The Return of Prayers, Part 1 · Chapter 9
Chap. 9CHAP. IX.
Conſiderations to quiet the heart, and to help it to diſcerne an anſwer to, and acceptation of the prayer when the thing is not accompliſht.
§ 1. The thing prayed for is not alwaies granted, when yet the prayer is heard.BUt now the next and more difficult queſtion is, When the thing is not granted, how ſhall we then diſcerne and know, that God doth notwithſtanding heare the prayer?
Concerning which, I muſt premiſe this, that it is true, that alwayes the very thing it ſelfe deſired is not granted, when yet the prayer is heard. Chriſt prayed, the Cup might paſſe from him, which though ſome interpret the word paſsing, for the ſhort continuance of the brunt, and that therefore in that reſpect hee was heard directly in what he asked: yet if ſo, why was that clauſe if it be poſsible, added? that argues his petition was for a totall removall, yet with ſubjection to Gods will; for he knew there was no great impoſſibility in a ſhort removall of it: nay, it was impoſſible but that it ſhould paſſe, Acts 2. 24. But howſoever, it is plain in Moſes, about his going into Canaan: Deut. 3. 26. I beſought the Lord, ſayes hee, ver. 23. and hee was angry with mee, and would not heare me. ver. 26. Likewiſe ere I come to reſolve the caſe, an objection is alſo to be removed, which is,
That if the Spirit of GOD doth make every faithfull prayer in us, as Rom. 8. 26. it is ſaid Hee doth; wee know not what to pray for, but the Spirit helpeth our infirmities, &c. and he ſearcheth the deep things of God, as it is ſaid, 1 Cor. 2. that therefore hee knowing that GOD will not grant ſuch a thing, you may think that he ſhould not ſtirre up the heart to pray for that which God meanes to deny, but alwayes guide the heart aright, and not let us erre or miſſe in the things wee pray for. To this, in briefe by way of anſwer.
An objection anſwered:1. The Spirit makes not prayers in us, alwayes according to what Gods ſecret will and foreknowledge is,That though the Spirit knows Gods mind, and teacheth us what to pray for; yet the thing prayed for may not bee granted. but according to his revealed will to us, both in his word, and in his providence, as things therein are preſented to us, and doe lie before our view, and ſo not alwayes according to what hee meanes to doe, but according to what it is our duty to pray moſt for: for hee concurres to aſsiſt us to pray, as he doth in preaching or uſing other ſuch like meanes and Ordinances, wherein though the ſpirit knowes whom God meanes to convert, whom not, yet he aſſiſts us Miniſters in our ſpirits oftentimes as much to preach to thoſe hee meanes not to convert, as to thoſe hee meanes to convert: Hee dealing with us therein according to what is our duty, not according to what is his decree.
Againe, ſecondly, that phraſe helpes to anſwer this, when hee is ſaid to helpe our infirmities, and therefore not according to his owne vaſt knowledge, doth he frame our prayers, but ſo, as hee applies his aſſiſtance to our infirme, weake, and narrow apprehenſions, and ſtirres up deſires in us to ſuch things, as according to our knowledge wee are in duty to conceive, and which by all wee can ſee, by what is afore us revealed in his providence, we thinke to be moſt for our good, and his glory; and God accepts ſuch deſires as from us, but yet doth for us according to the largeneſe of his owne love.
§. 2. A miſtake to pray abſolutely for ſuch bleſſings as are not abſolutely promiſed.And ſo now to come to the caſe propounded, and therein unto helps to pacifie, and direct the heart about thoſe prayers at which the things are not granted.
And firſt, how diddeſt thou frame thy prayer for that thing which is denyed thee? Didſt thou pray for it abſolutely, and peremptorily as ſimply beſt for thee? thou muſt not then think much, if ſuch a prayer bee denyed, for therein thou wenteſt beyond thy commiſſion: but if thou didſt pray for it conditionally, and with an (if) as Chriſt did, if it be poſsible (which inſtance is a ſtrong ground for ſuch kinde of prayers) and not my will, but thy will be done, ſo, as thou didſt referre it unto, and truſt Gods judgement in the thing, and not thine owne, onelyonly didſt put him in mind as thy duty was, of what was repreſented to thee as beſt for thee in view, and ſo left it to him to caſt, and didſt, referre it to His will and wiſedome:In which when we are denied we are to reſt in Gods judgment as beſt for us and ſo interpret the prayer anſwered. Then thy prayer may be moſt fully anſwered and heard, and yet the thing denied, and thou art to interpret, and God takes meaning and mind revealed in the event in the beſt ſenſe, which way ſoever it falls: for otherwiſe, CHRIST had not been heard, when yet, the Text ſayes, Hee was heard in all hee feared, Hebr. 5. 7.
