Chapter I
The main observation and subject of this discourse thence deduced : That God s people are diligently to observe the answers to their prayers. The reasons of it.
THESE words being especially spoken in relation to God s returning answer to his prayer made, therefore in that relation I mean principally to handle them.
The observation is this : That when a man hath put up prayers to God, he is to rest assured that God will in mercy answer his prayers ; and to
listen diligently, and observe how his prayers are answered : both are here to be observed. I will hear what God will speak; that is, how he will
accomplish them : and withal he confidently expresseth an assurance that God will speak peace. Thus doth the church, Mic. vii. 7, I will look to the Lord; I will wait; my God will hear me: she was both sure of gra cious audience with him,
( my God will hear me, and she will wait till he answers her; and observe how he doth it,
* I will look to the Lord; and, ver.
9, I will bear the indignation of the Lord till he plead my cause. So Habakkuk, he having made a prayer against the tyranny of Nebuchadnezzar, in the first chapter, having ended it, he begins the second chapter thus, I
will stand upon my watch tower, and see what he will answer me : and in the end an answer comes, ver. 2 ; and as he thus waited for a vision, for some times their prophecies were in answer to their prayers, so should we for an answer unto ours.
Reason 1. Because otherwise you take an ordinance of God in vain in
your hearts, which is to take God s name, with whom in that ordinance you
deal, in vain ; for it is a sign you think your prayer not an effectual means to attain that end it is ordained for, and say secretly in your hearts, as they, Job xxi. 15, What profit have we if we pray to him ? For if we use any means, and expect not the end, it is a sign we think the means vain to
accomplish that end. Whereas every faithful prayer is ordained of God to be a means to obtain what we desire and pray for, and is not put up in vain, but shall have answer : 1 John v. 14, 15, This is the confidence that we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us.
It is true God heareth an enemy, but to hear with favour is the hearingthere meant ; and is so used in our ordinary speech, as we say of a favourite that he hath the king s ear ; and if a man be obstinate to a man s counsel, we say he would not hear, though he give the hearing
: so here, to hear is a word of gracious inclination to do the thing required; and thus God s ears
are said to be open to their prayers ; and so it follows there, that if he heareth us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. As soon as we have prayed, we are said to have our peti tions, that is, they are then granted, and we may be confident they are as sented unto by God ; although in regard to outward dispensation, the com-
CHAP. L] THE RETURN OF PRAYERS. 361
mand for accomplishment is not yet come forth : even as a petitioner is said to have his suit when the word of the king is gone forth that it shall be
done, though it passeth not the seal, or be not signed a good while after. And like as when a wicked man sinneth, as soon as the act is committed, so soon doth sentence from God go forth against the sinner, but the execution overtakes him not, it may be, a good while after, according to that of Solo mon, Eccles. viii. 11, sentence against an evil-doer is not presently executed;
it is presently sentenced, as the words imply, but not executed : so in like manner falleth it out when a godly man prays, that as soon as the prayer arrives in heaven, which is in an instant, so soon is the petition granted, so Dan. ix. 23, At the beginning of his prayer the command came forth, though the angel, who brought the answer, arrived not at him till towards the end in the evening, ver. 21, but the real accomplishment of it may be
deferred. So as no prayer in respect of an answer to it is in vain ; but where God hath given a heart to speak, he hath an ear to hear : which not to
regard, is to take an ordinance in vain, which is God s name.
Reason 2. And, secondly, not simply God s name, as in an ordinance made known, but also his name, that is, his attributes, are taken in vain. For it is a sign you think of that God you pray to, that either his ear is
heavy, that he cannot hear, or his hand shortened, that he cannot save, or
his heart straitened, and his bowels restrained, that he will not : and thus
you rob him, and despoil him of one of his most royal titles, whereby he
styles himself, Ps. Ixv. 2, a God that heareth prayers; who is so regardful of them, that, in 1 Kings viii. 59, they are said to be nigh the Lord day and night ; they are all before him, and he sets them in his view, as we do
letters of friends, which we stick in our windows, that we may remember to answer them, or lay them not out of our bosoms, that we might be sure not
to forget them : so the petitions of his people pass not out of his sight, till he sends an answer, which is called speaking here; God speaking as well in
his works as in his word. But you, by your neglect herein, make an idol
god of him, such as were the vanities of the heathen, as if he had ears and heard not, eyes and saw not* your need, &c. Such a god as Elias mocked ; c You must speak aloud, says he, he may be in a journey, &c. Even such a
god do you make the God of heaven and earth to be, whilst you put no more
confidence in him, or make no more reckoning of your prayers to him than the heathens did of their sacrifices to their gods. Petitioners do not only put up their requests, but use to wait at great men s doors, and inquire, and
listen what answer is given unto them and it is part of an honour to great men that we do so : and for the same end are we also to wait on God, to shew his greatness, and our distance from him, and dependence upon him.
