Chapter 1 (continued, part 48)
Nay, do not only observe thy thoughts in duty, but call them to review after duty. Many go from prayer too much like boys from school, that think no more of their lesson till they return again—leave praying, and all thoughts how they behaved themselves in prayer, together. For shame do not thus. If thou neglectest to take account of thyself, consider that thou must give an account both of it and this thy neglect after it before thy betters. God himself will have the full hearing thereof. He sets not any about a work, of which he means not to take cognizance how it was done. And were it not better that the audit should be in thy more private court, than thou be called to give up thy account at his dreadful tribunal? Resolve therefore to commune with thy heart upon this point; and the sooner thou goest about it the better it is like to be done, because then the circumstances of the action will be freshest in thy memory. Go not then out of thy closet till thou hast examined thy heart. If thy thoughts in prayer shall be found to have been in any measure free and entire, thy affections warm and lively, matter of joy will arise to thee, and thanksgiving to God that thou hast escaped the hands of so
many rovers and freebooters that lay in wait to make prize of thee. But, take heed thou applaudest not thyself for thine own care and circumspection. Alas! thou wert not thine own keeper. He that lent his ear to thy prayer gave thee thy heart to pray, and also keep it up in duty. Say rather with David, 'Who am I, that I should be able to offer so willingly?' If thy heart upon the review be found to have played the truant, take shame, that thou beest not put to shame before the Lord. O blush to think thou shouldst be so unfaithful to God and thine own soul, yea so foolish, to run up and down on every idle errand which Satan sends thee, and in the meanwhile neglect thy own work of so great an importance! The spouse's complaint may fit thy mouth: 'They made me the keeper of the vineyards, but mine own vineyard have I not kept.'
He is an unwise messenger who, being sent to market to provide food, is drawn by every idle companion to spend both his time and money in vain, and at night comes home without bread for the hungry family. O! Christian, was not thy errand to the throne of grace to get new supplies from heaven for thy poor soul? And doth it not grieve thee to think that now thy soul must pinch, for thy playing away thy praying time and talent, which, as market money, was put into thy hand to procure a new store? Yea, that thou hast been injurious to thy God by taking his name in vain? Thou appearedst in a praying posture; thy hand voice were lift up to heaven, as if thou meantest to pray; but—like him who said he would go into the vineyard, and did not—thou hast turned a contrary way, and set thy thoughts to work in another field. Will not this affect thy heart? Yes, surely, and afflict it also. And this affliction of thy spirit will be a sovereign means to excite thy care for the future. The faults which are unobserved are also uncorrected in the scholar's exercise, and so not like to be mended in the next. Wandering thoughts in prayer are
like vagrants. No such way to rid the country of one, and the heart of the other, as by giving both the law—the lash, I mean.
Question. O! but, saith the Christian, I have used this means, and yet, to the grief of my heart, I am still pestered with them.
Answer. Take a few consolatory words to ease thy aching heart, that groans under the burden of these thy wandering thoughts.
[Consolatory thoughts for the Christian too
much downcast through wanderings in prayer.]
1. Thought. The affliction of thy spirit for them speaks more comfort to thee, than the presence of them discomfort. That thou art annoyed with such troublesome guests is no more than the best of saints have found and acknowledged. Wherefore did David pray that God would 'unite his heart to fear his name,' but that he found it gadding? What means Paul by his complaint, 'When I would do good, evil is present with me,' but that he had not yet got the full mastery of his unruly thoughts? Thou seest it is no new disease thou art troubled with, but such as is common, not only to the sons of men, but the children of God—a spot that may be seen on a saint's coat. But thy being afflicted for them, speaks one of these two things —and both of them have comfort in their mouth for thee. It proves that they are either Satan's injections, and not the birth of thine own heart; or, if they stream from thy own heart, yet the Spirit of God is the indweller, and these but intruders.
(1.) The moan thou makest for being yoked to such company is a sign they are rather sent in by Satan, than called in by thee—his injections, rather than the suggestions of thy own heart. Our own thoughts commonly are more taking with and pleasurable to us. The
mother does not more love the fruit of her own body, than we do the product of our minds. Hence our 'own ways,' words, and thoughts are called our 'pleasure,' Isa. 58:13, and therefore they may be possibly shot from his bow—thy heart being so affrighted at them, and wounded for them. Or,
(2.) If they prove the offspring of thine own mind, yet thy afflicted soul shows that the Spirit and grace of God is the indweller, and these but intruders and involuntary motions, such as in thy deliberate thoughts thou abhorrest. Were they, as I may so say, of thy own house and family, thou wouldst not show this zeal to shut the door upon them, or shriek out when they come in upon thee. The wife does not cry out when husband, children, or servants come into the room, but when thieves and cutthroats, from whom she looks for nothing but cruelty. It seems they are neither of thine acquaintance, nor likest thou their company, by thy behaviour before them. Be not therefore over-troubled; for Satan, if he can but disquiet thy mind with false fears, he hath one part of his errand done for which he sends them. These wicked thoughts are upon no other terms with thee than holy thoughts are in the wicked. As those profit not them, because not entertained; so, for the same reason, shall not these hurt thee.
2. Thought. Know these be the necessary infirmities of thy imperfect state; and, so long as thou art faithful to resist and mourn for them, they rather move God's pity to thee than wrath against thee. It is one thing for a child, employed by his father, willingly or negligently to spoil the work he sets him about; and another, when through natural weakness he fails in the exact doing of it. Should a master bid his servant give him a cup of wine, and he should willingly throw both glass and wine on the ground, he might expect his master's just displeasure. But if, through some unsteadiness—it
may be palsy in his hand—he should, notwithstanding all his care, spill some of it in the bringing, an ingenuous master will rather pity him for his disease, than be angry for the wine that is lost. And did God ever give his servants occasion to think him a hard master? Hath he not promised, 'that he will spare us as a father his child that serves him?' From whence come all the apologies which he makes for his people's failings if not from his merciful heart, interpreting them candidly to proceed rather from their want of skill than will, power, or desire? 'Is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?' Zech. 3:2, is Christ's answer in the behalf of Joshua, whom Satan accused for his filthy garments. 'The Spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak,' Matt. 26:41, was his favourable gloss for his disciples' drowsiness in prayer.
