The Return of Prayers, Part 1 · Chapter 1
Chap. 1.CHAP. I.
The maine obſervation and ſubject of this Diſcourſe thence deduced: That Gods people are diligently to obſerve the anſwers to their Prayers: The reaſons of it.
THeſe words being eſpecially ſpoken in relation to the anſwer of God returned to his Prayer made, therefore in that relation I meane principally to handle them.
The obſervation is this; That when a man hath put up Prayers to God, hee 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 bee obſerved. I will heare what God will ſpeake, that is, how Hee will accompliſh them: and withall he confidently expreſſeth an aſſurance, that God will ſpeake peace. Thus doth the Church, Mich. 7. 7, 8. I will looke to the Lord, I will wait, my God will heare mee: Shee was both ſure of gracious audience with Him, my God will heare me: and ſhe will wait till hee anſwers her, and obſerve how hee doth it, I will looke to the Lord: and verſ. 9. I will heare the indignation of the Lord, till he plead my cauſe. So Habakkuk, hee having made a Praier againſt the Tyrannie of Nebuchadnezzar, in the firſt Chapter, having ended it, hee begins the ſecond Chapter thus, I will ſtand upon my watch tower, and ſee what hee will anſwer mee: The ſinfulneſſe of the neglect hereof demonſtrated by 7. reaſons.and in the end an anſwer comes verſ. 2. and as hee thus waited for a Viſion (for ſometime their Prophecies were in anſwer to their prayers) ſo ſhould wee for an anſwer unto ours.
1. Reaſon,Reaſ. 1. Hereby an Ordinance of God is taken in vaine: which is Gods Name. becauſe otherwiſe you take an Ordinance of God in vain in your hearts, which is to take Gods Name (with whom in that Ordinance you deale) in vaine: for it a ſigne you thinke your prayer not an effectuall meanes to attain that end it is ordained for; and ſay ſecretly in your hearts, as they Iob 21. 15. What profit have we, if we pray to him? for if we uſe any meanes, and expect not the end, it is a ſigne wee thinke the meanes vaine to accompliſh that end. Whereas every faithfull prayer is ordained of God to bee a meanes to obtaine what wee deſire and pray for, and is not put up in vain, but ſhall have anſwer: 1. Ioh. 5. 14, 15. This is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we aske any thing according to His will, He heareth us: tis true, God heareth an enemy, but to heare with favour, is the hearing there meant; and is ſo uſed in our ordinary ſpeach, as we ſay of a Favourite, that he hath the Kings eare; and if a man bee obſtinate to a mans counſell, we ſay, hee would not heare, though hee give the hearing; ſo here, to heare is a word of gracious inclination to doe the thing required; and thus Gods eares are ſaid to bee open to their prayers; and ſo it followes there, that if he heareth us, whatſoever we aske, wee know that we have the petitions that wee deſired of Him. Aſſoone as wee have prayed, wee are ſaid to have our petitions, that is, they are then granted, and we may be confident they are aſſented unto by God; although in regard of outward diſpenſation, the command 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 ſeale, or bee not ſigned a good while after. And like as when a wicked man ſinneth, aſſoone as the act is committed, ſo ſoone doth ſentence from God goe forth againſt the ſinner, but the Execution overtakes him not (it may bee) a good while after, according to that of Solomon, Sentence againſt an evill doer is not preſently executed, Eccleſ 7. 11it is preſently ſentenced, as the words imply, but not executed: ſo in like manner falleth it out, when a godly man praies, that as ſoone as the praier arrives in Heaven (which is in an inſtant) ſo ſoone is the petition granted, (So Dan. 9. at the beginning of his praier the Command came forth ver. 23. though the Angel, who brought the anſwer, arrived not at him till towards the end in the Evening, ver. 21.) but the reall accompliſhment of it may be deferred. So as no prayer in reſpect of an anſwer to it is in vaine; but where God hath given a heart to ſpeake, Hee hath an eare to heare, and love to returne anſwer: which not to regard, is to take an Ordinance in vain, which is Gods Name.
