they are forced to give them vent by short ejaculations Ejaculations are the holy evaporations of a heart throughly warmed with some special workings of faith and love of Christ When Davids heart is thus boyling hot Psal 45. 1. he breaketh off his discourse from Christ verse 2. and breatheth out such holy desires unto Christ verse 3. gird thy sword upon thy thigh c. and verse 4. Ride prosperously And then on againe to his discourse verse 5 6 7 8 9 10. Ejaculations are the holy sparks ascending up one after another from the stirring of the fired coales of the Spirit in the heart From the holy admiration of God and his goodnesse power wisedome faithfulnesse c. proceed holy ejaculations From that transcendency of Gods dispensations to Asaphs reason who had his hearts fore-discourses about the same proceeds that Verily or neverthelesse God is good to Israel Psal 73. 1. From Micahs admiring at the unparallel'd grace of God Mic. 7. 18. Who is a God like unto thee verse 19. Hee telleth the Church what God will doe hee will turne againe and will subdue our iniquities and then maketh his Apostrophe to the Lord Thou wil t caâ—t all their sinnes into the depth of the sea and verse 20. Thou wilt performe the truth to Jacob. God calleth for these holy Apostrophes from this ground of admiration at his marvellous providences Psal 66. 3. Say unto God how terrible art thou in thy works The excellency of this fruit must needs partake of the excellency of such a root as is an admiring frame Ejaculations arise from the spiritualizing of the heart upon any occasion As when It s the first fruit of a spiritualized heart David is spiritual in contemplation of the works of God Psal 8. 3 4. When I consider thy heavens c. his heart in ejaculatory wise saith Lord what is man that thou art thus mindfull of him So when he was in a lively manner musing upon the immensity of God Psal 139. 1. to 17 Hee thence breaketh out thus How precious are thy thoughts to me oh God! From the veiw taken of Gods justice or mercy or from any holy discourse with others about the same or from singing and sounding forth Gods praises wherein the Saints are spiritual ariseth some holy ejaculations or other In all these and each of these was Deborah so spiritual Judg. 5. from verse 1. to the last whence that ejaculatory praier of hers So let thine enemies perish oh Lord but let those that
by whom shall Jacob arise for he is small or as the sudden stroak of God upon Pelatiah whilst Ezekiel was prophecying turneth his speech to the Lord Ah Lord God wilt thou make a ful end of the remnant of Israel Ezek. 11. 13. Yea will not variety of afflictions some outward Variety of Afflictions some inward which once in every foure and twenty houres are wont to befall us put us upon it to cry as sometimes the Church did in hers Behold O Lord See and consider Lamentations 1. 9 11 20. As Jesus Christ did in his when inwardly loaded as well as outwardly afflicted Matthew 26. 47. My God my God why hast thou forsaken me And whither also will our spirits wander betwixt our solemn praying in the morning and that at evening if we doe not now and then each day trie whether our hearts be gone out of call after vaine objects will they not else be too fast wedged in worldly affairs unlesse now and then hereby loosened a little But for the fastning of this exhortation and the right managing of the duty exhorted unto let us lay down 1. Some motives to it 2. Some Motives helps and means for it 3. Some cautions about it Touching the Motives consider 1. That this precept and duty injoyned 1. It s well for the Saints that God requireth and owneth this duty of God is a very precious priviledge to the Saints they of all others may well be forward to this duty in that it is well for them that ejaculatory prayer is acceptable prayer a choice service which the Lord himselfe appointeth and delighteth in it is well for us brethren and sisters that we may thus speak and converse with our God when none either thinketh or knoweth of it wee may ever and anon talke thus with our heavenly and gracious Soveraigne and others in our very company neither heare nor mark it As Nehemiah did in the kings presence he prayed to the Lord of heaven and the king not privy to it Nehemiah 2. 4. As we walke in the way with others wee may exchange a few of these holy speeches and yet keep our way and discourse with them little doe carnall persons think how many of these holy lifts sometimes gracious and spiritual persons occasionally cast into their company have whilest they are with them It is meat and drink which they know not of communing with one that is invisible They may have sweet answers and returnes also thereof which fill their hearts with heavenly joy wherewith a stranger doth not intermeddle Yea in their sleep the Saints may thus bee talking with God 1 King 3. 9. it was in a dreame when God said unto Solomon ask what I shall give thce verse 5. and he did so verse 15. and he awakened and behold it was a dream a sign then that hee was that while as in a sleep when praying and yet so graciously accepted and answered ver 10 11. And alas what else would have become of Gods Asahs and Jehoshaphats Davids c. of whom you heard if this were not prevailing prayer what should desolate Jonah in the whales belly also doe Jonah 2. 1. He prayed but in this sort What shall poor Jeremiah in the dungeon doe but hereby you see hee doth well enough Lam. 3. 55 56. I called upon the name of the Lord out of the low dungeon and thou heardest my voice c. Some freinds would sometimes give a world to exchange a word or two with a choice freind of theirs in their extremity If I could but send or speak with such a one will such say I need not I should not lye here thus If my Father if my Brother did but know of it I am sure they would relieve mee in my straits though I am now a Turks slave yet I have such and such friends in such a countrey which would ransome mee c. Yea but the Saints need not say so the Saints are never so hard put to it but if they want opportunity more solemnly yet this way they may be telling their heavenly Father and friend Jesus Christ how it is with them And is not this well for them yea verily Alas what should dumb ones doe whose tongues the enemy cut out or if not gag them if yet there were no means left of speaking with their heavenly Father but blessed be God there is this way left to such It may bee malicious persecutors will be throwing the saints into a Jayle amongst a company of rogues which will scoffe at the very mention of prayer now welfare this part of Gods revealed wil injoyning ejaculations for prayers also the poore Saints may then poure out these prayers to their God in which such a hellish crue cannot well interrupt them they may hear them sigh it may be or see them weep but judge that as arising from other causes which indeed and in truth is some sigh of love holy longing admiration or the like a precious melting of faith in their hearts amidst these short heart speeches with the Lord. Sometimes the Saints are like Hezekiah as well oppressed inwardly as outwardly that they cannot in a continued way pray but onely in an abrupt and broken way chatter and that within themselves and at length get out Lord I am oppressed undertake for me and they are like babes in Christ and can but brokenly stammer out their mindes to the Lord or like the Publicane not daring in a manner to speak much but in short to bespeak mercy as to chiefe of sinners is it then not well for such that O Lord bee mercifull to me a sinner is such an acceptable prayer with God yea verily it is well for the Saints when to leave the world when neither they can speak to be understood of any friend nor their friends to them albeit both may desire it with their mindes and spirits and have audience and acceptance and indeed if this were not so acceptable a duty many a blessed soul sylloqui with God of the Saints living and dying were made null and uselesse And is it not well then for the Saints that ejaculatory prayer is acceptable prayer yea it is very well in these and other respects and truly though it be as I may say ill for some notorious enemies of God yet this is so for the Saints can soon do their errand and in a very few words too As David did Achithophels 2 Sam. 15. 31. It is well also for many a man who is yet in his sinnes or at least under captivity to some distemper that ejaculatory prayer of the Saints is of such a nature they at Taberah had been consumed else when once the fire of God was kindled amongst them if Moses his ejaculatory cry had not been a prayer of the right stamp and full weight to passe for currant with the Lord Numb 11. 12. Moses cryed to the Lord and the fire was quenched sundry think Paul fared the better for
Stevens ejaculatory praier at his death Lord lay not this sin to their charge And assuredly many of the blinded Jews who ignorantly crucifled the Lord of glory fared the better for the ejaculatory prayer of Christ Father forgive them for they know not what they doe Luk. 23. 34. Witnesse the conversion of thousands of those who had a hand in crucifying the Lord Jesus Acts 2. 36 37 38 39 40 41. verses compared Other Saints likewise fare the better for this that the ejaculatory prayers of others of their brethren for them are acceptable prayers to God Onesiphorus will fare the better for the short prayer of Paul at the very day of judgment 2 Tim. 1. 18. The Lord grant that he may find mercy at that day How well then is it in all respects that God will have his Saints praying continually with ejaculatory prayer also 2. In that it is a service which the Lord Second Motive It is that upon which the spirit putteth us often by special motion of his Spirit put his saints upon oft times as well as by general command requireth the same Let me hear thy voice saith Christ to his people Cantiâ— 2. 14. To which the Church answereth in an ejaculatory prayer verse 17. Turne my beloved and be thou like a Roe So Cantic 8. 13. The Lord putteth them upon speaking to him Let me hear thy voice to which they returne an ejaculation ver 14. Make haste my beloved now it will not bee safe to neglect any such motions made by the Lord and by his spirit lest being grieved he withdraw from us 3. In that the most spiritual persons Third motive it is that which the choysest Saints practise much have been and are thus exercised in those holy ejaculations as was Christ as Luke 3. 21. When he was baptised he so prayed when those Disciples returned with that successe he lifts up his heart Luk. 20. 21. I thanke thee O Father Lord of heaven and earth So John 2. 27 28. Father glorifie thy name And so Luke 23. 31. Father forgive them for they know not what they doe So Matthew 26. 46. My God my God why hast thou forsaken me So Luke 23. 46. When to leave the world Father into thy hands I commit my spirit Thus David and Nehemiah and Moses and others who were most spiritual how oft were they thus praying 4. In that ejaculatory prayer hath prevailed Fourth Motive it s very prevailing with God with God for great things persons have been healed of plagues As upon such a prayer of Hezekiah 2 Chron. 30. 18 19 20. verses God hearkned and healed the people Wonders have been done by it as when upon such a Prayer of Isaiah the Sun goeth backward 2 Kings 20. 11. Isaiah cryed unto the Lord and the Sun went back ten degrees Such wonders were done hereby at the red Sea Nehem. 9. 9. as formerly was shewed Now in the second place consider of some Helps to pray thus 1 Heavenly mindedness Helps to help us this way 1 Get and maintain a spiritual frame of heart walk much with God in Meditation and the like and frequent occasion will be offered of such like talking with him A heavenly heart will be often lifted thus heavenward When Simâ—on was in such a frame then Lord lettest thou thy Servant depart in peace Luke 2. 29. So when John is in a like frame then Come Lord Jesus Come quickly Revel 22. 20. One Ejaculation or other ariseth out of the heart in such a frame and as a branch thereof get our hearts weaned from the things of the world be as one leaving the world and then an old Jacob will be mounting thus Gen. 49. 18 Lord I have waited for thy Salvation David who was a weaned child was much in holy Ejaculations so was Davids Lord who was so much above the world such have most to do in Heaven and therefore so oft moving that way 2 Get a humble soft heart sensible of sins and self emptinesse Broken hearts will bee often breathing out Ejaculatory sighs and requests The humbled Thief upon the Cross and Publican in the Temple had their Ejaculations 3 Keep in life and light as much as may 3 Sense of Gods love be the sense of the love of God in Christ when the Church is in Christs armes and as in his bosome then she hath her Ejaculatory request Set me as a seal upon thy arm c. Cant. 8. 5 6. This stirreth up holy love in us to God and that will be making ever and anon abrupt expressions of its desire to him Touching the third thing consider of these Cautions Cautions 1. That it bee not too seldom 1 Content not our selves that more rarely wee have some one lift this way but be ever and anon sending up some short requests unto the Lord foure times in one Chapter is Nehemiah doing thus upon several occasions 2 Look that we do it not in a Petitionary 2. That it bee not only in a Petitionary way way only but praising way as well So David Psalm 8. 3 4 5. When I see thy Heavens c. I said What is man that thou art thus mindful of him So Jesus Christ I thank thee Father Lord of Heaven and earth that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babes Luke 10. 21. and John 11. 41 42. Father I thank thee that thou alwayes hearest me 3 Look that be not a bare formal cry 3. That it be not in an affected way for fashions sake a customary Lord have mercy upon me or Lord blesse me or the like in a morning or at going to bed resting therein as if now some goodly service were done or that sufficeth or a more forced out-cry to God occasioned from sudden terrors or distrusts and the like or an hypocritical semblance of a heart lift to heaven by an affected lifting up the eys when in others company or in a seemed squeezing out a hollow hearted sigh in stead of such cordial Ejaculations to which we have been all this while exhorting Lastly Look that none under this pretence 4 That it thrust not out Solemn praier lay aside the due and constant exercise of publick or private Praier in a more continued way Let not one duty justle out another Continued Praier in solemn manner is our duty as well as Ejaculatory Prayer as God willing we shall see in the following part of this Discourse we are the rather to make conscience of Ejaculatory Praier that we may be sit for solemn Prayer and we are so to pray in a continued Prayer as it may leave us sending up our after Ejaculations unto heaven CHAP. III. Touching more solemn and continued Prayer and particularly of Publick Prayer WE have spoken of Ejaculatory Praier proceed we now to consider of Solemn and continued Praier which is either Publick or Church Praier Private or Family Prayer Secret or Closet Prayer Begin
such as are to edifie others in their most holy faith privately are to pray thus and much more such as are by office to give themselves to the ministry of the word There is great danger to say no worse of it when this tabernacle temple Church-incense or prayer is of humane composition Exod. 30. 38. And in offering of so publick a sacrifice with fire of mans kindling and such as cometh not downe from heaven Levit. 10. 1 2. but much indeed needeth not to bee spoken to this now that the Lord by his grace hath so cleared up his mind to his servants of all sorts in these dayes Yet let mee briefly confirm this truth and thereby the hearts also of the Saints in the present truth publick prayer must bee in the spirit or by an immediate gift and help of the holy Ghost 1. Because publick prayer being part of Reasons It must be carryed on with most holy beauty publick worship it should bee performed with greatest beauty Psal 29. 2. and 96. 8. It is twice repeated Worship the Lord in the beautyes of holinesse for manner as well as place the Temple of old Now the Church in her beauty Cantic 7. 1. compared with verse 9. The roofe of her mouth both in prayer and preaching is like the best wine that goeth downe sweetly causing the lips of these which are asleep to speak And surely experience sealeth it that there is more lively efficacy to such as are present when prayers are put up to the Lord in the assembly from the immediate help of the spirit then any other way 2 Because by such manner of praier God 2 God is most honoured by it hath most glory which is that which in publick worship is mainely intended Psal 29. 2. for he hath most glory of the precious gifts of the spirit inabling Ministers to pray thus of his glorious wisedome also in the variety of the measures thereof bestowed upon his servants Those Church-officers which have their vialls full of such odours which as those of old were only of divine invention composition and direction they in special sort have their harpes sounding forth the praises of God Revel 5. 8. These ministerial stars in the firmament of the Church Revel 1. 20. doe then in special wise declare the glory of God when they shine as in preaching so in prayer publickly not with borrowed light from others but by an innate and natural light as I may say in them considered as spiritual and spiritually gifted of the spirit 3. Because such manner of praying in 3 It is the Churches perfection the spirit consisteth best with the Churches perfection The lips of such a Spouse or Church of Christ which is most fair and compleat they drop both in publick prayer and preaching as the honey-comb Cantic 4. 10 11. There is an immediate inward principle there is an holy store of sweet and savory graces of the spirit within such as are the Churches mouth when without stint restraint or constraint they doe freely drop out wholesome expressions sweet to the taste of the Lord Jesus When the Church in the 45th Psalme is under the notion of Solomons Egyptian wife a Gentile set forth in her glorious ornaments verse 14. She is said to be brought to the King Jesus Christ in garments of needlework The Churches garments as they are the glorious robes of the righteousnesse of faith and graces of the Spirit which are visible to the Lord though more invisible to men so are they the ordinances too wherewith shee is as it were invested when she cometh near the Lord in the Assembly now such Church ornaments as preaching and prayer in special they are needlework wrought on both sides as I may say the inward work of the spirit respecting the gifts and graces therein exercised The outward work thereof the very expressions not wrought by men to our hands so much as by the spirit framing and directing the same in publick as well as private prayer as before was hinted from the Greek phrase in James 5. 16. in singing of Psalmes wherein not one alone as in preaching and prayer acteth in the name of God or others but every one instructeth each other personally It sufficeth that for the matter it be the word of Christ the Prophet of his Church speaking the same Col. 3. 16. and for the manner of expression such as by the help of a gift of the spirit is expressed outwardly in the words of the spirit as near as may be and uttered from sutable workings of the spirit in the hearts of all inwardly 4. Because such a way of carrying on 4 It s most sutable to the Churches liberty publick prayer is most sutable to the Churches liberty and to the spiritual liberty also of the officers of the Church as part thereof The Church is now no bond-woman but a free-woman and so are her children sharers with her in that freedom Gal. 4. 26. 31. as from ceremonial injunctions which sometimes God ordained so much more from humane inventions which the Lord never instituted The Churches ministerial mouthes have most bold liberty of spirit in such conceived prayer to receive such drops of the spirit of prayer poured out upon the Saints and the renewed influences thereof Yea to improve the holy variety of seasonable motions even then made by the spirit interceding in them wherein some particular cases of sundry poor soules present haply unknowne to the Ministers are to the life represented even as if the parties had informed them thereof Yea they are more free to improve the various measures of their gift of prayer received which in divers Ministers are very various yea they are freer to expresse the various statures as it were or pitch of their respective Churches being not all of one size but some more eminent for grace then others Yea they are freer to express the various conditions and failings of their Churches which as the Moon are subject to various aspects Cantic 6. 10. The Churches and her Ministers liberty is in both alike preserved entire when they are left to the free use of all holy liberty to utter the mind and case of the Church to the Lord as when left to like liberty to speak and deliver the Lords minde to the Church 5. Because that way of prayer is most 5 It s most acceptable to the Lord. sutable to the nature of acceptable and prevailing prayer as is in-wrought prayer as before shewed from Jam. 5. 16. That prayer which is the very suppliants owne meditation by the help of the spirit Psal 5. 1. Give eare to my words consider my meditation That prayer which is the pouring out of the very suppliants hearts or souls 1 Sam. 1. 15. I have poured out my soul to the Lord that is made each ones prayer So Psal 62. 8. Poure out your hearts to him or pray That which is a serving of God with the suppliants spirit Rom. 1.