3. Thought. Believers' prayers pass a refining before they come into God's hands. Did he indeed read them with their impertinences, and take our blotted copy out of our hand, we could not fear too much what the issue might be. But they come under the corrector's hand. Our Lord Jesus hath the inspection of them, who sets right all our broken requests and misplaced petitions. He washes out our blots with his blood. His mediation is the fine searce through which our prayers are bolted. All that is coarse and heterogeneous he severs from the pure. What is of his own Spirit's breathing he presents, and what our fleshly part added he hides, that it shall not prejudice us or our prayers. This was the sweet gospel truth wrapped up in the priest's bearing the sins of their holy offerings, Ex. 28:38.
4. Thought. Though the presence of these be a great affliction to thee, yet God will make them of singular use to thee. (1.) To humble thee, and take all glorying from thee, that thou shalt not pride thyself in thy other assistances, which thou wouldst be prone to do if thy prayer had not this lame foot to humble thee. (2.) To keep thee
wakeful and circumspect in thy Christian course. By thy disturbance from these thou seest the war is not yet quite done. The Canaanite is yet in the land. Though not master of the field, he is yet skulking in his holes and fastnesses, out of which he comes like an adder in the path, that by these sudden surprises and nibbling at thy heel he may make thee, like the rider, fall backward, and so steal a victory unawares of thee, whom he despairs to overcome in a pitched battle by sins more deliberate. And truly, if he dare be so bold as to set upon thee when in communion with God—so nigh thy rock and castle—doth it not behoove thee, Christian, to look about thee, that he gets no greater advantage of thee when thou art at further distance from him in thy worldly employments? (3.) God will make thee by these more merciful to, and less censorious of, thy brethren of greater failings.
5. Thought. In thy faithful conflict with them thou mayest promise thyself, at last, victory over them. But expect this gradually to be done; not at once, nor hastily, to be delivered into thy hands, as God said of Israel's enemies. Therefore, maintain the fight: faint not at their stubborn resistance; pray, and mourn that thou canst pray no better; mourn and fight again; fight and believe them down, though sometimes they get thee under their feet. God made a promise to Noah after the flood, in which he gave him a sovereignty over the creatures. 'The fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth,' Gen. 9:2. But we see many beasts are fierce, savage, and cruel to mankind. Yet thus it is fulfilled —that none are so fierce and unruly but, by man's art and industry, they have been and still are taken and tamed, as the apostle hath it, James 3:7. Thus God hath given his saints by promise, a sovereignty over sin and Satan; he will subdue both under your feet. The dread of the saints shall fall on the proudest devil, and his foot shall be set on the neck
of the fiercest lust. Yet this will cost hot work before the one or other be effected.
[Satan strives toHINDER THE SUCCESS OF PRAYER.]
THIRD DESIGN. The third and last design that Satan hath against the saint in this great undertaking of prayer, is to hinder his success therein. He will have thee, Christian, if he can, one way or other, outwards or homewards; and it comes all to one whether the ship be taken as it goes forth or as it returns home. Nay, of the two it is the greater loss to be defeated of our expectations when we look for our prayers to come richly fraught with mercies from heaven. Now, two ways he labours to hinder the success of prayer.
First. He endeavours to hinder the welcome of their prayers with God, that they may be cast as a petition out of court which God will not look on.
Second. If he cannot prevail in this, then he plays an after-game, and will so handle the matter, if possible, that though the prayers have a welcome with God, and find gracious reception in heaven, yet that this be not believed by the saint on earth, but that he gives them up for lost and looks no more after them. Now though this be not a total and final miscarriage of the prayer, yet the devil hath hereby a great advantage, depriving him of the present comfort and benefit which his fight might pay him in before a return is made of his prayer.
[Satan would hinder the success of the saints' prayers,
by getting them to be such as would be unwelcome
with God.]
First way of Hinderance. Satan endeavours to hinder the welcome of the saints' prayers with God, that they may be cast as a petition out of court which God will not look on. He labours to hinder even the entertainment of our prayers in heaven. Now our prayers may several ways be stopped at heaven's door, and denied that gracious access which God useth to give. I speak now of saints' prayers. As for the prayers of the wicked, there is one law for them all —to be cast over the bar and the door shut upon them. The tree must be good before the fruit it bears can be sweet on God's palate. Now the stoppage which the saint's prayer meets withal, springs not from any unwillingness in God to give out his mercy, or any dislike to have beggars at his door. Adeo placet Deo dare, ut propter hoc omnia creavit, volebat enim habere quæ et quibus dare—God is so delighted with acts of mercy, that therefore he made the world, and all in it, that he might have suitors to beg and alms to give those suitors. But from ourselves we put the stones into the lock, which hinders the turning of prayer's key in it, and so indeed we shut the door of mercy upon ourselves. The devil himself could not immediately hinder a saint's welcome. He hath not such command of God's ear, did we not put words into his mouth, and help him to a charge against us. The lies which he, as a false accuser carries to God, shall not prejudice us in God's thoughts or make our prayers less acceptable; but if the accusation be true, God will hear it, though he be a wicked spirit that tells the tale, and we his dear children of whom it is told. A father, when he hears of some wicked prank his child hath played, will chide and frown on him, though it be an enemy that told him of it. Now, to instance what miscarriages in a saint hinder their audience at the throne of grace. 1. When the thing prayed for is not according to the will of God. 2. When the end the saint aims at is not levelled right. 3. When with his prayer he joins not a diligent use of the means. 4. When some secret grudge is lodged in his heart against his brother. 5. When there is a want of faith.
[MISCARRIAGES in a praying saint which
hinder his audience in heaven.]
1. Miscarriage. When the thing prayed for is not according to the will of God. We have not a liberty to pray at random for what we will. The throne of grace is not set up that we may come and there vent our sudden distempered passions before God, or make any saucy motion to him that comes in our head. Truly then God would have work enough. If we had promised to sign all our petitions without any regard to the subject-matter of them, he should too oft set his hand against himself, and pass that away which would be little for his glory to give. Herod was too lavish when he gave his minion leave to ask what she would, even to half of his kingdom. And he paid dearly for it; he gave her that head which was more worth than his whole kingdom—for the cutting off his head lost him his crown. No, we have to do with a wise God, who, to stop the mouth of all such bold beggars, that would ask what unbeseems us to desire, or him to give, hath given a law of prayer, and stinted us to the matter thereof: 'When ye pray, say, Our Father,' c. That is, learn here what you may pray for in faith to receive. 'And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us,' I John 5:14.
