The Saints Sacrifice, Section 88
§. 88. Of praying after God hath heard our prayer.
IIII. *§ 84.PRayer to God is to be continued after the thing prayed for is granted. After that the Pſalmiſt in teſtimony of Gods hearing him had ſaid, aPſa. 118 21, 2…I will praiſe thee, for thou haſt heard me, and art become my ſalvation, he addeth, Save now, I beſeech thee, O Lord: O Lord, I beſeech thee, ſend now proſperity. Many ſuch paſſages there be, as in the Pſalmes, ſo in other bookes of Scripture. Indefinite exhortations to pray bEph. 6. 18. foreign.in every ſeaſon, cLuk. 18. 1. foreign.alwayes, d1 Theſ. 5. 17. foreign.without ceaſing, give good evidence to the truth of the doctrine. For, if after God hath heard us, we ceaſe to pray, how can we pray without ceaſing, alwayes, in every ſeaſon? None can doubt but that God heard the prayers of his faithfull ſervants in all ages: yet never did any faithfull ſervant of God thereupon ceaſe calling upon God ſo long as hee lived. It is e1 Cor. 1. 2. Acts 9. 14.the ſtile of a true Saint to call upon God. If they ſhould ceaſe to call upon God, they would ſhew themſelves moſt 2 Tim. 2. 19.unworthy of that dignity.
Why prayer is to be continued after prayer is heard.1 Some things there be, which though on Gods part they be granted, yet are we not ſo ſetled and ſatisfied in the grant of them, but that we may waver and doubt in our faith about them: as, Remiſſion of ſinnes, Reconciliation with God, Iuſtification in his ſight, Conquest over our corruptions, Sanctifying graces, and ſuch like. Other things there be whereof we ſtand in daily need, as food, ſleepe, apparell, and other bodily neceſſities: meanes of ſpirituall edification: and the aſſiſtance of Gods Spirit. And many evils there be wherinto we may fall again and again after we are delivered from them, as ſickneſſe, paine, impriſonment, captivity, &c. Yea, and all manner of ſinnes, and temptations to ſinnes. In theſe reſpects, for the ſetling of our faith in that which God hath granted, for the continuall ſupply of ſuch things as we continually ſtand in need of, for keeping us from falling againe into ſuch evils as we have beene delivered from, it is needfull, it is uſefull to call upon God againe and againe even after he hath heard our prayer.
Of theſe motives, See The Whole Armour of God. Treat. 3. Part. 1. §. 15, 16, &c.2 All thoſe generall motives that are of force to incite us to call on God before he hath heard us, as Gods command, Gods worſhip, Gods honour, the Neceſſity, utility, Efficacy, and Dignity of prayer, are alſo of force to provoke us to call on him after he hath heard us: yea as long as we liue.
3 Gods hearing our prayers is ſo farre from making us ceaſe to pray, as among other motives, it is a very forcible one to draw us to God again. For, it giveth ſpeciall evidence of Gods readines to heare, and ablenes to help, yea and of his mind and good-will to us in particular whom he hath heard.
Reprehenſion of ſuch as being helped neglect God.How many are of a farre other mind then this Prophet was? If God have once heard them, and delivered them from a diſtreſſe, they have no care to call on God againe: eſpecially when they find and feele themſelves ſafe. What? Do they thinke that there is but one thing wherein God can do them good? Do they imagine themſelves ſo ſecure, as they cannot againe fall into ſuch need of Gods help as they were in before? or can God be, as man, weary of doing good? Are many ſupplications & petitions troubleſome to God? Fie of all ſuch atheiſticall conceits. If any that have better underſtanding of God, and of their owne frailty, do notwithſtanding faile in this duty, having had good ſucceſſe in their former performing it, they are either as beaſts, which are affected onelyonly with that which is preſent, or worſe then beaſts, uſing God, onelyonly for their own turnes▪ and ſo care not to call on him but when they ſenſibly diſcerne an abſolute neceſſity for their own need and good.
For Gods ſake, for our owne ſake let us in ſeaſon, and out of ſeaſon, in diſtreſſe and out of diſtreſſe, to remove and prevent evills, to obtaine and retaine the things that are good for us, before and after God hath heard us, call upon his name. Let us that have called upon him, ſay, We will call upon the name of the Lord. Let this purpoſe be in our hearts, let this profeſſion be in our mouthes, let an anſwerable performance be in our deeds, and that ſo long as we ſhall abide in the land of the living where the Lord is called upon, that ſo we may indeed be in the number, and of the number of thoſe that call upon the name of the Lord.