The Zealous Christian Taking Heaven by Holy Violence

TO THE CHRISTIAN READER.

T HE good acceptance which this Authors Treatises, (already published by us) have found, and the good success they have had among the people of God, together with the importunate desires of many godly persons that were 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 SERMONS, have put us upon recommending them to the World. The subject of those Sermons is not only Pipus but Seasonable, Every thing (saith Solomon) i • beautiful in its season, Eccles. 3. 11. The times wherein we live are famous for a Ferm of godliness, and, no less infamous for the want of the Power of it. Nothing is more common then for men to hear and pray, and perform the outside-duties of Religion. Nothing more rare then for man to do these things as becomes the Gospel. Men have so inured themselves to disputes about the Circumstantials of Worship, that Substantials are lost in the scuffle. And therefore it is commendable in a Minister to reduce the thoughts and hearts of people from needless controversies to the practicals of Christianity. As Socrates was commended for bringing down Philosophy from high and sublime speculation, to use and practice.

It was the case of this Reverend Author, not so much to gratify the fancies of men, as to work upon their affections, and to direct them in the ordering of their conversation: and that the father, because he observed most men had more heat in their Brains, then in their Hearts. That zeal that once appeared in the Professors of this Nation, is evaporated. That violence that sometimes was in the people of this Nation after Sermons and all Ordinances, is now abated, and grown remiss; nay, in some, the hatred wherewith they hate the Ordinances and people of God, is greater then ever was the love wherewith they loved them. That praying Spirit, that not long ago was shed abroad in the hearts of God's people, is now as it were departed.

It is therefore high time to be speak this careless Nation, or rahter the Professors of this Nation, with that message which GOD sent to the Church of Ephesus, Remember from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do thy first works, or else I will come against thee quickly, and remove thy Candlestick out of his place.

And oh! may these ensuing Sermons be useful to revive those sparks of zeal and importunity, that lie as it were under the ashes. That was the end which the Author aimed at when he preached them to his Congregation, and that is a main end that we look to and hope for in the publication of them. The times wherein we live are times of much hypocrisy. There are many among us that say they are Jews, and are not, that have a name to live, and are dead: yea, there are many that seem to be religious, and yet not only deceive others, but also deceive, their own selves. And therefore it is time for every man to search and try if there be any way of wickedness in him. All is not gold that glisters, nor are all Saints that so call themselves, or are so called by others.

Here then is a Touch-stone by which you may examine yourselves: Here is a Balance of the Sanctuary, wherein you may weigh your graces, and see whether they be light or no. It is one of the vainest and most foolish things in the world for men to cheat themselves of eternal happiness. We count it folly for a man to suffer himself to be cheated in a bargain, and yet what is lost in one bargain may be regained in another. But here he that is cheated, is cheated irrecoverably. The loss of the soul is irreparable. Precious is the redemption of souls, and it ceaseth forever. And yet there is a strange stupidity among the sons of men, whereby they are willing to be deceived, and jugled out of their soul-happiness. They are willing to rest themselves upon any groundless presumption, though it be so weak that they dare not put it to trial in their own hearts, themselves being Judges. O all you poor deluded souls! How long will you love vanity, and follow after lies? When you may go a sure way, why will you run a hazard? Awake therefore O thou that sleepest, and seriously betake thyself to this weighty, necessary and profitable duty of examination; and in this work we hope this Treatise will be useful and acceptable; which if it be done, and the other branch not left undone, the Authors desire in preaching is satisfied, and our expectation in publishing answered; and that both those ends may be obtained, is the earnest desire of

T His Text is part of the largecommendation that Christ gives of the person and Ministry of John the Baptist. John was a crier in the wilderness to publish the glory of Christ, and Christ an Herald to proclaim the praise of John. And this he doth,

1 For his constancy in the doctrine of Religion, verse. 7. What went you out to see? a read shaken with the wind? a light, fickle, and inconstant Preacher, that like a reed turns with every wind of doctrine. John was no such man, not like a reed, to yield to the stream or blast of every wind, but like the oak or cedar that stands immovably in the midst of the greatest storms.

2 For his holiness and high measure of mortification, verse. 8. What went you out to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? John was no such man. He was not at all addicted to the garb and pomp of the Court, but He had a raiment of camels hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins, Matth. 3. 4.

3 By comparing him with the former Prophets, with those Teachers that went before him, verse. 9. What went you out to see? a Prophet? Yea, I say to you, and more then a Prophet. & v. 11. Verily I say unto you. Amongst them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater then John the Baptist. He gives him the precedency above all his predecessors; not in regard of the dignity of his office, but in respect of the perspicuity of his doctrine. Yet lest he might be proud himself, or others too much admire him, it is added by way of qualification in the end of the 11 verse, He that is least in the Kingdom of heaven is greater then he. Those Disciples and Apostles that should live after the resurrection of Christ, (from whence the Gospel or Kingdom of heaven is dated) should be greater then John, in regard of that full knowledge and clear manifestation they should have of Christ.

4 He commends him for the successefulnesse of his Ministry, and that is set forth in the Text: From the days of John the Baptist the Kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. A little for the explication of the Text.

By the kingdom of heaven] is not meant the glorious seat of the blessed Angels, but the Evangelical state of the Christian Church. It signifies the preaching of the Gospel, and propagation of the Church. It notes that state and condition of the Church which is properly called Christian. The Kingdom of heaven is in Scripture interpreted a breaking off from the observation of the Ceremonial law, and a publishing of the Gospel by John the Baptist, and so it begun when John did first preach the Gospel. And whereas Matthew tells us, Matth. 3. 1. John preached, saying, Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand. Mark calls this, The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, Mark 1. 1. And therefore it is that John is called an Evangelical Preacher.

Suffereth violence] Violence is not to be taken as it is in our days of opposition, and as in the days of persecution; as it is in our days in opposition to right and justice, and as it was at the first coming in of the Gospel, when the wicked men of the world did go about to oppose and obstruct the publishing of the Gospel, but it is an holy violence whereby men press forward to obtain the grace of this Kingdom. And so it is generally taken to be an holy violence of affection, or a gracious disposition that was implanted and wrought in the hearts of many men in John Baptists days.

Violence is here opposed to lukewarmness and moderation in Religion, to that coldness and frozennesse that is in the hearts of men under the preaching of the Word. It is called an holy violence, to distinguish between them that were Christians indeed and other men; to distinguish them from the Scribes and Pharisees that were cold and frozen under the Ministry of the Cospel. They were so earnest after Christ in the Gospel, that no difficulties or discouragements could take them off from their pursuits after Christ. 'They were so greedy of Christ, that no force could pluck them away, but they would rather die then be drawn away from the Gospel. It is a metaphor taken from warriors, who force their passage into a City, and take it by storm, and divide the spoil. The parallel phrase is, Luk. 16. 16. Every man presseth into the Kingdom of God.

For the period of time wherein this violence was declared and expressed; it was in the 15th. year of Tiberius, as you read, Luke 3. 1. in the 29th. year of Christ.

Many doctrines may be raised from these words, but I shall not multiply observations. The first and main doctrine is taken from the time wherein this violence was, and the doctrine is this.

[Doct.] At the first promulgation of the Gospel the preaching of the Word was more successful, multitudes of men did express more holy violence and vehemency of affection towards the service and worship of God then in any age beside. From the days of John the Baptist until now the Kingdom of heaven suffereth violence. The people were cold and frozen under the Ministry of the Scribes and Pharisees, they were heated under the Ministry of John.

In the handling of this point two Questions must be answered.

1 Whence it came to pass that people were at that time so fervent and affectionate towards the Gospel, that the Gospel was so successful then?

2 Whence it comes to pass that it is no more successful now, or why that holy violence is now abated?

1 What are the reasons why it was so successful in the days of John the Baptist? I answer, divers reasons may be rendered.

[Reson 1] 1 Because of the novelty of the Gospel. New things are most affecting and pleasing to man's nature. This was the ground of the people's admiration at Christ, Mark 1. 27. They were all amazed, saying, What new Doctrine is this? For with authority commandeth he the unclean spirits, and they obey him We are like to the Athemans, of whom it is written, Act. 17. 21. They spent their time in nothing else but either to tell or to hear some new thing. While Johns Ministry was new and fresh, all rejoiced in it, John 5. 35. Ye were willing for a season to rejoice in hulight. And so the Ministry of Paul was most successful among the Thessalonians in the beginning of it, 1 Thess. 2. 1. You know our entrance in unto you, that it was not in vain. It was Melanchthons observation, that men were favorers and followers of the Gospel when it first came into a place.

[Reson 2] Another ground of the successefulnesse of the Gospel at that time is this: Because the prophecies of the Old Testament were to be accomplished, both for the extension of the Church in regard of place and persons, and the intention of affection. 1 For the extension of the Church in regard of place and persons: That was fore-spoken of in Holy Writ, Isa. 54. 1, 2. Sing, Oh barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud thou that didst not travel with child: for more are the children of the desolute then the children of the married wife, saith the Lord. Enlarge the place of thy tents, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations; spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes, &c Which place is applied by Paul to the conversion of the Gentiles upon the first promulgation of the Gospel, Gal 4. 27. where he cites the very words of the first verse now mentioned.

Another prophecy of the same nature you have, Isa. 2. 2. It shall come to pass in the lust days that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills, and all Nations shall flow unto it. Which promise in the same words is repeated, Micab 4. 1. Another promise of the same nature is Isa 60. 3, 4, 5. and in many other places, which it is needless now to mention.

2 There were promises also for the intention of the affections, Isa. 40. 31. They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles. The eagle is a bird of the strongest and highest flight of any that flies in the air. So 12 Zach. 8. In that day he that is feeble shall be as David, and the house of David shall be as God. So 110 Psal. 3. It is prophesied of the first bringing in of the Gospel, that Thy people shall be a willing people in the day of thy power. And this was to be when God should send forth the rod of his power out of Zion, as it is verse. 2 You know what Hushai said of David, 2 Samuel 17. 8. He and his men were mighty men, and chased in their minds as a Bear robbed of her whelps in the field. And yet he that is feeble shall be as David. Deodate refers this promise to the beginning of the Gospel, and so Cartwright. That is the second reason.

[Reson 3] 3 The Lord did this to put a greater glory upon the Gospel, and to raise the estimation of it in the hearts of men: for had the Gospel had but a few converts, and had it had but a little success at the first promulgation of it, the people would not so much have taken notice of it, neither would they so much have admired it, nor so highly esteemed of it, as they did.

[Reson 4] 4 This comes to pass because of the perspicuity of the doctrine of the Gospel above that of the law. The Gospel came now to be preached to the people's capacity more then it was in the time of the law. Though it is true, that pure Gospel for the substance of it was preached in the time of the Law, yet not so plainly as in the time of the Gospel. For the law is nothing else but a dark Gospel, and the Gospel nothing else but a clear law. The law was hid and veiled under dark shadows and ceremonies: But the Gospel was clear and evident. This you have fully set forth, 2 Cor, 3. 15. When Moses was read, there was a veil upon their hearts, v. 6. and when they turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away. And verse. 18. But we all with open face behold as in a glass the glory of the Lord, &c. This is also foretold, Isa. 30. 26. at the promulgation of the Gospel, The light of the Moon shall be as the light of the Sun, and the ligho of the Sun shall be sevenfold as the light of seven days, &c.

[Reson 5] 5 Because of that great and glorious liberty which the Gospel instated them in above the law, I do not mean sensual, but a Christian and holy, a Gospel-liberty. Thus Baptism was appointed in the room of Circumcision. Our Savior made this proffer, Come unto me, all you that are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest, Matth. 11. 28. Which place is not only to be understood of laboring under the burden of sin, but also under the bondage and yoke of the Ceremonial law, under all those costly, painful and toilsome rites imposed upon them: which were a yoke that neither they nor their fathers were able to bear, as Peter speaks of Circumcision, Acts 15. 10. And so you have the reasons for the Gospels success in the days of John. And thus much for the first question.

The second question is this. How comes it to pass that the Ministry of the Word is not so successful now as it was in the days of the first preaching of it? I anwer, many reasons may be given. Some from the Minister, some from the people.

1 In regard of the Minister, and they are five.

[Reson 1] Because Ministers are not so powerful in preaching, and exemplary in life as John was, Joh. 5. 35. He was a burning and a shining light. There was his zeal in preaching, there was the holiness of his conversation. Luke 1. 16. And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God, and he shall go before them in the spirit and power of E lias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, &c. Nazianzen said of Basil, that he thundered in his doctrine, and lightened in his life.

[Reson 2] Ministers preach not the Gospel so purely and perfectly as John did, Mark 1. 1. John preached the Gaspel of Jesus Christ. Verse 3. He preached repentance and remission of sins. Although John did bring in the Gospel, yet withal he preached up duties, and not cried down duties; he pressed on duties, and did not cast them off; he did earnestly press on the duties of the moral law, he preached repentance, whereas many Ministers now a days account this but a legal and servile work not fit for Christians under the Gospel to be employed about, not fit for Ministers to preach, or people to hear. And this is one great reason why men take up such sinful liberty to follow their own ways and lusts, and by which means the Gospel comes to be the less successful. But this you see was far from Johns mind and temper; for, said he, Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand, Matth. 3. 2. Oh generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? was our Savior's language, Matth 22. 33. Jerem. 23. 22. But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings: and 32. Behold, I am against them that prophesy false dreams, saith the Lord, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them, therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith the Lord. 2 Cor. 4. But we have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in crastinesse, nor handling the Word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. It doth enervate and emasculate the power of the Word to have it mixed with falsehoods. Much truth is preached in the Church of Rome, yet conversion is not ordinarily amongst them, because they adulterate the truth by many errors.

The Scribes did little good by their preaching, because they did mingle so many ungrounded traditions which they taught without any authority, Matth. 7. 29. Christ taught as one having authority, and not as the Scribes.

[Reson 3] 3 Because Ministers preach not so plainly as John did, either in matter, method, or manner of expression. 1 Cor. 14. part of the 5 verse,—Greater is he that prophesieth then he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the Church may receive edifying. Many Preachers are like Heraclitus, who was called the dark Doctor, they affect sublime notions, obscure expressions, uncouth phrases, not making difficult truths plain, but plain truths difficult. They darken counsel by words without knowledge, Job 38. 2.

[Reson 4] 4 Because Ministers preach not so methodically as John did. Matth. 3. 2. John preached, saying, Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at band; Mark saith, the Gospel begun with Johns Ministry, Mark. 1. 1. and his doctrine began with repentance Men take up other methods nowadays, and so prove unsuccessefull.

[Reson 5] 5 Because there is not that harmony among Ministers now that was formerly. John preached what the Prophets taught, and Christ trod in Johns steps, and the Apostles exactly agreed with and continued in the doctrine of their predecessors. But now in our time Ministers are divided; one preacheth one thing, another preacheth another thing; and this doth very much trouble the minds of people, and makes many stumble at the word, and so the Gospel proves unsuccessefull.

2 This comes to pass from the people, and that for four reasons.

1 People do more question the office, and calling of the Ministry now then they did question Johns. Matth. 21. 26. —All men hold John as a Prophet. The reason why Paul's Ministry was ineffectual to many Corinihians was this; because they questioned his calling, and therefore he labors to vindicate his Apostolical authority all along the Epistle. This doth take off that awe and majesty that should be in men to the Word. As on the contrary, the reason why the Ministry of Paul was so effectual to the Thessalonians, was this: Because when they received the Word of God, they received it not as the word of men, but (as it is in truth) as the Word of God, which effectually worketh in them that believe, 1 Thess. 2. 13. I know that some question the lawfulness of our Ministry upon this ground, because miracles do not attend our preaching, as they did at the first promulgation of the Gospel. But this is no just reason, and (that I may remove this obstacle of the success of the Gospel) I shall by the way briefly disprove it.

1 John had his calling from heaven, Mat. 21. 25, 26. and yet John did no miracle, John 10. 41.

2 Miracles are not necessary now as they were at the first planting of the Gospel. There was more need of miracles then that the people might give attendance to the Ministry in those days. The Jews require a sign, 1 Cor. 1. 22. 1 Cor. 14. 22. Tongues are for a sign not to them that believe, but to them that believe not, but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe,

3 Miracles were signs of the Apostleship but not of the Ministry, 2 (or. 12. 12. The signs of an Apostle were wrought among you,—in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds. Timothy and Titus could work no miracles, yet no man doubts of their authority. So that want of miracles doth not at all invalidate the authority of the Ministry. So I have removed the first impediment of the success of the Gospel in our days:

That is the first reason.

[Reson 2] The long continuance of the Word makes it unsuccessefull, (such is the corruption of men's hearts.) The nature of man is for new things, and in tract of time the love of men to the Word is eaten out, whereas at the first people flocked to the Gospel, as Doves to the windows, yet afterward they grew careless and negligent in God's Ordinances. Manna at first was loved, but afterwards it cloyed the Israelites, and they loathed it. Many men are Christ and Gospel glutted.

[Reson 3] Another reason is, because Discipline is not joined with Doctrine. The Church is the garden of God, the Doctrine is the flowers of this garden, Discipline is the hedge. Neither Christ nor John the Baptist by their coming would destroy the government of the Church among the Jews, and when that was taken down Christ set up another in its stead. Now look, as it is in a State, the intervals of government breed many State-heresies, if I may so call them, mutinies, factions, and parties among the people, interrupting the peace of the land: So it is in the Church, when the reins of government are let loose, in-come errors and disorders; and the good seed is choked by that means.

[Reson 4] 4 This comes to pass from the dis-use of family-duties. The reason why the reformation succeeded so well in Germany was because the people's catechizing went along with Luther's preaching. It was laid as a charge upon masters of families, that they should catechize their children, Deut. 6. 6, 7. And these words which I command thee this day shall be in thine heart, and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and thou shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, &c.

People do not back the Ministers preaching of the Word with this duty of prayer, that God would sanctify the word preached to their souls, and make it successful. It is an observable passage which you find, Mark 4. 24. Take heed what you hear; for with what measure you were it shall be measured to you, and unto you that hear shall more be given. Sometimes this expression is referred to rash judgment, as Matth. 7. 2. sometimes to works of mercy, but here it is used as an argument to stir up people to prepare their hearts for the hearing of the Word with care and conscience. For if it be your care to fit yourselves for the Word, and to settle it in your hearts, and practice it in your lives, God will then measure the same back unto you by his blessing of the Word, to the salvation and edification of your souls: whereas the neglect of this duty is a great cause why the word is not so successful now as it was formerly.

T He doctrinal part being finished, I now come to application. And this doctrine may be useful in five respects. 1 For reproof. 2 For comfort. 3 For instruction. 4 For caution. 5 To stir up our lamentation.

[Use. 1] 1 This will reprove several sorts of persons. Out of this Quiver I may draw ten arrows of reproof, that may pierce into the hearts of ten several sorts of men.

[Reproof 1] 1 It reproves those who are violent in the ways of sin, that put forth themselves to the utmost, and draw out their strength in ways of wickedness: that like those in Jerem. 8. 6. that turn to their course, as the herse rusheth into the battle; as an horse that is so fierce in the war that he rusheth into it without fear of danger: So the Spirit of God setteth forth the wickedness of men's hearts; by nature they rush into sin, not considering what they do, as the horse. See what Job saith concerning the horse, Job 39. 19. Hast thou given the horse strength? hast thou clothed his neck with thunder? 20. Caust thou make him afraid as a grass-hopper, the glory of his nostrils is terrible. 21. He paweth in the valley, and rojoyceth in his strength, he goeth on to meet the armed men. 22. He mocketh at fear, and is not affrighted, neither turneth he back from the sword. Verse 25. He saith among the trumpets, Aha, Aha, and he smelleth the battle afar off, the thunder of the captains and shooting. Even in this manner do wicked men rush into wickedness; no fear, nor wit can restrain them; no dangers, nor threatenings either from God or man can keep them in. Jerem. 2. 23. They are as a swift Dromedarie, traversing her ways. Their course is evil, and their force is not right. Jeremy 23. 10. Their hearts are fully set in them to do evil, Eccles. 8. 11. They weary themselves to commit iniquity, Jeremy 9. 5. The people labor in the fire, and weary themselves for very vanity, Habak. 2. 13. They sleep not except they have done mischief, and their sleep is taken away, except they cause some to fall, Prov. 4. 16.

2 This reproves those that instead of an holy violence are guilty of tumultuous violence, that by force and power disturb human societies, destroying laws and government, that do as Antiochus did, Dan. 7. 25. He spoke great words against the most high, and were out the Saints of the most high, and thought to change times and laws.

3 This reproves those that instead of an holy violence, are guilty of oppressing violence, which is the sin chiefly of rich men Mic. 6. 12. For the rich men thereof are full violence. It is they that grind the faces of the poor. Mic. 2. 2. They covet fields, and take them by violence, & houses, & take them away, and so they oppress a man and his house. Amos 3. 10. They know not to do right, who store up violence and robbery in their palaces. Prov. 4. 17. They eat the bread of wickedness, & drink the wine of violence.

4 This reproves those who are eager & violent in their pursuits after the things of this life, but not so after spiritual things; we are all upon the spur, all upon the wing after the world, here is violence upon violence, labor upon labor for these things which we may have, and yet be never the better, and want them, and yet be never the worse. Covetous men are said to pant after the dust of the earth, Amos 2. 7. So eager are they in their pursuit after the world, as if they were almost out of breath. Psal. 59. 6, 14. They return at evening, they make a noise like a dog, and go about the city. No creature is so sensible of hunger as a dog. Covetous men are like dogs towards the world, as if they were made up all of desires, but towards the things of eternity we are as if we were all Stoics, and had no passions in us. As hot as fire for earth, and as cold as any ice for heaven. Oh how many pant after the earth who have no breathing after heaven!