Faith, without a promise, is like a foot without any firm ground to stand upon. It was well Luther interpreted himself, when he said, fiat voluntas mea —my will be done—mea, Domine, quia tua—my will, Lord, because thine. Now, the promise contains this will of God. Be sure thou gatherest all thy flowers of prayer out of this garden, and thou canst not do amiss. But take heed of mingling with them any wild gourd of thine own. Remember the check our Lord gave his disciples when venting their vindictive passion in their
prayer: 'Wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them?...And he said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of,' Luke 9:54, 55. They had here an example to countenance their act. But that heroicus impetus, and extraordinary spirit by which Elijah and other of the prophets were acted, is not our standing rule for prayer. That came in them from the Spirit of God, which in us may proceed from the spirit of the devil, which is implied in our Saviour's question, 'Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.' As if he had said, 'You little think who stirred you up. You had your coal, not from God's altar, but from Satan's furnace.'
O! let us beware that we be not the devil's messengers in going to God upon his errand; which we do when we pray against the rule or without a warrant. Belch not out thy unruly passions of anger there, presently to have thine enemies confounded—the disciples' case; nor vent thy intemperate sorrow through impatience—as Job in the paroxysm of his trouble begs of God to take away his life in all haste. Take counsel of the word, and 'let not thy lip be hasty to utter a matter before the Lord.' Daniel's method was the right, Dan. 9:2. First, he goes to the Scripture and searches what the mind of God was concerning the time when he had promised his people a return out of their captivity, which having found, and learned thereby how to lay his plea, then away he goes to besiege the throne of grace. 'And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer,' c., ver. 3. Art thou sick or poor?—in want of any temporal mercy? Go and inquire upon what terms these are promised, that thy faith may not jet beyond the foundation of the promise by a peremptory and absolute desire of them, for then thy building will fall, and thou be put to shame, because thou askest more than God ever promised.
2. Miscarriage. Though the subject-matter of a saint's prayer be bottomed on the word, yet if the end he aims at be not levelled right,
this is a second door at which his prayer will be stopped, though it pass the former. 'Ye ask and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.' Take, I confess, a Christian in his right temper, and he levels at the glory of God. Yet as a needle is touched with a lodestone may, being shaken, be removed from its beloved point, to which nature hath espoused it, though trembling till it again recovers it; so, a gracious soul may, in a particular act and request, vary from this end, being jogged by Satan, yea disturbed by an enemy nearer home, his own unmortified corruption. Truly he is a rare archer that ever hits the white. Do you not think it possible for a saint, in distress of body and spirit, to pray for health in the one, and comfort in the other, with too selfish a respect had to his own ease and quiet? Yes sure, and to pray for gifts and assistance in some eminent service, with an eye asquint to his own credit and applause, to pray for a child with too inordinate a desire that the honour of his house may be built up in him—I know none so seasoned with grace as not to be subject to such warpings of spirit. And this may be understood as the sense, in part, of that expression: 'If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me, but verily the Lord hath heard me,' Ps. 66:18. For, to desire our own health, peace, and reputation, be not an iniquity —when contained in the banks that God hath set —yet, when they overflow, and are to such a height lift up as to overtop the glory of God, yea to stand but in a level with it, they are a great abomination. That which in the first or second degree is wholesome food, would be rank poison in the fourth or fifth.
Therefore, Christian, catechise thyself before thou prayest, O my soul, what sends thee on this errand? Know but thy own mind, what thou prayest for, and thou mayest soon know God's mind how thou shalt speed. Secure God his glory, and thou mayest carry away the mercy with thee. Had Adonijah asked Abishag out of love to her
person, and not rather out of love to the crown, it is like Solomon would not have denied the banns between them; but this wise prince observed his drift, to make her but a step to his getting into the throne, which he ambitiously thirsted for, and therefore his request was denied with so much disdain. Look that, when thy petition is loyal, there be not treason in thy end and aim. If there be, he will find it out.
Question. When shall I know that I aim at God or self in prayer?
Answer. This will commonly appear by the posture of our heart when God delays or denies the thing we pray for. A soul that can acquiesce, and patiently bear a delay or denial—I speak now of such mercies as are of an inferior nature, not necessary to salvation, and so not absolutely promised—gives a hopeful testimony that the glory of God weighs more in his thoughts than his own private interest and accommodation. A selfish heart is both peremptory and hasty. It must have the thing it cries for, and that quickly too, or else it faints and chides, falls down in a swoon, or breaks out into murmuring complaints, not sparing to fall foul on the promises and attributes of God himself. 'Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not?' Isa. 58:3. Now, from whence come both these, but from an overvaluing of ourselves? —which makes us clash with God's glory, that may be more advanced by these delays and denials, than if we had the thing we so earnestly desire. God was more glorified in denying Christ himself his life, than if he had let that bitter cup pass without his tasting of it, which Christ, understanding fully, resigned himself thereunto, saying, 'Father, glorify thy name; not my will, but thy will be done,' John 12:28. As if he had said, I would not save my life to lose thee the least of thy glory. This is the copy we should all write after. Indeed, if our distempered hearts be so wilful and hasty as not to be content with what, and that when it pleaseth God also,
he should not love us in gratifying such desires, for thereby he would but nourish such distemper, which is better cured by starving than feeding it.
3. Miscarriage. The Christian's prayer may miscarry when, with his prayer, he joins not a diligent use of the means. We must not think to lie upon God, as some lazy people do on their rich kindred; to be always begging of him, but not putting forth our hand to work in the use of means. God hath appointed prayer as a help to our diligence, not as a cloak for our sloth. Idle beggars are welcome neither to God's door nor man's. What! wilt thou lift up thy hands to God in prayer, and then put them in thy pocket? Doth not God forbid our charity to him that worketh not? 'We commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat,' II Thes. 3:10. And will he encourage that idleness in thee which he would have punished by us? It is a good gloss of Bernard upon that of Jeremiah, 'Let us lift up our hearts with our hands unto God in the heavens,' Lam. 3:41—qui orat et laborat, ille cor levat ad Deum cum manibus— he that prayeth, and is diligent in the use of means, is the person that lifts up his heart with his hands to God. Look therefore, Christian, thou minglest thy sweat with thy tears, thy labour with thy prayers. If thy prayer doth not set thee on work, neither will it set thy God at work for thee. Is it a lust thou art praying against? And dost thou sit down idle to see whether it will now die alone? Will that prayer slay one lust that lets another—thy sloth, I mean —live under its nose? As God will not save thy soul, so neither will he destroy thy sin, unless thy hand also be put to the work. See how God raised Joshua from off the earth, where he lay praying and mourning for Israel's defeat, Joshua 7:10, 11: 'Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face? Israel hath sinned,' c.; ver. 12, 'Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies,' c.; ver. 13, 'Up, sanctify the people.'