§ 3. There may be a reſervation in the denial, for ſome greater mercy.2. Obſerve, if there were not a reſervation in that denial, for ſome greater and further mercy, whereof that deniall was the foundation. Thus 1 oftentimes ſome great croſſe is prevented, by the deniall of a thing, which we were urgent for: if we had had many of our deſires, we had been undone: So it was a mercy to David, that his childe was taken away, for whoſe life he was yet ſo earneſt, who would have been but a living monument of his ſhame. It was alſo a mercy to David, that Abſalom was taken away, (whom ſurely he prayed much for, for hee loved him much) who if he had lived, might have beene the ruine of him and his houſe. As a wicked mans deliverance and the granting his requeſt layes a foundation, and is a reſervation of him to a worſe Judgement: So, the deniall of a Godly mans prayer is for his greater good, and is laid as a foundation of a greater mercy: 2 and againe, oftentimes the very deniall breaks a mans heart, and brings him nearer to God, puts him upon ſearching into his wayes, and eſtate, and in his prayers to ſee what ſhould be amiſſe therein, which alone is a great mercy; and better then the thing, ſeeing by the loſſe of that one thing hee learns how to pray better, and ſo to obtaine a hundred better things afterward. Chriſt deſired the Cup might paſſe, it did not; and that was the foundation of our ſalvation, & the way to His glory: Hee being to paſſe through that ſuffering into His glory: The woman that had the bloody iſſue, though ſhee uſed many meanes, and haply prayers among the reſt, and all in vaine, yet none tooke effect; that in the end ſhee might come to Chriſt, and have both body and ſoule healed at once.
§. 4. There may be a tranſmutation of the thing denied, into ſome other bleſſing that is better of the ſame kind.3 Obſerve if there be to a tranſmutation and a tranſlation or turning of …he thing deſired into ſome other greater bleſ…ing of the ſame kind: for God (all whoſe wayes are mercy and truth to His people) doth improve, huſband, and lay out the precious ſtocks of their prayers, to the beſt advantage, in things, whereby the greateſt returns and gains may accrue: as old Iacob laid not his Hand of bleſſing as Ioſeph would have guided them, but laid the right hand upon the yonger Sonne, whom Ioſeph did ſet at his left: So often doth God take off his hand of bleſſing from the thing we prayed for, and laies & diſcovers it in another more for our good: and as God giving Iſaac the power and priviledge to bleſſe a ſonne, though Iſaac hee intended it for Eſau, yet God unbeknown to him tranſmitted it to Iacob, yet ſo, as the bleſſing was not loſt: Thus is it in our prayers for bleſſings both upon our ſelves and others. There is often a tranſmutation, never a fruſtration of them: which may as truely and directly bee called an anſwer to the prayer; As if a factor beyond Sea, when the owner ſends for ſuch and ſuch commodities, ſuppoſing them more vendible and advantagious, but the Factor knowing the ſtate of things, and the prices, ſends him …ver in ſtead of them, ſuch as ſhall ſell better, and bring in more profit, may be ſaid to anſwer his letters, and that better, then if hee had ſent thoſe very commidities he writ for; Thus Abrahams prayers for Iſhmael were turned for Iſaac: Davids for the Childe to Solomon.