5 This reproves those who are violent opposers of the Gospel. As the former may be called a worldly violence, so this may be called a persecuting violence. Such was the violence of Paul before his conversion, Act. 26. 11. I punished them oft in every Synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme, and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange Cities. The Scribes and Pharisees are said to be filled with madness, against Christ after the miracle was wrought in curing the man with the withered hand, Luke 6. 11. There are some that understand my Text of this persecuting violence. This is called a rage reaching up to heaven, 2 Chron. 28. 9.

6 This reproves such, who account an holy zeal and violence in the ways of religion to be only a furious frenzy. Such were they, Act. 2. 13. that said, These men are filled with new wine, when the Apostles were zealous in the preaching of the Gosgel. Such were the friends of Christ, when he was zealous and servant in the doing of his Fathers will, and so intent upon it that he had no leisure to eat his meat, They went to lay hold of him, for they said, He is beside himself, Mark 3. 21. The like censure did Fest us pass on Paul, when he was zealous to win men to the Gospel; he said, Thou art beside thyself, much learning doth make thee mad, Act. 26. 24. Basil, when he was passionately eager against the Arian heresy, it was interpreted a symptom of his dotage. If men will not be bafled out of their religion, reformation, &c. they are esteemed but furious zealots, men of violent spirits. Thus it fared with zealous Paul, 2 Cor. 5. 13. Whether we are beside ourselves, it is to God, or whether we be sober, it is for your cause.

7 This reproves those who were once violent and zealous in religion, but now their zeal is abated. We have a proverb: Nothing that is violent is durable; if the violent motion proceeds from some external artificial cause, and not from a rooted stirring principle within Many that go in the ways of God merely from an external principle, it may be credit or profit, though they may be seemingly violent for a time, yet their violence will not last, they will not be steadfast in the ways of religion and in a Christian course. Some who have flourished in the Spring have had a withering time, their fruit decayed as the leaves fall off in Autumn. It may be said of many in regard of their souls, as it was said of David in regard of his body: When he was old and stricken in years, they covered him with clothes, and he gat no heat, 1 King. 1. 1. Many, though they are plied with ordinances, can get no heat in them. Augustine observes it of many in his days, that would at their first conversion pray frequently & live holily, but after a while they would grow more remiss, and pray more coldly and slightly then they did before. There are few of whom after a long profession of religion it can be said, as was said of Moses, Deut. 34. 7. His eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated. Many are like Asa, their end is worse then their beginning.

8 This reproves those that content themselves with moderation in the matters of religion, that account a dram of zeal enough for a talent of discretion, as Mr. Greenham said. Many men are of this opinion, that religion is dangerous, and that an holy violence in religion is attended with troubles and dangers, and therefore it is best to be moderate in religion. There are many of these men in our days, otherwise religion had never come to so low an ebb as now it is. It was the saying of one, that men may be religious, but then they must not be too zealous: they must not be too violent for the ways of God, for then they are called men of hot & furious spirits; Men (it seems) must not love religion too much. Amama quotes Tarnovius, who mentions a sort of men that brought in an opinion, which he calls a new Gospel, that if a man perform the external duties of religion, if he go to the Church, hear the word, pray, &c. it was sufficient for salvation. Of this temper Gallio was, Act. 18. 17. Gallio cared for none of those things. A little religion will serve the turn. Most of the Statists and Politicians of this world are of this temper, which God will one day account a Laodicean lukewarmness or timorous cowardice. Geographers, who write of the situation of England, say, that it is between the Torrid and the Frigid Zone, neither hot nor cold; I wish our hearts were not like our land.

9 This reproves those that express more violence outwardly then they have inwardly.

There are many men that will hear Sermons on Lord's days, & Lectures on week-days, speak well of religion, and of the ways and people of God, but if you look to them in their families, and in their closets, you shall find them of another temper. These men are like pepper, hot in the mouth, but cold in the stomach. I may resemble such to a pot boiling over the fire, hot at the top, cold at the bottom. So some men are boiling hot in the mouth, but their hearts are cold and frozen. As it is with men sick of a fever, the face and hands and other external parts of the body burn, when the heart shakes and quivers with cold.

10 This reproves those who all their life remain dull and sluggish in religion, that like Carriers horses keep their ordinary pace, they will not go beyond their bating place, they are like Dromedaries, swift in the ways of sin, but like the dull Ass, slow in the ways of God. The firstling of other beasts was to be offered to God, but not the firstling of an asse, Exod. 13. 13. And every firstling of an asse thou shalt redeem with a lamb, and if thou wilt not redeem it thou shalt break its neck; to note that of sluggish and dull hearts, the very best services are not acceptable to God. The snail is reckoned among the unclean creatures, Levite. 11. 30. Those hearts that are of this dull constitution are impure and odious in the sight of God. And thus much shall serve by way of reproof.

2 This doctrine is useful for comfort, and that 1. To Ministers. 2. To hearers.

1 To Ministers; and that for 3 reasons.

1 Though here is matter of trouble, yet no fear of guilt, if thou discharge thy duty faithfully, though not successfully. Ezek. 3. 19. If thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity, but thou hast delivered thy soul. Act. 20. 26. when Paul had used his utmost endeavors at Ephesus, he vindicates himself thus; I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. Act. 18. 6. when Paul preached to the Jews, and they would not obey the Gospel, He shook his raiment, & said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads, I am clean: from henceforth I will go to the Gentiles. Though a Minister doth all his days plow the rocks, and sow the sands, and spend his strength in vain, yet this will bring no guilt upon a Ministers conscience: for though it be the Ministers duty to preach the Word, yet it is God's work to convert the soul.

3 God rewards Ministers according to their labor, not success, 2 Cor. 2. 15. For we are unto God a sweet savor of Christ in them that are saved, and in them that perish.

The father pays the nurse, though the child die. The Apothecaries bill must be paid, though the patient die: So God will reward Ministers, though success be not answerable to their endeavors, Isa. 49. 4. Then I said, I have labored in vain, and spent my strength for naught and in vain, yet surely my judgment is with the Lord, and my work with my God; or the reward of my work.

3 The word may live in the hearers hearts when the Minister is dead, John 4. 36, 37. He that reapeth, receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal, that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth. As a wicked man doth hurt after his death, so a good man doth good, 2 King. 23. 15. Jeroboams wickedness proved a snare to Israel in the days of Josiah, which was 360 years after his death. And David's example did good on Josiah 400 years after, 2 King. 22. 2. Josiah did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in all the ways of David his father.

2 As here is comfort for Ministers, so also here is comfort to hearers, and that for 3 reasons:

1 God never expected all should attain the same measure of grace. Although, Luk. 8. 8. the seed that fell in good ground is said to bear an hundred fold, yet, Matth 13. 23. the grounds differed, and some brought forth but sixty, some but thirty. Christ hath lambs in his fold as well as sheep, Babes in his house as well as strong men.

2 It may be what is wanting in a sudden and short violence, is made up in solidity. Oaks grow not so fast as the Willow-trees, but they grow more solidly.

3 God will cherish the smallest beginnings of good in the hearts of his people, Cant. 7. 12. Let us go up early to the vineyards, let us see if the vine flourish, whether the tender grape appear, the pomegranates bud forth, there will I give thee my loves. The Lord Jesus took notice not only of the strong and grown grapes, but also of the tender grapes, not only of the fruit, but of the buddings. The very buddings of grace are accepted. And how should this comfort weak Christians, and encourage them to increase with the increase of God, and to get more of this holy violence in heavenly things, Matth. 12. 20. A bruised reed he will not break and a smoking flax he will not quench, till he send forth judgment into victory. He speaks there of new converts holy desires, and gracious resolutions in a poor soul, though they do but smoke, and not burn, yet Jesus Christ will not quench them till he have brought forth judgment to victory, by which he means, till they come to be perfect men and women in Christ Jesus.

I N the third place, this doctrine may serve for instruction touching several things. 1 The nature of this holy violence. 2 The necessity of it. 3 The discovery of it. 4 The differences betwixt an heady and holy violence.

Quest. 1. If you ask, what is the nature of this holy violence?

I answer, 1 It is a full and vehement bent of a man's desires, affections, and endeavors after Jesus Christ in the Gospel; so that no difficulties or discouragements whatsoever shall take him off from his pursuit after Christ in the way of his ordinances.

2 For the necessity of it, that appears in 5 regards. 1 In regard of God. 2 In regard of ourselves. 3 In respect of the devil. 4 In respect of other men. 5 In respect of heaven itself.

1 In regard of God, Eccles. 9. 10. Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might. God requires this at your hands, Rom. 12. 11. Not slothful in business, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord. The word signifies boiling in spirit.

2 In regard of ourselves, and that for two reasons.

1 We have violent temptations against us, our affections must be equal to our temptations ; if our affections be not violent, how can we resist violent temptations? shall not we be as violent to save our souls as the Devil is to damn them? Satan invades the soul with fierce and furious assaults.

2 We have been violent in the ways of sin. Shew as much violence in the ways of God, as you can, and when you have done all, it will come short of your former violence in the ways of sin, Rom 6. 19. As ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness, and to iniquity unto iniquity: even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. There are three To 's in the expression of the service of sin, to uncleanness, to iniquity, and unto iniquity, but in the service of God there are only two To 's, to righteousness, and unto holiness. To note that we were more addicted to sin formerly then now we are to grace; the reason is, then there was nothing but sin in the soul, now there is something else besides grace, a stream of corruption to oppose it. We ought to be as violent in good as in evil: the same word which signifies to persecute, Act. 26. 11. is used to set out his earnest pressing towards heaven, Phil. 3. 14.

3. In regard of the devil. He hath violent temptations and suggestions, 1 Pet. 5. 8. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the Devil as a roaring lion walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. 1 He is said to be an adversary. Now an adversary will watch all opportunities for your hurt, and will be intently set upon it. 2 He is a lion, not a lamb; a lion, a savage, fierce, and furious creature. 3 He is not asleep, but a roaring lion. 4 Not a lion standing still, contented with the prey when he hath gotten it, but still going about for more: he is not contented with what he hath gotten, though he hath been going about ever since Adams fall, yet he goes about still for more, he labors to sill hell with souls. 5 He seeks whom he may devour. The devil watcheth, and doest thou sleep?

4 In regard of other men, and those either bad or good.

1 In regard of bad men.

1 Consider, they are violent against the truth, and wilt not thou be as eager and violent in the profession of the Gospel, as they are in their oppositions against it? As Zeno said to one of his acquaintance, who was enticed to bear false witness against another, and walked privately, because he would avoid the man that sought to suborn him. Oh, said Zeno, Shall he not be ashamed of sin, and wilt thou be ashamed to set thyself against sin?

2 Bad men rage and are violent in ways of wickedness: Wicked men are as swift as dromedaries in the ways of sin, and wilt thou be as a dull asse in the service of God? shall a man run fast in a way of sin to destroy his soul, and will you but creep in the ways of God to save your soul? shall wicked men run post to hell, and wilt thou but creep slowly to heaven? Shall a man make speed to the place of execution, and wilt thou but move slowly towards a crown and throne? shall wicked men not be ashamed to show their rage in a sinful course, and shall godly men be ashamed to be zealous in the ways of God? Jer. 8. 6. They turn to their course as the horse rusheth into the battle, Jer. 9. 5. They weary themselves to commit iniquity, will not you do as much for God as they do for Satan?

2 In regard of good men. How eager and earnest are they after God? Caleb and Joshua followed God fully, Numb. 14. 24. when hypocrites follow God partially and by halves. Psal. 132. 4, 5. David was so violent for God, that he would give no sleep to his eyes, nor slumber to his eye-lids, until he found out a place for the Lord, an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob. As on the contrary, those wicked men, Prov. 4. 16. were so violent in wickedness, that they could not sleep, except they caused some to fall. Psal. 69. 9. The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up, and the reproaches of them that reproached thee fell upon me.

5 In respect of heaven itself, Luke 13. 24. Strive to enter in at the strait gate; for many I say unto you will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. Strive to an agony, or as in an agony men strive for life: it is not enough to seek; many seekers shall never find, but there must be striving: there must be a kind of holy impatiency to get into heaven, 1 Cor. 9. 24, 25. Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize: So run that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible. 2 Tim. 2. 5. And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned except he strive lawfully. Heaven is compared to a hill, and hell to a pit. It will cost a man sweat and labor to get up an hill, but it is an easy thing to go down into a pit. Heaven is as Canaan (the type of it) was, though a land of promise, yet of conquest too. There were many Giants there, the sons of Anak in the land. Heaven is not had without eagerness, Luk 16. 16. Every man presseth into it. It is an allusion to soldiers that storm a City or strong Garrison, with all the speed and violence they can. Should soldiers go about that great work in a marching pace, they might all be cut off. And thus much shall suffice for the second thing, to show the necessity of this holy violence.

The 3 thing is the discovery of this holy violence. Now it is discovered by these following marks. A violent or zealous person is one,

1 Who is patient in his own cause, but impatient in God's cause. This was the temper of David. What the enemies did to David was but as a pin in the flesh, but what they did against God was as a sword in his bones. Isal. 42. 1 As with a sword in my bones mine enemies reproached 〈◊〉 , whilst they say daily unto me, Where is thy God? The reproaching of God was as death to him, as though he had been slain by it, as slaying in my bones. Moses was a man very meek in his own wrongs, Numb. 12. 3. Moses was very meek above all the men that were upon the face of the earth; but in the cause of God, Exod 32. he carried himself as if he had been a man made up all of passion, he broke the tables of stone. So Jesus Christ was famous for his gentleness, he was a lamb for meekness, and yet in the cause of his Father, he applied that to himself; The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up, John 2. 17.

2. He never thinks that he began to serve God soon enough, or did him work enough, Psal. 63. 1. Early will I seek thee, and v. 8. My soul followeth hard after God. Act. 13. 22. God gave David this testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfill all my will. Psal. 119. 6. Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect to all thy commandments.

3. He is desirous to glorify God by suffering as well as by doing, to follow the lamb whitherscever he goes; to the wilderness, as well as to paradise; to a prison, as well as to a palace. Jer. 2. 2. I remember the kindness of thy youth,—when thou wentest after me in a land that was not sown. Cant. 8. 5. Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved, from the wilderness of afflictions. Matth. 8. 19. A certain Scribe came to him, and said, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. He would follow Christ in doing, but not in suffering, as cloth doth last in wearing, but shrink in wetting; for when Christ told him, The foxes have holes, the birds of the air nests, but the son of man hath not where to lay his head, verse 20. his courage was abated.

4 He looks more after duty then reward, and complains more of his defects in it, then for want of expected returns to it. Many men are content to follow God, so long as there is any advantage in so doing; they will do their duty, but they do not care for duty, but upon expectation of rewards. Remiss spirits follow God as a dog doth his master, till he comes by a carrion, then he leaves his master, and turns aside to it: So wicked men follow God till they come at a carrion, till they meet with some stinking lust, some occasion or object of sin, but then they depart from God, and close with it. But on the contrary David followed after God, and thirsted for God even then when he was in a dry and thirsty land, where no water was, Psal. 63. 1. Had we been in David's case, we should have said, O Lord, give me drink; had we been in a barren land, we should have said, O Lord, give me food: but David in a barren and thirsty land cries, O Lord, give me thyself. That is the spirit of a man that is truly zealous after the Gospel.

5 Difficulties and opposition do rather quicken then abase his endeavors; what adventures will he not make? what pains will he not take? what hazards will he not run for God? And as it is with the fire in the Smiths forge • that grows hotter and more violent when the water is sprinkled upon it, or as fire burns the most vehemently in a cold and frosty day: So that opposition that is made against a zealous man doth but make it the more eager and fervent by a holy Antiperistasis. Thus it was in the days of Christ, the harder it was to get to him, the more violent and restless were they till they came to him. They trod one upon another, being an innumerable multitude of people, Luke 12 1. Some forced their passage to Christ (as we say hunger doth to meat) through stone walls, Mark 2. 4. And when they could not come nigh unto Christ for the preasse, they uncovered the roof where he was, and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed, &c. Such was the temper of that Syrophenician, whose zeal was not quenched but increased by opposition, though even Christ did set himself against her as an adversary; When Christ said, It is not meet to take the children's bread and give it to dogs, Mark 7. 27. Here is cold water (one would think) enough to quench the zeal of many a professor, but the fire of her zeal made fuel of this cooling expression; She answered, Yet the dogs under the table, eat of the children's crumbs, verse 28. One compares a violent Christian to a burre, the more pains you take to get it off, it sticks the faster on: So a zealous Christian, the more you endeavor to pull him from God, he cleaves the closer to him. This was David's disposition, when he danced before the Lord, when Michal despised him, and reproved him, and fell foul upon him for it; he answers, I will yet be more vile then thus, & will be base in mine own sight, for it was before the Lord, 2 Sam 6. 21, 22. And thus much for the third particular, the discovery of this holy violence. I now come to the fourth.

The fourth particular is the difference betwixt an heady and rash, and an holy and religious violence. Now I shall show that in 10 particulars.

1 It is most seen in trivial and circumstantial matters. Such was the violence of the Pharisees, about washing their vessels and their hands before meat, but they never looked after the washing of the heart. So the Prelatical party shown much heat and violence about ceremonies, whereas they were lukewarm, yea cold in more substantial matters, the observation of the Sabbath, and the strict exercise of holiness, &c. They were very violent for the linen Ephod, though it may be there was a leprous skin under it; they took great care to have rails about the Communion-table, but never took care to make a rail to keep profane persons from the profanation of the Sacrament; but now a godly man is most conversant about that which may be most advantageous to him, which will bring him nearest heaven, which will be of most use to him to glorify God, and to save his soul.

2 It is kindled by passion and vain glory in the one, by a zeal and holy indignation in the other. Thus many men are zealous in the broaching of errors; when they cannot get glory by holding the truth, then they will give up themselves to vent errors. Whereas true violence comes from a better principle, and aims at an higher end. The fire of the Altar was to come from heaven, Levite. 9. 24. And when Nadab and Abihu offered sacrifice with strange fire, it was not accepted, nay they were slain in their enterprize. Our zeal should be a fire from heaven. God accounts that strange fire we fetch from our own hearts.

3 Violent rash zeal makes a man go beyond the bounds of his place and calling. Samuel reproved Saul for his heady violence, 1 Sam. 13. 13. When Saul had taken upon him to offer sacrifice, Samuel said, Thou hast done foolishly. Yet Saul pleaded a fair excuse. verse 11, 12. Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together to Michmash, therefore said I, The Philististines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the Lord. I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt-offering.

You see Saul had much to say, yet all would not serve to justify his invasion into the Priests office. Such was the violence of Peter, Matth. 26. 51. He stretched out his hand, and drew his sword and struck a servant of the High Priest, and smote off his ear. But an holy violence makes a man zealous in his place. A zealous Magistrate will severely punish sin, let other Justices indulge it. A zealous Minister will be faithful and fervent in the reproving of sin, though others prove dumb dogs, or flatterers that sow pillows under men's elbows: So a zealous master of a family resolves with good Joshua, That he and his house will serve the Lord, Josh. 24. 15. whatever other masters and other families do. Fire in its place is good and useful, but out of its place how hurtful and destructive?

4 A N heady violence is more eager at first then at the latter end. This difference the Philosopher puts between natural and violent motions, that natural motions are slow at the beginning, but swifter when they come nearest their journeys end; as a falling stone moves very slow when it first begins to fall, but faster when it comes nearer its center. On the contrary, violent motions are swifter in the beginning, slower in the conclusion. As an arrow shot out of a bow moves exceeding swiftly at the first, but afterwards flags and grows remiss, 〈◊〉 at last the motion of it cease. An heady violence is like the violent motion, swift at first, slow afterward: But contrarily an holy violence is like a natural motion, that acts with more vigor in the end then in the beginning. This was the commendation of the Church of Thyatir • That her last works were more then her first Revel. 2. 19.

5 Heady violence will be discouraged in religion by small difficulties. Such was the violence of that man forementioned, that was earnest to come to Christ, but when Christ told him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the son of man hath not where to lay his head, Matth. 8. 20 his zeal was abated. But an holy violence is quickened, not abated by opposition. Joh 32. 19. Behold, my belly is as wine which hath no vent, it is ready to burst like new bottles.

6 An heady violence is led more by example then rule; like that violence of the people of Ephesus for Diana, Act. • 9. Some cried one thing, and some another, and the most part knew not wherefore they were come together. Such was the violence of the Scribes and I ha • sees, John 〈…〉 48, 49 Then answered him the 〈…〉 you also deceived? Have any of 〈…〉 the Pharisees believed on him? But this people who know not the law, are cursed. But an holy violence is led by Scripture-rule, not by popular example. The word was the rule that guided Joshua to that resolution, That he and his house would serve the Lord.

