Gods Three Arrows, Section 32
§. 32. Of taking good notice of that for which we pray.
VI. *See §. 26.KNowledge of that for which prayer is made is an eſpeciall meanes to ſharpen prayer. That which made aGen. 32. 9.Iacob to wreſtle with God, was the danger wherein he ſaw his houſhold to be. When b2 King. 19. 14Hezekiah ſaw and read the letter that Senacherib ſent, then was his ſpirit extended to prayer. The knowledge that c2 Chro. 14 11.Aſa, d—20. 2, 3.Iehoſaphat, eNeh 1. 4.Nehemiah, and other good Kings and Governours had of the danger of their country, made them earneſt in prayer with the Lord for ſuccour. It is oft noted of Chriſt, that when he ſaw ſuch and ſuch miſeries of people, his bowels were moved, he hand compaſſion on them. In particular, gMat. 9. 36.when he ſaw the people ſcattered without a ſhepheard, he incited his Diſciples to pray for them.
Sight and other means whereby we may have true intelligence of the needs and ſtraits wherunto ſuch as we reſpect and affect are brought, work deep impreſſions of compaſſion, which moveth our inward bowels, and after a ſort enforceth us to afford them the beſt aid we can. Now they who know how beneficiall prayer is in all needs, are thereupon moued as earneſtly as they can to pray for them.
To ſtirre us up to pray for thoſe that are in diſtreſſe, let us enquire and take notice of their eſtate and affaires. Nehemiah Neh. 1. 2.was very inquiſicive after the eſtate of the Iewes that had returned from the captivity, whereby it came to paſſe that he was ſo helpfull to them both by his prayer, and otherwiſe. But what the eye ſeeth not, the heart rueth not. Things not knowne are not regarded. Aſſuredly if we ſaw, or on aſſured knowledge beleeved what the diſtreſſes of many Churches in other places are, and of many perſons in our own country, our ſpirits would ſend forth more prayers for them, then now we doe, (if other ſuccour alſo were not afforded them.)
Here, by the way note what wrong they do who bring The ill conſequences of falſe newes.falſe reports to mens eares: as, reports of victory, when people are overthrowne.
1. They to whom the report is brought are deceived, and made to believe an untruth.
2. They of whom the report is made, are by the falſe report deprived of that helpe which otherwiſe they might have had.
3. God himſelf is mocked, in that that which is not done, is acknowledged to be done by him, and ſo when prayer ſhould be made, praiſe is given for that which is not.
We have not a mountaine to go to the top of it, and to Cur malum fama? quia velox, an quia plurimum mendax? quae ne tune quidem cum aliquid veri affert, ſine mendacij vitio eſt, detrahens, adjiciens, demutans de veritate. Tertul in A polo. get. cap. 8. Solet ſama mentiri. Aug. Bonefac. Epiſt. 106.behold all the battels of the Churches, as Moſes here on the top of an hill beheld the Iſraelites fighting. We muſt have knowledge of forraigne affaires (as Nehemiah had) by report. If that report be falſe, how ſhall we order our prayers? Yet there is commonly ſuch uncertainties in rumors and reports, as fame is ſaid to be an evill thing. For even then when it declares ſome truth, it is not free from the blame of lying, in that it taketh away from the truth, or addeth thereto, or ſome way or other altereth it. It is not therfore without cauſe ſaid, that fame uſeth to lie.
Yet if men be not raſh in receiving every uncertaine report, they that with an honeſt heart make their prayers according to the report which they receive, may have this comfort, that their ſacrifice of prayer is acceptable to God: and that thereby God taketh notice of their diſpoſition, how they would be affected, if it went ſo or ſo with the Church.
But for the comfort of ſuch as are in diſtreſſe, howſoever pious and pitifull men may be miſ-informed about their caſe, God is in heaven, and better ſeeth all their diſtreſſes, then Moſes on the top of his hill could ſee Iſraels ſtraits. And whereas Moſes could onelyonly pray for ſuccour, God can give them ſuccour: God, I ſay, who to every drop of compaſſion that is in man, hath in himſelfe an ocean of compaſſion: and anſwerable to his compaſſion hath both will and power to helpe. A point of much comfort.