9. My God whom I serve with my spirit 6. Because such prayer is most costly 6 It s most costly to him who is the Churches mouth and so a Sacrifice most sutable to a Saints own desire and best accepted of the Lord such an one will say as David in another case 2 Sam 24 I will not offer to the Lord that which cost me nothing The Tabernacle and Temple-Incense resembling also Church Prayer as in the matter costly so in the manner it cost much pounding and beating Exod. 30. 36. the Mincah for the Congregation as well as that for any particular person was to be of fine flower Levit. 28. Church Praier also resembled thereby would cost the Officers thereof much sifting The lips of that Spouse or Church of Christ which is fo fair Cant. 4. 7. they are ver 3 like a thred if Scarlet fine spun and twice dyed in the wool and in the thred very costly whether speaking in Prayer or Preaching 7 Because such as are the called officed 7 It s sutable to the gifts of called Officers mouthes of the Church they are as hath been shewed gifted for publick prayer in their names as well as preaching as Gods mouth to them wherefore they ought upon all occasions to be exercising that one Talent as well as the other True it is that some of these Stars differ from other in the glory of their light and brightness but yet every of the Stars in Christs hand shine from an inward light in such publick Worship of God Each ones Vial is not of the same capacity yet each Church Officers Vial and Vessel hath its proportionable fulness of such holy odors of praier Rev. 1. 20 5. 8. 8. Because this way of Praier as it hath clearest warrant from the Word as before 8 It s least offensive to the Saints proved so is of least scandal to the choicest of the Saints as experience of former and later times abundantly witnesseth A third Requisite unto such as are the 3 Requisite Holy wisdom mouth of the Assembly in Prayer is holy wisdom and diligence in observing as their owne souls special occasions so those of the Congregation Those four living Creatures resembling Church Officers Revel 4. 6 8. they are full of eyes for that end to look through both themselves and others as they are publickly to worship the Lord. A fourth Requisite is sympathizing affection 4 Sympathy with the people in their cases as if their own So the people of old Hebr. 5. 1 Other Requisites might be mentioned but I forbear Requisites of the second sort in such as Requisites in the people 1. Assent of faith joyn in Publick Prayer are 1. Assent of faith with oneness of mind and heart sutable thoughts and affections All the precious strings of the gracious minds and hearts of such as are present should be tuneable as it were and symphonize in this Lesson of their chief Musician Matth. 18. 19. if they agree in one or symphonize as the Greek phrase is Those holy Suppliants in Acts 2. 14. They continued with one accord in Prayer Hence that resounding of a redoubled Amen at the publick Blessing Nehem. 8. 6. Hence such care had that publick Prayer may be expressed in a Language understood by all that the people may annex their Amen thereunto 1 Cor 14. 16. 2. A gracious and serious attention and 2 Attention intention of spirit thereon God putteth such of his officed solicitours upon the mention of the several cases of his people present and every one had need attend the calling out and handling as it were of his case not neglecting others Each ones spirit hath need to write as I may say his name to such a Corporation-Petition and be ready in heart to say Lord this indeed is the desire of my soul this is my very grievance and burden Lord c. If poor souls who haply have lien spiritually wind-bound meet with any holy gale of the Spirit therein they had need be ready to hoise their sail to catch it and improve it 3 Amity and sweetness of spirit and of affection both towards him which prayeth 3 Amity in their steads and them which joyn with them therein in publick Prayer all and every one must lift up pure hands without wrath and doubting 1 Tim. 2. 8. for then all are as one in their joint desires and are as persons put in each others steads and cases expecting the love and forgivenesse of God for each other and had need be in such a frame as to yeild love and forgivenesse each to other Matth. 6. 12. Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors 4. Holinesse and heavenlinesse of heart 4 Holinesse Publick Praier must have pure hearts as well as hands 1 Tim. 2 8. and James 4. 8. the vials from which both Officers and Members of the Congregation offer up such odours must bee golden Vials Revel 5. 8. 5 Faith 1 Tim. 2. 8. Hands lifted up in publick prayer without doubting Every 5 Faith one should put to his Amen of Faith as well as of assent or desire Lastly Reverence Hence in that representation 6 Reverence of publick Church Worship all fal down and worship Rev. 4. 9 10 Psal 95. 6. O come let us worship and bow down and let us kneel before the Lord our Maker What gesture is most meet in publick Quest prayer Such a gesture as may best express much Answ holy reverence as kneeling or standing Touching the gesture Kneeling or standing not sitting up not sitting And that for these Reasons 1 In that in publick prayer there is a more solemn presence of God and of his holy Angels We are in special wise before the Lord our Maker and regard is to be had to our carriage in Prayer because of the Angels 1 Cor. 11. 4. 10. compared The very Angels cover their faces when the Lord is in his Temple as on his Throne Isai 6. 1 2 3. much more cause have we who in publick prayer do all come a begging to come with a publick Petition to our glorious King to offer it up to him upon our bended knees to be very reverend in our gesture 2 In that God giveth it in most special charge in publick Worship of Prayer that it be very reverent for that charge of each other recorded Psal 95. 6. Let us bow down kneel before the Lord our Maker respecteth not any other part of Worship so properly as publick prayer as is evident and that mutual charge of Gods people each of other is but the eccho and result of Gods charge first given to them so to do If Daniel in secret prayer will be kneeling much more should we in publick prayer Dan. 6. 10. He kneeled upon his knees three times a day c 3 In that the examples of the Saints exercised in publick prayer is either standing 2 Chron. 20. 3 6. And Jehoshaphat stood
haply can or will do as they do So Chemnitius Cartwright Aretius and Musculus upon Matth. 6. 6. they expound this of prayer in retyred places And albeit the intent of Christ be not meerly to prescribe closet Prayer in that Scripture as each Christians proper duty and much lesse to prescribe it as all the prayer which he calleth for from his people yet we may safely conclude that hee therein commendeth and commandeth closet praier of each Christian alone by himself as one special way of praying to him who seeth in secret and as that wherein they shall give a special testimony of their sincerity and avoid that vain-glorious affection of mens praise which the Lord Jesus there blameth in the Scribes and Pharisees Touching this Duty then consider we 1. Who must pray thus alone 2. Why And 3 What use wee are to make thereof Touching the first we say none are excepted Each one must pray alone who are of understanding to know what they are to do therein whether younger or elder high or low rich or poor bond or free Male or Female as they are all one in point of dignity and priviledg in Christ Jesus Colos 3. 11. Gal. 3. 27 28. as they have and professe each of them an interest in him who is and seeth in secret as their Father Matth. 6. 6. Pray to thy Father which seeth in secret c. Every one severally apart as well as jointly together is to cry in secret also Abba Father Gal. 4. 6. the very wives apart must be improving their spirit of Supplication in an humble and contrite manner as well as together with their family yea sometimes in an extraordinary manner must they thus mourn even pray and fast apart and therefore much more may they must they pray contritely in an ordinary way when apart from the rest of the Family the wives who have so many occasions more then others from little ones and other houshold affairs to take up their time above others yet are not exempted from this holy exercise and therefore by proportion none else are exempted from it Touching the second The Reasons enforcing Reasons why 1 Gods promise undertaking and encouraging it this duty are 1. Taken from the Promise of God partly undertaking that it shall be so that his people shall be enabled to pray apart by themselves and shall exercise themselves therein as Zach. 12. 10 11 12 13. he promiseth to pour upon them the spirit of Supplication and that they should mourne or pray in an humble and contrite manner by themselves alone and partly from his promise to his people when at any time thus exercised in secret prayer when none else sees them when or how or how long they pray he will reward them openly partly in this life All shall see and manifestly perceive by the fruit thereof that Isaak Hannah and Zacharias did pray alone to their heavenly Father for the fruit of the womb The Holy Ghost recordeth it in the Scriptures and thereby holdeth it forth to the view of every eye to whom the Word shall come how honourably God hath accepted and rewarded secret praier All shal see that Moses is wont to be with God alone by his manifest and notable prevailing with God if he but go aside and pray to the Lord blinded Pharaoh himselfe shall do it and therefore is often entreating his prayers for him and his people Exod. 8. and 9. and 10. so the Jewes could not but perceive it whence they recourse oft to him to pray for them Numb 11. 1 2. and 21. 7 8 9 and the places shew a manifest reward of that his praying granted and given out thereupon How openly did God reward Daniel who was wont to pray to his God in secret Dan. 9. 10. with manifest deliverance from so great a death ver 23. and with the notable ruine brought upon those who would have forbidden and hindred him from that holy exercise of his but three dayes together verse 5 6 7. and 10 11 12 24. compared The more the Saints do thus secretly also acquaint themselves with God the more notable good shall come to them the very light of God shall shine upon the wayes of such the very Iland where they are shall fare the better for them Job 22. 21 27 28 30 compared And as in this life so in that which is to come will God reward them openly when God will bring every secret work to judgment of remuneration Eccl 12. 14 when the Saints shall receive according to the good they have done in the body 2 Cor. 5. 10. Then shall their secret seeking of Gods face also come to light It shall be shewed before the whole world how many many a time such and such of Gods hidden ones have been serving him with their spirits and that they have been and now fully are thus and thus graciously rewarded not a tear of theirs shed in their pouring out their souls thus before God but he bottled up Psalm 56. 8. and at that day it shall appear they were not lost their waters at that wedding day will be turned into wine The second Reason is taken from divine providence ordering Closet occasions fit 2. Closet occasions only for secret expressing and opening them before the Lord as some secret personal heart-plague 1 Kings 8. 38. Some secret snares layed for this or that Saint of God by men or divels as by so many cursed Fowlers But in the use of this means of calling thus personally and particularly upon God he delivered both Christ the Lord and his members in particular Psal 91. 3. He shall deliver thee from the snare of the Fowler c. and ver 15. He shall call upon me and I will answer him c. The Saints by secret prayer do countermine the secret stratagems of their subtle enemies Psalm 9. 13 15 16. The third Reason may be taken from the approved examples of the choicest of Gods 3. Examples of the Saints so exercised Saints this way exercised As that of Daniel three times a day Dan. 6. 10. that of David as oft Psalm 55. 17. that of Isaac using daily to go out into the fields alone there to meditate or pray as the Geneva Bible reads it Gen. 24. 63. That of the Lord Jesus Mark 1. 35. Early in the morning before he healed the Leper he was praying alone in a secret place And Luke chap. 5. 12 13 14 15. compared with verse 16. instanceth in a like practise of his after that cure which he wrought He withdrew himselfe and went into the wilderness and prayed yet not much space of time betwixt the one and the other Luke 6. 12. He went out into a Mountain and continued all night in prayer and he was then alone for verse 13. When it was day he called unto him his Disciples Matth. 14 22. he sendeth away his Disciples first by ship and verse 23. He goeth apart into the Mountain to
31. 9. Such have little love to others who are little with God apart in praier If we had more Have little love to others of Cornelius his spirit to be conscionably exercised in praying alone also we should have more love to Professors Full of Prayers and Alms fruits of Charity was his commendation Act. 19 2 4. And it is well if the Spiritual Chaldees the souls enemies are not gotten into such mens hearts as of old they did into the Temple yea and that God himself be not Ly open to desertion departed from such as of old from the Temple when this daily Sacrifice and Offering of holy prayer unto God ceaseth with them Surely Daniel was not of these mens temper who though he had such vast Imploiments Imitate not best examples as to take the accounts of the other Princes of the several Jurisdictions and many other State affaires to dispatch yet would not no not for one day no nor one time in the day omit this his constant exercising himself in secret prayer yea when it cometh to a matter of hazard of his life and all his worldly honours yet to forbear this his course of daily seeking of God in secret prayer he had not such a thought Why I need not thus hazard my self I may forbear praying thus to God in my chamber for a while It is but a matter of my own liberty I may pray thus but I am not bound to pray thus by any command of God No verily he saw more in Gods command then so which was of more Soveraignty with him then any earthly Monarchs command He will not only deny to pray to the King as a God which had been a sin of commission but he will not forbear for the Months space praying to the God of Heaven in his chamber which had been a sin of omission Isaac who had such weighty matters as the change of his condition to have occasioned some omission of his retired converses with God yet then also will not leave his usual work of going out into the field to pray Gen. 24. Nor will Jesus Christ whose example is a forcible Argument to urge our imitation of his holy practise he will not omit this holy businesse of secret prayer albeit he had many others of great moment to attend in their seasons hee will rather borrow time from his natural rest in the night if so fully imployed in the day Luke 21. 37 he will get up the earlier in the morning before day rather then want an opportunity for this holy exercise Mark 1. 35. yea when the multitude came together to hear him and be healed of him he will not omit this work but withdraweth for that end and they must stay the while Luke 5. 15 16. yea his chiefest Followers must be dismissed whilst be attends this holy practice Matth. 14. 22 23. And to conclude this Use It would be a shame Are worse then Papists that blind Papists and superstitious Votaries should be more zealous in their way of secret Devotions then we in our secret addresses in prayer to the Lord in the name of Christ Let it then in the second place serve for Exhortation to the conscionable practise of Vse 2 this Duty of secret Prayer If such an one as Let all be exhorted to this Duty Cornelius who had so many Martial occasions to with-draw him who also knew so little of Jesus Christ as that Messiah promised yet was so constant this way wee that enjoy far more helps and spiritual advantages may much rather do it Yea say too many now a dayes should Apostatize as did such like in Davids time Psal 55. 12 13 16. yet let us be the more resolute this way as he was verse 17. Evening and morning and at noon will I pray and truly if ever it were a time to be much with God in prayer together and asunder now is a time for it All the Saints hands in a manner are up in all places and doing exploits for God and it were a shame if ours only should be down especially when the Saints of God in other places think that we in special ply it hard in prayer together and asunder Let Civil Rulers ply it thus as that Magistrates President Daniel did as King David himself did as we heard Psalm 109. 4. hee saith he is Prayer as being more in that then in any other work but I prayer or I will give my self to prayer Constantine the Great as Eusebius telleth us would have this as his Portraiture a man on his knees praying to shew that was his usual practise and posture How oft was Moses the Magistrate with God alone in Prayer Let Ministers whose special Calling lyeth in Ministers this also to give themselves to prayer Acts 6. 4. Be much in it How often is Paul described as thus employed Rom. 1. 9. Ephes 1. 15 16. Philip. 1. 4 2 Timoth. 1. 3. Epaphras the Colossian Minister is commended for this also Colos 4. 12. Eusebius telleth us of James called Justus that his knees were growne hard and brawnie with being so much and oft this way employed And do not Ministers closet sins as vanity of mind vaine glorious reasonings of spirit listlesnesse sometimes to their holy work call upon them for closet study-prayers Doth not their weighty closet work call for this Is not Prayer as once Luther said the best Book in our Study Doth not Satan oft-times come into our studies to assault us in our work as sometimes hee did Joshuab the Priest in his and had we not then more need then others to bee found oft praying there The Lord vouchsafes oft-times to be talking in friendly sort with us in our Studies and it were pity and shame if hereby we should not maintain holy conference with him Who are more potent with God in publick prayer then such Ministers as wrestle it out most with God in secret praier The gracious language which there they learn from the Spirit of God and the choice lively and spirituall prayer-passages and expressions and pleas wherein the Lord breaths upon their hearts when alone are those wherein he is wont to breath upon the peoples hearts in publick prayer Who more prevalent with God then Paul and Peter this way exercised we as the friends of the Bridegroome as Eliezar was of old speed the better in our work of gaining some spouse for Christ that day for which we have been most earnest in secret prayer before hand The defect hereof too oft maketh our ministeriall work so unsuccessefull as it did that of the Disciples assaying to cast out a devill without praying before hand for it Matth. 17. 21. A Minister need not feare but hee shall preach well afterwards if the Lord help him to pray well before hand as Ministers have more advantage of privacy sc their people make account they improve it this way witnesse their frequent commending their cases to them to
and suggesting is played by divers Spiritual Harpers this holy harmony of spirits seeking to the Lord that he would loose in heaven some poor sinning persons formerly bound but now repenting this argueth the presence and acceptance of the Lord. What ye loose on earth is loosed in Heaven that is If you shall agree or symphonize on earth as touching any thing you shall ask it shall be done c. Matth. 18. 18 19 20. 5 When God carryeth out some of his 5. If those praiers are importunate servants in Prayers for others very earnestly resolutely and constantly as those who will have no nay God assuredly as a fruit of such holy importunity in Intercessions maketh that Jerusalem a praise in the earth Isai 62. 6 7. Paul who alwayes in every Prayer of his is stirred up to mention the Philippians Phil. 1. 4. is confident that God will go on with his work in them ver 6. and he thinketh it meet to bee so confident of it because the Lord hath put them thus oft into his heart in prayer for them ver 7. Such earnest incessant prayers of the Church for an imprisoned Peter are not denyed there being most of the Spirit in such Prayers 6 When God stirreth up the faith of such 6 When such pray in faith for others which pray and plead for others to listen attend wait and expect yea and to bee perswaded of their answers as the Psalmist in Psal 85. 8. who expecteth peace as an answer of those praiers for others of the Saints I will hearken what God the Lord will say for he will speak peace to his people and his prayers for them are mentioned in the former verses When the Church in praying for the King is perswaded that they shall have the joy thereof Psal 20. 1 2 3 4. and ver 6. she concludeth the same from her faith That God will shew mercy to the King according to her desire ver 6. Faith ever speeddeth in its Suits and in this our holy trading with God it s the Lords earnest penny that he will give us sutable and seasonable returnes 7. When mercies begged for others are 7 When the mercies beg'd for them come in suddenly and strangely suddenly and strangely brought about upon our Prayers yea and as suddenly brought to our knowledge Acts 12 5 12. c. Peter is sent in unto them as set at liberty from his chains whilst they are praying for him wherein the providence of God would as it were speak to them thus There is the Mercy here is the man for whom you make so much a do since you will needs have it so and will have no nay and the ears of the Lord are so filled with your cryes take it and be thankful 8 When we are in especial wise enlarged 8. When as large in praises for mercies to them and quickned in thanksgiving for Gods merâ—yes upon others The many which gave thanks to God for his gift bestowed were surely of the many by means of whose helping prayings it was bestowed 2 Cor. 1. 11. Eli prayed for Hannah 1 Sam. 1. 17. worshippeth being answered in prayer ver 28. The same Spirit moving to praise God did assuredly stir up to prayer before It is a sign of peculiar interests in those mercies of others when the Spirit of God moveth us in such thankful sort to owne the same Let us now speak a little more largely to the other branch being somewhat more intricate and not so often spoken to Prayer in way of Imprecation is that part of Prayer wherein the Saints do not barely complaine of the indignities done by Gods and his peoples enemies against him and them but crave Divine Justice against them Let us first clear this to be a Duty of the We may and in case must pray against Gods and his peoples enemies Saints in case to pray even against such as hate God and his people Judg. 5. 23. Curse ye Meros c. Deut. 27. the Levites were to pray against divers kinds of sinners and the people to joyne in those imprecations by saying Amen The Scripture holds forth many examples of such Imprecations as Lament 3 64 65 66. Psalm 144. 5 6 7 8. and many other Scriptures Reasons enforcing the Saints to it are 1 Their love to God out of love to Reasons 1 From our love â—o God whom they may and must say as he did Do not I hate them that hate thee c. Psalm â— 39. 20 21 22. The converted Princes shal hate the Antichristian Harlot Revel 17. 16. and if the Saints may and must hate the enemies of God they may pray against them 2 Their respect to Christ and his Kingdome 2 From our respect to Christ and his Kingdom which we are taught to pray that it may come as well in the confusion of some as the conversion of other of his enemies Psalm 45. 5. Let thine arrowes be sharp in the heart of the Kings enemies whereby people fall under thee Psalm 99. 1 2. O thou to whom vengeance belongeth shine forth let the glorious beams of thy Soveraignty as a King and equity as a Judge appear lift up thy self thou Judge of the earth render a reward to the proud 3 Their respect to the Church and people of God and their peace and good 3. From our respect to the Church whence those Imprecations Psalm 137. 7. Remember O Lord the children of Edom c. Psalm 129. 5 6 7 8 Let them all be confounded that hate Zion c. But because our natures as carnal are principled rather with dispositions to curse then blesse a carnal mans mouth is full of cursing Rom. 3. 14. so that herein we need not spurs so much as bit and bridle to curb and guide us And because even the dearest of the Saints have fouly miscarried this way yea even when they least suspected the same as James and John Luke 9. 54 55. would have been requiring fire to come downe from heaven upon those Samaritans as Elias sometimes did but were rebuked for it though they seeme to ask Christs counsel in it Wilt thou that we command fire from heaven to exalt Christs soveraign power in it if that he willed it they in his name might command it and to be zealous of his honour injured by those Samaritans yet checked as persons who knew not of what spirit they were of Now considering such like things we had need to have aime given us and to have the Mark described at which wee must shoot Consider we then 1 In what way we Cautions Imprecations must not be may not imprecate and pray against others 2. In what way wee must pray against Gods enemies 3. Against what enemies 1 We may not curse nor pray against the 1. Against the Righteous the Righteous upon any pretence whatsoever no not of sharp harsh high or continued opposition against us There was a sharp contention betwixt Paul