7 One that hath this heady violence is most busied with controversials and circumstantials in religion. Thus Saul was violent against the eating of the blood of the sacrifices, yet made no conscience of shedding the blood of fourscore and five of the Priests of the Lord: But an holy violence makes a man conversant in the practicals of Christianity, Tit. 2. 14. The people of God are a people zealous of good works. There was less of the power of religion in those times wherein the Schoolmen most flourished, and the heat of men's spirits was spent in curious and frivolous speculations; while they that should have instructed the people turned disputants, the poor multitude became Atheists. It was an heady violence betwixt the Eastern and Western Churches touching the time of the observation of Easter, when many other truths of God that lay a bleeding were neglected, and they did not contend earnestly for many of the doctrines of faith that was once delivered to the Saints. So many men among us spend all their time about notions and disputes, and this hath proved a very canker to eat out the power of godliness. In the City of Megara there was a great contention between two men which of them should stand in the shadow of an asse upon a Sun-shine day. Such was the violence of Paul before his conversion, Gal. 1. 14. He was exceedingly zealous for the traditions of his fathers.

8 An heady violence is an uneven violence, there is no uniformity in it; it is a violence against some sins, not all; it is for some duties, not others; to act some graces, but not all. Such was the violence of Jehu. He was very hot and violent against the Priests and worship of Baal, 2 Kings 10. 28. Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel: But Jehu departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, which made Israel to sin, verse 31. Such was the violence of Saul for sacrifice, but not for obedience. But now an holy violence is uniform, it carries a man out against every sin, for every duty, it makes a man to walk in all the commandments of God.

9 This heady violence will make a man disturb human societies and civil government, anticipate authority: But an holy violence, though violent towards God yet is quiet and peaceable towards men; though he pursue heaven with violence, yet he lives in the earth with meekness and quietness. 2 Pet. 2. 10. Those ancient heretics were such as did despise government, presumptuous, self-willed, and were not afraid to speak evil of dignities. But the wisdom that is from above, is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, &c. I am. 3. 17.

10 Heady violence is accompanied with stoutness of heart both towards God and men, it proceeds from a natural rashness: But holy violence is accompanied with humiliation, Revel. 3. 19. The Church of Laodicea is commanded to be zealous and repent. Their zeal for God must be joined with the breaking of their own hearts. So the zeal of the Corinthians, 2 Cor. 7. 11. was accompanied with a godly sorrow, with fear, with indignation against themselves, with revenge. And thus much shall suffice for the fourth particular, and last branch of the use of instruction; namely, the difference between heady and holy violence. And so much for the third use.

The fourth use is for caution, and that in four particulars. 1 Take heed of pleading for, or being contented with a moderation in matters of religion. Moderation in religion is accounted a virtue in these times, whereas Jesus Christ would have spewed us out of his mouth. If Jesus Christ commend an holy violence in the matters of religion, what becomes of this moderation? Indeed for men to be moderate in things that are lawful is good. It is the advice of the Apostle, Phil. 4. 5. Let your moderation be known unto all men; the Lord is at hand: that is, let your moderation be in the love and desire of things lawful and indifferent, of things in this world; be moderate in those things, that they may not hinder you in your course towards heaven, but not in any case to be moderate in religion; and that I shall make appear in these four particulars.

1 Moderate estates do not content you in the world. Men rise up early, and go to bed late, and eat the bread of carefulness, and are eager and indefatigable in their pursuits of the world? If you get not so much this year, you will endeavor to get more the next year; no man hath moderation after the things of this world, no man is contented with that estate they are in, but labors to improve it. Like the Chaldeans, of whom it is spoken, Habak. 2. 5. He enlargeth his desire as hest, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied But gathereth unto him, all nations, and heapeth unto him all people. And is it reason that you that are so immoderate in the pursuit and desire of the things of this world, should be moderate in the things of heaven?

2 You have been very immoderate in your desires after your lusts before your conversion, and therefore in all reason you should not now be moderate in your desires after God and the things of God. How many times have you been as it were sick till you have you accomplisht your ends in a sinful course, and will you not now be sick of love after Christ, and after heavenly things? Hast thou not burnt in lust, and will you now be key-cold in religion?

3 God doth express as great, yea more dislike of lukewarmness in religion, as if a man were of no religion. Famous is that instance of Laodicea, Revel. 3. 15, 16. I would thou were either cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, & neither cold nor hot, I will sp •• e thee out of my mouth. Not that God would have men to continue in, or return to Paganism or Judaism, both of which his soul abhors; but only because he doth exceedingly distaste lukewarmness in the prefession of Christianity.

4 In a false religion men have shown much zeal and forwardness, Isa. 46. 6. I hey lavish gold out of the bag, and weigh silver in the balance, & hire a Goldsmith, and he maketh it a god, they fall down, yea they worship, &c. The people were so violent in an Idolatrous religion, that they did spare no cost nor pains to accomplish it. So those false Prophets, those prophets and worshippers of Baal, 1 King. 18. 28. They cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancers till the blood gushed out upon them. So Paul when he was a Jew and adversary to Christianity; beyond measure he persecuted the Church of God, and wasted it, Gal. 1. 13. Jerem. 32. 35. Those superstitious Jews built the high places of Baal, which are in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire unto Moloch, which I commanded them not. So zealous and servant were they in their Idolatrous worship and service, that they would cause their children to be burnt as a sacrifice to their false god. So likewise among us the Papists are zealous and eager for their worship, witness their whippings and scourgings and fastings and other penances. If men be thus zealous in false ways, how servant should we be in a true? But so much for the first branch of the Caution.

[Caution 2] 2 Take heed you do not think you shall ever go to heaven without this holy zeal and violence. It was only the violent in John Baptists days that took heaven. You can never go to heaven except you strive to enter in at the strait gate. You must strive till you sweat, you must strive with all your might, and all will be little enough. Take heed therefore you do not think it an easy thing to go to heaven. But withal take this, though you cannot go to heaven without this holy violence, you shall never go to heaven for it. James 1. 25. Whosoever looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer of the Word, but a doer also, this man shall be blessed in his deed. So that you see a man shall not go to heaven for his doing, though he cannot go to heaven without it.

[Caut. 3] 3 When you see the servants of God zealous and violent in the ways of God, take heed you do not judge of this as the world doth, that you do not judge it a vain and needless thing, or that you do not judge it folly and madness. When Paul was thus violent for the propagation of the Gospel, when he came before Festus, Festus told him, that much learning had made him mad: But Paul said, I am not mad, but speak forth the words of truth and sobernes.

[Caut. 4] 4 Take heed thou doest not abate thy •• all in the matters of religion, because it may be thou meetest with much reproach and many scandals from the men of the world for the sake of religion. David was more eager in his dancing before the Ark, notwithstanding the scoffings of his wife. 〈◊〉 scandals and reproaches and troubles will make thee abate thy zeal for God, hou wilt never be able to hold out to the end. I will never believe that man will endure a rack for his religion, that cannot bear a reproach. He that cannot endure a frown for it will never endure fire and faggot; if thou canst not endure a taunt or jeer for thy profession of religion, much less wilt thou endure a Gibbet. And so much for the use of Caution.

[Use. 5] The next use is this: This Doctrine may stir up in us an holy lamentation: If it were so, that in the days of John the Baptist men were so holily violent after Jesus Christ and his Ordinances; then how should we lament and bewail our times, when we consider how defective men are nowadays, and how much we fall short of those converts at the first plantation of the Gospel?

We fall short of them. 1 In regard of their love and union. It was observed that the primitive Christians were so full of love and affection to one another, that they could be acquainted together as well in half an hour as in half a year. In those times they were so conversant in that duty of love, that St. Paul saith, They needed not that he should write to them concerning love, 1 Thess. 4. 9. In those days they were of one accord. The very Heathens took notice of it, and said: Behold, how the Christians love one another. But we are fallen into those times wherein the love of men grows cold; we, upon whom the ends of the world are come, bite, and tear, and devour one another.

2 We come short of them in the contempt of the world. You know how much those Christians, Hebr. 11. lived above the world: They confessed that they were but strangers and pilgrims upon earth, verse 13. They were not satisfied with the world, but sought after a better Country. They came and laid their wealth at the Apostles feet to do with it whatsoever he pleased. For clothing they were contented with sheep's skins and goats skins; and instead of our stately houses they were satisfied with dens and caves of the earth.

3. We fall short of the primitive Christians herein also, that they were taken off from that form of religion wherein they were born and bred up, and received a new form of religion. Whereas they might have objected, all our fathers were bred up in the law of Moses, and shall we take upon us a new way, a new religion? But they did not contend about it, they forsook the rudiments of Moses, and embraced this new way and doctrine, which as they thought was never taught before. But we are more addicted to customs then Scriptures, we choose rather to follow what hath been, then to consider what should be. Many have much reasoning and contention for the old form of religion. Many are so settled in their old forms and ways, wherein they were born and bred, that they will not endure or seek for a better form and way. Heylin in his Geography reports of the King of Morocco, that he told the English Ambassador in King Johns time, that he had lately read Paul's Epistles, which he liked so well, that were he to choose his religion, he would embrace Christianity; but everyone ought to die in the faith wherein he was born: So it is with many among us, they are persuaded they ought, and resolved they will live and die in those customs and ways wherein they were born; they will not deny themselves in these trivial things for the exaltation of Christ; and herein also we fall short of the primitive Christians. And thus much for the last use. And so I have dispatched the first and main Doctrine, I hat in the times of the first promulgation of the Gospel greater success did attend the Ministry, and multitudes did come in with more holy violence after the ordinances then ever did before.

T Here is but one Doctrine behind, and that is taken from the consideration of the quality of those persons who did express this holy violence; who they were our Savior himself acquaints us, Matth. 21. 31. Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, that the publicans and harlots go into the Kingdom of God before you. Verse 32. The publicans and harlots believed John. The Pharisees that led strict lives, had a kind of legal righteousness, yet they were not the people that did receive Jesus Christ, but publicans and harlots. The Pharisees and lawyers rejected or frustrated the counsel of God against themselves, or within themselves, being not baptized of him. But the Publicans justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John, Luke 7. 29, 30. They that used this violence were men that lived by rapine, deceit, exaction, and oppression; so did the Publicans. Whence the observation is this.

[Doct. 2] That usually those that have been most sinful before conversion, do express the more holy violence and eagerness of affection after Jesus Christ in the Gospel after they are converted. In the handling of this point I shall do three things.

1 I shall demonstrate the truth of it by Scripture-instances.

2 I shall show the reasons why God did pitch upon such chiefly, who were most notorious ill-livers.

3 I shall show why such men are more violent in religion then others.

1 I shall demonstrate the truth of the doctrine by Scripture-instances. I shall give but two instances; the one in Mary Magdalene, the other in Paul. 1 Mary Magdalene, she was an unclean person, a very harlot, a great sinner, but after her conversion she thought nothing too much for Christ. 1 She anointed his feet with a pound of Spikenard that was very costly, worth three hundred pence, that is, worth above nine pound in our money, John 12. 5. 2 She broke through many difficulties to come to Christ. Christ was in another man's house, (and he Simon a Pharisee) Luke 7. 36, 37. and set down to supper. She might have raised an objection, and said, I cannot come at him, and they in the house may think evil of it; but all this could not keep her back. Further, there were more discouragements. Not only Judas but others were angry at her, Mark 14. 4. There were some (not only Judas, but others also) that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made? Yea, the Disciples too had indignation at her: Mat. 26. 8. The Disciples had indignation. Yet she came to Christ through all these difficulties, and she wept, Luke 7. 44. And that so plentifully, that she washed the fect of Christ with her tears. Her eyes that had been windows of lost, were now flood gates of tears.

2 Another instance is that of Saul. Before his conversion he was a notorious sinner. He had an hand in the death of that holy man Stephen, Act 8. 1. He was a man that breathed out threatenings and slaughters against the Disciples of the Lord, Act. 9. 1. He was a blasphemer, a persecutor, and injurious, 1 Tim. 1. 13. he cared not what he did to the people of God. Yea, further he did compel others to blaspheme, Act. 26. 11. and being exceedingly mad against them, he persecuted them even to strange Cities. And yet behold, this man that was so eminent a sinner before his conversion, afterward made recompense; he grew and abounded in grace; he grew as eminent in grace, as he was notorious in sin. As he had hailed men to prison formerly, so now he draws them to Christ. He preached that faith that once he persecuted, Gal. 1. 23. So much for the first particular, the proof of the point by Scripture-instances.

The second particular is this: Why did God pitch upon such chiefly, as were most notorious ill-livers?

[Answ. 1] I answer; Two reasons may be given of it.

1 To beat off the Pharisees from resting in their own righteousness, that they might see that salvation was of grace, and not of works. Had this effect appeared in multitudes of the Scribes and Pharisees, some would have attributed it to their learning, others to their strict and holy walking, and austere conversation, people would have thought they had merited this at God's hands; And therefore God passed by them, and made choice of others far more unholy and profane, to knock them off from their own righteousness, and from dependence upon it.

2 It was to magnify the riches, freeness and greatness of God's grace, that was brought in and manifested by the Gospel. God would hereby give to understand that the doctrine of the Gospel was a doctrine of grace (not that men might live as they list, for these vile people were not encouraged in, but redeemed from a vain conversation, but) Johns work • as a tough and hard work to pull down those that were as high as mountains in pride, as hard as the rocks of those mountains, to make rough and crooked things smooth and straight. And yet all this John was to do, all this John did in the preparation of the people for Christ, Isa. 40. 4. The greater the wound is, the more is the skill and care of the Physician seen and commended. The more and greater the sins are that are pardoned, the more is the grace of God advanced.

So much for the second particular.

The third particular is this: Why are such vile and sinful persons most eager and violent after their conversion?

[Answ. 1] Answ. 1. This proceeds from an holy indignation against themselves, which is a fruit of repentance or conversion, as you read, 2 Cor. 7. 11. For this self-same thing that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness did it work in you? yea what clearing of yourselves, yea what indignation, yea what fear, yea what desire, yea what zeal, yea what revenge? There ariseth in such a desire to be revenged upon themselves, Isa. 30. 22. Ye shall defile also the covering of the graven images of silver, and the ornament of thy molten images of gold, thou shalt cast them away as a menstruous cloth, thou shalt say unto them, Get thee hence. Isa. 2. 20. In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold which they have made, each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats. Cranmer burned his right hand first, because it had subscribed his recantation, and oftentimes repeated in the flame, Oh this unworthy right hand! An holy indignation makes him to reason thus within himself. Could I sin worse then others, and shall I now be contented with less grace then others? Could I be as swift as a Dromedary in the ways of sin, and shall I creep like a snail in the ways of God? Have I been zealous for the committing of sin, and shall I be cold in my motions after Christ? Such persons are ashamed of their former ways, and therefore they now labor to take off that reproach by making some reparations.

2 This proceeds from that sense that is in such persons of an utter and absolute necessity of getting into Christ. You know a man that hath but cut his finger will not make much ado, but he that hath got a great and dangerous wound sees a necessity of the cure, and that he is a dead man if he do not get help. So a man that lives in a common way of sinning, he thinks his sins are inconsiderable, he sees no necessity of closing with Christ for cure. But a man that hath been much in sin, and notorious in wickedness, when God comes and opens his eyes by effectual calling, he sees a necessity of getting help by Jesus Christ, and that if he have not Christ, he is undone forever, he shall perish eternally. And thus I have finished the doctrinal part: I proceed now to make application. And this doctrine is eminently useful to three sorts of men. 1 To those that have been formerly very vile and great sinners, but are now converted. 2 To mere civil and honest men. 3 To those that yet remain and go on in a sinful course.

1 To those that have been formerly very great sinners, but are now converted: To them I have two things to say.

1 Labor to follow this pattern that is here propounded in the Gospel, and in this doctrine. Labor to proportion your graces now that you are converted, to the number and greatness of your sins before conversion. As you have been violent in sin formerly, so see that now you be as violent after the things of heaven. So did Manasseh, he was a great sinner, he filled Jerusasalem with blood, he was a gross Idolater, a destroyer of God's worship, 2 Chron. 33. 12. And therefore he humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. So Paul, because he was a greater sinner then the rest of the Apostles; therefore he labored more abundantly then they all. If therefore sin hath abounded, see that grace doth abound also. As you have formerly added iniquity unto iniquity, so now see that you add grace to grace. As you have with much eagerness given up the members of your bodies, as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin and uncleanness; so see that you give them up as instruments of righteousness unto holiness. Particularly, see that you do abound, 1 In the grace of humiliation. 2 In the grace of love. 1 In the grace of humiliation; little humiliation is not suitable to great sins. That garment that hath most spots in it, must have most rinsing; that which hath most dust in it, needs the most beating. There must be a sicut, not only qualitatis, but aequalitatis also, if possibly it can be. There should be some equality between the strength that was put forth in the service of sin, and that we now put forth in the service of God. It is very observable, Levite. 11. 24, 25. He that toucheth an unclean thing, shall be unclean till even; but he that beareth an unclean thing, shall wash his clothes, and be unclean till even. Though a man be but defiled a little with sin, if he doth but touch a sin as it were, commit a little sin, he had need be humbled; but those that wallow in sinful courses, and bear sin about them, they must look to be more humbled then otherswere.

2 See that you proportion your love to Christ to your sinfulness against Christ in times past. Hast thou been a great and a vile sinner before conversion, know that a little love to Christ is not answerable to thy great sins. Luke 7. 17. Her sins which are many are forgiven her, therefore she loved much. Jesus Christ expects and requires more love of such to whom he hath pardoned much, then he doth of those to whom little is forgiven. We read in John 21. 15. Jesus said unto Peter, Simon, son of Jonah • , Lovest thou me more then these? Jesus Christ did not ask him, Lovest thou me at all? nor, Lovest thou me as these? but, Lovest thou me more then these? Thou hast sinned more then these, doest thou love me more then these? Christ expected more love from Peter then from the rest of the Disciples. And so Peter did return more love to Christ then the rest did. And though the book of the Acts be called the Acts of the Apostles, yet there is more spoken of Peter then of all the rest of the Apostles that had seen Christ in the flesh. Peter after his fall did show more love then the rest. 1 Peter preached the first Sermon after Christ's resurrection and ascension, Act 1. 15. 2 Peter was the first that went into the Sepulcher after Christ's death and resurrection. Although Peter and John did run to the Sepulcher, & John out-ran Peter, and came first thither, yet Peter first went down into the Sepulcher to see where Christ was laid, John 20. 6. 3 When Christ after his resurrection was walking upon the waters, Peter cast himself into the Sea to go to meet Jesus, he had no patience to stay till he came at him, Joh. 21. 7. 4 Peter converted more souls to Christ then all the rest of the Apostles did, 3000 souls at one Sermon. 5 Peter died for Christ, he was crucified for Christ; and he desired that he might be crucified with his head downward, because he thought it was too much honor for him to die as his Master. So you see that as Peter had been more treacherous to his master then the rest; so Peter was more ardent in his love to Christ then the rest. And so you must all learn to see, that as your sins have been more and greater then the sins of other men; so your humiliation must be more, your love must be stronger. That is the first branch of the first Use.

2 This may teach you to magnify the riches and freeness of God's grace, that God should cast an eye of grace and love upon such a wretch as thou wast; that God should pass by such men as the strict Pharisee, and pitch upon thee: that God should not make thee as exemplary in punishment as thou wast in sin; that thou shouldest be made a monument of his mercy, who deserved to be a spectacle of wrath; that God should make his mercy to rest upon thee, that might cause his justice to take hold upon thee. So much for the first Use.

2 This Doctrine is useful to men of a civil carriage, of an honest and in-offensive behavior in the world, that have been religiously educated, lived ingenuously, that never broke out into such gross and exorbitant courses as other men have done:

To you I would say three things.

1 Whereas you say, that you are of a more civil life then others, and so you are apt to persuade yourselves your case is better then others: Consider, others are more easily and ordinarily converted then you are: Publicans go to heaven before you. You read in Luke 18. 14. the Publican went away justified rather then the Pharisee. Luther hath a notable gloss upon these words: It is far more easy for harlots and notorious sinners to be saved, then for proud titular Saints; because the former are easily brought to a sense of their sins, but the latter are like to perish in the conceit of their own righteousness, except they be converted in an extraordinary manner. This I speak, not that I would dissuade you from a civil course of life, or draw you to in open profaneness; but that you may not rest upon your moral accomplishments, upon your good meanings, and think that you are sermon-proof, that the Minister can hardly meet with your corruptions and consciences.

2 If God doth convert such men usually, they are not so eminent in grace then others. This is expressed, Luke 7. 43, &c. He to whom most is forgiven, loves most, and doth most service. Usually such content themselves with smaller measures of grace, then they whose transgressions have exceeded.

3 What thy sins want in bulk and magnitude, thou makest up in number; Your transgressions are many, your backslidings are increased, Jerem. 5. 6. Thy continuance in sins makes thy sins equivalent to greater sins; if your sins fall short of others in nature, it may be they exceed in aggravations; it may be thou sinnest against more mercy, more knowledge: it may be thou mayest have more sin in thine heart, though another's sins do more break out in his life.

So much for the second Use.

3 This Doctrine is useful to profane men, to the looser sort.

1 Let this be an invitation and encouragement to you to come in to Christ, and to embrace the Gospel. 1 Though your sins be great, yet they are not so great as the mercies of God. The mercy of God is compared to a sea; the sea, you know, is a very great deep. A great Leviathan may be covered in the sea, as well as a little fish; a great rock as well as a little pebble. A remarkable place you have, Isa. 44. 22. I have blotted out as a thick cloud thy transgressions, and as a cloud thy sins; return unto me, for I have redeemed thee. The Sun can scatter both thick and thin clouds.