§. 1. God anſwers to the ground of our prayers.4 Obſerve if in the end God doth not anſwer thee ſtill according to the ground of thy prayer: that is, ſee if that holy end, intention, and affection, which thou hadſt in prayer, be not in the end fully ſatisfied, though not in the thing thou didſt deſire: for God anſwers, Secundum cardinem, according to the hinge which the prayer turnes upon. As when a General is ſent out with an Army, by a King or a State, who give him many particular directions, how to order and diſpoſe, and manage the war, although in many particulars that fall out, wherein they could not foreſee to give ſo punctuall and particular directions, he ſwerve from the directions, yet if he keeps to the intent of their Commiſſion, and doth what is moſt advantagious for their ends, he may bee ſaid to keepe to his Commiſſion. For as they ſay of the Law, Mens leg is eſt lex▪ the mind of the Law is the Law, not the bare words it is printed in: ſo the Meaning of the Spirit is the prayer, Rom. 8. 27. and not ſimply the things deſired, wherein wee expreſſe thoſe our deſires: and ſtill the meaning, the intent, the ground of our prayers ſhall be anſwered. To open this, the maine ends, and meanings of our hearts in our requeſts are Gods glory, the Churches good, and our owne particular comfort and happineſſe: we can deſire but comfort, and a man looketh out, and ſpieth out ſuch a particular merciemercy, which hee thinketh tends much to Gods glory, and his happineſſe, and yet that thing is denied; yet notwithſtanding God will anſwer him according to the meaning of his prayers, his glory ſhall certainely be advanced, even for that prayer of his, ſome other way, and his comfort made up, which is the common deſire of all mankinde: and thou canſt have but comfort, let the thing bee what it will that conveighs it to thee; and God will take order that that comfort thy ſoule deſired, thou ſhalt have come in one way or other, which when it doth, thou canſt not but ſay thy prayers are heard. For as God fulfils his promiſes, ſo hee heares prayers, there is the ſame reaſon of both: now God hath promiſed, Hee that leaves Father and Mother, ſhall have an hundred fold: not in ſpecie, as we ſay, in kinde, this cannot alwayes bee fulfilled, for an hundred Fathers he cannot have. God fulfills it not therefore alwayes in the ſame kinde, but in ſome other things, which ſhall be more then a hundred Fathers would bee.
Moſes hee prayes hee might goe into Canaan, God anſwers the ground of his prayer, though not in the matter in it expreſſed and deſired, and that both for Moſes his comfort and his owne glory; for hee takes him up to heaven, the true Canaan, whereof that Canaan was but a type, and hee appoints Ioſhua a freſh and a young man, comming on in the world, and one whom Moſes himſelfe had tutored and brought up, and was his pupill, ſervant and attendant, Num. 6. 11, 28. and this was more for Gods glory, for Ioſhua was therein to bee he type of Chriſt leading us to heaven, which the Law (of which Moſes was the type) could not bring us unto by reaſon of the weakneſſe of it; and he being yong did it better: and it was not ſo much alſo for Gods glory, that one man ſhould doe all; and whereas Moſes deſired to have the honour of it; in that his ſervant that attended him, and had been brought up by him, and had all from him, that hee was the man ſhould doe it, was well nigh as great an honour to Moſes, as if hee had beene the leader himſelfe. And ſo David when hee deſired to build the Temple and an houſe to God, for the like reaſons God denied it, but yet honoured him to prepare the materialls, and to draw the patterne, as alſo in that his Son did it, who was therein alſo the like type of Chriſt, being a Prince of peace, but David a man of blood and war, and likewiſe God accepted this of David, as if he had built it, and will recompence him as much.
§. 6. God when hee denies, yet ſometimes yeelds far in it, to give ſatisfaction to his childe.5. Obſerve, if in the thing which thou haſt prayed much about, though it be denyed thee, yet if God doth not endeavour to give thee (as I may ſo ſpeake) all ſatisfaction that may be, even as if hee were tender of denying thee, and therefore doth much in it for thy prayers ſake, though the concluſion proves otherwiſe, as being againſt ſome other purpoſe of his, for ſome other ends: As when hee denied Moſes to goe into the Land of Canaan, hee did it with much reſpect (as I may ſo ſpeak with reverence) to Moſes: he yeelded as far as might bee, for hee let him leade them, till hee ſhould come to the very borders; and hee let him ſee that good Land, carrying him up to an hill, and (as it is thought) by a miracle inabled his ſight to view the whole Land; and the man hee choſe to performe this work, was his ſervant, which was a great honour to Moſes; that one brought up by him ſhould ſucceed him. So when Abraham prayed for Iſhmael, Oh let Iſmael live in thy ſight, Gen. 17. 18. God went as far in granting his requeſt as might be; for, ſayes hee, ver. 20. I have heard thee, and I have bleſſed him, and I will make him fruitfull, and multiply him exceedingly, and hee ſhall beget twelve Princes; but my covenant I will eſtabliſh with Iſaac. So likewiſe, when in caſting that thing, thou didſt ſeeke at his hands, he ſhews an extraordinary hand in turning it; it is a ſigne he had a reſpect to thee, that hee would vouchſafe to diſcover his hand ſo much in it; let the thing fall which way it will, if Gods hand appeare much in it, thou mayeſt comfortably conclude, that there is ſome great thing in it, and that prayer wrought that miracle in it, to diſpoſe it ſo; and that there is ſome great reaſon why hee denies thee, and a great reſpect had to thy prayers, in that he is pleaſed to diſcover ſo extraordinary a providence about it.