O how oft may God rouse us up from our knees, and say, 'Why lie ye here with your lazy prayers? You have sinned in not taking my counsel and obeying my orders. I bade you watch as well as pray; why do you not one as well as the other? My command obliges you to flee from the snare that Satan lays for you, as well as pray against it: therefore it is you cannot stand before your lusts.' Moses durst not go to God with a prayer in behalf of sinning Israel till he had shown his zeal for God against their sin, and then he goes and speeds; see Ex. 32:25, compared with ver. 31. Dost thou think to walk loosely all day, yielding thyself, and betraying the glory of the God, into the hands of thy lust, and then mend all with a prayer at night? Alas! thy cowardice and sloth will get to heaven before thy prayer, and put thee to shame when thou comest on such an errand.
4. Miscarriage. The saint's prayer may miscarry from some secret grudge that is lodged in his heart against his brother. Anger and wrath are strange fire to put to our incense. It is a law writ upon every gate of God's house—every ordinance, I mean—at which we are to enter into communion with God, that we must 'love our brethren.' When we go to hear the word, what is the caveat, but that we should 'lay aside all malice, envy, and evil-speaking, and as new-born babes, desire the sincere milk of the word?' The gospel will not speak peace to a wrathful spirit. Anger and malice, like a salt corroding humour in the stomach, makes us puke and cast up the milk of the word, that it cannot stay with us for nourishment. Is it the gospel supper thou sittest at? This is a love-feast, and though it may be eaten with the bitter herbs of sin's sorrow, yet not with the sour leaven of wrath and malice. 'When ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you,' c., I Cor. 11:18. Now mark what follows, 'this is not the Lord's supper,' ver. 20. Christ will not communicate with a wrangling jangling company. When such guests come, he riseth from his own table, as David's children did from Absalom's upon the
murder of their brother Amnon, II Sam. 13:29. And for prayer, you know the law thereof, 'Lift up holy hands, without wrath and doubting,' I Tim. 2:8—implying, that it is impossible to pray in faith and wrath. Duobus modis oratio impeditur, si ad huc homo mala committit aut si committenti in se ex toto corde non dimittit—our prayer may be hindered two ways—by lying in any sin we commit against God; or, in wrath, by not forgiving our brother's committed against us. Those two in our Lord's prayer cannot be divorced —'forgive us, as we forgive.' This is that ferrum in vulnere—iron in the wound, as the same father hath it, which makes our prayers as ineffectual to us, as the plaster is to the wound in which the bullet still remains.
Now, the reason why God is so curious in this point, in because himself is so gracious; and being 'love,' can bid none welcome that are not 'in love.' The heathens had such a notion that the gods would not like the sacrifice and service of any but such as were like themselves. And therefore to the sacrifices of Hercules none were to be admitted that were dwarfs. To the sacrifice of Bacchus, a merry god, none that were sad and pensive, as not suiting their genius. An excellent truth may be drawn from this their folly. He that would like and please God must be like to God. Now our God is a God of peace, our heavenly Father merciful; and therefore to him none can have friendly access but those that are children of peace, and merciful as their Father is. O! watch then thy heart, that Satan's fireballs—which upon every little occasion he will be throwing in at thy window —take not hold of thy spirit, to kindle any heart-burning in thee against thy brother. If at any time thou seest the least smoke, or smellest the least scent of this fire in thy bosom, sleep not till thou hast quenched it. Be more careful to lay this fire in thy heart aside, when thou goest to bed, than the other that is on thy hearth. How canst thou by prayer commit thyself into God's hands that night
wherein thou carriest a spark thereof smothered in thy breast? Irasci, hominis, iram non preficere, Christiani est (Jerome)—as a frail man thou canst not hinder but such a spark may light on thee, yet if thou wilt prove thyself a Christian, thou must quench it. Nay more, if thou wilt show thyself a Christian, and have thy prayer find God's ear or heart open to it, thou must do thy utmost to quench it in thy brother's heart as well as thy own. It is not enough that thou carriest peace in thy heart to him, except thou endeavourest that he may be at peace with thee also. 'If thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee,' Matt. 5:23.
Hierome brings in the Christian here expostulating his cause with God, why he will not hear his prayer: Domine, quare nonvis susicpere munus meum? quid ad me attinet? non est in meâ potestate, si frater meus habet aliquid contra me—'What is it to me, Lord, that my brother is offended with me? I cannot help that; wilt thou not receive my gift for his fault?' To whom he brings God thus answering—Et quid dicis male serve? Intelligo animum tuum? Nihil habes? Amas eum? Quare ergo salvari eum nonvis? Vade, roga eum, ne ille contra te habeat ut salvari possit—'What is it, naughty servant, that thou sayest? I understand thy meaning. What is it to thee? Hast thou nothing against him? Dost thou love him? Wherefore then wouldst not thou save his soul? Go and beg of him to be at peace with thee, that thy brother's soul may be saved.' I speak the more of this particular, being sensible of what an hour, or rather age, of temptation we live in, by reason of the sad differences of judgment among Christians, which have distilled upon their affections so great a distaste one to another as exulcerates them into wrath and bitterness; yea, a wonderful cure it will be, if it can be prevented from ending in an irrecoverable consumption of love among a great part of this generation —especially considering what malignity is dropped into these church-contentions by those national
divisions also that have fallen in with them, and which drew so sad a sword among us, as for many years could find no other sheath but the bowels of this then miserable nation. O what grudges, animosities, and heart-burnings have these two produced! The sword, blessed be God! is at last got into its scabbard of peace; but have we not cause to wish it had been cleaner wiped when put up, and not such an implacable spirit of revenge and malice to be found remaining among many of us, as, alas! is too common to be met with everywhere? The storm without us is over, blessed be God! but is t not too high within some of our breasts? The flood of national calamities is assuaged; but now the tide is down and gone, is there not a deal of this filth—to name no other—uncharitable jealousies, bitterness, wrath, and revenge, left behind upon our hearts? Enough to breed another plague and judgment among us if a flood of national repentance does not wash away what the sea of war and other confusions have cast up! But, if this were all the mischief they are like to do us, our case is sad enough; they will hinder our prayers. For God will not accept such sacrifices as are kindled with the fire of wrath.