2 Though thou hast been very sinful, yet thy conversion taketh away all infamy from thee. Paul was once a blasphemer, &c. but that reproach was rolled away, when through the grace of God he found mercy. It is very observable, that in the genealogy of Christ there are but four women mentioned, (it is not usual to mention women in genealogies) and the Scripture sets a mark of infamy upon them all. The first is Tamar, Matth 1. 3. she was an incestuous woman, for she lay with her father in law, as it is recorded, Gen. 38. 38. The second is Rahab, verse 5. she was an harlot, Heb. 11. 31. The third is Ruth, verse 5. she came of Moab, the son of Lot by incest, begotten of his own daughter, Gen. 19. 37. The fourth is Bathsheb. 1, verse. 6. she was guilty of adultery. This is done for the comfort and encouragement of the most infamous sinners to come in to Christ.

3 If God call you, you are likely to be greater instruments of his glory then others. A persecuting Saul became a preaching Paul; a wanton Mary became a weeping Mary; she, whose whoredoms had been spoken of in all the places where she dwelt, afterward her grace came to be spoken of wheresoever the Gospel was preached. So much for the first branch of that use.

2 Because Doctrines of comfort many men suck poison from, and so get their ruin; therefore I shall lay down a Caution or two. Take heed you do not abuse this doctrine.

1 Do not make the conversion of any scandolous sinner to be any stumbling block in your way to heaven. It was the great stumbling block in the way of the Pharisees, when they saw that Christ would eat meat with Publicans and sinners, they said, He was a friend of Publicans and sinners. Do not entertain hard thoughts of Christ, not of the ways of Christ for that. Indeed, if religion were any cloak for sin, if it did countenance and encourage men in sin, it were something; but it is that which makes of a sinner a Saint. Conversion, though it find us vile and bad, it doth not leave us so.

2 Take heed you do not suck this poison from it, that when you hear, the worse men are before conversion, the better they will be after conversion. Some, it may be, will draw this inference from it: That it is the best to be as vile and wicked as one can, for so one shall be most zealous afterward. Take heed of that. For

1 It is a great question whether God will convert thee or not; and if thou, be not converted, all thy sins will be so many cords to tie thee in hell, the aggravations of thy sin will be additions to thy torment and punishment.

2 The deeper thou art in sin, the greater must thy humiliation be. Will any wise man break his leg, because a broken bone well set and knit again will be stronger then ever it was before. Knotty timber shall have most blows.

3 The longer thou continuest in sin, the longer will God keep thee under suspension, and it will be long before he vouchsafeth the comforts of his Spirit, he will fill thee with indignation and horror. Though great sins cannot vast are gratiam, lay waste the grace of God, yet they may vast are conscientiam, lay waste the peace of conscience; though it may be they will not put thee into a state of ejection, yet they will bring thee into a state of dejection; if thou art not cast off; yet thou shalt he cast down: and therefore take heed thou doest not abuse this precious doctrine.

And so much for this last use.

And so I have done with both Doctrines, and finished the Text; And from the days of John the Baptist until now the Kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.

The Zealous CHRISTIAN Holding Communion with God, in wrestling and importunate Prayer.

M Y Text is the conclusion of a familiar Parable used by Christ, whereby he instructs his Disciples touching the Doctrine and use of prayer. The occasion offered to Christ-to fall upon this Subject, is intimated ver. 1. of this chapter, One of his Disciples said unto him, Lord teach us to pray as John also tought his disciples. Whether it was a one of the twelve Apostles, or one of the seventy Disciples that propounded the question is not easy to determine, nor is it material to know; Hereupon Christ gives them a pl •• for me or directions for prayer, to direct them about the matter; and withal, gives them a parable to inform concerning the manner of praying. For the matter of it, you have it in these words, when you pray, say Our father, &c. Not as though it were a command from Jesus Christ, that always when we pray, we should use that form of speech which is here set down. Jesus Christ indeed intended it for a platform, or a pattern to direct us in the making of our prayers; for there is nothing we stand in need of, and go to God for; but it is to be found in these words; but he never intended to tie up his people to this form. And that I will prove by some reasons.

[Reas. 1] 1. Because though Luke here saith, when you pray, Say, Our &c. yet Matthew varies in his expression and saith, when you pray, say after this manner, Mat. 6. 9. to reach us that we are to stick to the matter contained in this prayer; but we are not confined every time we pray, to use the same expressions. By Luke we learn, that the using of this form of words is lawful, by Matthew, that it is not necessary.

[Reas. 2] 2. A second reason is this: Because in the recital of the Lord's prayer, by Matthew and Luke there is much difference; and though the difference be not material, yet it is verbal, which is enough to prove what I intend, to wit, that we are not bound to the words. In the third Petition it is thus in Matthew, Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven; In Luke it is thus, thy will be done as in heaven so in earth. In the fourth Petition, it is said in Matthew, Give us this day our daily bread. In Luke it is said, Give us daily day by day our daily bread. In the fifth Petition it is said in Matthew, and forgive us our debts. In Luke it is said, for we forgive everyone that is indebted to us Lastly, it is said in Matthew, For thine is the Kingdom, the power and the glory forever Amen. But these words are wholly left out in Luke. Which variance teacheth us thus much, that you must not recede from the matter, or purport of the words, yet we are not to be superstitious and solicitous about the expressions, as Chemnitz observes .

[Reas. 3] 3. Another reason to prove that we are not limited to that form, is this. Because Jesus Christ himself, and all his Apostles did never use this form in all their prayers. And if there had been a necessity that we should have used it, Christ would (as he might easily) have left a command behind him in the word, and also he would have practiced it himself, that it might have been our example. This reason Chemnitz gives; There are many prayers in David's Psalms, many in the Prophets, many in the Acts of the Apostles, many in the Epistles of Paul, which are different in expression from this form, and yet doubtless received acceptance from God

4. Reas. Another argument is this. Because it is the work, and office of the Spirit of God, not only to help the people of God in the manner how, but also in the matter what to pray, to put even words into our mouths. Rom. 8. 76. We know not what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit helps our infirmities. And upon these grounds it appears that we are not bound to use that form of words. Ministers do sometimes use this form of prayer, to justify the lawfulness of it, and sometimes they do not use it, lest people should dote too much upon set forms. And so much for the matter of prayer; I come now to the manner, and that is expressed in this Parable; which Parable is laid down in the 5, 6, 7, 8. verses. And be said unto them, which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves: For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him. And be from within shall answer and say, trouble me not, the door is now shut, and my children are in bed with me; I cannot rise and give thee. I say unto you, though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend; yet because of his importunity, he will arise and give him as many as he needeth: Which Parable consists of two parts.

• 1. A Prayer.
• 2. An answer to it.

In the prayer here are four parts.

1. The relation of the person praying, to him, to whom he prays, his friend verse. 4. Which of you shall have a friend, &c. Whence observe, God must be a friend to us, before any of our prayers can be accepted.

2. The time of his address, ver. 5. at midnight, in times of greatest need, of extremist necessity, Isa. 26. 9. With my soul have I desired thee in the night.

From whence observe; That the chiefest time for God's people to be earnest in prayer to God, is a time of trouble.

3. The matter of his request, Lend me three loaves. By which some Interpreters understand the three persons in the Trinity, the Father, the Son, and the holy Ghost. Some refer them to the three cardinal graces, Faith, Hope, and Charity; but these are vain interpretations. It is observable, that in Parables some things are used for ornament only, not for the sense. The intent and design of it is this, That we are to order our prayers according to our present necessities.

4. There is the occasion of this request, verse 6. A friend • f 〈◊〉 in come to 〈◊〉 , and I have nothing &c.

The Answer returned to this request is double.

1. By way of negation, ver. 7. Trouble me not &c. Observe • , that God • people may have denials to their prayer: The reason of this denial is, the door i • now sh ••• and my children are with me in bed. There are sometimes when God's own people may pray to him, yet he shut his eats to their prayers, God will a • it were hide himself from the prayers of his own people, that they shall not come at him. Not only the doors are shut, but his God 〈…〉 in bed with him. These children here spoken of are the creatures of: God; from whence observe. That there may be times, where God may take away all his creature comforts from his own people, that they shall not any ways he help full to them.

2. By way of concession, and that is in the words of the text; I say unto you, though he will not arise and give him, because he is his friends, yet because of his importunity, he will arise and give him 〈◊〉 •• thy as he needs.

In which words you have first the relation of him that prays, • o him whom he prays, a friend. Obser •• There must be a state of friendship between God and a sinner before his prayers can be heard.

2. The condition upon which the prayer was heard, and than is set down two ways.

1. Negatively, he will hear him, not because he is his friend.

2. Positively, he will 〈…〉 him because of his importunity.

Obs. 1. That merely a state of friendship and reconciliation with God is not a sufficient ground for us, to believe that our prayers shall be heard and accepted by God.

Obs. 2. There must be an holy importunity, even in God's own friends, in their prayers, to which they expect a gracious return.

3. Here is the amplification of the concession: There is more given in the concession then was desired in the supplication. He desired but three loave, and because of his holy importunity, he did rise and give him as many as he needed.

Whence observe; That where there is an holy importunity in our prayers, God doth, in his returns to that soul, give more then was desired.

The first part of the text was the relation of the prayer, to him, to whom he makes his prayer. The observation is this.

[Doct. 1] A 〈…〉 be brought into a state of friendship, or reconciliation with God, before any prayer he makes can be accepted.

I will prove this doctrine by three reasons, and then apply it.

The reasons are three.

[Reas. 1] 1. God accepteth not the person for the prayers sake, but the prayer for the persons sake. We read Gen. 4. 4. God hath respect unto Abel and unto his offering; first to Abel, then to his sacrifice. God did accept of his serivce, because his person was in a state of favor with God; God is first pleased with the works, before he can accept the works. This is also laid down Heb. 11. 5. by faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death,—for before his translation he had this testimony that he pleased God. Now without faith in Christ to justify thy person, thou canst not please God. Here lies the great difference between the Papists and us. The Papists say that works justify the person, we say, the person justifies the work; for make the tree good, and the fruit must needs be goodst.

2. Because, till we be brought into that state of reconciliation, we have no share • n the intercession, satisfaction and righteousness of Jesus Christ. And till we have a share in the • , our prayers cannot be accepted. Jacob could not receive the blessing from his father, but in the garments of his elder brother; not can we receive anything from the hands of God, but in the Robes of Christ. No prayer can be accepted by God, but in and through the intercession of Jesus Christ. If Christ be not an Intercesson in Heaven, no prayer will be heard 〈…〉 in the 8. Chapter of Rev. 1. v. 3. • . is written, there was an Angel thus came and stood at the Altar, having a 〈…〉 and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer i • with the prayers of all Saints upon the golden Altar which was before the throne. The word in the Greek is to this purpose, That he should add it to the prayers of the Saints: As if the prayer of Christ and a Believer were all one. In the 56. of Isal. 7. God promiseth, I will bring my people to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer, &c. In the Hebrew it i • thus, I will make them joyful in the house of my prayer. Our prayers ar • but as so many cyphers, that signify nothing, till the intercession of Christ is added to them; without that they cannot be accepted.

[Reas. 3] 3. Because till we are in a state of friendship and reconciliation, we have not the assistance of God's Spirit to help us; and if we have not the assistance of the Spirit, we shall never find acceptance with him. All •• quests that are not dictated by the Spirit, are but the breathings of the flesh, which God regards not. Now till we are reconciled to God; we cannot have the Spirit, Gal. 4. 6. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba Father. So that till you be sons, you cannot have the Spirit.

And so much for the reasons: I come now to the application.

If this be so, that a man must be in a state of friendship before his prayers can be accepted; Hence learn, That all that ever thou dost before that estate, is odious to God. Not only thy sinful actions, but even thy civil, thy natural, yea, thy religious actions. Not that they are so in themselves, or in regard of God, but in regard of the doer of it, Psal. 109. 7. —let his prayer be turned into sin. Thou makest a prayer against sin, God will turn thy prayers into sin. Many prayers cannot then one sin into a grace, but one sin willfully, and resolutely continued in, can turn all thy prayers into sin, Prov. 21. 27. The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord; how much more when he bringeth it with a wicked mind. A diseased body, turns that food into corrupt humors, which an healthful body doth into sound nourishment. I have read of a precious stone that had excellent virtue in it, but lost all its efficacy if it was put into a dead man's mouth. Prayer is an Ordinance of great excellency, of great efficacy; but if it be in a dead man's mouth, if it come out of the heart of one that is dead in trespasses and sins, it looseth all its virtue: water that in pure in the fountain, is corrupted in the channel.

[Use. 2] 2. This doctrine overthrows one main pillar of the Romish religion, justification by works. If God accepteth of the person before he accepts the work, how can any person be justified by works? Unless thy person be justified, unless thou art reconciled, thy works are wicked works; and can wicked works justify? Good works make not a man good, but a good man makes a work good; and shall a work that a man made good, return again and make the man good? I • we had no other reason against justification by works (saith • erkins) but this, it were sufficient.

[Use. 3] 3. For this teach you, not only to look to the fitness and disposedness of your hearts in prayer, but also to make inquiry what thou art that prayest. It is our duty, and it is very good to look to the qualification of the heart in prayer, to look to the qualification of the duty; but the main work is to look after the qualification of the person, and to see whether thou art in a state of favor and reconciliation, with God; for if the person be not in favor with God, you may be confident the petitions will not be heard nor accepted, but God looks upon it as the corrupt breathings of thy sinful and corrupt heart. You are to look therefore in the performance of duty, whether you can go to God, in prayer as a Father. There are many that look after the qualification of their duty; but few look after the qualification of the person, to see whether they be justified or no, whether God be their friend or not. But we should mainly look to this: for let the heart of a man be never so well disposed, (let us suppose it, for indeed no unreconciled men can be well disposed, to speak properly) yet if thy person be not justified, thy prayer cannot be accepted. God cares not for the Rhetoric of prayers, how eloquent they are; nor for the Arithmetic of prayers, how many they are; nor for the Logic of them, how rational and methodical they are; nor for the Music of them, what an harmony and melody of words thou hast; but he looks at the divinity of prayers, which is from the qualification of a person, from a justified person, and in a sanctified manner. It is good to inquire, Is my heart right? Is my mind composed? Are my affections raised, kindled in prayer? But chiefly enqui • e, is my person accepted of God?

[Use. 4] 4. Let me give a caution here, Take heed you do not mistake this Doctrine: Let no man think, that because God accepts no prayer, except the person be justified, therefore wicked men are excused from prayer; for though God doth not accept of every man's prayer, yet every man in the world ought to pray; For

1. They must pray as creatures, that stand in need of their Creator. The Ravens cry, and God giveth them meat.

2. The Lord blames wicked men for not praying to him, Jer. 10. 25. Pour out thy wrath upon the Heathen that know then not, and upon the families that call not upon thy Name. Rom. 3. 11. There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.

3. They are commanded to pray, Acts 8. 22, 23. Peter said to Simon Magus, Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee; for I perceive thou art in the gall of bitterness, and bonds of iniquity.

A ND thus much for the first Doctrine, and first part of the Text, the relation between him that prays, and him to whom prayers are made. I come now to the second part, which is the condition upon which the prayer was heard; and that I told you was set down two ways.

• 1. Negatively.
• 2. Positively.
• 3. Negatively, Not because he is his friend.

The observation thence is this,

[Doct. 2] That a state of friendship, or reconciliation with God, is not sufficient to assure a man that God will give returns to his prayers. Although a man must be brought into a state of, friendship and favor with God, before his, prayers can be heard: yet it is not a sufficient ground for a man to believe, that God will give him an answer of all his prayers. He will give unto him, not because he is friend. So that a godly man may make many prayers, and yet God may not give any answer to his prayers.

In the handling of this Doctrine, I shall do three things.

1. Shew the reasons of the Doctrine.

2. I shall show, in what cases God may refuse to give his own people the things that they pray for.

3. I shall show, how we may know, when God denies to hear our prayers, whether the denial be in mercy.

[Reas.] The first particular is the reason, why God may, and doth sometimes deny to hear the prayers of his friends: And that is this. Because, God hath tied returns of prayer, not only to the qualification of the person, but also to the qualification of the duty; that the duty be performed, not only by a fit person, but also in a right way, in a right manner, to a right end. God doth not say, Let a godly man pray how he will, I will hear his prayers; that were the way to make him to be careless and remiss in the performance of duties. Therefore the Lord expects qualification of the duty, as well as of the person. God requires that duties be done with feeling, fervency, faith, fear and reverence; they must be done in a right manner.

There is a fivefold qualification that God requires, even of his friends, as a condition of their acceptance.

1. The heart must be prepared, Psal. 10. 17. Lord thou hast heard the desire of the humble, thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear. So Job 11. 13, 14, 15. If thou prepare thine heart, and stretch out thine hand towards him. If iniquity be in thine hand, put it far away, and let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacle. For then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot; yea, thou shalt be steadfast and shalt not fear. That is the first particular.

2. Sin must be removed. So you find in the place last quoted, iniquity must be put far away, &c. When God's own people come to worship before God, they must not let any sin lie upon their consciences, unrepented of and indulged.

3. The affections must be raised. David, when he set himself to prayer, he saith Unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul, Psal. 25. 1. You read often in Scripture, of lifting up a prayer to God, Isai. 37. 4 —It may be the Lord thy God will hear the words of Rabshakeh, whom the king of Assyria hath sent,—wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that is left. Jer. 7. 16. Pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them. 1 Tim. 2. 8. I will that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without warth and doubting.

4. The mind must be compased in prayer, 1 Cor. 7. 35 We are to attend upon the Lord without distraction. Daniel set his face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, Daniel 9. 3. In the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, said David, Psal. 5. 3. As an Archer when he shoots an arrow, takes care that his hand shake not; his heart was so fixed on God, that he could directly send his prayers unto him. Dost thou think, O man, that God will hear that prayer which thou dost not hear thyself? will God regard that prayer, that thou dost not regard? will God grant thy request, when thou dost not know what thou askest, because of that indisposedness and distraction that lies upon thy spirit? You must therefore take care, when you be take yourselves to prayer, that the Devil do not distract and disturb you.

[ 5] 5. The desires must be enlarged after God in prayer, Jer. 29. 13. Then you shall seek me and find me, when you search for me with all your heart. God bids us Open our mouths wide, and I will fill them, Psal. 18. 10. God hath not promised to fill the heart, unless our mouth be opened.

Now put all these together: Our prayers will not be heard, except, 1. Our hearts be prepared. 2. Sin removed. 3. Our affections raised. 4. Our minds composed. 5. Our desires enlarged. And judge, whether this be not ground enough for the Doctrine, That a state of friendship, is not sufficient for the acceptance of our prayers.

I come now to the second thing, and that is, a case of conscience: it is this; In what Cases may God refuse to give his people the things they pray for? I answer.

[ 1] 1. In case you indulge any sin in the heart, Psal. 66. 18. If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear my prayer. Sin which is in thine heart, by thine indulgence and approbation, doth provoke God, that he will not give an answer to thy prayers

[ 2] 2. In case thou dost seek for any mercy from God, to be fuel for thy sin and lust, James 4. 3. Ye ask and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that you may consume it upon your lusts. So the mother of Zebedees children, Matth. 20. 21. She said to Christ, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, the other on thy left in thy kingdom. Now this was an ambitious desire; for she shown Christ would have reigned upon earth, as an earthly King, and she desired that they might be next him, as he sat upon the Throne. Therefore Christ said, You know not what you ask. Christ would not give any answer to her request; he would not gratify her pride and ambition.

[ 3] 3. In case God sees we are not able to use the mercy well when we have it. If you would ask gifts from God, it may be God sees, that enlarged gifts would make thee proud, and that thou wouldest be puffed up with them, and exalt thyself above thy brethren, therefore God will deny thee. We read, Gen. 26. 1, 2. When there was a famine in the Land,—He went to inquire of the Lord, whether he should go down into Egypt, God answered, Go not down into Egypt. God would not let him go; but in the days of Jacob there was a famine in the Land, Gen. 46. 3. and God said to Jacob, Go down into Egypt. Now what might be the reason, that God would have Jacob go down into Egypt, and not Isaac. The rason is this, Isaac was a man of weaker Graces then Jacob was; and God saw, that if Isaac had gone down into Egypt for corn, he would have fallen into the sins of the Land. Now Jacob was a strong man in grace and in gifts; for as a Prince he wrestled with God, and prevailed, and was called, Israel. God saw that Jacob would resist their idolatrous ways, and not be guilty of their sins. So you may ask mercies of God, and it may be you are not able to manage them well. And therefore God denies you; when as another asks the same mercy, and God gives it to him; because he sees he will use it well, and improve it to God's glory. Therefore reflect upon thyself; and when God denies thee a mercy, which thou hast begged at his hands; Say to thyself, this denial is in mercy, for he did not think me fit for it. If men would take this way to consider of God's dealing with them, it would silence all the murmurings and repinings of their hearts against God.

[ 4] 4. If you pray but cursorily and carelessly, then God may deny you. He that prays coldly, doth, as it were, increat God to give him a denial. God promiseth to be found, if we seek him with our whole heart: But if we be careless and regardless ourselves, how can we expect that God should regard us?

So much for answer to that question, In what cases God may deny his people's prayers. This is the second thing.

[ 3] 3. The third particular, is another Case of conscience. And it is this.

Seeing God doth not hear the prayers of his people in some cases; How may we know, whether the denial of our prayers be in mercy or no?

God doth not hear the prayers of wicked men, he denies them in wrath; but his people's prayers he denies in mercy; and that is in these cases.