§. 7. Obſerve the effects that denials have upon the heart. As firſt, if a man doth acknowledge God righteous in it, &c.Laſtly, looke into the effect of that deniall upon thine owne heart; as,
1 If thy heart be inlarged to acknowledge God, to be holy and righteous in his dealings with thee, and thine own unworthineſſe the cauſe of his denying thee. Thus we often find the Saints expreſſing themſelves in their prayers: that Pſal. 22. though typically made of Chriſt; yet as it was penned by David, and as it may concerne his perſon, it may ſerve for an inſtance for this, I cry in the day time, but thou heareſt not: this might have made him jealous of God; but ſaies he, Thou art holy, &c. and dealeſt now with me in an holy manner, and art juſt in it: Others have called on thee, and have been heard, though I now for my unworthineſſe am denied: But I am a worme. It might have put a man off, when he ſhould think, others are heard, but not I, but it puts not him off, but humbles him, I am a worme, &c. And Thou art holy.
Seco…y, if God fill the heart with a holy contentment in the deniall.2 If God fill thy heart with an holy contentmēt in the deniall; if he ſpeak to thy heart, as he did to Moſes, when hee denied him, Deut. 3. Let it ſuffice thee; if as to S. Paul, when hee was ſo earneſt about removing that buffeting, if thou getteſt but ſuch an anſwer as that to him, My grace is ſufficient; or that ſome ſuch like conſideration is dropt in that ſtayes thee: It was the effect of Davids ſeven dayes faſting, that he did ſo contentedly beare the loſſe of the Childe, which his ſervants thought would have overwhelmed him, 2. Sam. 12. 19, 20, 21. But a conſideration was dropt in, which was the fruit of his prayer, That he ſhould goe to him, not hee returne hither; and his minde was comforted thereby, in ſo much, as it is ſaid, ver. 24. That he comforted Bath ſheba alſo.
Thirdly, if the heart be thankfull out of faith, when denied.3 If thou canſt bee thankfull to God out of faith, that God hath caſt and ordered all for the beſt, though hee hath denyed thee; and although thou ſeeſt no reaſon, but that the thing prayed for, would have beene for the beſt, yet art thankfull upon the deniall of it, out of faith reſting in Gods judgement in it: As David, in all thoſe forementioned places was, Thou art holy, that inhabiteſt the prayſes of Iſrael; he praiſes God for all this: David before he did eate, after his ſeven dayes faſting for the childe, aroſe, And went firſt into the Temple and worſhipped, 2. Sam. 12. 20. and of what kinde of worſhip it was, appeares by his anointing himſelfe and changing his raiment, which was in token of rejoycing and thankſgiving, and it fell out to him according to his faith, for preſently after, Solomon was begotten, verſ. 24.
§. 4. If the heart be not diſcouraged, for continuing ſtill to pray for other things.4 If thou canſt pray ſtill and giveſt not over, although thou ſtandeſt for mercies which thou miſſeſt; if when thou haſt mercies granted, thou feareſt moſt, and when denied, loveſt moſt, and art not diſcouraged, thy prayers are heard, Pſal. 80. 4. Though God ſeemed angry with their praiers, yet they pray, and expoſtulate with him, and give not over, for they made that Pſalme as a Prayer, And how long wilt thou be angry againſt the prayer of thy people? So Pſal. 44. 17. Though wee are caſt among Dragons, yee wee have not beene falſe in thy Covenant. So ſay thou, I will pray ſtill, though I never have an anſwer in this life. It moves ingenuous natures to ſee men take repulſes and denialls well, which proud perſons will not doe: and ſo it moves God.