5. Miscarriage. The Christian's prayer may miscarry for want of faith. Prayer is the bow, the promise is the arrow, and faith the hand which draws the bow, and sends this arrow with the heart's message to heaven. The bow without the arrow is of no use, and the arrow without the bow as little worth; and both without the strength of the hand, to no purpose. Neither the promise without prayer, nor prayer without the promise, nor both without faith, avails the Christian anything. So that what was said of the Israelites, that they 'could not enter Canaan because of unbelief;' the same may be said of many of our prayers, they cannot enter heaven with acceptation, because they are not put up in faith. Now faith may be considered with a respect to the person praying, or to the prayer put up.
[What it is to pray in faith.]
First Requisite. The person must be a believer. But this is not enough.
Second Requisite. There must be an act of faith exerted in the prayer, as well as the habit of faith dwelling in the person. 'What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them,' Mark 11:24. If the thing be not to be found in the promise that we desire, it is a sin to pray for it; if it be, it is a sin not to believe, when we pray for it, and that no small one, because thereby we both profane and ordinance and asperse the name of the great God.
Question. But what is it to pray in faith?
Answer 1. Negatively. It is not to believe that the very thing in specie —or in its proper kind, that we pray for, shall be always given. Christ prayed in faith and was heard, Heb. 5. He believed not the thing in kind to be given neither was it; yet his prayer was answered. Therefore, be sure thou learnest the right method of acting thy faith in prayer, which must be taken from the nature of the promise thou puttest in suit. As water receives its figure—round or square —from the vessel it is poured into; so our faith is to be shaped by the promise. If that be absolute—as things necessary to salvation are— then thy faith may expect the very thing promised; if otherwise, then thou art not to limit thy faith to the thing itself, but expect money or moneyworth; health, or as good as health; deliverance, or better than deliverance. An absolute faith on a conditional promise—without an immediate revelation, which we must not look for—is fancy, not faith. To commit a sin, not act a grace, this is to be free on God's purse without a grant; for we put more in the conclusion of our faith
than is in the premises of the promise; and this is as bad divinity as logic.
Answer 2. Positively. To pray in faith is to ask of God, in the name of Christ, what he hath promised, relying on his power and truth for performance, without binding him up to time, manner, or means.
(1.) We must ask what God hath promised, or else we choose for ourselves and not beg; we subject God's will to ours, and not ours to his; we forge a bond and then claim it as debt, which is a horrible presumption! He that is his own promiser must be his own paymaster.
(2.) To pray in faith is required that we pray in Christ's name. As there can be no faith but on a promise, so no promise can be claimed but in his name, because they are all both made to him and performed for him. They are made to him, the covenant being struck with him: 'In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began,' Titus 1:2. And there was none then existing but Christ to whom the promise could be made. So that, as the child claims his estate in right of his father that purchased it; so we come to our right in the promise, as heirs of and co-heirs with Christ. And as the promise was made to him, so it is performed for him, because his blood shed was the condition of the obligation upon which God acknowledged the debt to Christ, and bound himself to perform all the articles of the covenant to his heirs' orderly claiming them at his hands in his name. It is not therefore enough boldly to urge God with a promise: 'Pardon, Lord, for thou hast promised it; grace and glory, for thou hast promised them;' but we must, if we mean to lay our plea legally—I mean according to the law of faith— plead for these under the protection of his name. Thus Daniel, that holy man, laid the stress of his prayer on Christ: 'Now therefore, O
our God, hear the prayer of thy servant, and his supplications, and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate, for the Lord's sake,' Dan. 9:17.
(3.) To this praying in faith is required a relying on God, through Christ, for a gracious answer. Let the former be done, and the creature fail in this, he prays not in faith, but takes the name of God and Christ in vain. This act of relying is the taking hold on God in prayer, Isa. 64. When mariners in a storm cast out their anchor, and it comes home again without taking hold on the firm ground, so as to stay the ship and bear it up against the violence of the waves, it gives them no help. So neither doth a handless prayer that takes no hold on God. Therefore you shall find that when a Christian speeds well in prayer, his happy success is attributed, not to naked prayer, but as clothed and empowered with this act of recumbency upon God. 'They cried unto the Lord,' II Chr. 13:14. Now see, 'The children of Judah prevailed, because they relied upon the Lord God of their fathers,' ver. 18. He doth but lie in prayer that doth not rely on God after praying. What he seems to give with one hand to God he takes from him with another, which is no better than a mocking of God. By praying we pretend to expect good from him; by not relying we blot this out and declare we look for no such matter.
Now this reliance of the soul hath a twofold way whereby it fastens on God like the anchor's double hook.
(a.) It takes hold on the power of God. Thus Christ in his agony 'offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death,' Heb. 5:7. In prayer we open our case to God, declare how sinful, weak, shiftless creatures we are, and then we commit our cause to God. Now as none will put that to another's keeping which he thinks safe in his own hands; so
neither will any deliver it to another whose ability he is not first persuaded to effect that which himself is unable to do. See Eliphaz's counsel to Job, 'I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause,' Job 5:8. As if he had said, 'If I were in your case I will tell you what course I would take, I would not look this way or that, but speedily haste me to the throne of grace, and when once I had told God my very heart, I would trouble myself no more, but commit my cause to him, and discharge my heart of the burden of all its troublesome thoughts.' But under what notion would he do all this? The next words will tell us, 'Unto God would I commit my cause, which doeth great things and unsearchable; marvellous things without number.' First he would bottom his faith on God as able to do great things; and then, leaving his request lodged in the arms of such power, he doubted not but he should cast all care away and enjoy the serenity of his mind whatever his condition was. Indeed, this is the first stone faith lays in her building. And an error in the foundation will make the whole house stand weak. Be sure, therefore, thou layest this bottom stone with thy greatest care. O how unbecoming is it to have a great God, and a little faith on this great God!—a strong God, and a weak faith on his almighty power! Unbelief here ravisheth and offereth violence to the very light of nature, for 'his eternal power and Godhead' are known by 'the visible things' of the creation, Rom 1:20. What is not he able to do that could make so goodly a fabric without materials, tools, or workmen? Crucifige illud verbum potest ne?—obliterate that word 'Is he able?' Away with the question which so grates the ears of the Almighty: Can he pardon? Can he purge? What cannot he do that can do what he will?