and Barnabas but they prayed not against each other Abraham and Lot engaged in their Herdmens contentions Gen. 12. 7 8. yet Abraham prayeth for Lot chap. 18. 25. and 19. 29. compared I heartily wish that all Gods servants of either Congregational or Presbyterial way take heed of the breaking out of any such fire as this is which will be found to be wild fire one day As for the cursed crew of cursing Ranters who curse those whom God hath blessed yea it may be the blessed God himself also our God will one day accomplish that dreadful word upon them if they repent them not throughly of their Blasphemies I wil curse them that curse thee and let none of them think that in cursing they blesse them for they are contraries as the Lord there sheweth I will bless them that bless thee and curse them that curse thee He would not curse men for blessing his people but blesse them rather they may as well imagine that God in cursing such doth but blesse them and if they dare adventure to undergo Gods curse and yet dream of his blessing let the blind lead the blind 2 Look that our curse against others 2 Causelesse be not causeless Prov. 26. 2. The curse that is causeless shal never come as when Jeremy in a distemper cursed him that told his father first that a man child was born unto him Jer. 20. 15 16. It is extreme injustice and taking the name of God in vain nor will he hold such as do thus guiltless to call for vengeance against the guiltlesse and to assay to make divine Justice subservient to the unjust desires of the flesh If a reviling Racha be under the head of murder of another Matth. 5. 21 22. What is this It is foulest impiety under a covert of piety of prayer to seek to devour others 3 Look we that though there be some 3. Rash seeming cause yet that wee be not rash in imprecating but very deliberate consider throughly of our own spirits therein the want whereof was rebuked in James and John though seeming to consult with Christ about it Wilt thou that we command fire from Luke 9. 14. heaven c. but Jesus rebuked them saying You know not c. of what spirits ye are We are easily mistaken in our spirits at such a time in such a work In other cases not so intricate we understand not too often what is that which chiefly acteth and moveth us therein much more in this we may soon miscarry here both in the persons against whom and the things which and the end for which we imprecate If in other cases we should not be hasty with our mouths or rash to utter a thing before God Eccles 5. 1 2. much lesse should we be rash in our Imprecations 4 Look that we imprecate not in our own 4. Not in personal cases meerly persons barely Eccles 7. 22. As when servants provoked wil be cursing their Masters our hearts and consciences will smite us for it if thine heart knowes that thou thy selfe hast cursed others ibid. this were to imitate Heathens in a way of revenge 5 Look that we do not therein cut 5. Nor with â—reach of bonds of relations in sunder the bonds of special relations which the Lord hath laid upon us as for children under any pretence whatsoever to curse their parents Prov. 20. 20. Whoso curseth his father or his mother his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness Such wild and strange fire never came downe from heaven such a cursing tongue is set on fire of Hell 6 Look that we do not secretly imprecate 6 Nor when pretending to blesse against such as we pretend to blesse Some there are who blesse with their mouth but curse with their inward parts Psal 62. 4. but such persons are rotten hearted and neare ruine like a tottering wall ver 3. It is as monstruous that out of the same mouth should proceed blessing and cursing as for a fountain to send forth bitter and yet sweet or salt and yet fresh waters James 3. 10 11 12. It is grosse hypocrisie and that wisdome which contriveth it is carnal sensual and divellish ver 15. The Divel himselfe will sometimes carry towards men as if he wished them well and in heart curse them 7 Look that we do not abound in imprecations 7 Nor abounding as that cursed cursing generation of Ranters sprung up of late little else to be heard but Lord confound such and such Lord cut them all off God damn them body and soul c Prayers so continually besprinkled with gall argue a root bearing gall and wormwood Deut. 29. Their grapes are grapes of gall their clusters are bitter and so their vine is a vine of Sodom Deut. 31. 32. guile is under their tongue which is full of cursing Psal 10. 7. They are Jews professou rs of religion in shew but really carnal Gentiles not sincerely righteous whose mouths are full of cursing constantly and onely cursing Rom. 3. 9 10 14. verses compared such doe not experimentally know the grace of Christ and the blessing of grace verses 11 14. Nor are sincere seekers of the Lord. ibid. But rather wander as persons dangerously deluded and misled in by-wayes leading to destruon verse 12 13 14 And are at best unprofitable and such as doe nothing formally good ibid. Lastly look that we doe not delight and 8 Nor delightful glory in imprecations The Prophet in Psal 109. 17. speaks of one delighting in cursing and by verse 8. compared with Acts 3. 20. Judas is pointed at therein who it may seem thereby was a man much given to cursing and delighting much in imprecations and himselfe in the meane space a cursed hypocrite and traytour to Jesus Christ Caution 2. Now consider wee affirmatively We may pray against others so 1 Being more ready to blesse then curse in what way we may pray against others Answ 1. We must be more ready to blesse and pray for others then to curse or pray against others Blesse or pray for them that persecute you Rom. 12. 14. and Matth. 5. 44. compared yea blesse saith the Lord and curse not ibid. The charge of blessing or praying for others is reiterated and a prohibition given to the other shewing how ready and forward we should be to blesse others but be very rare and cautelous in imprecating and praying against them for the prohibition there is not taken absolutely and indefinitly in no case and at no time the Saints may or ought to curse or pray against others the Scripture elsewhere as we have seen allowing of it in case and injoying of it 2. We must blesse long before we may 2 Blessing long before we curse dare to imprecate in case they be professed freinds to the Lord. As Jeremiah did who prayed long for those revolters of his time until forbidden of God to pray any more for them Jer. 14. 7. 11. Pray
not for this people yet verse 19 20 21 22. he is at it againe beseeching of God for his Names sake not to abhorre them Chap. 11. 1. God telleth him there is no good that way to be done for them though as mighty men in prayer as Moses and Samuel stood before him afterwards indeed Jeremy once or twice prayeth against them in Jer 55. 10 15. and 18. 21 22 Remember that I stood before thee for them to turne away this wrath from them yet Lord thou knowest all their counsell against me to slay me forgive not their iniquity c. God is long before he inflicts his curse My spirit shall not alwayes strive with man yet his dayes shall be an hundred and twenty years Gen. 6. 3. We may then bee long before we wish the curse of God upon the ungodly Jesus Christ was by and heard his persecutors imprecating so against themselves and children saying his blood bee upon us and our children Matth. 27. 25. and one would think he might well say Amen thereto nay but he would not he did not for as in that Luke 22. 34. he prayeth rather that God would take off that curse Father forgive them for they know not what they doe Imprecations had certainly miscarryed if they had been made by any of the Saints against Manasseh or Paul who yet went very far in rebellion and enmity against God 3. Look that we imprecate and pray 3 We imprecate rather with respect to blessing that such or such calamities may light upon others so as in reference to blessing of them if the Lord please Psalm 83. 15 16. So persecute them with thy tempest and make them afraid with thy storme fill their faces with shame that they may seek thy Name O Lord. The Church she anathematizeth a wicked person but it is not for their destruction but of their flesh in them and that their soules might if possible be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus 1 Cor. 5. 4. So here 4. Look that we imprecate and pray 4 We pray rather against their sins then persons rather against their sin and wickedness then their persons against whom we pray 2 Sam. 15. 3. Turn this counsell of Achitophel into foolishnesse Acts 4. 29. Lord behold their threatnings Psal 7. 9. Let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end It is the wickedness and the enmity of Gods wicked enemies which most properly striketh at God which is most mischeivous to the Church and most hurtfull to themselves and others wherefore spare no arrows against that and as far as worldly greatness is an occasion and instrument of their wickedness we may pray against that Psal 58. 6. Break the great teeth of the young Lyons 5. Pray against the enemies of God 5 We imprecate conditionally suppositively and conditionally namely if they persist in their emnity against God that they be implacable that they bee reprobates persons devoted to ruine and ripe for it David prayeth against the inraged enemie that God would judge them Psal 7. 6. but verse 12 If he turne not God wil whet his sword and the Lord himself declaratively curseth the wicked by his Ministers but yet with a tacit condition if they repent not and the like Jer. 18. 7 8. 36. 2 3. and so are the Saints to wish that curse 6 Imprecate indefinitely of God against them with the like tacit condition if they repent not and the llke 6. Pray against the enemies of God indefinitely and abstractively not so much eying this or that person in particular Deut. 33. 11. Smite through the loynes of those that rise up against him that they rise not againe Moses did not eye one enemy of Levi more then another So Numb 10. 35. Let them that hate thee flye before thee the like Psal 68. 1 2. 1 Cor. 16. 22. Let them that love not the Lord Jesus be Anathema Maranatha There is ever most of God and least of selfe in such indefinite imprecations And the Saints may in that way of imprecating bee both more free and have more help to their faith in Gods promises wherein he ingageth himselfe in an indefinite way to plague such and such a sort of desperate and ripened enemies and the like without particular reference to this or that person in particular 7. Look that as we propound for our 7 We imprecate with faith and that with respect to Gods glory and the churches good end in such imprecations the glory of God and the Churches good and as Pauls respect to the glory of God in his word makes him wish them accursed that preach another Gospel Gal. 1. 8. And his respect to the Churches good and peace maketh him wish them cut off who trouble them Gal. 5. So for the manner of imprecating we doe it in faith Psal 36. 11 12. Let not the foot of pride come against me There are they fallen and he by faith seeth them fallen against whom he prayed Psalm 10. 15. Breake thou the arme of the wicked verse 15. The heathen are perished out of his land Yea that it be with holy griefe of heart that wee have any cause to imprecate against any enemies of God As Matth. 18. 31. When the fellow servants saw what was done by that cruel and mercilesse wretch against one of their fellows they were sorry and came and told the Lord. As Christ the Judge pronounceth that sentence against those his enemies with expressions of much bowels he beheld Jerusalem and wept over it and said they shall not leave thee one stone upon another because thou knewest not the day of thy visitation Luke 19. 41 42 43 44. So should the Saints which as witnesses or assessors either give in evidences or verdicts upon the testimonies of their acts of enmity against God and his Church they should doe it with griefe Touching the third thing propounded We must pray against treacherous enemies we say we may and must pray against treacherous enemies which should have been freinds as those of Meros which should have helped the Lord against the mighty were cursed Judg 5. 23. Psal 69. 20. I looked for some to take pity but there was none c. verse 22. Let their table become a snare 2. Against sligh undermining enemies such as pretending to pity and help will 2 Sly enemies hurt the people of God Psal 55. 15. Let death seize upon them his words were softer then oyle yet were they drawne swords Such as can use all fraudulent expressions to insinuate to murther soules Psalme 10. 7. and verse 8. They lurk and lye in wait to take all advantages to murther the innocent yea their very souls if it were possible as well as their bodies by wily tricks to draw them to sinne against their consciences verse 9. They would bee drawing them into their net Yea verse 10. Hee crowcheth and humbleth himselfe that the poor may fall And verse 12. Arise O Lord
O God lift up thy hand and verse 15. Break thou the arme of the wicked Such enemies who professing the true religion yet against their owne light will be plotting all the wayes they can aginst the Saints and to reproach and to disgrace the wayes of God Jer. 18. 18 19 21. these are very like the Devil transforming himselfe into an angel of light but against his light using all his wiles to insnare souls and bring them to like perdition with himselfe These doe the more mischeife to the Church and people of God and possibly cause many truly godly ones through their wiles to go halting and bleeding to their graves 3. Against mocking scoffing and insulting enemies who like Tobiah and Sanballat 3 Mocking insulting enemies doe deride and jear at the gracious practises of the Saints as they did at that good work of theirs in building Jerusalems walls Nehem. 4. 2 3. But verse 4 5. Heare O God for we are despised and turn their reproach upon their owne heads Psal 69 10. When I wept and fasted that was to me a reproach or ver 11. I became a proverb to them And verse 26. They talk to the greif of them whom thou hast wounded verse 27. Add iniquity to their iniquity c. Such as are ready to gnash their very teeth at the righteous and to make themselves merry at any evill befalling them Psal 35. 16. Hypocritical mockers in feasts who gnash their teeth upon me they open their mouth wide against me and said Aha aha our eye hath seen it verse 26. Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoyce at my hurt Such are old standers in the ways of sinne and have long walked in the counsels of the ungodly and now taking up their rest as it were in the way of scorning at God and good Psal 1. 1. These have most venome in them that can laughingly smile on the Saints when yet they had rather be gnashing their teeth at them and so are riper for Gods curse as even ready to glory in any wicked pranks which are played against the Saints 4. Against apostatized enemies As 4 Apostatized enemies an Achitophel a Judas Psal 55. 12 13. 14 15. An Alexander 2 Tim. 4. 4. Alexander hath done me much hurt the Lord reward him according to his deeds Such do much hurt indeed they know the wayes of the Saints they are most imbittered against them Like Christians turning Turkes proselited pharisaical persons more hellish in their malice and fury against the godly then Turks or Pharisees themselves Math. 23. 15. the sweetest wine turning the sharpest vinegarlike spirits against the Saints 5. Against such as apparently oppose rather 5 Enemies against God in Saints persons God in their persons then the persons themselves opposing persons every way amiable in their eyes for parts parentage good behaviour and repute and only because godly and so hating them without any personal cause Psal 69. 4. onely for Gods sake they reproach them verse 7. Because they pray and fast that is to their reproach verse 10. Let the table of such become a snare c. verse 22. Psal 35. 7. Without cause on my part they have hid for me their net c. Therefore let their way be death And verse 20. They devise deceitfull matters against them that are quiet in the land Persons that meddle not with others or other matters but have their conversations in heaven they themselves cannot charge them to bee turbulent but they are pious they are conscientious that is enough against them in such mens eies yea where-ever or in whomsoever such persons see the image of God they doe like their father the Devil maligne it Yea though they gaine neither credit nor profit by maligning such persons as the Devil himselfe doth not but are rather losers by it yet they are well appayed if they can but wreak their despight upon the Saints let the ways of such be slippery the angel of the Lord persecute them Ps 35. 6 7. c. 6. Against such enemies who are so 6 Enemies past the reach of mans justice great that they are even past the reach in a manner of humane justice none other left in a manner to break their teeth but God onely Such as say wee will speak and doe thus and thus with them and let us see the proudest He of them all which dare contradict or oppose us Our tongues are our owne who is Lord over us As for the Saints they make a puffe at them such poor snakes as they are and some vilest persons haply being exalted to the highest place of rule such wicked enemies walk on every side without curb or controule Now it is high time for the poore and needy to cry against them and God will arise at their cry Psal 2. 3. 12. 4 8. with 1. 5. verses compared In this case Christ maketh it the Saints duty to cry night and day for vengeance against such enemies And God at length will hear them Lu. 18. 1 2 3 7 8. Bloody minded Joab being too mighty to be reached by King Davids justice is prayed against 2 Sam. 3. 29. Let this blood rest on the head of Joab and verse 39. I am this day weak though anointed King and these men the sons of Zerviah bee to hard for me The Lord shall reward the doer of evill according to his wickednesse 7 Enemies with whom divine justice hath begun 7. Against the enemies of God which divine justice hath already found out and begun to seize upon If the fire of God hath begun to kindle on them and in them we may blow it up by this holy breath Psal 21. 9. c. and verse 13. compared If God sheweth that it s his will to cut down such ripened stalks we may help onward to their cutting downe if he hath begun to wound such mad dogs such wolves such serpents we may help to kill them outright If he hath routed such Midianites our prayers must help for the chase of them When persecuting Babylon is once begun to be battered at and closely besieged through Gods sin revenging hand Then the inhabitants of Zion shall say the violence done to me and to my flesh be upon Babylon and my blood upon the inhabitants of Chaldea shall Jerusalem say Jer. 51 31 32 33 with 34 35. Lastly against general enemies such as 8 General enemies Antichrist the Saints may and must all and every one of them muster up al their spiritual forces against such an enemy To conclude Quest It may be demanded When the Quest Saints prayers against the enemies of God may be sayd to be heard or how it may be known that such judgements as the Lord inflicteth upon his enemies are fruits and issues of the Saints prayers Answ I answer 1. When God bringeth Answ strange judgments upon persons prayed Such prayers answered when strange judgements come upon them against As Hezekiah