And ſecondly,Reaſ. 2. Wee take the Attributes of God in vaine. not ſimply Gods name, as in an Ordinance made knowne, but alſo His name, that is, His Attributes are taken in vaine. For it is a ſigne you thinke of that God you pray to, that either his eare is heavy, that hee cannot heare: or his hand ſhortned, that he cānot ſave: or his heart ſtraitned, and his bowels reſtrained, that he will not: And thus you rob him, and deſpoile him of one of his moſt royall Titles, whereby he ſtyles himſelfe,Pſal. 65. 2. a God that heareth prayers; who is ſo regardfull of them, that in the firſt of Kings 8. 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 wee doe letters of friends which wee ſticke in our windows, that we may remember to anſwer them; or lay them not out of our boſomes, that wee might be ſure not to forget thē: ſo the petitions of his people, paſſe not out of his ſight, till hee ſends an anſwer, which is called ſpeaking here; God ſpeaking as well in his workes as in his word. But you, by your neglect herein, make an Idoll God of him, ſuch as were the vanities of the heathen, as if hee had eares and heard not, eyes and ſaw not your need, &c. Such a God as Elias mockt, You muſt ſpeak aloud, (ſaith he) he may be in a journey, &c. Even ſuch a God doe you make the God of heaven & earth to bee, whileſt you put no more confidence in him, or make no more reckoning of your prayers to him, then the heathens did of their ſacrifices to their Gods. Petitioners do not onelyonly put up their requeſts, but uſe to wait at great mens doores, & enquire, and liſten what anſwer is given unto them; and it is part of an honour to great men that we doe ſo: and for the ſame end are wee alſo to waite on God, As an acknowledgement of his greatneſſe, and our diſtance from him, and dependance upon him; as the eyes of the ſervants looke to the hand of their Maſters, Pſal. 123. 2ſo doe we (ſaith David) on thee, till thou haſt mercy on us. And Pſalm. 130. after he had prayed ver. 2. Hee ſaith, hee waited more then they that watch for the morning, like thoſe that having ſome great buſineſſe to doe on the morrow, long for the day light, and looke often out to ſpy the day, ſo hee for a glimmering, and dawning of an anſwer. The like we have Pſal. 5. 3. In the morning will I direct my prayer to thee, and looke, that is, for an anſwer.
Againe,Reaſ. 3. If God give an anſwer we make him ſpeake in vaine. 3. If God doth give you an anſwer, if you minde it not, you let God ſpeake to you in vaine, when you doe not liſten to what hee anſwers: if two men walke together, and the one, when himſelfe hath ſaid, and ſpoke what hee would, liſtens not, but is regardleſſe of what the other anſwers, hee exceedingly ſlights the man: As non reſpondere pro convitio eſt, not to anſwer againe is contempt, ſo non attendere, not to attend to what one ſayes: Now our ſpeaking to God by prayers, and his ſpeaking to us by anſwers thereunto, and to ſtudy out his dealings with us, by comparing our praiers and his anſwers together, which are as Dialogues between us and him, is one great part of our walking with God. It is ſaid of Samuels prophecy,1. Sam. 3. 19. that not a word of it fell to the ground: and ſo it may bee ſaid of our prayers; and ſo it ought to bee of Gods anſwers, not a word of them ſhould fall to the ground: as there doth, if you by your obſervation, and liſtning therunto catch them not (as Benhadads ſervants are ſaid to doe Ahabs words,) apprehend, and obſerve them not: & by the ſame reaſon, that you are to obſerve the fulfilling of Gods promiſes, you are of your prayers alſo: now, 1. Kings 8. 56. it is ſaid, not one word failed of all hee promiſed, Solomon had obſerved this by a particular ſurvay, and regiſter made of all that God had ſpoken and done for them, and found not a promiſe unperformed: and there is the like reaſon both of anſwers to prayers, (for prayers are but putting promiſes into ſuite;) and for our obſerving of them: and therefore Salomon brings thoſe words in there, to this very purpoſe, to confirme firme their faith in this, that no prayers made, would faile, being grounded on a promiſe, thereby o encourage others, and his owne heart to diligence herein, as alſo as a motive unto God to hear him; for verſ. 59. hee inferres upon it, Let my words be nigh thee, &c. Seeing thou alwaies thus performeſt thy good word unto thy people.
4. Yea,Reaſ. 4. God may be provoked not to anſwer at all. you will provoke the Lord not to anſwer at all, he will forbear to anſwer, becauſe hee ſees it will be thus in vain. When a man is talking to one that liſtens not to him, hee will ceaſe to anſwer, and leave off ſpeaking, and ſo will God. So as that which the Apoſtle ſaith of faith, Heb. 10. 36.that it is not enough to beleeve, but when you have done the will of God, you have need of patience to eke out faith, that you may inherit the promiſes, may bee 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 fulfill them elſe. As he ſaid, the Sermon was not done, when yet the Preacher had done, becauſe it is not done, till practiſed: ſo our prayers are not done, when yet made, but you muſt further waite for, and attend the accompliſhment.
5. If you obſerve not his anſwers,Reaſ. 5. We ſhall not return thankes to God for hearing us. how ſhall you bleſſe God, and returne thankes to him for hearing your prayers: Pſal. 116. 1, 2. I love the Lord, becauſe hee hath heard my voice, and my ſupplication, and therefore he goes on to thanke him, throughout the whole Pſalme. You are to watch unto prayer with thankſgiving: Col. 4. 2.and therefore, as to watch, to obſerve, and recollect your owne wants, which you are to pray for, that you may have matter of requeſts to put up, ſo alſo to obſerve Gods anſwers for matter of thankeſgiving; and many fill that common place head full of matter, to furniſh them for petitioning, but as for this other of thankeſgiving, 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 Gods anſwers to your prayers: The reaſon you pray ſo much, and give thankes ſo little, is, that you minde not Gods anſwers: you doe not ſtudy them. When we have put up a faithfull prayer, God is made our debtor by promiſe, and wee are to take notice of his payment, and give him an acknowledgement of the receipt of it, hee loſeth of his glory elſe.