(b.) It takes hold on the faithfulness of God to perform the promise. We are directed, in committing ourselves to him, to eye his faithfulness: 'as unto a faithful Creator,' I Peter 4:19. The saints'
faith hath been remarkable in staying themselves on this, while yet the mercy they prayed for lay asleep in its causes: 'Praise waiteth for thee, O God, in Sion: and unto thee shall the vow be performed,' Ps. 65:1. See, he stands with his instrument strung and tuned, ready to strike up and bring God in with the music of his praise when he shall come with an answer to his prayer, not the least doubting but that he shall use it upon that joyful occasion; for he speaks without ifs and ands—'Unto thee shall the vow be performed, O thou that hearest prayer!' And yet that good day was not come; for even then he cries out, 'Iniquities prevail against me!' So, 'I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and the right of the poor,' Ps. 140:12. Why? how comes he so confident? 'Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name,' ver. 13. As if he had said, 'Thou hast a name for a gracious and faithful God in thy promise, and this thou wilt never suffer to be blotted by failing thy word.' Christian, thou mayest venture all thou art worth on the public faith of heaven. 'His words are pure as silver tried seven times in a furnace.' He that will not suffer a liar or covenant-breaker to set foot on his holy hill, will much less suffer any one thought of falseness or unfaithfulness to enter into his own most holy heart.
Question. But how may I know when I thus act faith in prayer?
[Four rules whereby to know if we
act faith in prayer or no.]
(1.) Rule. We may know if we have acted faith by the serenity and composure of our spirits after prayer. Faith may live in a storm, but it will not suffer a storm to live in it. As faith rises, so the blustering wind of discontented troublesome thoughts go down. In the same proportion that there is faith in the heart there is peace also. They are joined together, 'quietness and confidence,' Isa. 30:15:
'In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength.' Therefore called 'peace in believing,' Rom. 15:13. Even where it is weakest it will not let the unquietness of the heart pass without a chiding. 'Why art thou disquieted, O my soul! trust still in God,' Ps. 42:5, 11. What! soul no sooner off thy knees, but clamorous! Hast not thou made thy moan to a God able to help thee, and will not that ease thee? Faith disburdens the soul in prayer of that which oppresses it; whereas the unbelieving soul still carries about it the cause of its trouble, because it had not strength to cast forth it sorrows, and roul its cares upon God in the duty. Christian, dost thou carry away the same burden on thy back from prayer which thou didst bring to it? surely thou didst want faith to lift it off thy shoulder. Had faith been there, and that been active and lively, it would have bestowed this elsewhere, and brought thee away with a light heart: as Hannah, who rose from praying 'to eat, and her countenance was no more sad;' and as Christ, who kneeled down with as sorrowful a heart as ever any, but comes off with a holy courage, to go and meet his approaching death, and his bloody enemies now on the way to attack him. 'Rise,' saith he to his disciples, 'let us be going, behold he is at hand that doth betray me,' Matt. 26:46. May it not put us to the blush to think that we could come less satisfied from God's presence than we do sometimes from a sorry man's? If you were poor, and had a rich friend that bids you send your children to him, and he will provide for them; would not this ease your mind of all your cares and distracting thoughts concerning their maintenance? And doth not God promise more that this comes to when he bids us 'be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God?'
(2.) Rule. Dost thou continue praying even when God continues to deny? An unbelieving heart may have some mettle at hand, but
will be sure to jade in a long journey. Faith will throw in the net of prayer again and again, as long as God commands and the promise encourageth. The greyhound hunts by sight, when he cannot see his game he gives over running; but the true hound by scent, he hunts over hedge and ditch though he sees not the hare he pursues all the day long. An unbelieving heart, may be, drawn out, upon some visible probabilities and sensible hopes of a mercy coming, to pray, but when these are out of sight his heart fails him; but faith keeps the scent of the promise and gives not over the chase.
(3.) Rule. Dost thou stint God, or canst thou trust him to answer thy prayer in his own way without thy prescription? When we deal with a man whose ability or faithfulness we have in doubt, then we labour to make sure of him by tying him up to our terms. But if we stand assured of their power and truth, we leave them to themselves. Thus the patient sends for the physician, desires his help, but leaves him to write his own bill. The merchant sends over his goods to his factor, and relies on him to make such returns as his wisdom tells him will come to the best market. Thus the believing soul, when he hath opened his heart to God in prayer, resigns himself to the goodness, wisdom, and faithfulness of God to return an answer: 'Remember me, O my God,' said Nehemiah, 'concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy,' Neh. 13:22. See here, this good man makes bold to be God's remembrancer, but dares not be his counsellor or prescriber. He remits the shaping of the answer to 'the greatness of his mercy.' Hence it follows, that whatever way God cometh in, the believing soul bids him welcome.
Doth he pray for health, and miss of that? yet he blesseth God for support under sickness. Doth he pray for his children, and they notwithstanding prove a cross? yet he finds an answer another way,
and satisfies himself with it. After many a prayer that David had put up no doubt for his family, we find him entertaining an answer to those prayers with a composed spirit, though they came not in at the fore door, buy having mercy in the letter: 'Though my house be not so with God; yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant,' c.; and this, he tells us, is 'all his desire,' II Sam. 23:5. Indeed, a believer cannot miss his desires, 'He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him,' Ps. 145:19. Because they disown those desires which clash with God's will. Who could pray more fervently for their children than Job did for his? He was with God for them every day; but, after all his religious care of them, he meets with heavy tidings, and hears them to be made a sacrifice by death for whom he had offered up so many sacrifices to God; yet he doth not foolishly charge God, or say it was in vain that he prayed: no, that ointment was not lost the savour whereof was poured into his own soul, from the posture of which we might read a gracious answer, in the supporting grace that enabled him to love and bless God over the gravestone of his slain children.
(4.) Rule. By the soul's comporting itself towards the means used for obtaining the mercy prayed for.
(a.) If thou prayedst in faith, it will set thee to use other means besides prayer. Mark how the apostle joins these together, 'Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer,' Rom. 12:11, 12. As faith useth her wings of prayer to fly to heaven; so she useth her feet of duty and obedience, with which she walks and bestirs herself on earth.
(b.) Faith will make thee, as use means, so to be choice of the means thou usest for the obtaining what thou bespeakest of God in prayer. Faith is a working grace, but it will be set on work by none but God.
Am I in God's way, saith faith? Is this the means he hath appointed? If it be not, away he turns from it, disdaining to work with any of the devil's tools. God can never answer my prayer, saith the believer, without the help of my sin. If riches be good for me, I need not be at the cost to purchase them with a lie or a cheat. If health be a mercy, he can send me it, though I advise not with the devil's doctors. If joy and comfort, there is no need to take down the devil's music. If times be evil, he can hide me without running under the skirt of this great man and that by base flattery and dissimulation. When Ezra had committed himself and his company to God—now on their march towards Jerusalem—by a solemn day of fasting and prayer, and had made a holy boast of his God, what he would do for them that seek him, he thought it unbeseeming his professed faith, and also dishonourable to his God, whom he had so magnified in the hearing of the Persian king, to beg armed troops for a convoy to them in their way, lest his faith should be brought into suspicion for an empty bravado and groundless confidence: 'I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way: because we had spoken unto the king, saying, The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him;' Ezra 8:22.