something which we have lost if wee mind it not seriously we shall have trifles enough in veiw to draw our eyes to them so is it in slighty seeking to God in prayer 3. Carelesnesse and slightinesse in 3 Instability in prayer prayer breedeth and feedeth inconstancy and instability in prayer Any yea sometimes no occasion shall cause a sleighty Professour to neglect his praying Any pretence that will but seemingly serve to stop conscience its mouth or any discouragement will put him by praying it is verified in such an one Job 27. 10. Will hee alwayes call upon God that is hee will not doe it on constantly Their goodness in seeking God in prayer also is but as the early dew which goeth away Hosea 5. last and 6. 1 2 3 4. compared Nor will it be onely an occasional omission sometimes of Prayer but an habituated instablenesse in Prayer now off now on now having a mind now no mind to pray until at length such an one waxeth weary of prayer which did not call upon God to wit seriously Isaiah 43. 22. Thou hast not called upon me namely importunately but thou hast been weary of me O Israel As it is with the sluggard Prov. 6. 10. yet a little slumber and yet a little sleep and as one sleep and slumber stealeth upon another so one sleighty prayer begetteth another at least a disposition thereunto and one ommission of Prayer occasioneth another though it may be an awakened conscience would faine have it otherwise or as it is with a sleighty workman if he doe but now and then forbear working labour groweth tedious to him or at least hee cannot hold out to any constancy in working The like befalleth him that is sleighty in Praying he cannot be constant in Praying Such an one will rather run any hazards to shark and shift for comfort otherwise then bee constant in labouring in Prayer for it 4. Slightinesse in prayer it rather strengthens then weakens the sinnes wee pray against When Professours grow remisse in praier then corruptions presently gather head and get the better if Moses his hands grow heavy and remisse in praier flying yea and wounded Amalakites will rally and give a fiercer and more victorious charge Exodus 17. 11. Whilst a Christian Souldier handleth this weapon of praier carelesly he leaveth an open mark for an enemy and lust to foile and wound him if not mortally and irrecoverably Should a Christian traveller though like another traveller with his pistols in his holsters and his sword by his side be well weaponed yet if carelesse and as good as asleep by the way side he is a fit prey to any lust to spoil and rob him of his treasure or if suddenly awakened in conscience to see his danger yet he is but as one suddenly awakened in a kind of amazement and hardly in case to resist and fight against any such robber Yea sleightnesse in praier laies a Christian open to all manner of temptations It even tempts that arch-robber and murderer of soules the Devil to bee making a booty of such sleighty professours Mark 14. 37 38. Watch and pray lest you enter into temptation The disciples carelesness of praier made the more ready way to Sathan to tempt them to forsake their master And it was an ominous presage to Peter in special of his sad fall soon after Simon sleepest thou watch and pray lest yee enter into temptation Supiness and sleightness in prayer is an 5 It is an inlet to delusions in-let to delusive fancies and conceits The sleightest Christians in holy performances are most haunted with groundless and vanishing toyes and hopes as is evident in hypocrites who are habituated in such a sleighty way of prayer and other religious exercises Joh. 8. 11 12. 13. As it is with other persons who are betwixt sleeping and waking they are subject to dreames so is it with such like Christians 6. Such Sleightness in prayer is an 6 It brings in Apostacy in-let and sad forerunner of Apostacy if not seasonably redressed The professours in Josiahs time that so soon turned back from God were such as did not seek God namely to any purpose but at most formally and carelesly Zeph. 1. The foolish virgines who for fashion and forme sake goe out to meet Christ in his ordinances making it their great care to get so much oyle of grace as would make them shine in religious exercises their oyle at length failed them and their profession and religious performances ended in a snuffe and in smoak Matth. 25. 8. Christians come not from one extreame of rash and hypocritical zeal and fervency to the other of utter contempt and neglect of God and good but by this midling temper of sleightness from hot they come to bee quite cold by this lukewarmeness when Christians are once beginning to take from the heighth and steep of fervency they then haste downeward apace and if the Lord prevent not they stay not till they fatally fall into the bottomeless pit When Christians grow indifferent in their desires of grace they grow as indifferent in their indeavours after it and when once indifferent whether they do work for God or no they are fittest to bee hired to doe some worse work When Christians through carelesnesse in driving this holy trade of prayer do not thrive but go downe the wind amaine 't is twenty to one but they will be taking up some other trade it may bee of covetous persons it may be of time-servers it may be of drunkards it may be of adulterers it may be of hereticks or opinionists or the like Consider wee now of some evils of punishments Evils of sorrow accompanying slightnesse in Prayer and sorrow attending this for this being in Gods account the guise of deceivers That when we have a male in our own flock as sometimes the Lord spake Mal. 1. 8. 14. we have serious spirits in other matters of the world or the like Yet offer such an accursed thing as carelesse and slighty prayers a curse of God is wont to A blast upon the gifts attend it God is wont to blast such in their spirits and gifts so that their very gift of prayer is by degrees taken away from them there is a secret moth that eateth out the strength and beauty of it and it is too often found that whilst such are slightly hapething and trifling about the greater matters of their souls the Lord leaveth offering his rich mercies to them and whilst they are making some complemental suits to Divine forsakings Christ hee at length will be woed no more by them and that sad curse of God threatned against them in Jer. 44. 26 And the Lord will be no more named by any mouth of the men of Judah cometh to be fulfilled in such loose-hearted professours Prayer is cast out of their families and closets as some refuse service as is to be seen in these later dayes in too too many or
if by some awakening afflictions sent upon them they come to be roused yet it is too often their just doome to be earnest indeed but without any regard thereunto by the Lord. They shall cry but I will not hear Zeph. 7. 11. Isai 65. 13 14 But at best any degree of such a slighty spirit in prayer will become very grievous to us if truely gracious whence that way of complaint Isai 64. 7. There is none that calleth upon God no not one that stirreth up himselfe to take hold of Saddest heartgreifs God It is as grievous to such soules to have their spiritual joynts either bound or benummed as it is in a like case to men when their body hath its numb palsie when in prayer a gracious heart is ever reaching out to take an approaching mercy and then through a little incogitancy remisness the mercy is let slip and the advantage at that time lost it must needs bee grievous to the godly To the fourth Query Quest What means we should use to be Quest 4 importunate in prayer I answer get thee more abundant Answ knowledge of God and of our selves but Helps to importunity in prayer 1 Distinct knowledge of the Lord. especially acquaint our selves with Gods friendly and mercifull disposition towards us Luke 11. 7 8 5. verses compared Hee who was importunate for bread knew he was at a friends door like the Syrians hearing that the Kings of Israel were mercifull Kings this quickned them up to that earnestnesse in seeking their favour 1 Kings 20. 31. It will make a beggar earnest for an almes when he knoweth where a bountiful person liveth who is not wont to send any beggar away empty 2. Cherish wee hope of the Lords 2 Lively hope of mercy mercy to us Jonah 3. Let them cry mightily to the Lord verse 9. Who can tell if God will turne and repent the possibility that the Lord was within hearing and might open to the Ninivites made them knock so hard at his doore of grace 3. See wee bee sensible of our utter destitutenesse 3 Sense of our owne helplesnesse of what we are to ask of God and our shiftlesnesse to get it any other where or way Luke 11 3 6. Lend me three leaves for a friend of mine is come and I have nâ—thg to set before him Luke 15. 17 18 19. I perish for hunger I will arise and goe to my father and say make me as one of thy hired-servants Psal 143. 4. My heart is desolate within me ver 6. My soul thirsteth after thee When all other meanes and doors fail such spiritual beggars that one only door of grace is left for their reliefe or else they must famish how earnestly will it cause them to knock there Jer. 3. 21. A voice of weeping and supplication was heard verse 23. Truly in vaine is salvation hoped for from the hills Truely in the Lord our God is the salvation of Israel 4. Look that we account highly of the 4 High esteem of what is desired in prayer mercies we ask in prayer Prov. 2. 3. If thou cryest after knowledge and liftest up thy voyce after understanding verse 4. If thou searchest for her as silver and searchest for her as for hidden treasure The Church was sick of love Cant. 5. 8. and useth all meanes to find him and no wonder her beloved was the chiefest of ten thousand to her ver 10. 5. Take we holy advantages of the gales 5 Opportunity of prayer and movings of the spirit in prayer and of Christs approaches to us opportunity helps importunity in prayer Mat. 20. 30. And behold two blind men sitting by the way side when they heard that Jesus passed by cryed out saying have mercy on us O Lord thou Sonne of David And verse 32. And Jesus stood still and called them and sayd what will you that I doe unto you verse 33. they say to him Lord that our eyes may be opened When Christ by his spirit calleth us to him puteth us upon asking and when hee stands still waiting to be gracious to us now let him not goe till hee blesse us When beggars come whilst a bountifull person is giving out his dole to the poore or in dinner time when victuall is stirring they will not away without something so if we perceive the Lord to bee on the giving hand put in hard for a blessing 6. Improve we former advantages gotten 6. Improve experiences of God in and by prayer I will cry to God most high unto God who performes all things for me when we see crying will doe it will put us on not to spare for crying Now in this holy search after experimental knowledge of Gods grace wee now and then light upon a smaller vain of such treasure we will not spare any pains in digging when in our daily woing of Christ in praier we meet now and then with a smile and kiss and love-token it will make us follow our suit close 7. Goe we about prayer as our onely 7. Make praier our only businesse businesse which then wee have to doe ingaging our selves to attend it Saints are spiritual solicitours by their calling as Saints That which made Abraham so urgent in his request Gen. 18. 27. is this Behold now I have taken upon me to speake to the Lord. 8. Chide we our selves sadly and bee wee seriously abased for any sleightinesse 8 Chide our selves out of sleightinesse in prayer at any time in prayer as the Prophet complaining thereof Isa 64. We have now called upon thy name nor stirred up our selves to take hold of thee and Isa 63. 17. Why hast thou hardned our hearts from thy feare As Elisha was wroth with Joash for smiting but thrice and then staying 2 Kings 13 18 19. Saying thou shouldest now have smitten five or six times or as they did chide sleeping Jonah when hee should have been praying Jonah chap. 1. 6. Awake thou sleeper and call upon thy God So chide we our sleighty spirits to awaken unto prayer 9. Set we the examples of the most 9 Set before us the best examples of importunity in prayer importunate suppliants of God before our eyes James 5. 17. Elias prayed earnestly that it might not raine and it rained not a very dullard will pluck up his feet when he seeth how nimble his leaders are Lastly take heed of all such things as are enemies and impediments to Importunity Le ts to importunity in prayer 1 Inordinate desires after other things in prayer Such as are inordinate desires after other things we cannot to any purpose follow severall suits at once in severall Courts we cannot ply the worlds court and Gods too The messengers are sent out another way which should importune heaven and they cannot be here and there too whilst our winged desires are hasting after other things and booties we are slowest in moving heaven-ward with wings as Angels 2. Immoderate intentness
frame Psal 116. 1. I love the Lord because he hath heard my voice And verse 2. therefore will I call upon him or speak lovingly to him Words spoken to God in love or from love to him come the most seasonably for they are ever well taken they are taken in love by the Lord. When the Lord in his providence bestoweth upon his people something whereon the image of his special favour is instamped it is a time in special to acknowledge the Lord by prayer as praying is called Prov. 3. 6. In all thy ways acknowledge him even by prayer of faith Secondly the Lord is thus near to us by 2 By special motions of his spirit any special motions of the spirit especially such as put us upon prayer when the Lord doth inwardly speak even to our hearts such like words as Isai 43. 11. Ask of me touching my sons and daughters and concerning the work of my hands command ye me or when Christ by his spirit saith to our hearts as sometimes he did to them by word of mouth Joh. 16. 23 24. Hitherto yee have asked nothing Ask that your joy may bee full Or as hee said to his people Cant. 2. 14. Let me heare thy voice for it is sweet it is now a time to speak to the Lord that we seeme not to slight him When thou saidst namely by the spirit inwardly as well as by the word outwardly seek my Psal 27. 8. face my heart answered thy face Lord will I seek If that holy motion to Solomon 1 Kings 3. 5 9. Ask what I shall give to thee c. made even a sleeping-time a supplicating-time much more may holy motions of God this way make our waking-times our wrestling seasons Such drops of a spirit of prayer are handsells and pledges of large powring out of that spirit upon us if thankfully received and improved Zach. 12. Such solliciting directions given us from the Lord argue that assuredly it is both a praying and speeding time If the Lord prepare the heart if he fit it and put it upon prayer teach it how to pray He surely boweth the eare to heare Psal 10. 17. It is Esthers time to ask when King Ahasuerus himselfe putteth her upon it What is thy petition and it shall be granted thee and thy request it shall be performed Esther 7. 2. So is it here And let none abuse this to strengthen any fond Grindletonian conceit that we must never pray till wee find the spirit first moving us to it It is our opportunity indeed of prayer when the spirit moveth thereto but not the onely season of prayer as wee have in part shewed and must further mention other seasons thereof as well as that Wee must sometimes pray that we may pray and when as we are apt to judge our selves that wee are most unfit to pray then to pray that wee may become fit to pray As by speaking men are fitted to speak by running to runne by wrestling to wrestle by labouring to labour Thirdly he is thus near us by some special 2 By some special promises made ours word of his mouth especially by some gracious promise spoken and manifested to us and that also is a special season for prayer 2 Sam. 7. 27. For thou O Lord God hast revealed to thy servant saying I will build thee an house therefore hath thy servant found in his heart to pray unto thee It s a season of this holy talking with God when he first enters speech with us by some such words of his grace It s seasonable to open our mouths wide and receive grace and peace when the Lord setteth open any such golden pipe of both as is the Promise the Gospel is in every part of it the ministration of the spirit 2 Cor. 13. 8. and of life verse 6. and of faith Rom. 10 8. and of peace Esai 57. 19. The words of Gods grace pacifie and still the tumults in the soul and inlarge and quicken the heart Now if ever it bee a season to speak to the Lord in praier it is when unmannerly distempers which too often silence us at best retreat and are put to silence and when our hearts are set at an holy liberty to powre out themselves before the Lord. Fourthly the Lord is near his people 4 By some fatherly correction when he visits or afflicteth them What shal I answer him when he visits or afflicts Job 31. 14. and Job 7. 18. What is man that thou shouldest visit him The Lord is then near to us to try us to take an account of our wayes to correct our mis-doings to observe how we carry it under affliction to comfort and support us in affliction to sanctifie affliction to us and to save and deliver us out of the same and therefore in special sort it is seasonable to cry unto him and to ask a correcting father forgivenesse Jam. 5. 15. If any be afflicted let him pray Psal 50. 15. Call upon me in the day of trouble and I will heare thee and thou shalt glorifie me God doth then speak to us by his rods Micah 69. It is therefore seasonable then to answer him in our praiers If ever a gracious heart bee humble sensible serious and lively it is then when in affliction when in the fire Such a time of pangs is a time of crying out to the Lord when God visiteth Saints by affliction it is seasonable for them to visit him with prayers Isai 26. 16. Lord in trouble have they visited thee they powred out a prayer to thee when thy chastning was upon them 5. The Lord is near to us by some special deliverance out of affliction this is 5 By some special deliverance likewise the Lords visiting time when hee cometh to see us Zeph. 2. 7. For the Lord their God shall visit them and save them from their captivity If God wil thus visit his vine the people of God look at themselves as ingaged to call upon him Psal 80. 14. 18. compared Behold visit this thy vine quicken us so will we call upon thee When the winter of the Churches afflictions and captivity is over Christ expecteth to heare his Churches voice in prayer Cant. 2. 10 14. Zach. 13. 9. I will bring that third part through fire and they shall call upon me A person newly delivered out of this pit Job 33. 24 36. Hee shall pray unto God and he will be favourable unto him Little do Christians sharing in a time of the Lords clemency and pity in their deliverance from sick-bed and other notable hazards of life and livelyhoods know what a fair opportunity they have now in their hands to speak for further mercy so as to speed and how much they lose if they grow slighty or negligent in improving such an importunity of praier when if ever praying dispositions stir afresh in them 6. God is thus near us when his time 6 By accomplishing his promises actually of special
shop as I may say It is bootlesse they perceive and in vaine for them to pray any longer Mal. 3. 14. 3. Many have some secret wounds or 3 Secret wounds and distempers diseases yet unhealed they are annoyed with some malignant distempers of heart with some predominant lusts and so come to faint and give out They began this holy course and set out with others in this spiritual way but cannot hold out with them their hearts not being sound and right within them they draw back and that to perdition their heart is lifted up and not upright within them and so cannot make any spiritual living of it In this way of exercise of faith Hab. 2. 4. whereas the just hold on living by faith these draw back Heb. 10. 38. Their hearts being not sound in Gods statutes they sustaine the shame of Apostasie Psal 119. 80. 4. Many doe not conscionably receive 4 Letting slip the words of God and retaine the holy food of their souls the word of God which should and would keep us and preserve the spirits of their soules in running this path of a Christians course and race and way Carelesse and unprofitable hearers will not cannot hold on long or with any life a course of prayer Whilst Christians are lively and fruitfull in hearing the word they are lively fruitfull and constant in prayer but they that give the bare hearing to the Prophets words minding other matters whilst they are hearing Ezek. 33 31 32. They are heartless and listless altogether in seeking unto God that they might live v. 10 If our iniquities bee upon us and wee pine away in our sinnes how should wee then live They think it loathsome to look or speak to God about it CHAP. IV. Touching the Conditions required to such manner of praying without ceasing and first of Faith in Prayer HAving spoken of the nature of the duty of prayer here injoyned and of that which is implyed in the notion of praying without ceasing We come now to the third thing at first propounded to consideration namely the conditions which are required in such praying importunely opportunely or constantly Now these conditions of incessant prayer are four 1. Faith 2. Humility 3. Sincerity 4. Watchfulnesse First then concerning Faith in prayer this is a principle requisite to prayer it is even all in all in it without this prayer is in effect no prayer unto the Lord hence acceptable prayer is called the prayer of faith Jam. 5. 15. The prayer of faith shal save the sick It s not so much a Christians prayer as his faith in prayer which prevaileth with God for a gracious answer Whatsoever yee ask believing yee shall receive Matth. 21. 23. It is faith which maketh a mans person first acceptable and no wonder then if such an ones prayer prevaile Cain and Abel both sacrifice hypocrites as well as upright ones pray God had respect unto Abel and unto his offering yet not to Caine. Gen. 4 4. But it was by faith that Abel offered a more excellent sacrifice then Cain Faith is The necessity of faith in prayer the instrument whereby the spots and stains which else might blast us and our prayers are removed both from our persons and prayers God purifies our hearts by faith Act. 15. 9 We are sanctified by faith Act. 26. 19. Faith is a meanes to make the holinesse of Christs person and prayers ours and that must needs be acceptable to the Lord. My beloved is mine all his holinesse and righteousness is mine saith the believing Church Cant. 2. 16. Faith interested the saints in all the succouring attributes and titles of God or offices and titles of Christ in the covenant of grace and all the particular promises which we need to improve in prayer what then more needfull or usefull in praier then faith Faith sheweth a godly soule where all its succour lyeth and where all its strength and life is to be had and after that maketh the utmost improvement of all in prayer It s faith which maketh the Saints keep their due distances in prayer Giveth God and Christ their due grace and mercy its due our selves and our spiritual enemies which we complaine of their due It setteth and as I may say placeth God and Christ in his proper place seat and throne putteth us into an holy Athletique plight ordereth the bounds proportions and motions of prayer and then taketh its best season and holy advantages both of God and of our selves to effect and bring about the desires which spring from our faith Faith is a lively spark indeed and putteth life both into the suppliants and into their supplications Bee wee never so dead dumb saplesse and listlesse in spirituals if faith begin once to be stirring it putteth life into the businesse Now for the better handling of this principall requisite to incessant prayer Consider 1. What faith in prayer is required and why so 2. What is the work of faith in praier 3. What helpfull means and incouragements are usefull to further faith in prayer 4. What are the marks of faith in prayer Touching the first we say that faith as There is requied in prayer Faith requisite acting in prayer either respecteth God more generally both in his absolute and relative nature or Jesus Christ more specially or the promises or providences of God more particularly 1. Faith in Gods nature and in God absolutely considered is required as in all other approaches to God so in this of prayer Hee that cometh to God must believe Heb. 11. 6 that he is and so must believe in God absolutely considered and that he is a rewarder of those that diligently seek him and so believe in him relatively considered But let 's instance in some particulars herein 1. Faith in the immensity and omnipresence 1 In Gods immensitie of God is required in prayer True it is faith in prayer doth and must look at God as in heaven in respect of his more glorious manifestation and communication of himselfe Hence that Our father which art Matth. 6. in heaven c. 2 Chron. 20. 6. Art not thou God in heaven And 2 Chron. 6. 21. Hear in heaven thy dwelling place It is a great help to an heavenly spirit in prayer and to high and holy aimes It is a notable curb to restraine carnall desires and thoughts in prayer to eye God as in heaven But yet albeit faith with its eager eye pierce the clouds and behold the Lord as above all yet also as in all and through all Hee conceiveth of God as comprehending heaven it selfe and not comprehended either of heaven or earth So did Solomon by faith in that prayer 1 King 8. 27. eye God as one whom the heaven of heaven could not containe Wheresoever the Saints are praying they are praying as before God Dan. 6. 10. Daniel prayeth and giveth thanks before God So did Nehemiah chap. 1. 4 Neither is any frame more sutable