[Answ. 1] 1. This is a mercy, in case any of his people ask anything that is sinful in itself. God denies that to his people in mercy, which he gives to others in wrath. God will not always give to his people what they pray for, but what is best for them. If God should give his people all they ask, they would be undone. It is mercy to deny a mad man a sword, for he would cut his own throat with it: To deny a child a knife, for he would cut his fingers with it. You have an instance in Peter, Luke 5. 8. When Simon Peter saw him, he fell down at Jesus his knees, saying, Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord. Had Jesus Christ granted Peter his request, he had been undone forever: Therefore he would not depart from him. So that this denial was in mercy. As on the other side, it is a demonstration of God's wrath, many times, when God doth grant mercies to wicked men. So it was to Pharaoh, he desired that God would remove the plagues from him; God granted it, thereby to harden Pharaoh's heart, and make him ripe for destruction.

[ 2] 2. God denies in mercy, if that we ask would be an occasion of sin. Suppose a man beg wealth; God sees the having of wealth would make him a proud man: Now the denial of that is a mercy to him. As in the forementioned instance. God would not let Isaac go down to Egypt, because it would have been an occasion of sin to him. As he said very well, God denies that in love, which he grants in anger. God doth not hear many in their desires, that he may hear them for their good.

3. God denies a prayer in mercy, when he gives a better in lieu of it; It was the desire of Moses that he might go into the land of Canaan, but it was better to him to go to the heavenly Canaan, and therefore God translated him thither. So the Apostles desired Christ to tell them, when he would restore the Kingdom to Israel. He would not resolve them that, yet he gave them a greater mercy, for he gave them the holy Ghost. So David desired the life of that child that was illegitimate; but God took away the bastard (which would have been a living monument of David's folly) and gave him a Solomon. God will either give us what we ask (saith Bernard) or what he knows to be better for us.

4. God may deny to return this request in mercy, to quicken our he'res and affections in prayer, and to make us more eager in the pursuit after mercy. God many times denies that mercy which thou beggest, not as though he would not hear thee, but to see how thy heart will be drawn out towards him in prayer, to make thee more vehement and importunate in thy desires. Thus God was angry with the prayers of his people, Psal. 80. 4. that they might be more fervent. God doth not delay to hear our prayers (saith Anselm) because he hath no mind to give, but that our desires may be kindled, and so he may take occasion to give more plentifully.

5. God may deny a thing in mercy, if thou didst too eagerly desire the mercy, and too affectionately set thine heart upon it; if thou lovest it too much in the expetition, thou wilt be excessive in the fruition: Rachel had better wanted Children, which she so impetuously desired; for she had a child and died in child-bed. God turns mercies too passionately desired into curses, and snares to us, or else takes them away from us. And so I have answered this second Question. And that is the third and last particular; I come now to application.

[Use. 1] Use 1. Consider this, oh all you wicked and ungodly men; Consider how far you are from having your prayers heard; What? will not a father hear his child, when he prays to him coldly and remissly, and will he hear a slave? If God will 〈…〉 • ear the remiss prayer of a god lie ma • 〈…〉 dost thou think he will heart the prayers of a wicked man? If God will not hear his people's prayers at all times, notwithstanding they are in a state of friendship, will God hear thy prayers, oh wicked man, that art in state of enmity against him? If God will not hear the prayers of his own people, which are sometimes his delight, dost thou think he will hear thy prayers, which are always an abomination to him?

[ 2] 2. This should put an holy awe upon the hearts of all godly men; what though you are in a state of favor with God, though this will carry your souls to heaven, yet this will not bring you a return of your prayers. You must have your hearts rightly qualified, before God will give a return of thy prayers. And thus much for the second doctrine, and also for the negative condition.

I come now to the condition positive, to which, returns of prayer are annexed; Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend; yet because of his importunity, he will rise and give him as many as he needs. From which part of the text you may observe this doctrine.

[Doct. 3] That the people of God must not content themselves with being in a state of favor, and friendship with God, but they must also labor after this holy importunity in prayer, before they can have their prayer accepted.

In the handling of this doctrine, I shall proceed in this method.

[ 1] 1. I shall answer an objection that stands in the way.

[ 2] 2. I shall show what this importunity is.

[ 3] 3. At what times God works this in his people.

4. Wherein lies the difference between an holy importunity, and a natural importunity.

5. What are the reasons, why the people of God must have this importunity in prayer.

6. How comes it to pass that so many want this holy importunity in their prayers?

7. What helps may be used to attain this servencie and importunity of spirit. And then I shall apply it by way of Caution.

[Obje. 1] 1. I must answer an objection which is this, It may be some will say, what need is there that this condition should be so much pressed, what need is there of importunity in prayer? Hath not God decreed what mercy to bestow upon me? if so, then I am sure I shall have those mercies, let me pray how I will; and on the contrary, if God hath not decreed to give me such a mercy, I shall not have them, let me pray never so well; for the decree of God is effectual, irresistable, and cannot be altered; All mine importunity cannot alter the decree of God.

For answer to this, I shall propound three things to your consideration.

[ 1] 1. We have not to do to search into the secret will of God, we are to mind the revealed will of God, and not the secret; It concerns not us to know what God will do, but what God would have us to do. Deut. 29. 29. Secret things belong to God, but revealed things to us, and to our Children; we know not anything of the decree and counsel of God, but only as he is pleased to reveal it.

Though God can give a mercy without prayer, yet he hath not anywhere promised to give it without prayer. Prayer is the means that God hath appointed us to use for the obtaining of mercy.

3. The decree of God must not make us to be remiss in prayer; for God hath decreed not only the end, but also the means; as God hath decreed to give thee mercy, so he hath also decreed that thou shouldest pray for it. And therefore wheresoever the decree or purpose of God is mentioned, it is used as an argument, to stir up the people of God to prayer. For thou oh Lord of hosts, God of Israel, hast revealed to thy servant saying, I will build thee an house, therefore hath thy servant found in his heart to pray this prayer unto thee. And now oh Lord God, thou art God, that God and thy words be true, and thou hast promised this goodness unto thy servant. Therefore now let it please thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may continue forever before thee: For thou oh Lord God hast spoken it, and with thy blessing let the house of thy servant be blessed forever. You see here God had purposed, and promised to bless the house of David, and to continue it forever; doth this make David remiss in prayer? doth David argue, what need I pray for this mercy, seeing God is resolved to give it? No, David takes this hint, and useth it to good purpose in his prayer. Another instance you have in Isaac. God had decreed, and promised that the seed of Abraham should be multiplied as the stars of the heaven, Gen. 15. 5. and that this promised should be accomplished in Isaac. Did this make Isaac neglect prayer? No, for we read Gen. 25. 21. Isaac entreated the Lord for his wife, because she was barren, and the Lord was entreated of him, &c. Though God had promised, that in Isaac all the nations of the earth should be blessed, yet Isaac betakes himself to prayer to God, for the accomplishment of that mercy, that was decreed and promised.

[Object.] But you will say, suppose God hath decreed he will not give me the mercy I pray for, what benefit is it for me to pray for it?

I answer. 1. It is more then any man doth know, that God hath decreed he will deny thee the mercy thou askest.

2. If it be so that God hath decreed not to give thee the mercy thou prayest for, yet God will give thee the return of prayer into thy bosom; though it may be he will not give thee the particular thing thou desirest. And thus I have dispatched the first thing, I have answered the objection.

The second particular is this, What is this holy importunity?

I answer in general, The word in the original signifies impudence, or want of shame. It is a metaphor taken from beggars, who are impudently importunate, and take no denial; if you deny them once, they will ask you again, and again, and never leave till they get what they desire. It is a gathering together of all the affections of the soul, a stirring them all up in prayer, whereby the soul is so earnestly desirous after the good it wants, that it will not rest, nor leave off the duty, until he do find some return. This is meant Rom. 12. 12. Continuing instant in prayer. The Original word is very emphatical; It notes not oneiy to persevere , but to persevere and continue with utmost strength, to engage all a man's possibility in the work. It notes instancy and importunity; It is a phrase borrowed from dogs, that when they are hunting, will not cease following the game till they have got it: So a godly man will pursue God in duty, and never leave till he find the mercy he begs from him. Thus did holy Jacob Gen. 32. 26. God said, 〈…〉 for the day breaketh: And be said, I will not let thee go unless thou bless me. So it is said of Elias, James 5. 17. He prayed earnestly. In the Greek, it is in praying, he prayed; to show that a Christian, when he is praying should yet pray, should pray more earnestly, he should be as it were in agony in prayer; It was said of Austin in his preaching, that he never left preaching, till he found he had done some good upon the hearts of his hearers. So must you pray, and continue praying, and do not give over, till you find some good done upon your hearts, till you find sin weakened, and graces strengthened; This is the holy importunity that is here spoken of. And so much for the second particular.

The third particular is this. When doth the Lord work in the hearts of his people this holy importunity, what seasons are they wherein the people of God are most importunate?

[Answ. 1] I answer. 1. God works this holy importunity in the hearts of his people at their first conversion, then is the time when they are most earnest after God in duties. Austin tells us it was so in his time. first, Converts were most fervent, and affectionate towards God in duty, when they were first brought from the state of nature into the state of grace. At the first taste of the excellency of grace they are much ravished with it, because of the newness of the conditions; New things do most affect men.

[ 2] 2. There is the most holy importunity in a man, when he lives under the clearest apprehension, and assurance of God's love in Christ. Psal. 42. 4. When I remembered these things, I pour out my soul in me: when he remembered, and considered the marks and tokens of God's grace in him, and love to hm, this made him importunate. A Christian may be compared to a Marigold, which while the Sun shines upon it, opens it self, but afterwards shuts. Christians, when the Sun of God's favor shines upon them, their souls are enlarged, their affections inflamed towards God; but when God hides his face, they are troubled, their hearts are straitened, and they cannot pray as they used to do. It is said of the Nightingale, that when she thinks any one is near, she sings more sweetly then when she is alone in the wood. The soul, when it sees that God is near it, and that his favor is towards it, then it sings most sweetly, then it prays most fervently; but when the love of God is clouded, and the soul left as it were alone; then the affections flag, and grow remiss in prayer.

[ 3] 3. Another time when the people of God are importunate, is, when the time for the accomplishment of a promise grows near. This we find in Daniel, When he understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the Prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolation of Jerusalem. Then he set his face to seek the Lord by prayer and supplication. Daniel prayed at other times, but then he was most importunate, when the promise was near the accomplishment, then he was most fervent. To the same purpose is that Jer. 29. 13. Then shall you call upon me, and ye shall seek for me and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your hearts. During the seventy years, the Jews did not express any holy importunity towards God, which is the reason of that expression you read, Dan. 9. 13. Though all this evil is come upon us, yet made we not our prayer before the Lord our God, &c. But when the seventy years were come near to an end, the Jews prayed more the last year, then they did all the seventy years before. Therefore said God, I know my thoughts that I have towards you, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall ye call upon me, and shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. Therefore when you see mercies for a Family, or a Nation wanting, if thine heart be indifferent, that thou dost not care whether thou prayest or not, then you may conclude, that mercy will be long before it comes. But if you find that God draws out thine heart for mercy, if God stir up thy desires, and work this holy importunity in thine heart, it is an argument that mercy is near; for when prayer is in thine heart, mercy is at the door.

[ 4] 4. Another time when the people of God are most importunate in prayer, is, when they are most drawn off from the world, when they are most free from worldly distractions. The same word in the Hebrew, signifies both meditation and prayer; to show, that when the heart hath been drawn off from the world by meditation, then it is in a fit posture for prayer.

[ 5] 5. Another time, is when they walk most closely with God. He that lives carelessly, will not pray importunately. Therefore Job saith, If iniquity be in thine hands, put it away, so shalt thou lift up thine heart, &c. to note, that iniquity entertained and countenanced in the soul, is the great hinderer of the lifting up of the heart; the great cooler of importunity.

[ 6] 6. Another time is, in deep and bitter afflictions, then the people of God are most importunate in their prayers, Psal. 130. 1, 2. Out of the deeps have I cried unto thee, Lord hear the voice of my supplication. So Psal. 142. 1, 2. I cried unto the Lord with my voice.— I poured out my complaint before him; I shown before him my trouble. So it is said of the Jews, Psal. 107. 6. They cried unto the Lord in their trouble,—. And the same words are repeated, verse. 13, 19, 28. When trouble and great distress was upon the Jews, by Sennacherib, it is said, For this cause Hezekiah the King, and the Prophet Isaiah, the son of Amos, prayed, and cried to heaven. So it is said of Manasseh, When he was in affliction, he besought the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly,—and prayed unto him, &c. So said that good woman, 1 Sam. 1. 15. I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit, and have poured out my soul before the Lord. Thus it was with the whole Church, Isai. 26. 9. With my soul have I desired thee in the night: yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are abroad, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness. And that is the last season, wherein the people of God use to be importunate with God in prayer.

And so much for the third thing.

T HE fourth particular is this; wherein lies the difference betwixt that holy importunity, in the hearts of God's people, and the seeming importunity which flows from the gifts of nature.

Answ. It lies in these seven things.

[ 1] 1. An holy importunity, makes a man restless till his prayers be heard, Psal. 143. 6, 7. —I stretch forth m • ne hands unto thee. My soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land; hear me speedily, my spirit fails; hide not thy face from me, lest I be like them that go down into the pit. As a thirsty land. A thirsty land is never satisfied, till it gets rain. So Psal. 119. 20. My soul breaks for the longing it hath— Psal. 42. 1. As the Hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. The Hart never ests, never gives over running, till it come to the water. Such is the importunity of a godly man, he is never quiet, never satisfied till his prayers be returned into his bosom. But it is otherwise with an hypocrite, he prays for mercy, for pardon of sin, but he can rest contented, though God doth not hear him; he can beg grace, but he can be very well satisfied without grace, Prov. 13. 4. The soul of the sluggard desires and hath nothing, but the soul of the diligent maketh fat.

[ 2] 2. An holy importunity is known by this, That it makes a man more earnest for spiritual, then temporal mercies. This hath been the temper of God's people, Psal. 4. 6. There be many that say: Who will show us any good; but Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. Observe the difference, between David's and wicked men's tempers: Their great question and desire was, Who would show them any good, any temporal good; Who would give them the increase of corn and wine: But David's heart breathed after other things, after God's favor, and the light of his countenance. So Psal. 143. 6, 7, 8. I stretch forth mine hands unto thee,—my soul thirsteth after thee— Psal. 63. 1. O God, thou art my God, early will I seek thee; my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is. David was in a wilderness, he wanted water: One would have thought he should have sought God for water; But you see David's desires run in another channel; he thirsted more for God then for water; he more desired spiritual advantages, then temporal enjoyments. This importunity, makes a man more to endeavor against sin then affliction; more to desire saving, grace, then common mercies. But now the heart of an hypocrite, is more desirous of temporal then spiritual mercies. You read in Hosea 7. 14. They have not eryed unto me with their heart, when they howled upon their beds; they assemble themselves for corn and wine, and they rebel against me. They howled, for what? Was it for grace and spiritual blessings? No, it was for corn, and wine and oil; not for grace, not for acquaintance with God. Another instance you have, Acts 8. Simon Magus offered money to purchase the Holy Ghost. What was his end in desiring the Holy Ghost? Was it to obtain a spiritual mercy? No, but it was that he might work miracles. And further, when Peter put him upon the begging of a spiritual mercy, verse. 22. —pray God, if perhaps the thoughts of thine heart may be forgiven thee. But Simon Magus followed not Peters rule, he had no great desire of the pardon of sin, or any spiritual mercy; but he prays, That none of those things, which Peter had spoken might come upon him, verse. 24. That is, that his money might not perish, nor he perish with it, that his gifts might not perish; this was his great request and desire.

[ 3] 3. An holy importunity of God's people, is more in sensibleness of the inward affections of the heart, then in the outward expressions of words, Psal. 38. 9. All my desire is before thee, and my groanings are not hid from thee. David's heart panted and failed him, verse. 10. but not a word of expressions, though his expressions were very good. Rom. 8. 26. The spirit helps our infirmities, with sighs and groans that cannot be uttered. It is said, Revel. 5. 8. The four and twenty Elders had golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers of the Saints. They are called odors for their sweetness, golden, for their excellency, and vials, which are vessels of large extent in the belly, but narrow mouthed. The hearts of God's people are like vials, many times, enlarged within, when they are straitened in their words and expressions. There are many times, most dilated desires in the hearts of the Saints, and yet they are so narrow mouthed, that they are not able to utter. But now it is otherwise with hypocrites, they have more in the expression then in the action. It was God's complaint against the Jews of old, They draw nigh to God with their lips, when their hearts were far from him. An hypocrite indeed performs duty, but his duties never reach to his heart: They are like a pot, that is hot at the top, but cold at the bottom.

[ 4] 4. An holy importunity, makes a man more enlarged before God in secret, then before men in public. O my Dove that art in the clifts of the rock in the secret places of thy stairs; let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice, for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely. The voice of Christ's Church is sweet, even then when she is in secret, when none but God beholds her, Cant. 8. 13. Thou that dwellest in the gardens, the companions hearken to thy voice; cause me to hear it. But now an hypocrite, doth never care to have any secret communion with God; he cares not to pray alone; and if he be brought to that, he takes no care of his heart, he curbs not his thoughts; all his care is in company, popular applause, and vain-glory, is as the wind to the sails of a Ship, that makes their affections move the faster. An hypocrite, in this regard, may be resembled to a Nightingale, which sings sweetess when any man stands near her. So carnal men when others are witnesses of their actions, then they put forth the utmost of their ability. They are of John's temper, he was zealous only upon that condition, that others would see it.

[ 5] 5. This holy importunity, makes a godly man the more humble, the more enlarged he is to prayer: The reason is, because he looks upon his enlargements, not as coming from the strength of his natural parts or abilities, but as the free-gift, and gracious dispensation of God's Spirit: and so he sees he hath nothing whereof to boast; and so it makes him low in his own eyes. You know a violet, that is one of the sweetest flowers, grows lowest in the earth. The fullest ears of corn, do most hang down: The fullest barrels, make the least noise: So the most gracious heart, is the most low and vile in its own apprehensions, is the nearest earth, but dust and ashes. The fuller he is of divine discoveries, or enlargement, the less boasting doth he make in the world. A ship, the heavier it is laden, the less it is tost with winds and waves; the more empty it is, the more it is lifted up above the water. so a man, the more empty, the more tost too and fro with every wind of applause. Grace is, as it were, the balast of the soul, to keep down a man's spirits, and make him humble in the midst of wit and parts. Be ye therefore sober and watch unto prayer. Be sober and not puffed up, do not boast of your enlargements. Though it is true, it doth refer to another thing, yet Byfield refers it to prayer; and he saith, That man that prays to God, with most enlargednesse of affections towards God, that man cannot but he must watch and be sober. Sobriety is opposed to pride, for a man may be dumb with his own gifts and graces; and watchfulness is opposed to remissness, and deadness, and carelessness of spirit in the performance of duties. Thus it is with a sincere man, that hath this true importunity in him. But now wicked men, if ever they have enlargements in duty, it puffs them up. It is with them, as it was with, Uzziah 2 Chr. 26. 16. When God had helped him marvelously, til he was strong. But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction. When God helps the soul of such a man in duty, it makes him to lift up himself against God, and be puffed up above his brethren.

[ 6] 6. He that hath this holy importunity in him, his desires are rather quickened, then abated by denials. You find this in the woman of Canaan, Matt. 15. 22. She cried unto Christ, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David, my daughter is grie vously vexed with a devil: Jesus Christ takes no notice of her; He answered her not a word, verse. 23. There is one discouragement. One would have thought she would have d •• stead; but she prayed again, and the Disciples besought him to send her away, verse. 23. There was another discouragement, which would have knocked off the desires of many; but she continues her request still. Jesus Christ himself answers her, I am not sent, but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, verse. 24. There is a third discouragement; and yet this doth not cool her affections, but she comes afresh upon Christ, she came and worshipped, saying, Lord, help me, verse. 25. Yet she found another repulse, and that worse then any of the former; It is not meet to take the children's bread, and give it to dogs, verse. 26. Christ you see calls her a dog; and yet all this doth not cast her off, but she takes encouragement, even from this discouraging answer: And she said, Truth Lord, yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters table, verse. 27. She was resolved she would not give over, till she got what she came for, till Christ had said, O woman great is thy faith, be it unto thee even as thou wilt, verse. 28. Denials are to the Saints, as water to the Smiths-forge, when it is sprinkled upon it, it is so far from cooling or quenching it, that it makes it burn with the greater heat: So the denials, and discouragements God's people meet with, they serve for bellows, to blow up those sparks that are in them into a flame, to make their desires stronger, their affections to burn the hotter. But now to an hypocrite, denials and discouragements, do take off the wheels of his affections, and make them to move slowly and heavily: Job 21. 15. What is the Almighty that we should serve him, and what profit should we have if we pray unto him? We get no good by it, the mercies we ask, are not yet in our hands. Now this argues a sinful impatiency, and a want of holy importunity.

[ 7] 7. Holy importunity is kindled in the heart, by the motions and operations of God's blessed Spirit, Gal. 4. 6. Because you are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba father. In the time of the law, those sacrifices that were accepted were burnt with fire from heaven, Levite. 9. 24. There came fire out from before the Lord, and consumed upon the altar the burnt-offering— And so in Elijah's time, 1 King. 18. 38. When Elijah had laid his sacrifice upon the altar of the Lord, Then the fire of the Lord, fell and consumed the burnt-sacrifice and the wood— So the Heathens vestal-flames were kindled with sun-beams. The true importunity is from above, it is a fire kindled, by God himself, in the hearts of his people. But there is another importunity, that comes from natural principles, from natural abilities, a strong memory, a profound judgment, a ready wit, a fluent tongue; and these are very advantageous to the duty. There is the gift of prayer, as well as the grace of prayer. Some are importunate in prayer, out of fl • thly respects. Now this is but a counterfeit importunity. And thus much for the fourth particular, the difference between holy and natural importunity.