(c.) If thou actest faith in prayer, thy faith will not only make thee choice of the means thou usest, but curious and careful in using the means that God chooseth for thee. Thou wilt be afraid lest it should stand in God's light, by stealing thy confidence in him to trust in it. Faith will teach thee to use means as God's ordinance, but rely on God to bless it. While faith's hand is on the plow, her eye is to heaven. Annus non ager facit fructum—the influences of heaven, not the tillage of the husband, make it a fruitful year. Sometimes the physician appoints a powder to be taken in wine or beer. Now it is not the beer or wine that does the cure, but the powder, which they are only used to convey and carry into the stomach. Thus mercy is
handed over to us by the blessing of God in the use of means, yet think not the means do it, but the blessing of God mingled with it and infused into it.
(d.) If thou actest faith in prayer, as thou wilt be careful to improve means when God provides them, so thou wilt not suspend thy faith when God denies them. The believing soul dares not trust to the means when he hath them, therefore he dares not distrust God when he wants them. Faith knows, though God useth means, yet he needs none. The sun and showers are the means he useth for the growth of the grass and herbs; yet he made these to grow out of the earth before there was sun or rain, Gen. 1:11. Ploughing and sowing are the ordinary means whereby man is provided with bread; but he fed Israel with bread without their pains and husbandry. Ships [are] the means to waft us over the seas; but God carried Israel through the Red Sea without ship or boat. May be times are hard, and thou art poor; thy charge is great, and thy comings in little; with the widow in the prophet, thou art making the last cake of the little meal that is left. To reason and sense thou must either beg, steal, or die. Canst thou now, upon praying to thy God, wait upon his promise which tells thee, 'verily, thou shalt be fed,' Ps. 37:3; and on his providence, which records his care of the sparrows on purpose to assure us he will much more provide for his children? Or, at least, dost thou chide thy heart for its distrustful fears after praying, charging it to hope in God, to whom thou hast made thy moan? Truly, if thy heart hath not some hold on God after duty to stay it, more than before in this thy strait; either thou hast no faith, or if thou hast faith, thou didst not act it in that prayer. True faith will either expel these dejections of heart, or at least protest against them.
[Satan would hinder the success of prayers,
by preventing the saint's belief that they were heard.]
Second Way of Hinderance. Now we come to the second stratagem that Satan useth to hinder the success of the Christian's prayer, which I called a partial hinderance or miscarriage thereof, when the prayer itself is not lost—which comes to pass only when it finds not acceptance with God —but when the Christian doth not believe on earth that his prayer is heard in heaven, though indeed it is. By his questioning thereof, however, he loseth the revenue of that present peace which otherwise would be paid unto him from the expectation of its certain return with a joyful answer. As a merchant that gives his ship for castaway, when indeed it is safe and richly laden (only stays for a fair wind); he not knowing or believing this, puts himself to as much trouble and sorrow as if it were in truth as he feared. Fancy and imagination, even when without ground and reason, are able to produce real effects and sad consequences in the minds of men. The false news of Joseph's death caused as much sorrow to old Jacob, yea more, than if he had seen him laid out, and had followed him to the grave. The jailer, from a fear his prisoners were gone, and he accountable for them, had foredone himself, by falling on his own sword, if Paul had not seasonably cried out, 'Do thyself no harm, for we are all here.'
And truly our unbelieving fears have no less power upon our hearts. They rob the Christian of the joy of his life—and man is but a sour piece of clay when that is gone. It is not praying, but believing prayer heard, that will make a glad heart and a cheerful countenance. Hannah often prayed; she was acquainted with the work many years, yet never had the burden of her spirit taken off till she had faith she should speed. Yea, moreover, they [unbelieving fears] weaken the spirit of prayer. He that expects little from prayer, will not be much in prayer. That trade is best tended which it is
hoped will pay a man best for his pains in it. 'Who is there among you,' saith God, 'that would shut the doors for nought? neither do ye kindle fire on mine altar for nought,' Mal. 1:10. The husbandman throws his seed freely, because he sows in hope; and his preciousest seed on his fattest soil, because there he looks to find it again with the greatest increase. This made David like praying work so well that he will never leave it: 'I have prayed, and the Lord hath heard, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.' As a merchant, finding his sweet gain come trouling in, converts his whole estate into stock; so David devotes himself wholly to prayer: 'For my love they are my adversaries,' %-/% *"!$, Ps. 109:4, 'but I was prayer.' This was the only weapon I lift up for my defence against all their darts. Whereas, unbelief betrays the soul unto many uncomely thoughts of God, which reflect sadly upon his name, so as to weaken his reputation in the creature's thoughts, and bring him either to a disuse of this duty, or hopeless performance of it, and this Satan loves alife. When a merchant thinks his goods miscarry, he grows presently jealous of his factor, questioning his care, faithfulness, or ability to despatch his business. Such whisperings we shall hear, if we listen to our unbelieving hearts sometimes, when our prayers make not so short an quick a voyage as we desire. It was a high charge that Job brought against God—though he lived to see he had little reason to do it; yea, afterward charged himself for charging God —'I cry unto thee, and thou dost not hear me: I stand up, and thou regardest me not,' Job 30:20. This holy man was now as deep in God's books, and as great a favourite with him, as ever; yet so far had Satan wound into him, as to make him listen to those false reports which he brought unto him of God—taking the advantage of his present cloudy providence to colour his calumnies, insomuch that he began to give credit unto this liar. Now if this may become a stone of offence to Job, how much more mayest thou fear dashing thy foot against it? Let it be thy care to countermine Satan in this his spiteful
plot against God and thee. Surely it should not be a little matter that makes thee throw up thy prayers, and give away so rich an adventure as thou hast swimming in this bottom. Esau hath the brand of a 'profane person,' for so cheaply parting with his inheritance. If thou beest a believer, thou art an heir of promise, and, amongst promises, this is not the least —that what thou askest in Christ's name, believing, thou shalt receive. Now, it is too like Esau's profaneness to part with this piece of thy heritage—which thou canst not do without impeaching the faithfulness of God that gave thee an estate in the promise.