to prayer then that lawfull working of heart which proceedeth from faith in Gods immensity And nothing more quickning to serious attention and intention to the duty and to comforble expectation of the issue then a lively apprehension that we speak not to an absent but to a present deity not to a friend out of hearing but to one that is with us and by us when we are praying 2. Faith in Gods omniscience is also 2 In Gods omniscience required in prayer Thus David in his and Jeremiah in his and Solomon in his prayer look at God as one that tryeth the heart and the reynes 1 Chron. 29. 17. Jer. 32. 16. 19. 1 King 8. And faith in prayer cometh not to bring light to God but rather to borrow light from him in all the businesse of praier It knowes his all-seeing eye as well as his all-hearing eare Faith maketh a sincere heart the more free and bold with God because it eyeth him as one who is privy to all it hath to think or speak in prayer Nothing more terrible to sinners thoughts in their wayes then that God seeth them But nothing more comfortable to godly ones then this perswasion that now they are before an all-seeing one they are glad that they serve such a Master and speak to such a father who doth throughly know them and watchfully eyeth them The suppliants of God have secret things in secret corners to commit to the eares of God and oh how well is it for them in their esteeme that they may pray to God which seeth in secret Matth. 6. 6. Pray to thy Father which is in secret saith Christ Suppliants are to seek Gods face about matters carryed on by Gods and their own enemies secretly and slyly and had need eye the Lord as one who seeth what is contrived and done in the dark yea sometimes they are so sorely assailed and charged by the wily enemies of their soules that they have no way left them but to appeale in prayer to the Lords all-seeing eye to judge of the false charges of men and divels and sometimes of their corrupted tempted consciences accusing them when they should excuse disquieted when they should rest in God Hence why art thou so sad O my soul and why art thou disquieted within me trust still in God Psal 42. 5. and verse 7. Deep calleth to deep and verse 8. My prayer shall bee to the God of my life That Tepilla or appeale prayerwise unto the Lord as one that heareth where the right lieth helped much Sometimes we know not what to ask as we ought but the spirit it self maketh intercession for us with sighs and groans that cannot be uttered Rō 8. 26 27. and he that searcheth the heart knoweth what is the mind of the spirit So said Pauls faith so saith the faith of each gracious suppliant 3. Faith in Gods all-sufficiency is requisite 3 In Gods all-sufficiency wherefore Christ teaching us to pray teacheth us to look at God as one whose is the kingdom and the power and the glory Mat. 6. 9 13. compared Hence the lowest room and one days residence in Gods house of prayer is desirable to David Ps 84. 10. He believed that God is a sun and a shield and would withhold no good thing from them that walk uprightly verse 11. Moses prayeth to the Lord for mercy as one whose mercy would fill all the desires and corners of their soules Psal 90. 14. O satisfie me early with thy mercy None are more selfe-empty and needy then true suppliants and therefore faith in Gods all sufficiency is most needfull to them None are more sensible of their utter inabilitie to withstand the force and guile of their soules enemies and so need such a faith the more yea the truth is true suppliants use not to seek of God this or that so much as God and Christ in that which they seek of him God in a spouse in a friend in liberty in health in ordinances in comforts and the like and therefore they must needs eye the Lord as all in all and all without him to be nothing yea in a barren land where no desirable comforts are and can then in seeking him by faith be satisfied with him as with marrow and fatnesse Psal 63. 1 2 3 5. c. 4. Faith in Gods Almightinesse is requisite in prayer Paul who bowed his knees 4 In Gods Almightiness or prayed unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Ephes 3. 14. hee looketh on him as one who was able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think according to the power that worketh in us ver 20. So Jehoshaphat in his prayer argueth by faith with God thus 2 Chron. 20. 6. And in thy hand is not there power and might that is there is So Jeremy in his prayer Chap. 32. 16 17. I prayed unto the Lord saying Ah Lord behold thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and outstretched arm and there is nothing too hard for thee Sometimes Gods suppliants are put hard to it in the course of their prayers the last grain of their faith and patience seemeth to be put into the scale their pressures are such that they even squeeze them to the last drop of their faith and patience there appeareth but some small spark thereof under the ashes they seem to cease in some fainting fits to be even departing onely some gasping panting symptomes left of life therein namely some workings of faith in Gods Almightinesse that he is yet able to help and succour them A may be a possibility in respect of Gods Almightinesse is eyed by faith and that carryeth them out in prayer Sometimes the very faith of Gods suppliants is at a stand at a non plus in regard of Gods will it is an if to them whether he will help yet they beleeve he can help and therefore pray as hee did Matth. 8. 2. Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean and such a faith in the Lords Almightinesse doth great things by prayer For hence that I will be thou clean saith Christ immediately his leprosie was clensed v. 3. He who prayeth in faith of Gods power shall have beyond his faith the benefit of his gracious and energetical will So the Centurion in his prayer to Christ believeth that if he but will his servants cure hee can work it he can even command it by his soveraigne word Matth. 8. 8. Speak the word onely and my servant shall be whole He is not sure that he will give out that energaticall word but if he would but speak the word he concludeth that hee hath power over all desirable blessings as servants at his command even as his souldiers were at his beck v. 9 10. And Christ approveth of this his faith in his soveraigne power saying Verily I have not found so great faith no not in Israel So the man mentioned Mark 9. 22 23
with the Incense of his own meritorious sufferings Rev 8. 1 3. they cannot then but succeed well At that time when the Lord should be corporally absent from his Disciples hee made account that was a special speeding time in their Prayers John 16. 26 27. 5 Contemplate and let your spirits dwel 5. Contemplation upon the eight following particulars 5. Consider that God is a God hearing praiers much upon these considerations 1 What a sutable name the Lord assumeth and by his own dictate writing and seal alloweth to be challenged namely A God hearing Prayers Psalm 65. 2. Hearing prayer shewing it is his usual work his constant exercise his inseparable property nor saith hee whose prayers as excluding thine or the prayers of any other poor soul which in truth desire to seek him It is recorded of Augustus That he never sent away any Petitioner sad from him and dost thou think that the Lord of bowels that is rich in mercy to all that call upon him Psal 86. 5 can or will 2 To whose requests the Lord hath given 2. Whose cries and praiers he doth hear at least some audience even to the rude moans of beasts and other dumb creatures Psalm 145 15 16. Job 38. 41. And as Christ reasoneth thence Luke 12. 14. God feedeth the Ravens and are not you much better then they So may I say here God heareth the Ravens cryes will he not hear the Righteous cryes It is but Righteous as well as an act of grace in him so to do Psal 145. 15 16 He filleth the desire of every living thing and ver 17. Is righteous in all his wayes No wonder then if as ver 18 19 he be nigh unto all such as call upon him to fulfil their desires The cryes of meer natural men as they are his creatures and in helplesse conditions look out to him for succor as many rude Mariners are so heard Psalm 107. 23 28 he will give some audience even to hypocrites prayers Psalm 78. 34 35 36 37 38. and surely he that out of his overflowing bounty will hear as far as he may such persons prayers they shall have that benefit of his common audience and providence albeit not of his peculiar and saving respects of grace He is not unwilling to hear his peoples requests when not so rightly principled as that noble Jew who would scarce believe without signes shewed yet was so heard in his requests for his son Joh. 4. 48 to 53. or if rightly yet not so throughly principled as Cornelius who yet was not so cleared in that great Article of faith then in question that that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah hence that Acts 11. 13 14. with Acts 10. 2 3 4 5. or if so principled yet at present under much distemper of corruption and yet when praying even then God hath overlooked all that and judged of them by their better part and taken their prayers then made kindly Such was Davids secret prayer at that instant when changing his behaviour or favour as if he had not been the man he was yet accepted Psalm 34. title with ver 4. Those that in their affliction are so distempered with infirmities of distrust or discontent it may be that they cannot speak freely to God in prayer but sigh yet heard Rom. 8. 18 26 27. Moses when in such a pet yet the Lord picketh out what he would have craved and granteth it Exod. 5. 22 23. compared with chap. 6. 1. and Numb 11. 11 12 13 14 15. with ver 16 17. their cry was with much distemper as appears by their words to Moses Exod. 14. 10 11. yet heard and granted and God the rather shewed all those after signes and wonders on the Egyptians in answer even to that distempered cry to him by the Israelites many whereof were truly godly see Nehemiah 9. 9 10. halting Jacob yet wrestling in prayer though lamely is heard yea when too curious in his inquiry Gen. 32. 28 29. yet is blessed in regard of his prayer before Sparks of grace amongst an heap of ashes are acceptable 3. Consider what kind of prayers have 3. What kind of prayers hee heareth found special acceptance with God such as have been rather sighs and groans then expresse prayers he hears the prisoners groans Psal 102. 20. the needies sighs Psal 12. 5. Such as have been but Ejaculatory liftings up of the soul unto God in mental desires Psalm 145. 18 19. Jonah 2. 1. Such as have been but a poor chattering and muttering of something in the ears of God Isaiah 38. 5 14. Such which have been but an abrupt and broken expression or two from a truly broken spirit as the contrite Publicans Be propitious to me a sinner Luke 18. 13 14. The converted Thief 's Lord remember me in thy kingdom Luke 23. 42 43. but a long look of the body and soul towards God They looked to thee and were not ashamed Psa 34. 4 5 And Jonahs look towards God in Christ typed by the Temple Jonah 24. 7. that took well with God yea Prayers of the Saints in a dream as was that of Solomons have found good acceptance 1 Kings 3. 5 9 10 11 12. after that Solomon awoke ver 15. Not that any should think it enough to sigh or groan and not utter their souls in words to the Lord but if like the Shunamite the soul of any be troubled within them that they cannot utter their hearts 2 Kings 4. 27. or like David so troubled in spirit that they cannot speak Psal 77. then it is comfortable to consider that yet in such cases sighs are successful Neither may any abuse what we said of the Publican and the converted thief and to content themselves to speak some few words constantly and there rest as if all were well no but if we are younglings in Christianity babes in Christ know that our heavenly Father also as other fathers do in theirs he delighteth as much and sometimes more in the broken language and lispings of his little ones and of his sick ones though elder in prayers craving this or that in their broken fashion and rather making signes for what they would have then able fully and plainly to express their mind to him then he doth in the more fluent expressions of sundry others not but that he useth in his owne season to inable such stammerers also to speak more plainly Isai 32. 4. 4 Consider what account God doth 4. Consider what esteem God hath of prayer make of his people they are his choice allowed Suppliants Zeph. 3. 10 his royal Priests 1 Pet. 2. 9. persons sequestrated for such holy ends Psalm 4. 3. Zach. 13 9. his beloved ones Hence that strong expression of Christ encouraging to expect hearing of our prayers I say not that I will pray to the Father for you namely as now whilst on earth for the Father himself loveth you John 10 26 27. as if that were that strong motive which
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
and right things should be our constant and daily study The thoughts of the Righteous are right Prov. 12. 5. and therefore no wonder that the words of the pure are pleasant words Prov. 11. 26. When men love purenesse of heart in all their courses there will be a grace and savour thereof in all their discourses with God or men as Prov. 22. 11. when persons double in some things with God and their owne soules they will do so in other things likewise James 1. 8. A double minded man is unstable in all his wayes Hypocrisie is leaven Luke 12. 1. if you lay it and hide it and suffer it to lye in one part of the lump of your conversation it will spread and sowre all the rest soon James 4. 2 3. compared prescribing the remedy of that guileful asking to spend the blessings of God upon their lusts verse 23. He instanceth the double minds that such have and they must purge themselves of their double mind in all other things if ever they would approach and draw nigh to God in prayer rightly and not ask amisse and for this purpose get we our hearts and hands rid of what ever sinfull defilements which do foment that doubling with God and hindreth this integrity in prayer If men in any kind retain the same they will ask amisse ask things with a false adulterous heart ibid. verses 23 4. compared We shall never make streight steps in this part of our christian race if that which is lame be not healed Heb. 12. 13. If the feet of our affections be diseased we can never wrestle with God so stably but shall halt therein as well as in other of the waies of God 2. When at any time we espy any flaws or doublings with God in prayer as the 2 Be truely abased for any guile therein best sometimes may espy some guileful slightings and overlinesse therein be we greatly abased for the same as James wisheth such as ask amisse and such false spirits therein James 4. 2 3 4. or such as would bee rid of such doubling guileful distempers verse 8. to be afflicted and mourne namely for that doubling with God and their owne soules when Christians pay deare for such slynesse and slightnesse they will surely take heed thereof the more bitter it becomes and grievous to their palate the more will they leave it and loath it It is to be feared that many Christians which see such slyness and guiliness in prayer they are content sometimes that they have prayed albeit the same were a shell and shadow of the duty and the pith and substance thereof were wanting or if they bee troubled lightly slightly with it all is not wel with them that they deal not so faithfully with God and their owne souls yet they are not throughly stirred up with serious griefe and holy indignation by reason thereof and therefore goe on oft times in such a way If guile of spirit were so exactly and throughly examined and sentenced and holy revenge taken upon it such a cheater would not so much haunt the hearts of christians in this and other of the ordinances of God as it doth And to this let me add that we carefully and resolutely resist Sathan when at any time then or afterwards he doth tempt us to this guiliness and false-heartedness in our talking with God in prayer give not the least way to it but when at first you perceive the tempter busie that way to put us upon sinister ends in our requests or any sly dealing with God and our soules in prayer away with it strongly and seasonably bend we all our strength against it discover to God by humble and solemn confession that treacherous motion cry out upon it pursue it and never leave till we have sent it packing with shame and loathing of heart Hence is it that James wisheth such as were so guily in their prayers they made James 4. 2 3 4. to make use of that remedy Resist the divell namely in his temptation thereunto and he will flye from you verse 7. and espying such like wilinesse of spirit in our prayers let us bee willing to be crossed in any such requests as we make with such a spirit for verily God wil not grant such desires to us if he love us Jam. â— 3 if we do or should do it it would be worse for us Many of the Saints see cause to blesse God afterwards that the Lord did not grant such or such requests of theirs perceiving that indeed their heads were not right therein and t is well for them that God will crosse them in any sinfull desires of theirs yea it would be better for us that God should fall upon us with some good downeright blowes whilst we carry it thus wilily with him in any of our prayers as usually he doth deal with his servants under such distempers Wars came upon them many contentions amongst them they that doubled and devided so with God they were divided amongst themselves and not so true to each other James 4. 1 2 3 4. but as a remedy of that inward cause of these outward disorders and mischiefes This Apostle wisheth such and let us follow his counsell Submit wee our selves to God verse 7. and humble our selves under any such divine providence verse 10. see that it is good say it is good and then we shall he better 3. Labor to be of an humble and lowly heart 3 Bee of an humble spirit in prayer in our praiers and we shal pray the more honestly intirely They are ever proud spirits that have such selfe-aims and slie respects to their own names or such good blessings as the main in their praiers which may make them seeme some body amongst men what ever approbation therein they get with God James telleth those he mentioned that they were of adulterous spirits James 4. 4. that they asked and had not as asking amisse out of base respects and verse 2 3. verse 6. he telleth them more plainely that they would be above others in gifts and repute and estate c. Envy setteth them on work verse 5. they are proud and therefore God resisteth them in that way of asking but humble ones get the grace of him which their hearts seek Humble ones have no such wily fetches and reaches but are plain hearted they are such which are lifted up whose hearts are not upright within them in any things what they say or doe Heb. 2. 4. 4 Bee wee of believing spirits therein 4. Get and exercise more faith in the Lord. So much unbeliefe in our asking so much doubling with God James 1. 6 8. Unbelief is never cordial but slavish and selfish Faith will cause a through opening of the heart to God Psal 62. 1 8. Wee shall then draw near to God with the truest hearts when with most assurance Heb. 10. 22. There is secret Atheisme of heart or infidelity and much unbeliefe in that
c. Asaph observed carefully all the passages of his distempered spirits workings and the distempered reasonings which hee had whilst he sought the Lord as Psal 77. from the 1. to the 11th verse and Psalm 116. 4. 11. Albeit he prayed for deliverance yet then he perceived the distempered speeches of his distrustfull heart and the like Psal 31. 22. A watchfull Christian observeth what jarrings are in the harp-strings the heart-strings as I may call them whilst hee is harping whilst he is praying or praysing God He observeth who would be fingering the instrument of his spirit or the pins or strings of it whilest he is playing or rather praying he marketh who cometh in to interrupt his spirit whilst it is speaking to God in prayer Some intruder will assuredly be crowding in upon the people of God in their retired discourses with the Lord but a wakeful spirit espieth and rebuketh them 4. In a heedfull and wistly observing 4. In observing the hints of grace given in Praier and viewing and prying into such spiritual hints Items and motions of God which he giveth and maketh unto us in prayer or any divine beames of grace or glimpses or smiles of favour which even in a transient way we meet withal therein Albeit the the Lord the Saviour of his people be but as a way-faring man who maketh very short stages with them yet a watchful Jeremiah observeth and improveth such journeying travelling calls and stages of the Lord. Jer. 14. 8. Sometimes whilst the people of God are asking the Lord speaketh to them to ask on and a watchfull David will heare that Psal 27. 7. he was crying ver 8. the Lord bids him seek his face he heareth and doth it verse 9. c. If but a harbinger or any Post of heaven do but call upon such watchful Christians they espy them and inquire more of them Whilst that Generation are seeking the face of the God of Jacob Psal 24. 6. a motion is made for preparation to entertaine the King of glory in his ordinance Lift up your heads yee gates and the King of glory shall enter in verse 7. They heare what was spoken and inquire farther about the same verse 8. Who is the King of glory Now how many drowsie formalists neglect this holy watch in prayer in all the several particulars we may easily guesse but I shall leave them to he awakened by the Lord. Reasons moving the people of God Reasons of watching in Prayer 1. Because God hath fitted his Saints for it to watching in prayer may be these 1. In that the Lord hath gifted his Saints and people with eyes within fitting them to observe themselves as in all other actions so most of all in the acts of his worship hence those living creatures in the Church are represented with eyes within when about the worship of God Revel 4. 8. c. They are fools which when religiously exercised consider not what evil they do therein how vain or slight or stupid their spirits are therein Eccles 5. 1. But the Saints are the wise ones which have their eyes in their heads fit to improve them in discerning of what passeth Eccles 2. 13. The watch-man in the soul of a natural man and hypocrite is blind or at best sleeping and therefore observeth not who passeth to and again through the soul but the conscience of a Regenerate man sitteth upon the Watch-Tower the candle of the Spirit is lighted up his eye is single he hath a seeing eye from the Lord. 2 In that the Lord is a glorious heavenly 2. The Lord is an All seeing God and All-seeing God and well may we then mind what wee speak and think in prayer before him If that we our selves do not observe our hearts how or whither or to what they are carried out in prayer yet he doth and he will discover us to our shame how our spirits were excercised in our prayers Psalm 78. 34 35 36 37. and James 4 2 3. 3 In that God breatheth or answereth 3 The Lord is free in his workings and answers or smileth when he pleaseth Sometimes when we are addressing our selves to pray he will hear before we call Isaiah 65. 24. He will meet him that gladly worketh righteousness even in the half way will hee meet such a one A Suppliant had need then be a man which mindeth and remembreth the Lord in his wayes Isai 64. 5. The Prodigal himself when about to solicit and sue for his Fathers favour shall perceive his Father coming to meet him Luke 15. 18 19 20. Sometimes whilst we are speaking in praier the Lord giveth gracious answers in the items and motions and perswasions of his spirit in ours Isai 65. 24. Wee had need then in this part of our course observe the gale of the Spirit of God and how it wheeleth about this way or the other how it turneth or returneth in the breathing of it that we may be ready to catch this prosperous wind in the sails of our spirits and keep stil our sails full 4. In that the enemies of our souls and 4. Our souls enemies then watch us an ill turn supplications do then watch their opportunities to annoy and disturb us in prayer and to tempt and to distract us with troublous perplexing thoughts or to delude us with groundlesse comforts The Fowles will be lighting on Abrahams Sacrifice but a watchful Abraham soon espyeth them and driveth them away Gen. 15. 10 11. 5 In that our hearts are naturally 5. Our hearts are then very apt to start aside slight and slippery and false in the performance of this as in the practice of other holy duties they are apt to step aside from the track of such a strait path in the way of Grace David was privy to it and therefore desireth the Lord to order his steps in the word Psalm 119. 133. Sometimes the heart seemeth to be brought to some good bent to God and good and yet then is apt to crack and start aside as was said Psal 78. 57. David saith he found in his heart that he might pray to God 2 Sam. 7. 27. Hee light of such a heart by hap as we say or upon serious and long seeking of such a heart for the Hebrew word wil bear both It is one of the holy chances if I may so call it that any of us overtake a heart filled with holy praying dispositions It is so slippery this way that if we look not strictly to it when we think we have got hold and made stay of our wandring spirits such they are as far as carnal yet they will then steal away from us and leave us and when they are but a little while gone aside it is very difficult to recover sight or hold of them again for such holy imployment albeit we should seem to lay a lock and chain upon them by our holy resolutions and vowes yet verily our hearts have their pick-locks and