1 As the eyes of the servants look to the hand of their masters, so do we, saith David, on thee, till thou hast mercy on us, Ps. cxxiii. 2. And, Ps.
cxxx., after he had prayed, ver. 2, he says he waited more than they that watch for the morning
: like those that having some great business to do on
the morrow, long for the daylight, and look often out to spy the day ; so he
for a glimmering and dawning of an answer. The like we have Psalm v. 3, In the morning will I direct my prayer to thee, and look, that is, for an
answer.
Reason 3. Again, if God doth give you an answer, if you mind it not, you
let God speak to you in vain, when you do not listen to what he answers.
If two men walk together, and the one, when himself hath said and spoke what he would, listens not, but is regardless of what the other answers, he
exceedingly slights the man. As, non respondere pro convitio est, not to
362 THE RETURN OF PRAYERS. [CHAP. L
answer again is contempt ; so, non attendere, not to attend to what one says. Now our speaking to God by prayers, and his speaking to us by answers
thereunto, is one great part of our walking with God ; and to study out his
dealings with us, to compare our prayers and his answers together, which are
as dialogues between us and him. It is said of Samuel s prophecy, that not a word of it fell to the ground, 1 Sam. iii. 19 : and so it may be said of our
prayers ; and so it ought to be of God s answers, not a word of them should
fall to the ground ; as there doth, if you by your observation and listening thereunto catch them not, (as Benhaclad s servants are said to do Ahab s
words,) apprehend and observe them not. And by the same reason that you are to observe the fulfilling of God s promises, you are of your prayers also. Now, 1 Kings viii. 56, it is said, not one word failed of all he promised. Solomon had observed this by a particular survey and register made of all
that God had spoken and done for them, and found not a promise unper formed. And there is the like reason both of answers to prayers and for our observing of them, for prayers are but putting promises into suit ; and
therefore Solomon brings those words in there to this very purpose, to con
firm their faith in this, that no prayers made would fail, being grounded on a promise ; thereby to encourage others and his own heart to diligence herein, as also as a motive unto God to hear him ; for, ver. 59, he infers upon it, Let my words be nigh thee, &c., seeing thou always thus performest thy good word unto thy people.
Reason 4. Yea, you will provoke the Lord not to answer at all ; he will
forbear to answer, because he sees it will be thus in vain. When a man is
talking to one that listens not to him, he will cease to answer, and leave off
speaking ; and so will God. So as that which the Apostle says of faith, Heb. x. 36, that it is not enough to believe, but when you have done the
will of God, you have need of patience to eke out faith, that you may in
herit the promises, may be also said, and is alike true, of praying. It is not
enough to pray, but after you have prayed, you have need to listen for an
answer, that you may receive your prayers ; God will not fulfil them else. As he said, the sermon was not done when yet the preacher had done, be
cause it is not done till practised ; so our prayers are not done when yet made, but you must further wait for and attend the accomplishment.
Reason 5. If you observe not his answers, how shall you bless God and
return thanks to him for hearing your prayers ? Ps. cxvi. 1, I love the
Lord, because he hath heard my voice and my supplication ; and therefore he goes on to thank him throughout the whole psalm. You are to
( watch unto prayer with thanksgiving, Col. iv. 2 ; and therefore, as to watch, to ob
serve, and recollect your own wants, which you are to pray for, that you may have matter of requests to put up, so also to observe God s answers for mat
; and many fill that commonplace head full of matter to
ter of thanksgiving
furnish them for petitioning, but as for this other of thanksgiving, they watch not unto it against they come to pray, nor study matter for that head also. And if any study will furnish you this way, it is the studying out of God s answers to your prayers. The reason you pray so much, and give thanks so
little is, that you observe not God s answers ; you do not study them. When we have put up a faithful prayer, God is made our debtor by promise, and we are to take notice of his payment, and give him an acknowledgment of the receipt of it ; he loseth of his glory else.