We highly commend Job for his heroic resolution at another time: 'God forbid that I should justify you: till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me,' Job 27:5. How much more shouldst thou say to Satan, 'God forbid that I should justify thee, thou wicked fiend, or thy false charge against my God; I will hold fast his integrity and faithfulness till I die.' Surely Daniel, who ventured his life rather than not pray, would have parted with a thousand lives rather than have given is prayers for lost, and thereby have blotted the good name of God, whose faithfulness stands bound to return every prayer of faith with a gracious answer into the saint's bosom.
But, the more to fortify you against this design of Satan, let us inquire into a few of those arguments with which Satan—abusing the Christian's credulity —leads him into this temptation, if not absolutely to conclude, yet unbelieving to dispute and question it in his heart, whether his prayer be heard or no. I shall reduce them to three heads. First. The first argument by which he scruples the Christian, and nourishes his unbelieving fears, is taken from those sinful infirmities that cleave to his person and prayer. Second. Another argument is taken from the deportment of God to him in and after prayer. Third. The last is taken from the common
providence of God, that dispenseth the same things to the wicked without praying, which the saints receive praying.
[SATAN'S ARGUMENTS to make the believer
doubt whether his prayer is heard.]
Argument 1. The first argument by which Satan would make the Christian out of love with himself and his duty, is taken from those sinful infirmities cleaving to both—his person and prayer alike. Thereby he would quash the saint's hope of any favourable reception that his prayer hath found in heaven. What! thy stammering prayers make music in God's ear! Will the Lord foul his fingers with thy besmeared duties? If thou wert a Samuel or Daniel, and couldst claim thy place among those worthies that are renowned for the eminent service they have done God in their generation, then thou mightest hope to have the ear of God to thy suit; but thou, alas! art a puny stripling, a froward child, in whom there is more sin than grace to be found, and dost thou think to be heard? Truly, though this argument weighs little, having no countenance from the tenor of the covenant, whose privileges are not impropriated to a few favourites, more eminent in grace than their brethren, but stand open to the whole family—it being 'a common salvation,' and 'like precious faith,' that all the saints partake of; yet it is the great bugbear with which many of them are scared.
A word or two therefore to arm thee against this argument. Only this premised—which I must take for granted—that these sinful infirmities are lamented and not cockered by thee—that indeed would turn infirmity into presumption; as also that thou neglectest not to apply the most effectual means for their cure—though, as in hereditary diseases, all the physic thou takest will not here perfectly rid thee of them: this granted, for thy comfort know thy prayers are
not so offensive to God as to thyself. Thy prayers pass such a refining in Christ's mediation, that their ill scent is taken away.
Doth thy scruple arise from the sinful failings of thy daily conversation and Christian course? To remove this, observe how the Spirit of God, when he instanceth in Elias as a person whose prayers are exceedingly prevalent with God, doth not describe him by the transcendency of his grace above others, but by his infirmities like unto them: 'Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not,' James 5:17. As if God should say, Were I so curious in my scrutiny, as you fear, Elias's prayer would have been stopped, for he was not without his infirmities. How many failings do we find in David's unseemly carriage before Achish, for which he was turned out of the king's presence under the notion of a madman? Yet his prayer at that time, when he betrayed so many unbelieving fears, found favour with God. 'I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears,' Ps. 34:4. Read the title, and you shall find it, 'A Psalm of David, when he changed his behaviour before Abimelech; who drove him away, and he departed.'
Are they the sinful infirmities which escape thee in the duty of prayer? Canst thou find more in any prayer thou puttest up, than were in the disciples', for one so short?—where they exercised so little faith that Christ calls it 'no faith,' Mark 4:40. 'Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?' Yea, they pray to Christ, and chide him in the same breath, 'Master, carest thou not that we perish?' Yet Christ could find sincerity hid, like Saul, in this stuff of their infirmities, and granted their request. It is true he rebuked them, but it is as true that he rebuked the wind also. God's promise for hearing of prayer shall not be made void by the saint's weakness in prayer. Yea, for thy further comfort, know, that the less power
these have to shake or disturb thy spirit in expecting a gracious answer, the more kindly God will take it at thy hand. 'Abraham,' it is said, 'believed, not considering his own body, or the deadness of Sarah's womb;' and for this was highly commended, because he thereby did signally glorify the power of God, to which he believed their bodily indisposition should not be any obstacle. Truly thus it will be highly pleasing to God, if thou canst rely—staggering not at thy spiritual indispositions, and that deadness of thy heart which rises up as a great objection in thy thoughts against the success of thy prayer; for by this thou givest Christ both the honour of his death, by which he purchased this free access for thy weak prayers to the throne of grace, and also of his intercession, which clarifies them from all their sinful mixtures.
Argument 2. Satan draws his argument from God's deportment to the soul in and after prayer. In this argument there are three things he commonly insists upon—by them to create trouble to the Christian's thoughts. (1.) His silence, which he would have the Christian interpret to be God's slighting or disregarding of him and his prayer. (2.) His frowns, from which he would have him conclude neither he nor his duty are accepted. (3.) His not giving the mercy in kind; and this he tells the Christian amounts to a denial.
[What in God's deportment to a Christian
after prayer Satan falsifies.]
(1.) His silence after prayer. As wicked men sometimes sin, and God keeps silence, which makes them bold to think God approves of them and their way; so, sometimes a gracious soul prays, and God holds his peace here also; and the poor soul begins to fear that neither his person nor his duty are approved of God. Now Satan, knowing what thoughts are like to rise in the Christian's own heart,
falls in and joins issue with the Christian's bosom enemy, labouring to confirm him in these his unbelieving fears.
To disentangle and help thee out of this brier, take these directions:—
(a.) Learn to distinguish betwixt God's hearing and his answering the saint's prayer. Every faithful prayer is heard, and makes an acceptable report in God's ear as soon as it is shot; but God doth not always speedily answer it. The father, at the reading of his son's letter—which comes haply on some begging errand—likes the motion; his heart closeth with it, and a grant is there passed; but he takes his own time to send his despatch, and let his son know this. Princes have their books of remembrance, wherein they write the names of their favourites whom they intend to prefer, haply some years before their gracious purpose opens itself to them. Mordecai's name stood in Ahasuerus' book some while before his honour was conferred. Thus God records the names of his saints and their prayers. 'The Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name,' Mal. 3:16. But they hear not of God in his providential answer, haply, a long time after. Abraham prays for a child, and is heard, but how many years interpose before he hath him in his arms? Truly so many that he goes into Hagar— partly by his wife's counsel and his own weakness—to obtain that with a by-blow for which God himself had undertaken.