T He fifth particular is this. What are the reasons why God's people must labor for this holy importunity in their prayers?

[Reas 1] I answer. 1. Because God hath tied and promised returns, not to the persons praying, but to the qualifications of their prayers. And when the Scripture makes mention of this duty of prayer, it doth also make mention of several concomitants, that must go along with it, to make it acceptable. To instance, there are diverse concomitants which the Scripture holds forth to be necessary, for the acceptance of our prayers.

1. We must pray believingly, Heb. 11. 6. He that cometh to God must believe. Mar. 11. 24. Therefore I say unto you • aith Christ) what things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them and ye shall have them. He doth not say; pray how you will, you shall have them; but pray in such and such manner, pray believingly, and then you shall receive; very much to this purpose is 1 James 5. If any man want wisdom, let him ask it of God.—

Ver. 6. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering, for he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. So that you see God looks to the manner, as well as to the matter of a performance.

2. You must pray regularly, according to the will of God.

3. Dependingly, resting upon Christ's intercession.

4. Waitingly.

5. Preparedly; but these I shall pass by, because they do not so properly concern the Point in hand.

6. We are commanded to pray earnestly, and fervently, and importunately; So David did, Psal. 55. 17. I will pray and cry aloud, and he shall hear my voice. A full place to this purpose is Rom. 15. 30. Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye st • ive together with me in your prayers to God for me. The word in the Greek is very emphatical, it is the same word that is applied to Christ, when he was in an agony, when he sweat drops of blood. He beseecheth them to contend and strive in their prayers; we are to be as it were in an agony, when we are in prayer. Prayer is not a little book labor, it is not a lip labor only, but it is a raising up and putting forth the heart and affections in the work. So Rom. 12. 12. Be continuing instant in prayer. It is a metaphor taken from dogs. A dog of all creatures is the best able to endure hunger, he will run from place to place, and never leave till he hath got his prey: so you are to hunger after God, and after mercy, and not to rest satisfied, till God doth grant the mercy you stand in need of, pray, and pray, and pray again, and fight till you overcome, pray till you get an answer. Another place is, Jam. 5. 16. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. The word in the original is significant. Some expound it a working prayer; It may be interpreted a prayer well wrought in the heart, and so a prayer that comes from the heart,—A prayer wrought in us by the Spirit, and carried on by faith. Another place to the same purpose is, Acts 26. 7. Unto which promise our twelve Tribes instantly serving God— The word is rendered by some, continually, daily, constantly, but it signifies most properly a serving of God, with the utmost of ones strength, to be as a man upon a rack, to use the very all of their power; or it may be it is borrowed from one that runs a race, wherein men stretch out their limbs to the utmost. The word is the same here that is used Acts 12. 5. Prayer was made without ceasing, or (as it is in the margin of your book, and more agreeably to the Original) instant and earnest prayer was made for Peter. The prayers of God's people were so earnest, that they opened the prison doors for him. So Colos. 4. 12. Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers.— So that you see it is not every prayer that God is satisfied with, no nor God's people neither, it is not every prayer that shall prevail with God. There must be importunity in it. So much for the first reason.

2. We must have this holy importunity in prayer, because there is much strength and importunity against thee, when ever thou goest upon thy knees. There is strength against you both from without, and from within.

[ 1] 1. From without; There are the powers of darkness that stand against you and resist you. As it was with Abraham Gen. 15 11. When Abraham was sacrificing, fowls came down upon the sacrifice, but Abraham drove them away. Deodate saith, this is a sign that the Devils, those infernal spirits labor to disturb us in holy duties; as the good Angels behold us in our assemblies, and rejoice to see our order, so the wicked Angels labor to disturb us and molest us.

[ 2] 2. There is strength against us from within. There is that in thy heart that will carry thee more violently from God, then the good motions in thee can bring thee to God, there is a forcible withdrawing of the heart from God. James 1. 14. Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed. When you have no will to do good, even then you have a will to do evil; nay there are wills of the flesh, and lusts of the flesh, shall we not have half a will for God, when we have many wills for sin? You see therefore it is not without good reason that we should be thus importunate in prayer. And so much for the fifth particular.

The sixth particular is this. What are the reasons why so many people do want this holy importunity, that so many pray, and so few pray with that earnestness and eagerness of heart, and affection that is required?

I answer, that comes to pass for many reasons.

[Reas 1] 1. This comes to pass from the injections, and instigations of Satan. The Devil acts not only powerfully, but also subtly and craftily, he will endeavor to divert you from the performance of duty, he will persuade you to neglect it if he can; But it may be thou wilt say, thou wilt direct thy prayer unto God, and thou wilt have thine eye fixed upon God. Why now Satan will fall in with you, he will jogge your arm, he will take off your eye from the mark, that you shall not be able to hit it. Thus he dealt with Abraham, as you heard before. Thus he dealt, Job 1. 6. Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them. I am not ignorant that many Interpreters, by the sons of God, do understand the Angels, because the Angels are called the sons of God, Job 38. 7. but it cannot be so taken here; I will give but one reason to prove it; because the place where the Angels are, is in heaven, and if so, then the Devil must be in heaven, which is by all denied; he never was in heaven, since he was cast out of it. And therefore Bolducius saith, that this day was the Lord's day, and by the Sons of God are meant, the godly men, that lived in the time, and place where Job • ived, the posterity of Seth. And you hall find in Scripture this very appella tion given to them. Gen. 6. 2. The sons of God saw the daughters of men. These sons of God must needs be men, and not Angels; And so they are to be understood in this place in Job, the people of God met together, and came before the Lord, and Satan came also among them, he came to hinder them and disturb them. So it was Zach. 3. 1, 2. And be shown me Joshua the high Priest standing before the Angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him; And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee O Satan, even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a firebrand pluckd out of the fire? You see how Satan labored to divert the thoughts, and distract the heart of the high Priest in the performance of religious duties. That is the first reason.

2. This importunity is wanting in our prayers, when we know and allow ourselves in any one sin, and let it lie upon our hearts unrepented of. Hildersham gathers from the 51 Psalm, that all the while that David did lie in that sin of adultery, all the time that sin was unrepented of, the heart of David was shut up that he could not pray, as he was wont to do before, and as he did after he had repented of that sin, at which time he writ that penitential Psalm. You had need look to your hearts, that there do not lie there any sin encouraged, and unrepented of; for be sure of this, if thy prayer do not make thee leave sinning, thy sin will make thee leave praying. That is the second reason of the want of importunity.

[ 3] 3. Another reason is this, because many take unfit seasons for the performance of duty. It is the judgment of that learned and reverend man of God, Mr Bolton, that the taking of unfit seasons for the performance of prayer, doth more obstruct, and hinder this holy importunity in prayer, then all the suggestions and instigations of Satan.

Now there are three unfit seasons for the performance of this duty.

[ 1] 1. When the body is sleepy, and fit for nothing but to take its rest. A sleepy and sluggish temper, is a canker to eat out many sweet affections, Cant. 3. 1. By night upon my bed I sought him, but I found him not. Some Inter preters take occasion hence, to speak against late prayers.

[ 2] 2. Another unfit season is, when the heart is filled with worldly care and distractions, and the incumbrances of this present life; many men are guilty of this, they will so • log themselves with the cares of this life, that they cannot have a praying time free from them. Some men will be down upon their knees, before the things of this world are out of their minds; and so they have no time to consider, or meditate, or to put the heart into a fit frame for that work. You know we are to attend upon the Lord without distraction, 1 Cor. 7. 35. It was the fault of those Jews in hearing, that when they came to hear the word, their hearts did go out after their covetousness, Ezek. 33. 31. That is another season unfit for prayer.

[ 3] 3. Another season is, when we are under passionate distempers. When tumultuous passions are up, holy affections are down, 1 Tim. 2. 8. I will that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting; to show, that where there is wrath, the duty of prayer cannot be performed in an acceptable manner. And of the same mind was the Apostle Peter; who therefore gives this counsel, 1 Pet. 3. 7. Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honor unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers be not hindered. The Apostle wisely fore-saw, that if man and wife lived in discontent and trouble, then their prayers would be hindered; and therefore he adviseth them, to prevent the hindrance of their prayers, by avoiding occasions of discontent. And that is the third season, wherein people are are unfit for prayer: so they are diverted from that fervency, and importunity they might have in their prayers. We should therefore choose the fittest seasons for prayer. It is said of Luther, by Vitus Theodorus, who was present with him at Coburge, and many times heard him at his private prayers, in a letter of his to Melanchthon, That there was no day passed over his head, wherein Luther did not spend three hours, at the least, in prayers; and those (not hours that he could best spare, unseasonable hours, but) such hours as were the fittest for his study. And that was a reason, that Luther was very importunate in his prayers, as the same Author informs us; Good God, with how much reverence did I hear him pray! With how much boldness and confidence, &c. And on the contrary, one reason why men have so little of this holy importunity, is for want of taking fit seasons for the work.

[ 4] 4. Another reason of the want of this holy importunity is, the difuse and neglect of prayer in your Christian course. Many there are, that pray sometimes, and leave off praying again; now this doth very much dull men's affections in prayer. There is a Proverb, Use makes perfectness; I am sure it is so in the duty of prayer; let a Christian pray often, and he will come to pray well, and to pray with much enlargednesse of heart; and let him leave off prayer, and he will find his heart exceedingly straightened. Take a Key, if you use it frequently, it will be bright, but if you lay it aside, it will soon grow rusty; thus will it be with a man's heart, use prayer much, keep it close to the performance of duty, it is the way to have thy heart bright. Let this Key of prayer, which doth open heaven, be used, it will be kept bright, and thy prayer will enter into heaven; but let this Key of prayer be laid aside, and do not thou often use it, and it will quickly grow rusty again; thy prayers and performances, will not be able to enter neaven, and thou wilt not be able to perform duty in that manner that God expecteth. If thou dost not watch unto prayer, with all carefulness, thou wilt loose thy zeal and servant affection, and thy holy desires after God in duty. As it is with a Pump, use it every day, and water will come, but if you forbear the use of it two or three days, water will neither come so easily, nor so plentifully. If you do not pump out your holy desires every day, they will quickly flag and grow remiss. Physicians observe, concerning the teeth, that that side of the teeth that is not used, is most subject to rheums and distillations. That heart that is not inured to prayer and holy duties, is most subject to Satan's instillations and suggestions. This is the fourth reason.

[Reas 5] The fifth reason why this importunity is wanting, is this, because men tie themselves to prescript forms of prayer. I do not say, that it is unlawful to use set forms of prayer; we find that Jesus Christ himself used a form, Matt. 26. 39. Christ went and said, Father if it be possible, let this cup pass from me. Vers. 42. He went again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass from me, thy will be done. Vers. 44. He went away again, and prayed, saying the same words. To show, that it is lawful 〈…〉 forms of prayer, but not always. You are to strive for the spirit of prayer. A man that will use his crutches constantly, shall go • ame all the days of his life. 〈…〉 live in an age, wherein Religion is 〈◊〉 professed, and the Gospel is fully 〈◊〉 known. Do not content yourselves 〈◊〉 forms, labor for the spirit of prayer, 〈…〉 you may go to God, and spread 〈…〉 him your wants and necessities, and 〈◊〉 those mercies, that are most suitable to 〈◊〉 wants and exigencies. Forms ind • ed will teach you to beg pardon for sin, in general; but you must beg pardon for particular sins. You must not only beg mercy in general, but you must also beg 〈◊〉 particular mercies, that are most 〈…〉 you. And this, set forms are 〈…〉 which yet is the main work in prayer. He that tyes himself always to another man's form, will not be able to pray alone, but weakly, and coldly, and formally. This is the fifth reason.

[ 6] 6. Another ground of this importunity, is a giving way to an accustomed continuance in a sleight and careless performance of duties; this enervates the affections, and emasculates the spirits; what men are accustomed to, that they get an habit of, so that they cannot do the contrary. As a Carriers horse, that is used to a dull and slow pace, cannot go out of it. The lessening of Acts, makes Habits more remiss. That is the last reason. And so much shall suffice for answer to the sixth Question.

T HE Fourth paticular is this; By wat helps may a man attain to this holy importunity in prayer.

For answer, I shall lay down six or seven Theological helps, by which a man may come to attain this holy importunity.

[ 1] 1. Possess thine heart with an lawful fear of the Almighty God. This was the ground of David's importunity, as you may see, Psal. 5. verse. 3. he saith, My voice shalt thou hear in the morning— And in the 7 verse, you will find this holy fear did lie at the bottom; Lut as for me, I will come into thine house, in the multitude of thy mercy; and in thy fear, will I worship towards thine holy temple. David came to duty, with a strong 〈◊〉 of God's greatness and dreadfulness. So it is the advice of the Apostle, that if we would serve God acceptably, we must do it with reverence and godly fear, Heb. 12. 28. That fore-cited Author, Vitus Theodorus writes, concerning Luther, That he prayed with so much confidence, as if he had been speaking with his friend and familiar; and yet with so much reverence, as one that considered the great distance between God and him. I may allude to that place, Isal. 60. 5. though the words are spoken to another purpose; Thy heart shall fear, and be enlarged. An holy fear, breeds an holy care. If a man once comes to this, that he is fearless of God, he will quickly be careless in prayer; Job 15. 4. Yea, thou castest off fear, and restrainest prayer before God. A man that doth cast off the fear of God, doth soon cease to pray unto God: He that fears God most, that man will certainly pray to God best. That is the first help.

[Help. 2] 2 Another help or means to get this holy importunity is this. To recollect thy thoughts by holy meditation, before thou comest to this weighty duty of prayer to God; And upon this ground we find meditation and prayer to be put together. Psal. 5. 1, 2. Give ear to my words O Lord, and consider my meditation, give ear unto my prayer oh God and my King; for unto thee will I pray. David's prayer you see is usherd in with meditation. The same word in the Hebrew signifies both to meditate, and to pray. You find concerniag Isaac, Gen. 24. 26. Isaac went out into the fields to meditate, some read it; to pray, others translate; It is likely he did both first meditate, and then pray: Be much employed in the work of meditation, if you would have your hearts much enlarged in prayer. Meditate in to whose presence you come, what a glorious God he is, before whom you are to appear.

2. Meditate in whose name you are to come, and to pray, by whom you must have access to the throne of grace.

3. Meditate what chief mercies you want, and are to beg, what grace you would have strengthened, what lusts you would have quelled, what doubts you would have satisfied, what sins you would have pardoned, in a word, what blessings you would have God to bestow upon you. The meditation of these things must needs give a man more scope, and stir up a man's affections in prayer.

[Help. 3] 3. If you would get this holy importunity, you must recall your thoughts from worldly and distracting cares, when you come to prayer. The Apostle therefore doth exhort the Corinthians, 1 Cor. 7. to f •• e themselves from, and rid their hands of the cares of the world, and he gives this as a reason, that they may attend upon the Lord without distraction. The cares of the world will eat out that good that is in the hearts of men, will rob a man of that freedom and enlargement, that otherwise he might have in prayer. Anselm, as he was walking in the fields, saw a shepherds boy tie a stone to a birds leg, and as the bird sought to fly up, ever and anon, the stone pulled it down again. The spiritual interpretation that he partly made, and that we may make, is this; when the soul would mount aloft in prayer, and grow fervent, the cares of the world pluck it down, and cool it. And therefore you must labor to free yourselves from these incombrances. You must do as Abraham did, when he went to sacrifice, he left his servants and cattle at the bottom of the hill: So when you go to offer to God the sacrifices of prayer, you must get above the impediments and distractions of this present life. That is the third help.

[Help. 4] Another way to get this holy importunity, is to watch the heart in prayer. Colos. 4. 2. Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving. There is a watching to prayer, and a watching in praying. A watching to prayer is, when a man watcheth his heart, and sees that he doth not omit duties, and there is a watching in prayer, of which I am now speaking. Now there are four enemies, that a man must watch against in prayer.

1. Watch against drowsiness of body. This is agreat impediment of prayer, and we have great need to watch against it.

2. Watch against a deadness and dullness of spirit, against a flat and low temper, that is a great hindrance of importunity.

3. Watch against Satanical suggestions; Satan is always ready to assault thee, he watcheth to disturb and molest you in your prayers, you had need watch to counterworke him.

4. You must watch from secular distractions. All these adversaries you must watch against, and that is the way to get this holy importunity into your hearts.

[Help. 5] 5. If you would get this holy importunity, you must labor to stir up all your affections, when you come to pray. This you find was the practice of holy David, Psal. 103. 1. Bless the Lord O my soul, and all that is within me praise his holy name. See how this good man doth muster together all the faculties of his soul, how he calls up all his strength, all that he is or can do to set forth the name of God. So the Apostle Peter in his first epistle chap. 1. ver. 13. exhorts those to whom he writes, to gird up the loins of their minds. A Christian going towards heaven, is compared to a man that is going a journey; now a man that is going a journey, he girts up his clothes together about his loins, that nothing may hinder him in his journie. To this the Apostle alludes, when he bids them gird up their loins. So the like you have Luke 17. 8. Gird up thyself, and serve me. It is an expression of a master to his servant. God is our master, we are his servants, we are to do his work while we be in the world. To that end let us gird up our loins, let us gather our affections together, that we may be the more fit for, and the more vigorous in the work. A discinct and ungirt mind is not fit for prayer; in ancient times at the first assemblings, and Church-meetings, the Deacons cried, Let us pray, let us attend. There are many that pray, and do not attend to prayer, many pray, as if they prayed not; if therefore we would pray, indeeed, we must attend to it, we must stir up all that is within us, to call upon the name of the Lord.

[Help. 6] 6. If you would get this holy importunity, then you must store your hearts with fullness of matter, when thou goest to prayer; It is emptiness of Spirit that causeth deadness of heart.

[Help. 7] 7. If you would get this holy importunity, bemoan the deadness and dullness of thy heart. This was the course that holy David took, Psal. 38. 9. My desires oh Lord are before thee, and my groaning is not hid from thee. So it was the practice of the Church, Isa. 63. 17. O Lord why hast thou made us to err from thy ways, and hardened our hearts from thy fear. So it was the way that Ephraim went in, Jer. 31. 18. I have heard Ephraim bemoaning himself. Thou hast chastised me and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke.—

Ver. 19. Surely after that I was turned, I repented, and after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh: I was ashamed, yea even confounded, because I did hear the reproach of my youth. God doth love to hear his people mourning over, and bewailing their wants and weaknesses, and that is one necessary requisite in an acceptable prayer. Bewaile therefore thy dullness, consider that prayer without this holy importunity, is like a messenger without legs, as an arrow without feathers, an advocate without a tongue. S ^t Jerome complained very much of his distractions and dullness in prayer, and chid himself thus: What doest thou think that Jonah prayed thus when he was in the whales belly, or Daniel when he was among the Lions, or the thief, when he was upon the cross? Bemoane your want of importunity, if you would get this importunity. And so much shall suffice for the helps or means to get importunity. And so I have dispatched all those particulars propounded in the beginning, I now come to the application of the point.

I shall apply it by way of Caution, to prevent several mistakes in the world about this holy importunity. And there are two sorts of mistakes. There are some that think they have this importunity when they have it not. And there are others that think they have not this importunity, when indeed they have it. Both these mistakes I must labor to rectify.

[Caution 1] 1. There are some that think they have this importunity, when they have it not. Every man by nature is proud of his own parts and abilities, and apt to think that he hath more grace then indeed he hath. And here there are four mistakes, or if you will, four grounds of this great mistake. Many conceit they have importunity, when indeed they have it not.

1. Because they are fluent in their expressions in prayer.

2. Because they have some stirring of the affections in prayer.

3. Because God gives them the mercy they ask.

4. Because they pray by heart and not by book. Now all these are false grounds, and therefore I shall endeavor to disprove them in order.

The first ground of this deceit is this. There are some that conceive they have this importunity, because they have multitude of words, and variety of expressions in prayer.

Now this is no just ground for a man to conclude, that he hath this holy importunity, in four cases.

[ 1] 1. In case expressions come from the strength of natural gifts, and parts, and not from saving grace. A man may have a strong memory, and volubilitie of tongue, and good natural abilities, and yet all this while fall far short of this gracious importunity.

[ 2] 2. In case thou art full in expression, but empty in affection. There are many men whose words do outslip their hearts, and their expressions exceed their affections. So did they, Isa. 29. 13. For as much as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me; but have removed their heart far from me. Some men are like boiling water, when it boils fastest, and boils out of the top, then there is nothing at the bottom; All their prayers are at the top, in their mouth, and not in their heart and affections. Their affections do not carry equipage with their words.

[ 3] 3. In case thy importunate expressions be more used in company, then in secret, it is a sign thou haft not this holy importunity, but it comes from popular applause. It is not so with the people of God. Christ speaks to his people, Cant. 8. 13. Thou that dwellest in the gardens, the companions hearken to thy voice, cause me to hear it; to show, that they should not only pray, and be importunate when the companions hearken to their voice, when they are in company, but even then when no eye sees them, when no ear hears them, when none is present, but God alone; God expects that we should pray in secret, as well as in company.