the divel for a shift will lend them a file there is no keeping of them from their natural wandrings without a very strict hand and vigilant eye kept over them That slippery flitting disposition of heart which ruleth in hypocrites doth at least dwell in the dear children of God so that it is partly in them which is abundantly fulfilled in hypocrites their goodnesse good thoughts and workings in the wayes and Ordinances of God are sometimes too like unto morning clouds which mount heaven-ward in appearance but forthwith vanish out of sight Hos 6. 4. 6 In that God and Christ watch then 6. The Lord then doth watch to help and hear us and Angels to observe and help us to give us a lift in prayer that our spirits may be more and more elevated and to be then whispiring items of Grace to us to rescue us from oppositions of the wily enemies of our souls and the like he waiteth to be gracious to us then in hearing and helping us at the voice of our cryes Isaiah 30. 18 19. He observeth carefully the resistances made by Satan against his Joshuahs Zach. 3. 1 2. As he saith of vowing we may say of praying Say not before the Angel it was an errour a carelesse rash expression of our minds Wee should so carry it before Christ the Angel of the Covenant in such Religious acts as those that have been conscienciously heedful the rather therein yea in that when we are Religiously exercised in prayer and such like worship of God some of the blessed Angels are then and there waiting and observing of us what we do and how we carry it and they are waiting on the Lord there ready to be imployed in any service for our good As when Joshuah is so employed as Christ was there ready for his succour so were there some which stood before him some blessed Spirits ready to be commanded in any service for Joshuah Zach. 3. 1 2 4. verses compared There is an Angel of God ready at hand whilst Daniel is praying to minister incouragement to him Dan. 9. 20 21. May not we then well watch in prayer when the Lord himself thus waiteth upon us and the blessed Angels are watching the grant of a Commission from God for our good 7 In that watchings in praier much helpeth 7. It much helpeth our comfort and confidence in and after prayer both our comfort and confidence in and after prayer when hereby we become more assured of our conscionablenesse in our praying unto God Paul had observed how he was carried in prayer and that his spirit was duly imployed in that service and therefore dareth to appeal boldly unto the Lord and call him to witnesse in what sort he had mentioned the Romans in his prayer Rom. 1. 9. Our waitings in this way of crying and calling upon God is a pledg and fruit of Gods waitings to be gracious unto us Isaiah 30. 18 19. verses compared We may best know the state of our souls by observing what we are usually in our prayers David gathers by this he was one of those godly ones set apart for God Psal 4. 3. Look as skilful persons may gather the state of the body by the beatings of the pulses so may a wise and judicious and vigilant Christian by observing how his spirit usually worketh in prayer Watchfulnesse after prayer doth likewise consist in these four particulars 3. Watching after prayer consisteth 1. In diligent attention to keep up such 1 In due care to keep up praying dispositions after prayer praying dispositions fresh and lively which were operative in us in our prayers It is a great part of a Christians wisedome when he hath gotten an advantage against a slight or formal spirit or any enemies to prayer now to stand his ground and manage this holy victory and when his heart is got upon the wings so to keep it but neither will be effected without a watchfull heed thereto When David was in that praying and praising frame as one suspecting the fidelity of his owne spirit and his owne sufficiency to maintaine the same he intreateth the Lord to keep the same in his servants heart for ever 1 Chron. 29. 18. A praying frame is so sweet that gracious hearts would ever bee in such a plight if it might be and they take all the care they can that they may bee so they therefore crave and improve the faithfulnesse and wisedome of God for that end Great is the insufficiency and inability of the best to keep up their owne spirits therein Even praying Moses albeit he held up long and strongly in prayer yet his hands waxe heavy such is the infirmity of the best that they are not able to hold it out long with strength of elevation of spirit in any holy exercises Care must be taken both to keep and hold such a sublimity of spirit Exod. 17. 12. A stone is brought to beare up Moses hands the strength and stability of that tried stone 1 Peter 2 4 5 6 9. Is to be improved by such which as a holy Priesthood would hold on offering acceptable sacrifice of prayer or prayse And as this care is to be took that whilst we are actually praying it may be thus so even afterwards wee are to look well to it that our praying spirit be not weakned and grow weary that it flag not flack not faile not as the force of the Greek word beareth Luke 18. When a motion is made by the Lord to David to hold on yet seeking of God as he had already done he was awake to heare and improve and followed the motion For such is that which is implyed in that mentioned passage Psal 21. 8 9. compared 2. In looking heedfully and hopefully 2 In listning after the returnes of our prayers after our prayers and listning still when God will answer us by his word and spirit and accordingly observing how far forth he doth not answer us David he is carefull to order his prayer rightly so when he hath done to look up to wait and see what becometh thereof Psalm 5. 3. and Psalm 85. 8. The Psalmist will hearken after he had prayed as verse 7. c. what God the Lord will speak Watching after our prayers and the successe thereof is as the watching of the night-watchman watching for morning Psal 130. 1 2 5. O how eagerly do such of the Saints desire the day-spring of the least shews and out-breaking of the light of the Lord Jesus how earnestly doe they attend the scattering of the night mists and clouds of their troubled tempted spirits How oft doe they look out to espy the least peep of the dawning and the least out-lookings of the day-break and morning light When they have knocked at the door of grace they listen after the least moving of the doore of grace the least noise or news or signe or pledge of the gracious approaches of the Lord to them Hence is it that
the unregenerate Jew and Gentile to bee under sin Rom. 3 9. he proveth it ver 11. by this out of Psalm 14. 2. There is none that understandeth there is none that seeketh after God And Psal 14. 4. The workers of iniquity have it charged upon their very consciences as that which they cannot but know to be their sin that they call not upon God Do not the workers of iniquity know that they eat up my people as bread They call not upon God and Psal 10. 4. It s charged as the pride of the wicked The wicked is so proud that he seeketh not God The like charge see Jer. 10. 21. Hos 7. 7. Zeph. 1. 6. and Job 27. 10. The hypocrite that is blamed for ceasing to call upon God Will he alwayes call vpon God should rather have been blamed for calling upon God at all if it had not been any duty of his to pray To like purpose we might argue That the neglect of it by the Unregenerate as well as Regenerate Jewes is bewayled by Daniel as their sin ergo the contrary was their Duty Dan. 9. 13. All this is come upon us yet made we not our prayer to God Besides also if it had not been in it self good and a duty even for an Unregenerate person to pray but had been in it selfe sinful the Psalmist never need to have made that Imprecation against him in Psal 109. 7. Let his prayer be turned into sin Besides the Psalmist would never have urged God so to affright and persecute his enemies by his judgments that they might at length be forced to seek his name if it had been in it self sinful Psal 83. 15 16. Obj. Prov. 15. 8. The prayer of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord. Answ So is the Plowing of the wicked sin Prov. 21. 4. Not simply in themselvs for then an unregenerate man should not plow nor labour in his Calling yea he should not eat his meat nor sleep c. For to the impure and unbelieving is nothing pure Titus 1. 15 16. But it is so in respect of the defects of other qualifications required to the holy use and exercise of such things namely want of faith love to God repentance for sin c. Their Sacrifices were an abomination to the Lord Isaiah 1. 11 12 13 14 15. yet in themselves commanded duties and enjoyned to every Jew whether he were Unregenerate or Regenerate God once inabled Adam and in him all his posterity to call upon him and though hee and we in him are become Bankrupts and disabled to do that service and homage yet our Lord and Master may and doth require it of us and accounteth it our sin to neglect it It is every ones duty to understand and so to believee in God as well as to seek him but the omission of that Duty of understanding and believing God hindereth not but that the omission of that other duty of seeking God becometh a sin to every one Rom. 3. 9. 11. 2. An Unregenerate man may be strongly and largely carryed out in prayer as it s Unregenerate persons may be large in prayers said of them Psal 78. 36 37. who did but flatter God with their mouth for their heart was not right with him They sought God early ver 34. namely when he slew them when they were in fear of their lives So may profane Mariners be very earnest in prayer then Psal 107. 28. Cry unto the Lord. So Prov. 1. 27 28. When your fear cometh c. then shall you seek me early but shall not find me Those in Isai 58. 2 3. they joyned long and large prayers with their Fasts An hypocritical Pharisee could not spend his time in his Fasting dayes unlesse enlarged in prayer Matth. 6. 16. Those hypocrites that devoured widowes houses they had such a gift in prayer that they could be very large and long in prayers Matth. 23. 14. And for a pretence make long prayers 3 Unregenerate persons may bee full of praising and thankful expressions in their They may be large in praising God prayers The unjustified Pharisees prayer was rather a Thanksgiving Luke 18. 10 11 He prayed thus God I thank thee I am not as other men c. Those unregenerate ones among the Jewes also which cryed so earnestly Exod. 14. 10. they did sing as loud as Moses and Aaron Psal 106. 12 13. Then believed they his words and sang praises to him but not rightly for verse 13 but incontinently they forgat his works and waited not for his counsel verse 15. They lusted in the wildernesse and tempted God in the Desert of whom the Apostle speaketh 1 Cor. 10. 9. Onely lest what is now said may raise some doubt in the hearts of any truly Regenerate the example of the Differences betwixt the thanksgivings of the Unregenerate and those of the Regenerate Pharisees thankful Prayer will yeild matter of distinction and differencing of the Unregenerate person in his praises from the Regenerate 1 The Unregenerate person in his thanksgiving before God pretending to lift up God in his praises doth intend to lift up or exalt himself Hence Christ who knew the spirit of this Pharisee in his praises of God rendreth him thus Luke 18. 14. Whosoever exalteth himself 2 The main in their eyes and so in their thanks is some inherent excellency not those imputed mercies not Christ and his Righteousnesse and propitiation and the pardon of sin Gods favour acceptance c. No word of these in the Pharisees thanks but that I am not as others unjust I fast I pay Tithes c. They are the Saints whose hearts being most affected with those mercies do break out into cordial praiers for them 3 Such men use to rest in some common eminencies and excellencies above others The Pharisee passeth others he is not as other men and that sufficeth him no word of a serious petition for the supply of such or such wants of this or that grace or for the increase thereof or for the subduing of such or such corruptions Hee grounds his rejoycing upon anothers falling short of him upon others falls into such sins from which he is restrained as Gal. 6. 4. He shall have rejoicing in himself and not in another 4 Such men respect more the gift then the Giver and trust more in that then in him They trust in themselves that they are righteous when they say God we thank thee Luke 18. 9 11. compared They make the gifts their God and they adore and admire the Giver onely for the gifts sake and do not admire the gifts for the Givers sake as true Converts and Spouse like spirits use to do but harlot like they do otherwise 5 Such men are very ambitious in their thankful acknowledgments They make Gods praises but as a stirrup to get up into mens esteemes and as a bridg by which to convey to themselves humane praises Hence this Temple acknowledgement and in the most conspicuous
the dayes of such aflicted ones are evil Prov. 15. 15 Discontent as a mighty vapour in the heart that is pent in and there hath lyen long will at length be breaking out and will cause Earthquakes in the heart of long continuance which will strangely vary the motions of the heart this way and that way and oft-times rend it It will make a man mentally ever wandring and so lyable to all sorts of temptations at all times and in the best Ordinances Prov. 27. 8. As a bird wandring from her nest so is a man wandring from his place Discontent taking off the mind from its basis and center of quiet submission to Gods mind and will the mind knoweth not where to fix A discontented Christian is neither pleased with himselfe nor any thing he hath or doth no not with his very praying and no wonder then if so distempered in it The ground of discontent is distrust and what is of a more wavering nature then that It maketh a man like the troubled sea when it cannot rest so long as such blasts are upon his mind It maketh the workings of his mind like the waves of the sea very independent and sometimes thwarting each other Jam. 1. 6 Nothing wavering that is nothing doubting or distrusting which is indeed the wavering of a troubled Sea wave 4 Inordinacy of affection whether of 4. Inordinacy of affection desire or fear or love or joy or grief or anger c. The Lord Christ when to raise Tabithae he will put out the Minstrels and the Mourners which made a confused noise no good to be done unlesse these be stilled No raising up of a dead spirit in prayer unless all such inordinacies be secluded Such inordinacies in the heart will hurry the mind with them and make that inordinate too If they give respit to the mind to be busied a little in any Ordinance yet they cannot spare or forbear its service long They carve and cut out so much work for the mind that it can scarce have leisure for more spiritual Imployment Yea the very mouth and tongue which should be in any Ordinance as the pen of a ready writer shall be ever and anon jogged by them yea they will be inditing suggesting and inserting ever and anon their matters whilst the spirit of a sanctified Christian is inditing the more weighty messages of the soul to be dispatched to heaven by this sure and speedy Messenger Prayer and it s well if through the tumultuous noise of these distempers the mind be not so disturbed that men sometimes in prayer speak non-sense And as in Feaverish distempers the Patients thoughts are slippery slighty and independent and their discourses accordingly as full of impertinencies So is it here amidst those feaverish distempers of the soul Inordinacies of Affection they are the souls Diseases and a Christian sick of such Diseases wil be followed ever and anon with impertinencies of thoughts in best services 5 Any spirit of Lust This maketh Christians of good hopes as clouds which are 5. Lust driven hither and thither of contrary winds Jude calleth those lascivious professors Clouds carried about of winds Jude 12. also wandring Stars their minds cannot be fixed and intent in any Duty of piety They do not cannot keep in the right Eclyptick Line but wander from that constant course which Jesus Christ the Sun of Righteousness constantly kept That wild-fire wil be burning whilst the Incense of prayer is offering and burning Look as it is with the boiling pot the scum of it will be rising up together with the meat therein So is it here even when a Christians heart is or should bee boyling up good matter in prayer such a filthy scum as this is will be rising up in the spirit together with it Or as it s said of the Harlot She watcheth her times to call and intice passengers to her which were going right on Prov. 9. 15. So is it here these Bawds and Panders in the soul they wil be inveagling and inticing the mind and heart to withdraw the same from their intent going on in prayers or any other good way of God to the end that they may be nought with them As it s said of that old Beldam and grand Strumpet Concupiscence A man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own Lust and enticed So is it here in this daughter of that mother of Fornications it will be inticing the soul and drawing it away from any way of God and then tempt it 6 A spirit of Error This maketh Christians 6. Error also like clouds as Jude speaketh of erring persons Jude 8 12 13. Unclean Opinionists they are or will be Dreamers as Judes phrase is These are filthy Dreamers dreaming continually in every thing they say or do Their thoughts wil be incongruous in their best imployments As it is with persons benighted they are aptest to wander from any right path wherein they were going so is it with a mind benighted and bemisted with darknesse of error that mind will hardly keep on its way in prayer or any other Ordinance long but wil have his sinful vagaries Or as a man whose head is filled with wine or strong drink his head being giddy he goeth reeling along So is it with Christians besotted with error their giddy braines will not suffer them to be solid distinct exact and intent in their thoughts in the good wayes of God they will be stumbling with their feet and stammering with their tongue making at best but rude and broken work of it in their prayers and performances Such persons are ever unstable souls They beguile unstable souls 2 Pet. 3. Their very minds are unstable in any thing that is good They are vain in their imaginations Rom. 1. Belial the spirit of confusion of mind heart and way is where a spirit of Error dwells 7 Family contention It is a continual 7. Family contention dropping Prov. 19. 13. It will make breaches into the very spirit also of the other yoak fellow yea divide and distract it in prayer as well as other services 1 Pet. 3. 7. to orderly dwelling together of Christian yoak fellowes this is adjoyned That your prayers be not hindred neither by distempering your spirits who are to joyne in prayer nor by distasting the Lord so as he will not give a ready answer thereto It s hard for him who is in the Family to mind the cases of each one therein but in minding the contentions therein some distemperrd thoughts will be arising in him If the very repetition of an offensive matter passing 'twixt two friends is so apt to breed a fresh distance by renewing the former apprehensions of the offensiveness thereof whence that Prov. 17. He that repeateth a matter separateth chief friends then in the best men and in the best duties it is a wonder if reminding and rementioning family contentions there be not found some tang and touch of distempered movings and
musings 8 Spiritual drowsinesse sluggishnesse 8. Sluggishness and slightiness of heart When heart and mind is of a drowzie temper it is of a dreaming temper full of impertinent fancies even when to be imployed in prayer or the like yea if both body and soul be not in a waking and watching plight the soul wil be apt to be hurried with impertinencies temptations Matth. 26. 41. Watch and pray lest yee enter into temptation Now touching the second thing propounded Remedies against distractions in praier even the Remedies of such distractions in prayer Let but diligent heed be taken and conscionable indeavour used against each of the former occasions and causes thereof and it will help to redresse the same Espy out and bewaile the secret guile and wilinesse of heart get your heart rid of those distrustful cares of that Disconcontent and inordinacy of affection banish that spirit of Lust and of Error from your souls beware of that family contention and that spiritual or corporal supineness and you wil in a good measure get rid of such distractions in prayer But yet for our better help herein 1 Make conscience of holy and due Holy â—â—â—paration unto prayer preparation of our selves unto prayer Exod. 34. 3. Moses must come alone to God and leave the flocks Jacob ferrieth over all belonging to him on the other side of the river before wrestleth with the Angel Gen. 32. Abraham leaveth the servants and the Asses at the foot of the hill when to goe to sacrifice to the Lord. Gen. 22. David had got his heart into a very serious and fixed frame for that praising part of his prayer and yet as thinking that all too little saith hee will yet rouse himselfe up to that work Psal 57. 7. O God my heart is fixed my heart is fixed I will sing and give praise and verse 8. I my selfe will arise right early So good Deborah rowseth up herself amain to powr out prayses to the Lord Jud. 5. 12. Awake awake Deborah awake utter a song A gracious heart should think it self never enough awaked to such holy work experience of Saints will prove it and when they can by grace get their minds and hearts a little sequestred to consider seriously of the work they are going about and of God and Christ before whom they come and of themselves who are to come before the Lord and the like before they actually addresse themselves to solemne prayer how intently and spiritually and strongly they are wont then to bee carryed through the duty and all other times when they more suddenly and inconsiderately set upon prayer how unprofitably they are wont to spend such a time and how many hurries of spirit this way and that way they are cumbred with and much adoe to make any thing of it at such times 2. Spiritual wisedome is another help 2 Godly wisedome Godly wisedom will choose places for prayer which are freest from any distracting occasion Hence Christ so often repaires to the mountaine to pray Wisedome will seasonably discern a deluding cheating thought yea though it come with its vizard or with its painted face wearing in view the very livery of our heavenly Father and much readier will it espy other thoughts which would slyly withdraw our minds by little and little from the present businesse of our souls Wisedome is before him that hath understanding Prov. 17. 24. whilst the fools eyes are wandring in the corners of the world The wise Christian keeps his eye from gadding after vaine objects and keeps it rather intent upon wisedomes works and wayes The heart of the wise is at his right hand the instrument of action Eccles 10. 2. He hath his heart and spirit at an holy beek to be imployed as wisedom shall direct as there is need of the exercise of thoughts or desires or griefe or joy or feare or anger in an holy way or work a truely wise Christian hath them at hand to do their several homage to the Lord being thereto commanded by his spirit The wise mans eyes are in his head Eccles 2. 14. The truely wise Christian hath the ready and seasonable use of the eyes of his mind and understanding holy thoughts and apprehensions are not to seek when the Lord calleth for the use thereof as in prayer or the like but they are then active and so ready to keep out worse or unjust thoughts A wise Christian being also privy to his owne inability to keep his heart close to God he betaketh himselfe to the Lord as he did Psal 86. 11. Vnite my heart to fear thy name He would have the Lord to keep his heart close to any part of his fear or worship that it scatter not wander not therefrom Intruders cannot get in unseene and untaken notice of whilst this lightsome watchful grace is imployed as they will in darker places This skilfull Pilot at the helm by keeping its eye upon Gods compasse avoids many yawes and much lee-way in a gracious Christians course in prayer or otherwise which other unwise Christians make 3. Wathfulnesse which is the seasonable 3 Watchfulnesse and practical use of that holy wisedome upon every occasion This will bee examining such as knock at the door of the heart whilst the spirit is talking with God in prayer Those godly Church-officers described Revel 4. 6 8. with their eyes before and behind and within also to observe all without and as well also within themselves they goe on uninterrupted in the worship of God as though their cry was but one and the same continued cry night and day They rest not night nor day saying Holy holy holy Lord God Almighty which is and was and is to come This pondering the path of our feet is a help to going right on in this or any other way of God without diversions from it or stumbling in it Prov. 4. 26 27. Ponder the path of thy feet and let all thy wayes be established Turn not to the right hand nor to the left the former is the meanes to the latter A good watch at the City gates the out-lets and inlets of suggestions to the mind or motions from it will keep us from trouble-Cities such trouble-souls as are these distractions and help rid them of such Vagrants as they are Such holy careful oversights of the banks will prevent the dividing of the streams and issues of our minds even our thoughts that they run in no other channel and way then is meet for them When we go to prayer we are assaying by the ladder Jesus Christ to climb up to heaven and this holy care of our feet keeps them from slipping and us from falls Look to thy foot when thou goest into the house of God namely to worship God in prayer or otherwise Eccles 5. 1. When wee go to pray we go spiritually to plow and this holy minding of our work and our hand helpeth to keep us in our right furrow 4 Holinesse and