6. As God loſeth,Reaſ. 6. We loſe much experience. ſo your ſelves alſo the experience which you might get hereby.1. Of Gods faithfulnes to us. 1. Both experience of GOD and his faithfulneſſe, which will cauſe in you, hope and confidence in God another time, when you have found him againe and againe anſwering your prayers. It was a ſpeech of one eminent in holineſſe, upon occaſion of the accompliſhmēt of a great requeſt made to God by him, That God having never denied him any requeſt, I have tryed God often, now (ſayes he) henceforth I will truſt him; if the hearing the prayers of another, will encourage us to goe to God, (as Pſal. 33. 5. For this cauſe ſhall every one that is godly pray unto thee) much more when we obſerve, and have experience that our owne are heard: Therefore (ſayes David) Pſal. 116. 1, 2. The Lord hath heard me, and I will call upon him as long as I live: as if hee had ſaid, Now that God hath heard mee, now I know what to doe: 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 Gods anſwers to your prayers,2. Of our owne hearts and wayes towards him. you will gaine much inſight into your own harts, and wayes, and prayers; and may thereby learne how to judge of them. So Pſal. 66. 18, 19. Davids anſurance that he did not regard iniquity in his heart, was ſtrengthned by Gods having heard his prayers: for thus he reaſons, If I regard iniquity in my heart, God will not heare me: But God hath heard me. For 1. if God doth not grant your petitions, it will put you to ſtudy a reaſon of that his dealing: & ſo you will come to ſearch into your prayers, and the carriage of your hearts therein, to ſee whether you did not pray amiſſe; according to that, Ye luſt & have not, becauſe ye aske amiſſe, Iames 4. 3. As if you ſend to a friend, who is punctuall in that point of friendſhip of returning anſwers, and uſeth not to faile, and you receive no anſwer from him, you will beginne to thinke there is ſomething in it: And ſo alſo here, When a Petition is denied, you will be jealous of your ſelves, & inquiſitive, What ſhould be the matter, and ſo by that ſearch come to ſee that in your prayers, which you will learne to mend the next time. Or 2. if they be anſwered, yet becauſe that therein uſually God deales in a proportion with you to your prayers, (as you might perceive if you would obſerve his dealings with you) you would by this meanes come to have much inſight into Gods acceptation, and opinion of your wayes: For you ſhould ſee His dealings with you, and yours with Him, to be exceeding parallel and correſpondent, and hold proportion each with other. So Pſal. 18. 6. In my diſtreſſe I called upon the Lord, and ſo verſe 7, 8, &c. hee goes on to deſcribe his deliverance which was the fruit of thoſe prayers, and then at 20, 21. verſes, &c. hee addes his obſervation upon both, According to the cleanneſſe of my hands hath he dealt with mee, &c. For with the pure thou ſhalt ſhew thy ſelfe pure.
7. You will loſe much of your comfort:Reaſ. 7. We ſhall loſe much comfort. there is no greater joy than to ſee prayers anſwered, or to ſee ſouls converted by us, Iohn 16. 24. Aske 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 joies are exceeding great; much more when in our owne behalfe: and therein, even in the ſmalleſt things which a Chriſtian doth enjoy, doth his comfort exceed anothers, that hee hath them by vertue of prayers, and promiſes: he knowes how hee came by them; If ſtolne waters bee ſweet, And bread eaten in ſecret, Pro. 9. 17.&c. (as Solomon ſaies) to wicked men; beg'd meat is much more ſweet to godly men: yea, in the very praying for outward mercies, there is more ſweetneſſe, 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 meanes of it. I have no greater joy (ſaies S. Iohn) then that my children walke in truth: So to ſee God doe good to his Church, and heare others prayers is a comfort, but much more to ſee him do it at a mans own praiers. Therefore when God reſtores comfort to a drooping ſoule, he is ſaid, Eſay 57. To reſtore comfort alſo to his mourners, that is, to thoſe that prayed and mourned for him, as well as unto that ſoule it ſelfe, it being a comfort to them to ſee their praiers anſwered. Comfort it is many wayes: The heare from God; as to heare from a friend, though it bee but two or three words, and that about a ſmall matter, if there be at the bottome this ſubſcription, Your loving Father, or, Your aſſured friend, it ſatisfies abundantly: ſo alſo, To know that God is mindfull of us, accepts our works, fulfills his promiſes: How doth it rejoice one to find another of his mind in a controverſie: but that God and we ſhould be of one mind, and concurre in the deſire of the ſame things;Mat. 18. 19. not two in the earth onelyonly agree, 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. Therfore you loſe much of your comfort in bleſſings, when you do not obſerve anſwers to your prayers.