[ 4] 4. In case thy fluencie of expressions do make thee conceited of thyself, and of thy gifts, and to sleight the gifts of other men, this is an argument thou hast not this holy importunity; for that makes a man humble, and low in his own eyes. When a man comes to despise other men, and exalt himself above his brethren, this is a token thy importunity comes not from a right principle. And so I have disproved the first false ground, upon which many conceit they have this importunity.

2. Another false ground upon which men conceive they have this importunity, when they have not, is this; Because they find in themselves some stirrings in their affections in prayer to God. But this is no just ground for that opinion in these cases.

[ 1] 1. In case thine affections are more stirred up, for the removal of affliction upon thee, then corruption within thee. As it was with the Mariners in Jonah, they cried mightily unto God, but what was it for? not that they might be delivered from their sins and corruptions, but that God would bring them safe out of that tempest wherein they were.

[ 2] 2. In case thine affections be kindled by a false Principle, as by popular applause, or vain glory, and not by the Spirit of God.

[ 3] 3. In case thy affections are more drawn out after pardoning mercy, then subduing grace. A man whose conscience is awakened, may be so far roused with the fear of hell, that he may be very earnest to have sin pardoned, out of a mere principle of self-love.

[ 4] 4. If these stirrings be fading; There are many that have a flushing in their affections, that have no standing affections in their hearts. They are like a man in a fever, that when the distemper is on him, he may be stronger by far, then he is in his ordinary course; now this is not the natural strength of the man, but only the violence of his distemper, and the decay of nature. Just so the violence that some men have, doth not argue a strength of grace, but a decrease of grace rather. And so much for the second ground of that mistake.

A third ground upon which many mistake, is this. Because God gives them the mercy they ask: Now they think God would not give them what they ask, if he did not hear and accept their prayers: But neither is this a good ground, and that for these reasons.

[ 1] 1. God may give you mercy, not as a return of prayer, but as a fruit of his general providence, whereby he doth take care for all his creatures; God giveh meat even to the Ravens that cry unto him. The Lord gives to everything their meat in due season. God hears the cries of the meanest of all his creatures in the time of need.

[ 2] 2. God may hear thee, and grant thy request in wrath, and not in mercy; So it was with the Israelites; they were weary of that government that God had set over them, and they were very importunate to have a King; Nothing would satisfy them but a King. They refused to hear the voice of Samuel, and said, nay, but we will have a King. Well, God hears their request, and grants it, and gives them a King. Might they thence conclude, surely their prayers were accepted of God, because God did give them what they desired? No, God tells us the quite contrary, Hosea 13. 11. I gave thee a King in mine anger. So in the 78. Psal. The Israelites were very desirous of meat. God heard them; Verse 29. 30, 31. So they did eat and were filled, for he gave them their own desire. They were not estranged from their lust; but while the meat was in their mouths, the wrath of God came upon them, and slew the fattest of them, and smote down the chosen men of Israel; So that God's giving of a man the mercy he wants, is no argument to a man, to conclude that God accepts his prayers.

[ 3] 3. If God hath heard thee, it may be it is in temporal favors, but not in spiritual mercies. God gives thee a temporal mercy, but he denies thee spiritual mercies. It may be thou hast begged riches, and God hath granted thee this request, to make thee rich in the world; It may be thou hast desired honor, and thou art raised to places of honor; But remember thou doest beg Christ, thou dost beg grace and glory; if God doth not give thee these, thou shalt never see the face of God; and consider, what will all these do thee good? They will but feed thee sat for the day of slaughter, and make thee a sweet morsel for worms and Devils. Now consider, what benefit this will be to thee, to have riches, pleasures, and worldly contentments, and they prove a snare to thee. So then it is no just ground for a man to conclude, that he hath prayed aright, because God hath answered him. That is the third ground.

A fourth ground of men's presumption, of the goodness and acceptableness of their prayers is this; they pray by heart, and not by book, they use not set forms, they pray ex tempore. But this also is but a false ground, as appears by these considerations.

1. It is possible, and usual too for men to pray without book, and yet without heart too. A man may pray a third way, he may pray, and yet neither pray with books, nor with heart, he may pray by the strength of natural parts, as I told you even now.

2. A man may pray without a form, and yet make but a formal prayer. A formal prayer is not to use a form of words; for that Jesus Christ did; he prayed three times, saying the same words. A man may possibly use a form of words, and yet not be formal. And on the other, a man may be formal, and yet not use a form of words; that is, he may pray, and yet not have his heart and affections wrought upon in that prayer.

[ 3] 3. Prayer is not a work of the memory, invention or expression, but a work of the heart. Prayer doth not consist in variety of phrases, or change of the method, and expression used in prayer, but a work on the affections. God doth not account that to be a prayer that doth not come from the heart, and is not accompanied with the heart; And therefore you find this expression concerning the Saints prayers formerly; Hannah poured out her soul before the Lord; and so the Psalmist, he is said to pour out his heart; and the Israelites are said to pour out their hearts like water before the Lord. So that this proves to be a false bottom. And so much for the first use of Caution.

2. T His may be for caution to the godly, to prevent the mistakes of those, that have this importunity, and think they have not; Yet here also they have some seeming reasons. I shall name them, and withal answer them.

Their first reason is this. Others pray better then I, saith a godly man. Others perform duties with more inlargednesse; Now this reasoning is not good.

[ 1] For 1. It may be those that thou apprehendest to pray better then thou, are of longer standing, and larger experience in the ways of God then thou art. God doth not expect anymore from a man, but according to that measure of grace, that he gives the man, and according to his growth and standing in grace. Paul was not at all discouraged, because Epinetus was the first fruits of Achaia unto Christ, Rom. 16. 5. nor at Andronicus and Junia, that were of note among the Apostles, and in Christ before him, verse 7. And if Paul was not discouraged, why shouldest thou be discouraged to see other Christians outstrip thee, it may be they are of longer standing then thou.

[ 2] 2. It may be thou doest judge and compare they self with others, at a great disadvantage. As first, it may be thou dost compare thyself, and thy praying in secret, with the praying of others in public; Now this is very disadvantageous; for in public men have not only inward, but also outward encouragements, and so thorough the corruption that is in all our hearts, they are more drawn forth at that time then in secret.

2. It may be thou dost compare their expression with thine affection, it may be there is more in thy affections, then in all the multitude of their expressions. Thou are not to compare thy affections with the multitude of other men's words.

3. I • may be thou dost compare thy 〈◊〉 with others, when they are at the best and highest, and thou at the worst and lowest. There is a great difference betwixt a man and himself, at several times, now you judge unequally, if you compare yourself in that manner.

3. In some cases this may be no discouragement to thee; as 1. If thou art weaker in natural gifts. Though good affections flow from grace, yet good expressions proceed from the goodness of natural abilities.

2. In case thou art not of as long standing in religion.

[ 3] 3. It thou hast lesser time and opportunities for prayer, by reason of necessary cares and encumbring employments. When Jonah was entered into the ship there was a great storm, in so much that the ship was ready to sink: now all the Mariners were at prayer, every man cried to his God, but Jonah was fast asl •• p, now one would have thought, that Jonah had been a most stupid man; but the reason was the greatness of his journey, a little before, which caused him to be so heavy to sleep. It may be a man that hath less grace then thou may pray better then thou, because he is not troubled with these worldly incumbrances, that thou art necessarily engaged in.

[ 4] 4. God doth not distribute gifts and graces to all alike, God hath not appointed that all men should grow in grace alike. To this purpose I may apply, Nehem. 11. 17. Mattaniah the son of Micah, the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph was the principal to begin the thanksgiving in prayer, and Bakbukiah the second among his brethren, and Abda the son of Shammuz— the third. God doth not intend that all should be alike in grace, or gifts; God hath his first, second, and third; one may fall short of another, and yet all have truth of grace, yea, all have some growth in grace. Another may pray better, and yet thou pray well; Another may pray more affectionately, and yet thou pray as acceptably in the sight of God: so much for Answer to the first reason.

2. Many a poor soul may say, I can remember since I could pray better, and more largely. Now if I could pray better formerly then now, I am now grown remiss, and want this holy importunity. But this is no sound reason; for

[ 1] 1. It may be thou hadst formerly more affection, but less judgment, less experience, less spiritualness in thy prayers. It may be now thou art more sound in knowledge, thou makest a more inward progress in holiness; thou canst now make a more inward prayer to God, thou hast now more inward communion with God. Now if this be so, thou hast no cause to be discouraged. God loves a judicious prayer, as well as a large and affectionate prayer; you see what you want one way, you make up another way. A young carpenter gives more blows, and makes more chips, but an old and experienced workman doth the most and the best work. A young Musician can play more quickly and nimbly upon an instrument, but an old Musician hath more skill.

[ 2] 2. It may be when thou hadst more affections in prayer, thou hadst more sin in prayer, more pride in thy gifts, more dependence upon thy duties, more sensoriousness of others, and many other corruptions that did accompany thy prayers, and thy affectionateness in them. Now though thou hast less affections, yet those other corruptions are in great part eaten out.

[ 3] 3. It may be thou hast not now so many helps and opportunities to keep up thine heart, to stir up thine affections in prayer, as thou hadst formerly. It may be thou didst formerly live under the teachings of an able godly minister. Now thou hast lost that opportunity. And so there are several other helps, that peradventure are now taken away from thee,

[ 4] 4. Though it is true thou art abated, and thou didst pray better formerly then now, yet ought not this to be matter of discouragement to thee.

1. If it doth not proceed from a voluntary carelessness.

2. If it be not accompanied with hardness and insensibleness.

3. If it be not continued in with laziness and contentedness. And so much for answer to the second reason.

3. Another ground of doubting to the people of God is this. They complain they have not those enlarged expressions in prayer, which God's people use to have. For answer consider these things.

[ 1] 1. This hath many times been the case of God's own people, that they have wanted expressions, they could not find a vent for their affections. Thus it was with Hannah, she spake in her heart, but she was not able to express her self. So it was with holy David, Psal. 77. 4. I am so troubled that I cannot speak, and yet in the first verse of that Psalm, he tells us he cried unto the Lord with his voice. Here was an heart full of prayer, though he wanted utterance.

[ 2] 2. It is better to have affections without expressions, then expressions without affections. God looks more to the desires of the heart then the words of the mouth. It may be what thou wantest of expression, is made up in affection.

[ 3] 3. It may be what is wanting in words, is made up in life; as thou art defective in expression, so thou makest a recompense in conversation; and that is the best expression that can be. It is much better to live a prayer then to express a prayer. It is good to pray for grace, but it is better to live a life of grace. It is good to pray against sin, but it is better to live against sin.

And so much for answer to the third doubt.

A fourth ground of doubting is this: Many a disconsolate Christian is apt to say, I am troubled with wandering thoughts; with deadness and dullness of heart in prayer.

I confess thy case is sad, and to be lamented for, and it is just matter of humiliation: Yet even here is matter of comfort.

[ 1] 1. If thou dost what thou canst, to free thyself from wanderings before thou comest to pray.

2. If thou dost what thou canst to resist these wanderings when you are come before God in prayer.

3. If you be sensible of these wanderings afterward. If you can say, you do these three things, your wanderings shall never be laid to your charge.

And thus I have done with both these Uses of Caution. And so I have done with the principal Doctrine, which was this, That on holy importunity, and earnestness of spirit, is a condition required in the prayers of God's people, if they expect returns thereunto.

There is another considerable Doctrine yet behind, taken from the amplification of the concession: He asked but three loaves; but because of his importunity, he gave him as many as he needed.

The observation thence is this; That when the heart is importunate in begging mercy, God usually gives us more then we pray for.

In the handling of this Doctrine, I shall

• 1. prove it by Scripture-instances.
• 2. I shall lay down the reasons of it.
• 3. I shall answer some objections, and cases of conscience; and so I shall come to application.

1. I shall prove it by Scripture instances.

1. You have the instance of Hannah, 1 Sam. 1. She begged a son with much importunity, being a woman of a sorrowful spirit for want of a son; Well, God returns her an answer. Chemnitz observes, that Hanna asked a son, and God gave her a Prophet. She begged a son, God gave her a gracious son; a son greatly beloved of God. She asked a single mercy, and God gave her a double blessing.

Another instance you have in Abraham, Gen. 17. Abraham prayed, O that Ishmael might live in thy sight. Well, what answer doth God return? That you have verse. 19. Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed, and thou shalt call his name Isaac, and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him. It was Abraham's desire that Ishmael might live. Now God, not only grants that, but he grants him a better mercy.

Another instance you have in the Canaanitish woman, Matth. 15. who did importunately beg of Christ, the life and health of her daughter. Christ answered her thus, Be it unto thee even as thou wilt.

Now if you ask what is the reason, why God deals thus with his people? I answer.

[Reas. 1] 1. This proceeds from the largeness and greatness of God's power, and the riches and freeness of his grace towards us; Ephes. 3. 20. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly, above all that we are able to ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us. A man may ask of another man, and it may be receive; but then he must not ask again: but herein appears the power and ability, the goodness and bounty of God; if we ask of him once or twice, he is a God that is able to give, not according to our asking only, but above what we ask; and not only above what we can ask, but above what we can ask or think. The words are so full, that they cannot well be expressed, God doth more then excessively. God hath not only a fullness of abundance, but of redundancy; not only of plenty, but bounty; he is better then our prayers.

[Reas. 2] 2. God will do this, to relieve his people, and to supply their spiritual wants. Among the wants of God's people, this is one, that we do not know what we need, nor what we should pray for as we ought, Rom. 8. 26. Therefore God supplies our wants, not only in what we ask, but in what we want, though we do not ask it, nor pray for it.

So much for the Reasons; I come now to answer some objections.

[Object. 1] But some may say, What privilege hath a godly man more then a wicked man, to have more to be given him then he doth ask, seeing we read of wicked men that they do prosper in the world, and have more then heart can wish? Psal. 73. I answer.

[Answ. 1] 1. It is true in temporal mercies: God may give wicked men more then the godly, and more then their heart can wish; but God doth not give them spiritual mercies: As we may see in Balaam: God gave Balaam honors and riches, but Balaam cried our, O that I might die the death of the righteous, This God did not grant him. So, many wicked men do say in a general way, Lord pardon my sins; God doth not hear them. It may be a child of God, may ask of God temporal mercies, and God will give him spiritual mercies; this is more then he did ask, and that much better then he gives to wicked men.

[ 2] 2. Though God doth give unto wicked men more then their hearts can wish, yet God doth not give it as any return of prayer, but only as fruits of general and common providence, as they are his creatures, whom he will preserve.

[ 3] 3. God may give wicked men more then their hearts can wish, and this is not in mercy, but in wrath. They may receive mercies, but not as mercies, not in mercy. And there are four demonstrations when God hears a man in wrath.

[ 1] 1. When he asks anything of God that is sinful in its own nature; as the denial of it is an act of mercy, so the grant of it is a fruit of God's anger. God doth many times give those things in his anger, which he denies when he is well pleased. God will not hear his own people according to their wills, but according to his own will. It is in this case, as it is with a father, when his child, for want of knowledge, asks a knife of him, by which he may cut his fingers; the father will not give him the knife, except it be in wrath. So a man may ask mercies at the hand of God, and it may be God will give them in wrath to cut themselves with them.

[ 2] 2. If you ask those things of God, which though they are not sinful in their own nature; yet if thy asking of these lawful things be to an unlawful end, God will deny these in mercy; and when he gives them it is in wrath. As if thou desirest temporal mercies to abuse them to drunkenness, or to live in any other sin and wickedness; if God give thee those mercies, tis as a testimony of his wrath to thee. So it was in the 78. Psalm v. 18. They tempted God in their hearts, and asked meat for their lust. There was the end of their desires. They desired a lawful thing for unlawful ends; But what followed? The wrath of God: For while the meat was in their mouths, the wrath of God came upon them, verse. 30, 31.

3. If you ask anything of God, and he gives it in wrath, you may know by this; if it be an occasion of sin to thee, it is given thee in wrath. So it was with the Israelites, even now mentioned, the meat that God gave them proved an occasion of sin, verse. 32. —they sinned still, and believed not his wondrous works. When the mercies you enjoy becomes fuel to your lusts, those mercies are accompanied with the curse and wrath of God; and this using of mercies will turn to the aggravation of wrath.

[ 4] 4. Mercies are given thee in wrath, when the enjoyment of them hinders thee from the receipt of greater mercies from God. Thus it was with the Devils, Matth. 8. 31, 32. They besought Christ that they might go into the Herd of Swine: Christ granted them that, he let them enter into swine, that they might not enter into men. When the giving of temporal mercies, hinders thee from the receipt of spiritual mercies, they are given in wrath. There are many men to whom God gives temporal mercies, they have riches in abundance, pleasure at will, everything they can desire; but these mercies take off their thoughts and affections from better things; by getting these they loose Christ, and grace, immortality, and eternal happiness. Now in these cases, though God doth give mercies, yet they are given in wrath; and so notwithstanding this objection, the privilege of God's people, is much greater then the privilege of wicked men.

But it may be further objected and inquired; If this be so, that mercies are given to wicked men in wrath, and by a common providence, How may I know when mercies come to me as returns of prayers?

Now I shall answer that in these particulars.

[Answ. 1] 1. Mercies are returns of prayer, when the receiving of mercy is a means to quicken the heart to beg for other mercies at the hands of God: when the mercy shall make thee more to love prayer, more to use prayer. This you find proved by David's experience, Psal. 116. 2. Because he hath heard my voice, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live. You see here, because God had heard David's prayer, and given him the mercy he begged, he makes an argument, and an engagement to himself to pray as long as he lived. So that to continue prayer, is a means to get more mercy; and the leaving off of prayer when you have a mercy, is a means to loose that which you have obtained at the hands of God. But as for the wicked it is not so with them. Mercies received only from a common, or general providence, have no such efficacy, as you may see, Job 21. 7, 8, &c. there Job tells you, —the wicked live, become old, yea, mighty in power: Their seed is established in their sight with them, and their offspring before their eyes. Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God upon them. Their bull gendereth, and faileth not, their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf. And so he goes on, describing that happy condition that wicked men were in, and how God followed them with mercy after mercy. Well, what was the effect of this? Did this engage them to call upon God? Did this make them in love with prayer? No, it had a quite contrary effect, verse. 14. Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways. And verse. 15. What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have if we pray unto him?

[ 2] 2. Mercies that are given as returns of prayer, do not only make a man consider that they are from God, but draws the heart to God, and put a man upon employing them in the service, and to the honor of God. This we find to be the temper of Hannah, 1 Sam. 1. 27, 28. Hanuah had prayed for a child, God gave her a son. Now what doth she with this mercy? Observe, For this child I prayed, and the Lord hath granted my petition,—Therefore have I lent him to the Lord; as long as he liveth. Seeing God hath heard my prayer and granted my request, therefore will I give this mercy to God, to be employed in this service. So 1 Joh. 3. 22. And whatsoever we ask we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. You see it is made an evidence, that what we receive is received as an answer to our askings; because we make those mercies helps to obedience to keep God's commandments. But now mercies that come from a common providence, do not draw out the heart towards God; they rather draw them out towards sin; as it was in the forementioned Israelites, Psalm 78. though God did give them their hearts desire, yet were they not estranged from their lust.

[ 3] 3. Mercies come from God as returns of prayer, when they make you more to rejoice in the God that hears your prayers, and gives you the mercy, then in the mercy you receive from God. Thus you find it was in Hannah, she asked a son, and God gave her a son, yet she saith, 1 Sam. 2. 1. My heart rejoiceth in the Lord. God gave her a son, she rejoiced in that mercy, but she rejoiced more in the God that gave it. So it was with David, Psal. 85. 6. Wilt thou not revive us again, that thy people may rejoice in thee? We will not rejoice chiefly in the mercy, but in thee. But on the contrary, those that receive mercies out of the basket of common providence, they rejoice more in the mercy then in the God of mercy; they rejoice in their wealth and glory, in the multitude of their riches; but as for God they bid him depart from them; they cannot rejoice in God.

[ 4] 4. M Ercies that are the fruits of prayer, are known by this, He that hath them, ascribes them not to his own industry, but to the grace and mercy of God. Thus it was with Sampson, Judge. 15. when he was ready to die for thirst, he prayed unto the Lord, and God clave an hollow place in the jaw-bone, and gave him water. Now Sampson calls the name of the place Enhakkore, the well of him that prayed: he ascribes it to the return of his prayers; to that assistance that God gave him to pray. So Hannah ascribed her mercy to God, not to herself. But now a wicked man that receives mercies from God's general providence, his language is, This I have labored for; this I have ventured my life for; this my friends left me; this I got by my forecast, providence, & industry: thus they sacrifice to their own nets; but seldom say, This is the return of prayers, this is the gift of God.