Instruments when they make their voice gracious as the Hebrew hath it Prov. 26. 15. If Satan could not or did not set a good face upon his Treacheries to mens souls and cover all with the mantle of good and pious motions he would not so properly be said to deceive the whole world Rev. 12 9. But to come to the Marks of distinction Marks of such like motions when delusive and of discerning of this highest straine of the sophistication of our spiritual enemies through suggestions materially good 1 Such motions materially good which 1. When they do but steal away the heart from prayer steal away the heart from the duty of praier in hand though possibly the Duty be carryed on but in an overly manner by reason of those motions such are Satanical on the contrary motions which tend to farther intentnesse and attentnesse thereon they are of God The Spirit of God is a faithful and wise guide and useth not to lead the Saints about or in by wayes but in strait paths right on by all his motions The Spirit of God leadeth the sons of God in a direct way of crying Abba Father For as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the sons of God And ye have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father Rom. 8. 14 15. Isaiah 30 21. Thou shalt hear a voice behind thee saying This is the way walk in it when thou turnest to the right hand or to the left The Spirit moveth nothing to draw us out of the way of God but to put us into it and being in it to move us to keep on When a man in prayer hath his imagination working and exercised about good notions for godly discourse for expatiating on some good subject of meditation or preaching and that in such sort as he cannot and doth not mind scarcely what hee is saying or doing before God in prayer these thoughts and motions are delusive 2 Such motions as come into the heart 2. When they are too violent with such violence that they occasion inward hurries of spirit by them and thereby breaking off the very duty sometimes these though materially good yet are delusive and satanical As when in prayer strong motions are suggested pretending to put us upon being affected with sorrow for some past evil or fear about some evil imminent yet so as the same are pressed and followed with such violence that they bend and tend to amazement and swallowing up of spirits these are delusive Such were those motions in Asaphs heart whilst seeking God which so troubled him that he was overwhelmed Ps 77. 2 In the day of my trouble I sought God and verse 3. I complained and my spirit was overwhelmed Such were the motions to the humbled Corinthian when so violent that he was like to be swallowed of overmuch heavinesse about his sinful and sad estate 2 Cor. 2. 7. Satans divices were in it for his own advantage ver 11. Lest Satan get advantage for we are not ignorant of his devices The Lord never useth to maintain contention to cause the spirits of his people to fail Isaiah 57. 16. I will not contend for ever lest the spirit should fail before me nay rather the Spirit of God useth when such troublous motions grow strong and very heavy to put under his hand to revive the Saints spirits when ready to give out through such hurries of sad pressures of heart Isai 57. 15 16. To revive the spirit of the humble for I will not contend for ever lest the spirit should fail before me Hence that Psalm 94. 18 19. In the multitude 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of my wretched thoughts thy comforts delight my soul The Spirit of the Lord will indeed suggest motions of fear but not such as tend to make us break off through their violence but sweetly rather to draw us to hold on in the way of God Jer. 32. 40. I will put my fear into their hearts that they shall not depart from me he gently leadeth his flock as a shepherd Isaiah 40. 11. Yea if the motions were to confidence in God or joy in God but with such violence as to drive men into strange extasies they are to be suspected So in motions puting upon just anger for the ground of it but with so much violence as not to be kept within bounds of godly moderation and temperature of compassion so in motions putting upon desires of something in its time way and proportion very desirable but so all upon the spur and with so much imperiousnesse upon the spirit as though all present service of God and all other thoughts must forthwith give room and place to this motion which is enough to prove the same to bee delusive the Spirit of God using to work regularly and calmly even when he worketh most strongly Sure it is that it is not one and the same Spirit that speaketh to a mans spirit which whilst it was but then called upon to speak to the Lord about such a businesse of weight it is now in such haste and hurry called off to run a long tract of mental discourse so hotly and so closely with some other matter but Cheater like rather coming galloping to overtake the honest Traveller and falling in with him he must all on a sudden be over intreated to step aside to take his kindnesse and then he shall be told he shall on again and dispatch his business in time good enough when it proveth rather to the poor Travellers loss in the close on every hand 3 Such motions which are empty notions carrying a shew of Scripture language 3. When they are but empty notions but are not Scripture haply some piece of Scripture joyned with something else whereof the main is left out So the Divel at first sight seemed to suggest that Scripture Psalm 91. 11 12 He shall give his Angels charge over thee c. Matth. 4. 6. but look it over again and you shall see the main limitation of the Promise To keep thee in all thy wayes is left out as something is added of the Divels owne in bringing this to back the temptation of Christ Cast thy self down for it is written He shall give his Angels charge over thee c. Thus here is chaff mingled with Gods Wheat Yea here is a pretence of a Scripture when in the terms of it there was no such Scripture Scripture in the divel or in his Instruments mouth is as the Parable in the fools mouth Prov. 26. 7. Like to the legs of the lame which are not equal but halting It is pretended Thus saith the Lord by the false Prophets Jer. 23. 17. They say The Lord hath said c. but ver 28. God counts it all but chaff a meer empty husk What is the chaff to the wheat The like may be said of Jerem. 28. 13. and 1 Kings 22. 11. they did but pretend the word and counsel of God
sadnesse and smoak Eccles 7. 5 6. The song of fooles is like the crackling of thorns under a pot Like those that in seeking God Hosea 5. last in their affliction they will seek me early they had such motions of returning to God Hosea 6. 1. Come let us returne to God and of following on to know him verse 3. Then shall we know if we follow on to know the Lord but verse 4. their goodnesse was like the early dâ—w and clouds vanishing away So Psalm 78. 34. in seeking God when he slew them they had motions materially good stirring as verse 35. For they considered that God was their rock and the high God their redeemer But their heart was not right with God neither were they stedfast in his covenant It was then without force upon their hearts which indeed were never sincere and serious but deceitfull But when the spirit moveth upon the face of our souls in any ordinance whether it be in and by motions of conviction or consolation it maketh the spices flow out it causeth the various graces of God in the soule to give their fragrant smel Cant. 4. 16. Awake O North wind and blow O South upon my garden that the spices may flow out When Christ cometh to us in prayer or in any other of his holy ordinances by the motions of his spirit he cometh as showres that water the earth Psal 72. 6. the force thereof mollifieth our souls and makes them fruitfull Isai 44. 3 4. 7. Such motions which are various confused 7 When confused and independent one upon the other or upon the present businesse which then we are in hand with in our prayers Such albeit they may be for the matter of them good yet being not distinct methodicall or seasonable they are not from Gods spirit but from some other delusive spirit Such Items are not words upon the wheeles in due order according to our particular suits c. which are then in motion and agitation Christs lips when he speaketh to us more immediately by his spirit or otherwise they are as lilies dropping sweet smelling myrrhe Cant. 5. 13. His words and motions come not in heaps but orderly drop after drop and pertinently as of the same myrh-like nature all of them as he guideth his truly wise servants so that their tongue useth knowledg aright Prov. 1â— 2. so the fruit of his lips by his spirit floweth forth aptly dependingly in a right order season and manner but those of a delusive spirit they are like sea waves tumultuous independing in no certaine course or channel 8. Such motions materially good which 8 When puffing up the heart put us upon high thoughts of our selves and of our good estates which heave up our spirits they are delusive like those in Zedekiah who was confident that the Lord moved him to speak 1 Kings 22. 11. Thus saith the Lord saith he and that his spirit had been with him verse 21. yet see how proud hee was and how he despised Micaiah who indeed was moved by Gods spirit to speak he smote him on the check saying which way went the Spirit of the Lord from me to speak unto thee The spirits motions in prayer tend to humble rather As in Abrahams praying and saying which am but dust Gen. 18. 26 27. Those lilly like drops from Christs lips of which we spake from Cant. 4. 13. they are as myrrh of a holy funeral abasing and mourning use as myrrhe used about dead bodies to keep them from putrefaction 9. Such motions materially good suggested in prayer which put us upon any breach 9 When putting upon breach of relations of special relations or duties of our callings are delusive As when Jonah thinketh how mercifull a one God is and thence is put upon it to turne aside from his calling to pray at Niniveh Jonah 4. 2. O Lord was not this my saying when I was yet in my countrey therefore I fled before unto Tarshish for I knew that thou are a gracious God and mercifull slow to anger and of great kindnesse and repentest thee of the evil Or if a private man should be followed in praier with Scriptures urging him as he thinketh to cast off civil subjection to higher powers such as 1 Cor. 7. 23. Be not the servants of men Or Mat. 17. 16. Then are the children free or if some private man should be moved in prayer very strongly to kill such or such a wicked Ruler from Ehuds example Jud. 3. 15. Such like motions would be found to be delusive The Apostle to prevent such abuses saith 1 Pet. 2 16 17. As free but not using your liberty as a cloak of maliciousnesse 10. Such things materially good as are 10 When tending to justifie any unwarrantable practice moved in prayer either to justifie some former evil thing in us as Jonah in his praier now mentioned Jonah 4. 2. he reviveth in his mind those former thoughs of Gods gracious nature as a plea whereby to have justified him in that refusal to obey his call to Niniveh O Lord was not this my saying c. Or when they are moved to ground some present distemperd request in prayer as that pretended humble motion of Jobs in prayer Job 7. 11 17 18. What is man that thou visitest him brought in as it may seeme to back his distempered desire not to live any longer in such misery expressed verse 15 16. I loath to live my dayes are vanity and verse 17. what is man c. So 1 Kings 19. 4. distempered Elias saith he is no better then his fathers good yea but it s brought in to plead that God would dispatch his life O Lord take away my life for I am no better then my fathers and this was delusive Lastly when God in judgement ordereth 11 When tending to harden a person in some unsafe way it to some false and perverse seekers of him that some things which they conclude to be good shall be suggested to them whilst seeking of him but in judgement for some inordinacy or hypocrisie in their requests and so in wrath not in mercy God had once told Balaam inquiring of him that hee should not goe with Balaks messengers Num. 22. 12. Thou shalt not go with them and yet out of his covetous mind and desire of the wages of unrighteousnesse he will goe againe to move him for his counsell about going verse 19. Tarry yee here saith he to Balaks second messengers this night that I may know what the Lord will say more to me and ver 20. God came to Balaam at night and sayd to him if the men come to call thee rise up and goe with them Balaam was inordinately set to goe and God when he againe inquireth about going doth in judgement bid him go For ver 32. The angel telleth him behold I went to withstand thee because thy way is perverse before me Ezek. 14 47. Every one that putteth the stumbling block of
earnestly begged and endeavoured yet rests quiet in Gods answer My grace is sufficient for thee saying 2 Cor. 12. 9. 10. Most gladly therefore will I rejoice in my infirmities 7 When means have been thus used with 7. If meanes prosper not search out the cause prayer and yet do not succeed search out the Cause be humbled for it and redress it find out the Achan that troubleth Israel and execute holy vengeance upon him Josh 7 and be not discouraged then to go on using means as Joshuah useth stratagems to take Ai and the men thereof who had the better but then of Israel Josh 7. 8. compared So did Israel after their twofold defeat by Bejamin humble themselvs greatly before God enquire his counsel and use stratagems against Bejamin and prospered Judg. 10. So Paul hiadred oft from going to the Romans to do good among them albeit he prayed and endeavoured it yet was ready to it still Rom. 1. 10 11 13 15. CHAP. V About time time spent in Prayer HAving briefly dispatched this Case about the use of means with praier we shal go on to speak to a fifth Case namely concerning the time to be spent in prayer Quest 5 How long or how short we may be in prayer About time in prayer Much time to be spent in prayer For To which I answer more generally That the space of time is not fixed or limited but the Text plainly sheweth that much time is to be spent in prayer Pray without ceasing implieth be much in praier spend much time about it For 1. The heart is not so suddenly or easily gotten upon the wing yet 1. The heart is not soon elevated in that doth the nature and life of prayer consist It is a lifting up the heart I lift up my heart to thee that is I pray Psa 25. 1. We pray indeed when our hearts are elevated in praier Many weights are oft-times upon our spirits to press them down which are not so easily removed many bonds yea knots in these cords straitning our spirit which are not not easily unlosed we need enlargment of our hearts to run any such way of Gods Commandments We would as men sometimes in their sleep faine cry but there is such a weight upon our brests that wee cannot deadness seizeth upon us and much rubbing is needful ere life is recovered dulness annoieth us and much whetting is requisite ere our hearts get a spiritual edg upon them we may say with the Church Quicken us so will we call upon thee Psa 81. 18. and as Eccl. 10. 7 If the iron be blunt the more pains is taken to sharpen it so it is here with our blunt spirits in prayer 2. The necessities of the souls of the best 2. The souls weighty necessities call to it are so many and weighty that a little time wil not suffice to express them yea it being the trade of a gracious soul to be thus merchandizing his work and business being to be thus pleading his calling as a Saint being to call upon God surely a little time should not be taken up in this his proper imployment 3. As the time in prayer is managed and improved all the rest of our time is either 3. As time is husbanded in prayer other times are better spent blessed or blasted to us That morning that the soul speeds well that day all goeth the better and on the contrary if Jacob see Gods face in prayer the night before he is confident to speed well the next morrow Gen. 32 30. If the Instrument of a Christians spirit be not wel tuned in prayer truly he wil make but bad musick of it all the day after in his calling and imployments If we speed not wel at heavens Court we shal not do so wel in earths Country If at this holy Mart and Port we get not wel stored and full lading we shal make but poor Markets elsewhere But to answer more particularly Sometimes We are to be long in prayer in case in special sort wee are to bee long in prayer other times there are when its meet to be but short We are to be long in praier 1. When some extraordinary occasion of 1. Of more then ordinary occasions the Church or Commonwealth or of our own or other Christians cal for it Prayer of eight hours long was made on that Fast day Neh 9. 3. Nehemiah himself spends whole daies in prayer and fasting Neh. 1. 4. Praiers stretched out upon the Tenters as the Gr. word is Act. 12. 5. was made by the Church for Peters inlargement Upon the calling of Christs twelve Disciples he spent a whole night in praier Luk. 5. 12 13. and so in Families Christians for a time are to be as only sequestred to prayer and fasting sometimes 1 Cor. 7. 5. Abstain with consent for a time that you may give your selves to prayer Ezra 8. 21. 2. When strong and long temptations 2. Of special temptations are upon us Luk. 22. 44. Jesus Christ in that strong and bloody conflict in his soul being in an Agony he prayed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a more extended manner Then the Psalmist cryeth himself hoarse with long crying when in these quagmires that deep pit those deep waters Psal 69. 1. 2 3. I sink in the mire I am weary with crying my throat is dry Lord in trouble they have poured out a prayer to thee Esa 26. 16. They do not onely barely drop but plentifully pour out prayers Then Psal 102. Title A prayer of the afflicted when in distress he poureth out his complaint c. and that prayer following is longer then others When Satan 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Law Adversary doth extend his Pleas against us it s meet that we should enlarge our Counter Pleas for our own soules as the powers of darkness do lengthen and multiply their wrestlings so must we our counter wrestlings of Prayer Eph. 6. 12. 18. We wrestle with principalities and powers and rulers of the darknesse of this world Praying with all manner of prayers c. 3. When some sad trials and sufferings 3. Of Eminent trials are Eminent and approaching then will Jesus Christ spend night after night in prayer not long before his bitter sufferings Compare Luk. 21. 37. with chap. 22 23. For my love they are my Adversaries saith he Psa 109. 4. but I pray or I give my self to prayer whilest they are treacherously plotting my ruine We must lay in a stock a store a magazine of prayers against such a spiritual seige and sorest sufferings wherein if not then so fit to pray we may have the benefit of former prayers 4. When we are in any special spiritual 4. Of spiritual Frames Frames then spread out your sails and hoise them up to receive and improve the wind as long as any spiritual gales last When liberty of speech is granted and given us then speak on When the Cloud filleth the