Reason 6. As God loseth, so yourselves also the experience which you might get thereby. (1.) Both experience of God and his faithfulness, which
will cause in you hope and confidence in God another time, when you have
CHAP. I] THE RETURN OF PRAYERS. 363
found him again and again answering your prayers. It was a speech of one eminent in holiness, upon occasion of the accomplishment of a great request made to God by him, that God having never denied him any request, I have tried God often, now, says he, henceforth I will trust him. If the hearing the prayers of another will encourage us to go to God, as Ps. xxxii. 6, For this cause shall every one that is godly pray unto thee, much more when we observe and have experience that our own are heard ; therefore, says David, Ps. cxvi. 2, The Lord hath heard me, and I will call upon him as long as I
live ; as if he had said, Now that God hath heard me, I know whither to go : this experiment, if I had no more, is enough to encourage me for ever to pray unto God ; I have learned by it to call upon him as long as I live. And
also, (2.) by observing God s answers to your prayers, you will gain much in
sight into your own hearts, and ways, and prayers, and may thereby learn how to judge of them. So, Ps. Ixvi. 18, 19, David s assurance that he did not regard iniquity in his heart was strengthened by God s having heard his
prayers ; for thus he reasons, If I regard iniquity in my heart, God will not hear me ; but God hath heard me. For, [L] if God doth not grant your
petitions, it will put you to study a reason of that his dealing ; and so you will come to search into your prayers and the carriage of your hearts, therein to see whether you did not pray amiss : according to that,
l Ye lust and have not, . . . because ye ask amiss, James iv. 3. As if you send to a
friend, who is punctual in that point of friendship of returning answers, and useth not to fail, and you receive no answer from him, you will begin to think there is something in it. And so also here, when a petition is denied, you will be jealous of yourselves, and inquisitive what should be the matter ; and so by that search come to see that in your prayers which you will learn
to mend the next time. Or, [2.] if they be answered, yet because that therein
usually God deals in a proportion with you to your prayers, as you might
perceive if you would observe his dealings with you, you would by this means come to have much insight into God s acceptation and opinion of your ways :
for you should see his dealings with you, and yours with him, to be exceed
ing parallel and correspondent, and hold proportion each with other. So, Ps. xviii. 6, In my distress I called upon the Lord ; and so, ver. 7, 8, &c., he goes on to describe his deliverance, which was the fruit of those prayers, and then, at ver. 20, 21, &c., he adds his observation upon both, According to the cleanness of my hands hath he dealt with me/ &c. For with the
pure thou shalt shew thyself pure.
Reason 7. You will lose much of your comfort. There is no greater joy than to see prayers answered, or to see souls converted by us : John xvi. 24,
Ask, and you shall receive, that your joy may be full. The receiving answers makes joy to abound and overflow. Yea, even when we pray for
others, if our prayers be answered for them, our joys are exceeding great; much more when in our own behalf. And therein, even in the smallest
things which a Christian doth enjoy, doth his comfort exceed another s, that he hath them by virtue of prayers and promises
. he knows how he came by them. If
* stolen waters be sweet, and bread eaten in secret, <kc., (as Solomon
says, Prov. ix. 17,) to wicked men, begged meat is much more sweet to godly men ; yea, in the very praying for outward mercies, there is more sweetness. than they have in enjoying them. As it is joy to a good heart to see any one converted, but much more to him that is the means of it, I have no
greater joy, says St John, than that my children walk in truth, 3 Epist. 4, so to see God do good to his church, and hear others prayers, is a comfort, but much more to see him do it at a man s own prayers. Therefore, when
364 THE RETURN OF PRAYERS. [CHAP. I.
God restores comfort to a drooping soul, he is said, Isa. Ivii. 18, to restore comfort also to his mourners/ that is, to those that prayed and mourned for him, as well as unto that soul itself; it being a comfort to them to see their
prayers answered. Comfort it is many ways
: (1.) To hear from God, as to hear from a friend, though it be but two or three words, and that about a small matter; if there be at the bottom this subscription, your loving father,
or, your assured friend, it satisfies abundantly ; so also, (2.) to know that God is mindful of us, accepts our works, fulfils his promises. (3.) How doth it rejoice one to find another of his mind in a controversy ; but that God and we should be of one mind, and concur in the desire of the same
things, not two in the earth only agree, Matt, xviii. 19, but God who is in heaven and we to agree, this rejoiceth the heart exceedingly. And thus it
is when a man perceives his prayer answered. Therefore you lose much of your comfort in blessings when you do not observe answers to your prayers.
CHAP, II.] THE RETURN OF PRAYERS. 365