[ 5] 5. That mercy that is given as a return of prayer, is enjoyed with more inward quiet, and contentment of mind, then when it is given in by general providence. When Eli told Hannah that she should have a son, and that her prayer was heard, she had so much inward joy and contentment of mind, that is said, Hannah went away rejoicing; and her countenance was no more sad: The consideration of that made her very much to rejoice. The reason is, because mercies that are given in as returns of prayer, they are given in with a blessing, and inward quiteness and contentment of mind. The mercies that God gives his own people, he gives them with joy and comfort, Prov 10. 22. The blessing of the Lord maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow to it. You read, 1 Chron. 4. 10. And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, O that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coasts, and that thy hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil that it may not grieve me. Jabez knew that it was the manner of God, when he gave blessings as returns of prayer, not to add grief to it. Isaac he prayed for his wife, and God gave her to him to be a great comfort to him. It may be wicked men have wives and no content with them, but sorrow added to them, because they did not pray for them as Isaac did; they have children, but sorrow with them; and abundance of riches, and sorrow added to that; and all because they have not the mercies as returns of prayer. The mercies that are given in a way of general providence, usually are accompanied with vexatiousnesse and discontent, snares and sorrows mingled with the mercies. So it was, Psal. 106. 15. He gave them their requests, but he sent leanness into their souls. God gives wicked men indeed their requests; but how is it, with a blessing and with content? No, no such matter, they have a curse with it. You know Saul gave Michal to David to be a snare to him, a cross and discontentment. So doth God many times, in just judgment, give his blessings to wicked men, to be snares, and curses and crosses to them.

[ 6] 6. Mercies that come as returns of prayer, may be known by this, If they are given in the time, when God doth draw out thine heart to seek him in holy duties. An instance of this you have, Act. 12. While the Church was met to pray for Peters enlargement, the prison-doors were opened; and he came and knocked at the door of the house, where they were assembled. This was an evident sign, that God gave in Peter to them as a return of prayer. So Acts 4. 31. When they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost,— You read, Joh. 4. 52, 53. That the Noble man inquired diligently, concerning the time wherein the child began to recover; and when he understood that, he knew it was a return of his prayer, and a fruit of Christ's love. God tells his people, Isa. 65. 24. Before they call I will answer, and while they are yet speaking I will hear. Thus we read in the Book of Martyrs, That the people of God did make it a sign of God's answering our prayers, when God was pleased to give in mercies to them, at the time wherein they prayed. Thus we read of Luther; That there was a young man that had made a Covenant, and sealed a Bond with his own blood, to give himself, soul and body to the Devil; only to live in pleasure, and to do and have whatsoever he did desire. And when the time of the Bond was almost out, he being much troubled in his mind, came to Luther and told him what he had done, and what was like to befall him upon it. Whereupon, Luther called the Church together, and kept a solemn Fast in the behalf of the young man: And whilst that Luther was in prayer, being earnest with God, there was a great noise heard amongst them, and the Bond was cast into the lap of Luther, in the midst of the Congregation. And so for time to come, the young man did lead an holy and godly life.

[ 7] 7. And lastly, Mercies are given as answers of prayers, in case you make care and conscience, to perform to God those vows which you made to God before you did enjoy the mercy. But when we promise God largely before we have the mercy, and when we have them, do not perform our vows, it is an argument we have the mercies by general and common providence: Job 22. 27, 28. Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee; and thou shalt pay thy vows: thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee; and the light shall shine upon thy ways. When thou begest a mercy, and sayest, Lord give me such a mercy, and I will do thus and thus; I will walk so and so before thee, I will improve them to thy glory. Now when thou shalt thus ask for mercy, and make vows to God, he will hear; but then thou must be sure to perform thy vows. This frame of heart we find to be in David, Psal. 66. 13, 14. I will go into thine house with burnt offerings, I will pay thee my vows which my lips have uttered, and my mouth hath spoken when I was in trouble. You see David was in trouble, and he prayed to God, and made some promises and vows, in case God would deliver him. Now God did deliver him out of trouble, and he did make good his vows. Now here was a return of prayer. David you see did not grow secure and careless, but he made conscience to pay what he had promised to God. And so you see how you may discover, whether the mercies you receive from God be returns of prayer, or only fruits of common and general providence. And so much for Answer to that Question.

Another Objection, or case of conscience is this; How can this be true, that God gives his people more then they need, seeing it is the complaint of God's people many times, that they have been a long time begging mercy, and God doth not give them so much as they desire. Many say, I pray for pardon of sin, and I cannot get it pardoned, and the pardon sealed: I pray daily for power against my corruptions, and yet I cannot get my lusts subdued? What then shall I think of my prayers, may some poor soul say?

Now to this I shall lay down several things, by way of answer.

[Answ. 1] 1. It must be considered, that God many times gets glory by the denials of his people; yea, he gets more glory by denying, then by the granting of a mercy. And if the denying of a mercy to thee, be the way to advice. God's glory; it is better that God should have his glory, and thou be without the mercy, then that thou shouldst have the mercy, and God want his glory. An eminent instance of this you have, Joh. II. There was a prayer made by Mary and Martha for their brother Lazarus; And they came unto Jesus and said, he whom thou lovest i • sick: But Jesus said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God. When Jesus Christ heard that he was sick, yet he stayed two days in the place where he was, though he loved Martha, and he loved Lazarus, yet he stayed two days and would not go to him: but in the 14. verse, Christ said plainly, Lazarus is dead: And I am glad for your sakes, that I was not there, to the intent that you might believe. But they said unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, he had not died. Christ came and commanded them to role the stone away, Martha answered, He hath been four days in the grave, and by this time be stinketh. This was that that Christ aimed at: Christ knew that it was greater glory to him, to raise the dead out of the grave, then to raise him out of the bed of sickness: The power of his Godhead did more appear in the former then in the latter. And when Martha told him, He stinketh; Jesus answered, Said I not unto thee, if thou didst believe, thou shouldst see the glory of God? that is, thou shouldst see the power of my Godhead. This was the end of Christ's denying of mercy, though it was earnestly desired.

[ 2] 2. I answer, It may be thou dost not hear God in his commands, and then it is no wonder God doth not hear thee in thy prayers. If thou dost not hearken to the call of God, it may be expected that God should not hearken to thy call. See Prov. 1. 24. Because I have called, and ye refused, I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded. Compared with verse 28. Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me. Mic. 3. 4. Then shall they cry unto the Lord, but he will not hear them; he will even hide his face from them at that time, as they have behaved themselves ill in their doings. Zach. 7. 13. Therefore it is come to pass, that as he cried and they would not hear, so they cried, and I would not hear, saith the Lord of Hosts. It may be God hath been calling upon thee this many years to believe and to repent; to be reformed, to forsake the evil of your doings; and thou hast not heatd his calling; his mercies have not drawn thee; his judgments have not affrighted thee: and is it not just with God to let thee call, and he not hear thee?

[ 3] 3. It may be thou dost ask but slightly, and therefore thy prayers are not successful: As it is with a man, that asketh anything of another man slightly and coldly, he doth, as it were, desire him to say him nay. So when man asks mercies of God, carelessly and indifferently, this provokes God to give no answer. It may be thou prayest sleepily and drouzily, and with a wandering heart: And dost thou think God will hear that prayer, that thou dost not hear thyself? Dost thou think that God will accept of that prayer, when thou knowest not what thou sayest?

[ 4] 4. God may give thee a mercy, and thou through thy incredulity, impatiency, and inobservancie, not mind the returns that God gives. God may hear thy prayers, and yet thou not take any notice of it. This you may see in Job, Job 9. 16, 17. If I have called and God answered, yet I will not believe that God hath heard me, because thou breakest me with thy tempest—Job was in a fit of impatiency and unbelief. And though God did give him returns of prayer, yet he would not, did not observe them.

[ 5] 5. God may deny thee the mercy, not that he is unable, or unwilling to hear thee or relieve thee; but to make thee the more desirous of, and so the more fit for mercy. It may be yet thou art not fit for an answer. The Philosopher begged some money of Antigonus, he gave him a Drachme: He said, It is not for a King to give so little, a Talent had been a more suitable gift. The King replied, Though a Talent is fit for me to give, yet thou art not fit to receive. So though God is always fit and ready to give an answer to our prayers, yet we are not always fit and ready to receive it. God bids us open our mouths wide, and I will fill it. God denies us, that we may open our mouths the wider, and enlarge our desires the more after mercy. The Lord doth by his people, as a father by his child; a father may seem to withdraw and hide himself from his child, to try its love to him; and the child begins to mourn and cry, yet the father comes not to the child; but when he hears the child cry aloud, then he comes to it and takes it up in his arms. So the Lord many times, sees his people pray, but he seems to withdraw from them, to hide himself from the prayers of his people; and goes as it were out of their sight, until they begin to cry aloug, to be very earnest and importunate in their prayers, till their desires be enlarged towards God; and then God graciously returns their prayers into their bosom. Now this is a very good reason, why God denies the prayers of his people. Desires deferred, grow the stronger; but if the mercies be soon given, the desires grow cold, and the mercy grows contemptible. Manna lightly come, is lightly set by. God doth by us as a Fisher-man doth, he draws back the bait, that so the Fish may come after it the more eagerly, and bite the harder. God seems to draw back a mercy, that we may more earnestly pursue it.

[ 6] 6. Consider this that God's people have prayed and waited a long time, before God hath given them the mercy they have asked, before God hath given them an answer of their prayers. God promised Abraham a son, that from him should proceed such an one, in whom all the families of the earth should be blessed, that his seed should be multiplied as the stars in the firmament; and yet it was fifteen years between the time of God's making him that promise, and the accomplishment of it. So likewise you find it in Zacbariab and Elizabeth, they prayed for a Child at the first beginning of their marriage, now God did hear their cries and prayers; yet he did not give them a return till they were old and stricken in years. So likewise it was with the Church, Lament. 3. verse. 8. Also when I cry and shout be shutteth out my prayer. And ver. 44. Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, that our prayers should not pass through. So also it was, Hab. 1. 2. O Lord, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear? It was also the complaint of holy David, Psal. 22. 1, 2. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? O my God I cry in the day time and thou hearest not, and in the night season, and am not silent.

[ 7] 7. God may not only defer or deny to hear his people's prayers, but in sometimes and cases be angry with the prayers of his people. Psal. 80. 4. O Lord God of hosts, how long wilt thou be angry against the prayers of thy people. So Job 30. 20, 21. I cry unto thee, and thou doest not hear me. I stand up and thou regardest me not; thou art become cruel to me with thy strong hand, thou opposest thyself against me.

[ 8] 8. Consider this for thy comfort, that thy person may be accepted and thy prayers heard, and yet the thing thou prayest for not granted to thee. An instance of this you have in Christ himself, he prayed, Father if it be possible let this cup pass from me, Mat. 26. yet this cup did not pass from him, but he did drink of it, and yet it is said that Christ was heard in all that he prayed for, Heb. 5. 7. Deut. 3. ver. 23. I be sought the Lord at that time (saith Moses) and ver. 26. But the Lord was wroth with me for your sakes, and would not hear me: and the Lord said unto me, let it suffice thee, speak no more to me of this matter. Moses did importunately desire that he might see the Land, and go over Jordan to possess it. Moses was a godly man, and here he prays for this mercy, but yet God was angry with him, & bad him pray no more. God bad him go up into the Mount and see the Land, but told him he should not go over. So when thou askest a particular mercy at the hand of God, God may deny them that mercy, and yet hear their prayers and accept their persons.

[ 9] 9. God may deny thee the mercy thou askest, and give thee a better in the room of it, he makes you to open your mouths the wider, that he may give you the greater mercies. Abraham prayed that Ishmael might live. Now God did not hear his prayer in that as Abraham did desire it, but he gave him Isaac, and with him he established the Covenant, which was a better mercy. Moses was denied in his request to go into Canaan, but he was translated into a better place, into the true Canaan, the Kingdom of heaven.

[ 10] 10. God may deny what we pray for in mercy, which should he grant it would be a token of his wrath; as if a man should ask that which was sinful, or that which would be an unavoidable occasion of sin, or if he should ask it for sinful ends, or in case a man ask that that would be a monument of his shame; all which cases I have spoken to before, and therefore shall now say no more.

[ 11] 11. God may hear another man's prayers for thee, though he will not hear thine own. This is a great comfort to every poor weak Christian in the world, they have a stock of prayers going for them to the throne of grace. You read in Job, chap. 42. that God forbad his three friends to pray, but bad Job pray for them, and told him, that he would hear him for them, ver. 8, 9. —go to my 〈…〉 , and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering, and my servant Job shall pray for you, for him will I accept, least I deal with you after your folly, in that you have not spoken of me the thing that is right, like my servant Job. And they did as God commanded them, and the Lord accepted Job. It may be there be times when you cannot pray, or when God will not hear your prayers, but remember you have a stock of prayers going for you. And thus much shall suffice by way of answer to this objection; I now come to make application.

I N the first place, let me draw some Inferences or Corollaries from what hath been insisted upon.

[Corollary 1] 1. Returnes to prayer are not given for the works sake, but for the persons sake. Though the matter of thy prayer may be good, yet if thou art not a good man, thou shalt not be accepted. God had respect first to Abel, & then to his offering. Psal. 34. 17. The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth— The person must be in a state of favor, before the duty can be accepted.

[Corol. 2] 2. Though prayers are not returned for the work, yet they are not returned without the work. God expects the work, and the work you must do, though God will not have you to look for acceptance for the works sake.

[Corol. 3] 3. Nor are returns of prayer made to a person singly considered, but a member of Christ, as one that hath a share in his intercession. Joh. 15. 7. If ye abide in me— ye shall ask what you will, and it shall be given you. So Joh. 16. 23. Whatsoever ye ask the Father in my Name, that he will give to you. All our prayers are but Cyphers, till Christ's intercession be added. Cyphers in Arithmetic stand for nothing till a figure be added.

[Coroll. 4] 4. The longer and the more thou hast prayed, the more affectionate shouldest thou be in prayer. Mat. 6. 7. Ask and ye shall have, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you. Observe the gradation in these words; Ask, but you must not stay there, you must seek, nor yet must you rest satisfied there, you must knock. Your affections should be every day more eager and earnest, you should pray more fervently; as it is said of Christ, Luk. 22. 44.

[Corol. 5] 5. He can never pray importunately, that doth not pray daily; Intermission of duty will quickly cause an interruption in thine affections, you must therefore pray in secret, pray fervently, pray morning and evening. And to stir you up to and encourage you in this work;

[ 1] Consider 1. The example of those holy men of God who have done thus. Nehemiah 1 6. Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine yet open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant which I pray before thee day and night. So you have the example of Daniel, Dan. 6. 10. —he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did before time. It was a custom that he had observed of former time. Though he was a great Courtier, and a man full of great employment, yet he would not neglect prayer. Nor was this an extraordinary fit but his ordinary course. So in David, Psal. 5. 3. My voice shall thou hear in the morning, and in the evening will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up. So Psal. 88. 13. But unto thee have I cried, O Lord, and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee. So Psal. 119. 147. I prevented the dawning of the morning, and cried unto the Lord. Psal. 55. 17. Evening and morning and at noon will I pray and cry aloud.

2. You have the example of Jesus Christ himself, Mark. 1. 35. In the morning rising up a great while before day, he went out and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed, and so at evening. Mat. 14. 23. He went unto a mountain to pray, and when the evening was come he was there also. And least you should think this was only upon extraordinary occasion, it is said, Luk. 22. 3. He came to the mount of Olives as he was went. Joh. 18. 2. Jesus, resorted thither with his Disciples.

[ 3] 3. Consider you have the very examples of of Heathens in this. The Heathens sacrificed to Heroules morning and evening upon the great Altar at Rome.

[ 4] 4. Consider that in the Lord's Prayer, we are taught to pray every day. Christ did not bid us pray for bread or things necessary for a month or a year, but day by day.

[ 5] 5. This was prefigured in the Law, there was a daily offering to be given to God, a lamb at morning and a lamb at night, as you may see Exod. 29. 38, 39. Yea extraordinary sacrifices did not abolish this number, there was a burnt, offering for the Sabbath, besides the continual burnt offering, and the burnt offering at the beginning of the month, and the Passe over, and yet though these extraordinary works were to be done; yet the ordinary were not to be left undone. 80 that you see here is good ground and encouragement for then to be-frequent in these religious duties. And so much for the 〈…〉 .

[Use. 2] [Caution.] • . This may be useful for the instruction of those to whom God hath given returns of prayers, to whom God hath out of his bounty given more then they did •• ke. To such I must give, first, S •• ne negative cautions; secondly, Some positive cautions.

[Negative 1] • . Some 〈…〉 cautions, and that in four regards.

1. Let not God's returns to thy prayers make thee remiss and careless in the performance of duty. Beware of an empty heart when God brings in thy mercies with a full hand. Merchant adventurers, i • they have good returns, are encouraged to adventure their Ships to Sea again: Our hearts are so base and disingenuous, that we are apt, when we have what we seek for, to seek no more. O take heed of this let not God's goodness make you worse.

[ 2] 2. Another caution i • this. Let not returns to prayer make you conceited and proud of your gifts; or of your graces. We are too apt to reflect upon ourselves, our parts, our graces, our abilities, and therefore we have more need to 〈…〉 of it. Beware that thine heart be not lifted up in pride against God, least God be provoked to lift up his hand against thee in judgment.

[ 3] 3. Take heed that you do not ascribe the returns of prayer do your own importunity, but 〈◊〉 to the freeness of God's grace. Men are 〈◊〉 apt to 〈◊〉 to their own 〈◊〉 , and 〈◊〉 because to their own drags. Take • eed o • 〈◊〉 ; God cannot endure to have his glory givs and another. Say rather, I have received mercy, but alas there is nothing in me that could deserve it, all comes solely from the free grace of God.

[ 4] 4. Take heed of returning again to sin after God hath returned thy prayers into thy bosom. Psal. 85. 8. I will hear what the Lord God will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, but let them not turn again to folly. It would be both sin and folly in thee to return to sin after God hath given thee an answer of peace. This was David's resolution for his own particular. Psal. 6. 8. Depart from me all you workers of iniquity: Why, what is the reason? The Lord hath heard the voice of my supplication. As if David had said, O ye wicked men, you have been occasions of sin to me, and companions in sin with me, but how that God hath been thus gracious to me, now that God hath graciously returned my prayers, I will have no more to do with you; Depart from me; yea workers of iniquity. And so much for the negative Cautions.

I shall now lay down a few positive cautions.

[ 1] 1. If God hath returned thy prayers, see that thou beest more frequent in prayer then thou wast formerly. This was the purpose of holy. David, Psal. 116. Because the Lord hath heard my prayer, therefore I will call upon him as long as I live. So let it be your care, to set yourself more solemnly, and seriously to seek God then ever you have dove.

[ 2] 2. See that you be more in praises to God then you have been. Those mercies that thou hast won by prayer, are to be worn by thankfulness, Psal. 145. 10. All thy works praise thee, O Lord, and thy Saints do bless thee. All God's works do praise him; The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth his handy work. That is, they are all the passive monuments of God's power in creating them: But the Saints they are agents in praising God. Blessing is more then praising: A picture praiseth him that made it; but it doth not bless him. The Saints, they bless God in a peculiar manner; their mouths are full of the praises of God: They have a principle within them of praising God; they are agents in setting forth his praise. And therefore it is very fit that you should bless God.

[ 3] 3. See that you be much in obedience: If God doth much for thee, see that thou do much for God. If God hath an hearing ear, thou must have a doing hand. And so much for the use of caution.

[Use. 3] 3. I shall speak something by way of comfort.

[ 1] 1. To such as have not this importunity, nor this return of prayers.

[ 2] 2. To such as have returns to prayer.

[ 1] 1. Here is a word of consolation to those that want this holy importunity; and that in three respects.

[ 1] 1. Thou mayest pray with sincerity, when thou dost not pray with importunity. The Lord, saith David, is nigh to all that call upon him; but how? Not only to them that call on him importunately and powerfully, but to all that call upon him in truth; if thou canst say thou dost call upon God in truth, and with a sincere heart, God will be high unto thee.

[ 2] 2. It is the office of Christ to pray for thee in heaven, when thou dost not pray upon earth. It is the work of Jesus Christ to make intercession for thee to his Father. Although thou hast not importunity in thyself, yet consider, O believing soul, that Christ is in heaven importuning the Father for thee.

[ 3] 3. A sense and complaining of the want of this holy importunity, is accounted by God a degree of it. If you did never complain of the want of the Spirit, it was a sign you never had the Spirit: and now that you be wall the want of it, it is a sign you have it.

[Branch 2] 2. Here is also a word of consolation, to those that have returns of prayer; and that in four respects.

[ 1] 1. Thy mercies are double mercies: It is a mercy to have mercy, but to have it in such a way, is a double mercy, Psal. 91. They shall call upon me, and I will answer them; and I will be with him in trouble, &c. It is a mercy to have deliverance out of trouble; but to have it through prayer, a deliverance that comes in by prayer, is a double, mercy.

[ 2] 2. These mercies are sanctified mercies. Mercies as you are creatures are good, but as returns of prayer they are sanctified: And blest mercies, are much better to the soul that enjoyeth them.

[ 3] 3. The mercies which thou hast, as returns of prayer, are costly mercies. Mercies that come in by providence, are easy and cheap, but mercies that come in by prayer are costly; they cost the price of Christ's blood to purchase them; and they cost thee many a prayer and tear to obtain them.

[ 4] 4. These mercies are sealing mercies, and that in three particulars,

[ 1] 1. They are seals to you that you have the Spirit of God; for Christ hears no prayers, and no spirit, but his own. God is as well pleased with the barking of a dog, as with the prayers of a Christless man.

[ 2] 2. It is a seal to thee of an interest in Christ's intercession. If thy prayers are returned, it is a sign they are accepted. Now no prayers are accepted, but by virtue of the intercession of Jesus Christ.

[ 3] 3. These returns are a seal of more mercies; a sign that thou shalt have more mercies from God. One mercy that is given in by prayer, is a pledge of another mercy; and thy mercy in this life, is a pledge to thee, that thou shalt have eternal happiness in heaven to all eternity.