Temple now is a time if ever for Solomon to make his long prayer there 1 Kings 8. 10 11 12. 22. when we are filled with the spirit we may well continue pouring out prayer 5. When we are not like to live long Christ knowing he had but few dayes to 5. Of death not far off live spent the more time in prayer Luke 21. 22. compared with 1 Pet. 4. 7. now the end of all things is at hand at least to us in particlar therefore be sober and watch unto prayer If Heavens pleaders have but a little while allotted them they had not need loose any of that little time to plead in When such spirituall Merchants are shortly to go out of this country of trading so by prayer they had need bestow themselves to purpose When these travailours are so shortly to take their long journey home they had need improve every sand of Times hour-glass for the dispatch of the remaining part of their prayer-businesse here Sicknesse alloweth but little respit and free space for prayer Other work of the poor soul is so various then and perplexing that it taketh up the whole man to dispatch that And indeed when sincere ones have not long to live they are the fitter for prayer When the Saints are neer the Ocean of Eternity then the Rivulets of Grace in their soules wax stronger Weakly persons which are Godly are so often minded of Eternity and Perpetuity as times successours that they bare an Image of Perpetuity it is deeply Instamped upon them in their Spirituals Obj. But some will say shall not Suppliants then wander and vanish into forbidden Repetitions if they are long in prayer Answ 1. The Saints are and may be Repetitions in prayer lawful helped with such holy variety that unlawful Repetitions may be avoyded as might be evinced by many Reasons if need were 2. We distinguish of Repetitions in prayer some are lawful some are unlawful The Scripture frequently giveth us instances of lawful Repetitions as Amos 7. 2. 5. It is twice repeated by whom shall Jacob arise for he is small And in Solomons prayer 1 Kings he oft repeateth this clause then hear thou in Heaven thy dwelling place and forgive c. vers 30. 39. c. of this sort of lawful Repetitions in prayer are these First such which are wrung from the strength of pinching necessities or temptations as when Christ was so hard bestead First which are wrought from extremities in the Garden he oft even a third time spake the same words Intreating his Father that if it were his will that the Cup might pass Mat. 26. 39. 42. 44. and chap. 27. 46. Eli Eli Lamasabachthani My God My God why hast thou forsaken me So Paul in a like sort besought God thrice in the same manner 2 Cor. 12. 7 8. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice that it might depart from me like children in great pain when they are to tell where it is they iterate and reiterate this cry O here here here O here or like men in a ditch or among thieves iterating this out cry help help help or as prisoners in straits crying bread bread for the Lords sake bread a little bread for Christs sake or as it is with men when their house is on fire in the night they cry fire fire fire Secondly such Repetitions wherein the heart is carried out with equall Secondly wherein the heart is lively strength of feeling and holy affections at a third as at a first time so was Christ in his Iterated cryes He made supplication with strong crying and teares So Dan. 9. 17 18 19. often Iterateth O Lord hear when there is in a gracious supplicant so much strength of love desire and esteem and sutable wreachings after mercies begged that the soul is not content to speak once but it must speak it over and over againe As friends when commending some business of greatest weight to their friends care they will be often repeating be sure you forget me not in such or such a thing So is it here in making known our requests to God Or as it is with a cry uttered with greatest strength it causeth the Iteration of a like Echo so is it here when repetitions in prayer are the Echoes of strong cryes of spirit as it is when a Ball is banded with great strength it maketh many rebounds so is it when the heart is carried out with great strength of holy affections it is apt to make these holy rebounds of such repetitions or as a Bell which having been but then ringing doubles and redoubles its knoles from the strength put forth in its ringing So will the gracious heart be giving many reiterated lifts and those sounding out in like expressions of the lips in prayer Hence that reiterated desire of the Saints Psal 72. 19. Amen and Amen 3. Such Repetitions in prayer are lawful 3. Which spring from saith exercised which spring from some strong workings of saith in the expectation of mercies such was that Iterated cry and prayer Amen even so which is the sence oâ— the same Come Lord Jesus come quickly as believing Christs word then mentioned Loe I come quickly Revel 22. 20. So Psal 89. 50 51. the Psalmist concluding that God had heard his prayer saith Blessed be the Lord Amen and Amen such was that frequent repetition of Davids in his prayer to God to blesse his house as building upon the truth of his promise for that end of which see 2 Sam. 7. 25 26 27 29 thus is faith letting down the same bucket into the well which is presented to it when the believing soule heareth assuredly that its friend the Lord is within hearing It knocketh thus again and again in the same sort as before 4. Such repetitions in prayer which 4 Which spring from love spring from love or are accompanied with speciall delight and spirituall stirring of heart in the very mention thereof such was their reiterated cry in solemn worship of God Holy holy holy Lord God Almighty Revel 4. 8. such straines of love and holy delight may often be reiterated in holy musicall divisions as I may call them albeit there be little variation Look as where a speech is pleasing a motion is wont to be made to heare that over again so here the spirit of Christ liking to hear us speak so very favourly and sincerely in this or that passage in prayer may bid us speak that again In sundry passages of the Saints prayers the holy Ghost in speciall manner spake in them and with them and such like double speeches of Gods Saints and Spirit speaking together may well be repeated But yet there are Repetitions in prayer Repetitions in prayer unlawfull 1 When affected which are unlawfull as 1. Such which are affected as streines of eloquence uttered in a Rhetoricall way Such were those of the Gentiles Matth. 6. 7 8. Vse not repetitions as the
pray and plead first ere he wil answer us Christ prevented Zacheus and bad himselfe to his house Luke 19. 5. Zacheus come down quickly for I must abide at thine house to day yet usually he went to no house but he was first invited which maketh way to answer another objection Obj. 3. God may and doth bestow upon his people many desirable blessings without so much a doe in pleading for them The penitent thiefe did but say Lord remember me when thou commest into thy Kingdome and Christ presently answered him This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Luke 23. 42 43. and the Publican did but cry Lord be mercifull to me a sinner and he went away justified Luke 18. 13 14. And David did but in a short ejaculatory Psal 3 way seek the Lord and he delivered him from all his feares Answ 1. Some extraordinary examples doe not take away from the force and course of an ordinary rule in this businesse of prayer nor any other 2. The cases of the Saints may be such and so circumstantiated that a few broken expressions may be as much yea more in them and from them then many pleas in themselves or others in other cases and at other times As in the poor thiefe incompassed with so much sense of guilt of his former leud courses with bodily tortures feare of death c. So in David in that instant when he changed his behaviour before Abimelech Psal 34. title So in cases of poore tempted Saints under bonds bolts and keepers as it were and with heavy weights upon their spirits They make short cries in depths Psal 130. 1. 3. God wil sometimes order passages for peculiar examples of his royall bounty that none may glory in man nor in prayers nor in pleas although acted therein by the spirit of grace and that none may be dismayed albeit they cannot sometimes plead the cases of their souls 4. The Scripture in recording the Saints prayers doth not alwaies expresse all but rather setteth down the summe and substance of what was uttered by them 5. In short prayers there may be couched many pleas as in that of the Publicans prayer wherein almost every word includeth a secret plea. As that term of Lord is a plea of respect to an humble servants request so that be propitious includeth pleas from Gods own mercy and Christs merits So that to me a sinner that is chiefest of sinners it was a very plea for grace to him that was such a one in his own sight and sense To be sure he had a pleading spirit in him Obj. 4. God is not as man to be moved by our pleas but abideth unchangeable in his purposes of what he wil doe so that as he said to Samuel touching Saul 1 Sam. 16. 1. Why mournest thou for Saul seeing I have rejected him God is not as man to repent what pleas soever are made to the contrary 1 Sam. 28. 15. God answereth me not saith Saul neither by Vrim nor by Prophets Lord Lord plead they in Luke 13. 25 26. have we not eaten and drunken in thy presence And Matth. 7. 21 22 23. Have we not prophesied in thy name and in thy name cast out divels but both in vain I know you not saith the Lord depart from me c. Ans 1. It s true Amidst Gods divers expressings of himselfe to us sometimes as frowning sometimes as smiling there is no change with God God is the same when he carrieth it to us as willing or when as unwilling to hearken to us because by an immutable act of his counsel he ordered it to carry it so diversly towards us in his dispensations 2. It s true also that there is nothing done in time but the Lord decreed it immutably before all time as that he would confer upon his people such and such a mercy but in such a way of moving them to pray and plead for it 3. It s true also that there is a time when pleas availe not as 1. For a time and so the Lord may expresse distaste and carry it as one that is angry with his own yea when pleading in prayer The Church pleadeth Psal 80. 1. Heare why so O thou shepheard of Israel c. yet vers 4. expostulateth Why art thou so long angry with the prayers of thy people yet were their pleas and prayers and teares treasured up for a fit season of help 2. For ever namely in case of expiration and ending of the date of the day and season of grace with any Prov. 1. 28. They shall seek me early and not finde me 4. Albeit the Lord be not moved by our pleas yet are our pleas his ordinance and therefore we are to attend thereto and they are an ordinary way and meanes in the use whereof God will give promised mercies yea they are a means which the Spirit of God maketh use of to move and quicken up our sense and feeling of such and such wants our desire of such and such mercies and our faith in such and such promises or attributes of God or the like to put us upon the serious urging of such and such holy pleas in our prayers Now we come to the second thing propounded namely what pleas we are to use in our prayers to the Lord. There are in arguing the cases and intricacies of our soules spirituall Topick places as I may call them certaine radicall notions in God and Christ and the Word which yield fruitfull and forcible arguments in this our holy discourse and reasoning with God true it is that it is not every puny in Christianity that can raise so aply seasonably strongly plentifully and graciously such prevailing pleas some are but Juniors and Freshmen in the schoole of Christ others are Senior Students in this holy Logick there is much skill required to become one of Heavens Barristers But for the better help and direction in Pleas with God respecting himselfe as from his own name this Art and fruitfull practice thereof let us reduce these pleas to three heads Some respect God some our selves some others Briefly then of some pleas respecting God and there we finde the Scripture recording some approved and as I may say unanswerable pleas As first the engagement of his own name in the cases before him When a petitioner hath such skill in pleading his suit that he can prudently involve the petitioned party in his case and so make it as well the case of the petitioned as of the petitioner this with men is undeniable pleading So is it here with God thus Exod. 32. 11 12. Why doth thy wrath wax hot c. Wherefore should the Aegyptians speak and say for mischiefe did the Lord bring them out to slay them in the mountaine c. As if he had said Lord I say not how the name of thy grace wisdome faithfulnesse and long-suffering may suffer in the eyes and hearts of thy professed people if thou shouldest deny my request but
preparations to prayer this stoppeth the flowing and spreading of holy desires to grace yea it banketh out the continued course of the spirits influences 7 From carelesnesse and improvidence 7 Carelesness and improvidence either in putting our selves upon straits of time and so the duty is performed in a hurry and no wonder the spirit in such a case as pent up from so specious a pretence at first There is not now time therefore what need inlargements Brevity is more seasonable and so by frequent inuring our selves to be thus straitned outwardly for a time our spirits by little and little are conformable thereunto or in heedlesse admiring other vain and impertinent thoughts which take up roome in the soul that they crowd better thoughts into corners 8 From curious puzling our selves about 8 Curiosity comprehending and conceiving of God without reference to the present matter in mention in prayer In this work after the soul hath in vaine toyled it selfe and made nothing of it it gathereth to it self discouragement and hath no list to speak any more in so Athiestical a sort as at such a time it will be apt to conclude whereby it cometh to passe that the wheels of the soul wanting the oyle of joy and delight they stick and cannot bee readily turned about Such straining of our strings too high doth but occasion some cracking in them and thereby our musick is marred for that time when our spirits are once nonplust as they will soon be in such transcendent mental discourses of a subject past their comprehension or inquisition they then blush and the shame thereof putteth them to silence like some petitioner to a King so taken up in speaking to him with many circumlocutions touching his excellency majesty greatnesse and glory c. that hee hath forgot what hee came about and is not able to recover expressions of his request so is it here The second thing propounded now cometh Helps against straitnings in prayer to consideration namely the means of cure of such straitnings in prayer and they are these 1 Be wee sensibly apprehensive of the sad and evil plight of a spirit straitned in prayer Such prisoners which mourn in the 1 Sensible apprehensions of the evils of such straitnings sense of their thraldome and of their pent and confined condition are in the ready way to liberty in all the wayes of God and so in this of prayer Is 61. 1. A broken heart will break this deep silence and to help our apprehensions herein consider but how sad it is to be tongue-tyed otherwise Mark 7 32 34. The Lord Christ sighs over it and you see with what difficulty it is cured ibid. Such are usually as deafish in hearing the word as they are spiritually tongu-tyed they are straitned in hearing as well as praying dispositions the Saints are never more inlarged in praying then when their spirits are much straitned quickned and inlarged Evils of such straitnings in hearing and so on the contrary men that have ears but hear not have not spiritual use of their ears they have mouths and speak not they have not the fruitfull use of their mouths in prayer yea such a dumb distemper in prayer is attended with spiritual lamenesse and halting in the wayes of God in walking wherein they make little progresse Hence is it that the Prophet prophesieth of spiritual dumbnesse and lamenesse to be cured at once Isai 35. 6. How miserable and uncomfortable is the case of a man otherwise dumb every one will easily conceive and truly this spiritual tongue-tyed condition far exceeds the misery of that as might be easily demonstrated When a man which hath spoken is taken speechlesse how sad is it accounted in all that behold it or heare of it Alas saith one heard you not of such a sad thing befallen such a one he hath lost his speech if he could but expresse his mind it would never grieve his friends so much but alas he is suddenly taken speechlesse so might much more be said of such a Christian Hence a speechlesse condition is inflicted upon the unprepared guest as a sad Omen and fore-runner of his after doom Matth. 22. 12. It was the next and first effect of divine wrath upon such professours and it is well if it be not the case of many that hear me this day Ah how sad is it to hear ones tongue cut out as I may say nay suppose it be but gagged by the enemies of our souls like notorious theevs first robbing us of the treasure of our peace leaving us Conscience wounded and then gagging of us lest by our out-cryes unto heaven they should soon be pursued and attached and executed O the weight such poor soules feel but know not how to remove the same they would faine crye as men oppressed in their sleep and tell how sad it is with them but they cannot What to be thrown into a dungeon and to be in a manner forbidden all meanes to send to or speak with either our heavenly father or our elder brother and chiefe tryed friend Jesus Christ How sad is this What not to be so much as at prison liberty even to beg out of the very grate This is most sad sure wee are in for some great matter of fact else wee should not bee left under such straits Begging is but a poor trade you will say yea but whilst we are at liberty to beg for our soules livelihood it is comfortable it is hopefull but when even that poor trade faileth us verily all will yeild that this case is much to be lamented O how must such needs wast and pine away like that dumb person mentioned in the Gospel Mark 9. 17 18. How will such run upon desperate adventures like him that sometimes casteth himselfe into the water sometimes into the fire and what more contrary one unto the other Yet verily if not upheld thus will these doe in that want of this free spirit a free spirit it is an upholding spirit from all such distempers How unthankfully do such walk if their mouths be not opened God hath little prayse from them Open thou my lips and my mouth shall shew forth thy prayse Psal 51. 15. Sad are their cases all the while all these sweets are in their sense at least in their experience restrained from them whilst their hearts are hardned congealed as it were shut up fast closed Isa 63. 15 17. The Church which complaineth of her heart as hardned complaineth likewise of Gods mercies as restrained from her this black of a straitned spirit will appeare the more by comparing of it with the white of a free spirit which is free in prayer and other holy Duties What David said of his case is true in this that it argueth that the Lord delighteth in us when hee delivereth us ever and anon from this straitned condition and setteth us at a holy liberty in our spirits the Lord delighteth in such of
words and commands of God he saith that therefore he will walk at liberty Psa 119. 45. When a Christian is conscious to himselfe of any witting carelesness in the service of God or any secret Treachery and falseness of heart in his grounds or aims therein this appaleth him and so straitneth him 6. Improve wee heedfully the Word 6. Improve the Word preached or read preached and read When we continue in Christs word attending to it and on it then we come to know the Truth and to be set free Joh. 8. 31 32. We gain oft times many precious loosenings of our spirits in the attentive use of the Word preached Mat. 16 19. Our spirits and consciences so freed on earth are the freer in heaven too in respect of their free approaches thither and sutable entertainments thence 7. Lastly Repair and cherish we our Joy 7. Cherish holy joy in God and Christ and his Covenant and our hearts being thereby inlarged will be freer to run in this or any other way of Gods Commandments Psalm 119. 32. I will run the wayes of thy Commandments when thou hast enlarged my heart The third thing propounded cometh Differences betwixt others straitnings and that of the Saints which now to be answered namely How this straitning in prayer incident to the Saints may be discerned from that judiciary speechlesness mentioned Mat. 22. 12. He became speechless And from that sad doom of hypocrites whose gifts of prayer and the like come to be so miserably diminished so far to decay that they cannot pray in any sort as formerly their gift is in a manner taken from them Mat. 13. 12. From him shall be taken away even that which he hath To which I answer 1. That the straitness incident to the Saints it is not perpetual albeit they are kept a 1. Is not perpetual while under some restraint yet they are many times set at liberty again Isai 61. 1. As David and others have been and are True it is that some of the people of God may lye longer by it then others and God may keep their feet in the stocks as Jobs phrase is Job 13. longer then others for wise and holy ends some again are shut up lesse while yet both the one and the other are inlarged at length They for a time be bound asn iearth so in heaven like Excommunicants but yet as that bound incestuous Corinthian was again loosed 2 Cor. 2 so is it with these But it is otherwise with Reprobates and Hypocrites when Judiciary straitning seiseth upon them These chains of theirs are chains of darknesse and in them are kept too without bail or mainprise Their straitning groweth fast upon them until that after a while both their words and will and spirit and all fail them in prayer 2. That is not total and universal as is 2 It is not total the other That speechlesness in hypocrites is accompanied with binding hand and foot Matth. 22. 12 13. In all Ordinances as well as prayer their spirits are shut up and to no service of God are they free but the Saints when straitned in prayer yet oftentimes meet with some inlargement of heart in meditation as the Church which found not God in publick or private Ordinances Cant. 3. 1 2 3 4. yet in reflecting Meditation upon what the Watch-men the Ministers spake therein she found Christ Sometimes in conference with other Christians whilst sadly complaining of their deserted estate even therein they meet with Christ 3 The occasion of that in the Saints 3. Hath not the like occasions as Reigning unbelief may be some particular defeat in them or some particular distemper on their part But the cause of this in the other is a total want of true Faith and Repentance they have not that wedding garment Matth. 22. 11 12. and hence become speechlesse when called to an account for it Or Unprofitableness some universal barrenness and unprofitablenesse as in the slothful servant that doth not at all or to any purpose improve his Talent and therefore it is taken from him Matth. 25. 18 28. and chap. 13. 12. But from him that hath not shall be taken away that which he hath Or it is occasioned by some Implacableness high-handed contempt of reconciliation to some of Gods people whom they have injured who thereupon commit their cause to God as the Judg of all and God thereupon as a Judg delivereth them over to perpetual imprisonment as Matth. 5. 24 25 26. Or else it is occasioned from some gross contemptuous undervaluing and unworthy Hard thoughts of God apprehensions of God as when the Hypocrite conceiveth God to be a most hard and unmerciful Master Matth. 25. 24 25 28. Or else a man is haply of an unmerciful and implacable spirit towards others and therefore God justly delivers him to a perpetual imprisoned condition even in this life in respect of his Spirit like to that Matth. 18. 30 34. Or it may be such a one Resting in gifts received doth wilfully rest in some sprinklings of gifts of grace received without due care of continual supply for the future as well as for the present They care not for a heart as well as a brain Treasury and so like foolish virgins come at length to be fatally scanted of oyl Matth. 25. 3 4 8. When there is no care of multiplying and adding to grace received they come at length to lose their light and vigour of gifts as 2 Pet. 1. 5 6 7. 8. but he that lacketh these things or holy additionals mentioned is blinde or cannot see a far off c. 4. The ministry of Gods servants useth 4 Is not usually by the ministry of the word not to bind but rather to loose those ever and anon they meet with some word of Grace that inlargeth their heart to God-ward and in his wayes Christ by his ministers saith to such sometimes as Isai 49. 8 9. Go forth be not ashamed to shew your faces before the Lord. The Gospel preached by the spirit of Christ effectually proclaimeth their liberty Isai 61. 1. Joh. 8. 31. But these are bound by the servants of God which were sent out to loose others Matth. 22. 10 13. some Prophet is made an instrument as to shut their eyes and ears so their hearts and mouths Isai 6. 10. Some Peter some minister in his preaching bindeth them Matth. 16. 19. 5. The former in their straitnings are very sensible of the burden and evil thereof 5 Is not accompanied with senslesnesse of it although not able to get at liberty Such prisoners are broken hearted and do mourn Isai 61. 1 2. when they cannot utter their minds in prayer they can sigh Rom. 8. â—6 when their mouths are not open to those free will offeringâ— of prayer and praise mentioned Psal 119. 108. Yet they offer that sacrifice of a broken heart Psal 51 15. compared with verse 11. yea it maketh them