Lectures Upon Psalm 51, Part 2 · Lecture 13
Lecture XIII. On Psal. 51.1, 2. Ianuary 24. 1625.
FOlloweth the fourth, and last impediment that keepeth men from flying to God, and seeking helpe, and comfort from him by prayer in their distresses, and that is a conceit that it is to no purpose for them to pray. This conceit as it prevaileth with wicked men, and castawayes, and keepeth them in a continuall neglect of this duty. What profit should we have (say they) if we pray to him? Iob 21.…. So have Gods dearest servants beene oft troubled with it, and for a time kept from this duty by it. And have beene apt to resolve as David doth of all the duties of piety in generall, Psal. 73.13. Verily, I have cleansed my heart in vaine; so of this duty in particular, certainely it is but lost labour for me to pray. And as Satan will alway pretend reason for whatsoever he suggesteth to us (so did he with our first parents, Gen. 3.5. God doth know that in the day yee eate thereof then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as Gods, knowing good and evill. And his chiefe strength, still to keepe out Christ, and his grace, lyeth in the thoughts, and imaginations, in the reasons that he suggesteth unto men, to object against goodnesse, and to defend sinne, as is plaine, 2 Cor. 10.5.) so hath he put foure reasons into the hearts of men to confirme them in this conceit, that it is to no purpose for them to pray. Let this short summe of the foure reasons suffice in the first propounding of them, and the larger laying of them downe, reserved to the place where they are to be answered particularly. 1. That many doe well enough that never pray. 2. That the use of the meanes with discretion, will serve the turne without prayer. 3. That God knoweth our necessities well enough, and hath both decreed what to do for us, and is apt enough of himselfe without seeking to. 4. That themselves have used it long to no purpose.
Now before I come to answer these reasons in particular this I must say of them in generall; that if any of Gods people (such as I must judge all you to be that heare me now) be troubled at any time with these thoughts (as surely as I have already told you they may be) they must resolve thus with themselves; Certainely this is but a tentation this commeth of the evill one. For it tendeth directly to atheisme, and is high blasphemy against God. Those thoughts that tend to the restraining of men from prayer tend directly to the casting off of all true feare of God. Thou castest off feare, (saith Eliph…z, Iob 15.4.) and restrainest prayer before God. The man that is once perswaded not to call upon God hath learned to say in his heart there is no God, Psal. 14.1.4. And of them that said Mal. 3.14. It is in vaine to serve God, the Lord saith verse 13. that their words had beene stout against the Lord. Poure out thy fury (saith the Prophet, Ier. 10.25.) upon the heathen that know thee not, and upon the families that call not on thy name. 1. The persons, the families that use not to pray know not God, are no better then Atheists. 2. God will poure out his fury upon such. And seeing this is so what must they do that are troubled with this tentation? Surely They must 1 Put on a resolution to resist it, harden thy heart against it, withstand it, defie it, Iam. 4.7. Resist the Divell, and he will flee from you. Say as our Saviour did when hee was tempted by Satan to such a foule sinne, Mat. 4.10. Get thee hence, avaunt Sathan. Yea in a tentation farre lesse then this, when Peter tempted him but to favour himselfe, and shun the crosse. Mat. 16.23. He turned, and said to Peter, get thee behind me Sathan, thou art an offence unto me. 2 By prayer, and crying unto God for strength against it, they must resist even this tentation against prayer. For that is a chiefe remedy against all tentations, Luk. 22.40. Pray that ye enter not into (and be delivered into the power of) temptation. As Christ did for Iehoshuah when Satan stood at his right hand to resist him, Zach. 3.2. The Lord rebuke thee ô Satan, even the Lord that hath chosen Ierusalem rebuke thee. 3 They must make use of the sword of the spirit (whereby Christ our captaine did drive away the tempter, Mat. 4.4, 7.10. It is written) by weighing with themselves, how directly this tentation opposeth the whole tenour of the holy Scripture. And say thus with themselves. Shall I yeeld to this conceit that it is to no purpose to pray? Why how oft hath God commanded us to pray? Psal. 50.15. Call upon me in the day of trouble; and Mat, 7.7 Aske, and it shall be given you; and 1 Thess. 5.17. Pray without ceasing. How frequent, and constant have all the Saints, even such as God hath given greatest testimony unto, beene in prayer? Even the wisest of them; as Daniel who would not give over his constant course in prayer, no not for the saving of his life, Dan. 6.10. Nay our blessed Saviour was so himselfe, even he was frequent in this duty, Mar. 1.35. In the morning a great while before it was day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed. And shall I suffer Satan to perswade me that it is a needlesse thing to pray?
But let us now consider the reasons whereby Satan perswadeth men to this Atheisticall, divellish conceit.
Reason 1And to the first. That they that never use to pray, do as well as those that are most given unto it.A…sw. I answer that this is most false, they do not so well. For 1. The blessings they receive are but temporall, and such as are no testimonies of Gods speciall love, Mat. 5.45. He maketh his sunne to rise on the evill, and on the good; and sendeth raine on the just, and on the unjust. Whereas they that pray shall have better things then these, Luk. 11.13. Your heavenly father will give the holy spirit to them that aske him. 2. They that pray not, can have no assurance to enjoy, no not these temporall blessings, neither to have them when they want them, nor to hold them when they have them. For they have no word nor promise of God for them, Iob 21.16. Loe their good, is not in their hand. Whereas they that pray may be sure to have so much even of these things as shall be good for them. For they have a promise that they may build upon. Psal. 34.10. They that seeke the Lord shall not want any good thing. This promise certainely (to them that can beleeve it) is more worth then a thousand pound land a yeere. So that he that can pray, may be secure for outward things, and need not disquiet his heart with carking cares, Pro. 16.3. Commit thy works (thy labours, and endeavours) unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established. 3. They that pray not, though they might be never so sure of these temporall blessings, yet have they no just cause of comfort in them. For they have them not with the blessing, and favour of God; 1. They come not rightly by them, but like robbers breake into Gods storehouse, and steale away his goods. The richest man that is, is bound to seeke even his bread of God every day, Matth. 6.11. Give us this day our daily bread. He hath no comfortable title to his food, to his wealth that doth it not, but is in Gods account a spirituall usurper, and thiefe. 2. Besides he can have no comfort in that he hath; because it is not sanctified unto him, it shall do him no good, it shall do him much hurt rather. A man may have these outward things, without Gods blessing, Hos. 13.11. I gave thee a king in mine anger; and then they will be his bane, it had beene much better for him, to have beene without them. Was not Goliahs strength, 1 Sam. 17.9. Ahitophels wisdome, 2 Sam. 17.23. and Herods eloquence, Act. 12.23. so? and yet all excellent gifts of God, but they had them not with his blessing, they were not sanctifyed unto them. O that we had not too much experience of this daily in many, that men may have abundance of these earthly blessings from God and have them with his curse; as if God should have said as Pro. 1.32. The prosperity of fooles shall destroy them. On the other side they that pray have just cause of comfort in these outward things, be it little or much that they enjoy. For 1. They have a blessed title to that they have, they come honestly by it, it is their owne, they breake not into Gods treasury, but by the key that God gave them, they opened the doore, and hold them by his gift, 1 Cor. 3.22. All things are yours. 2. That that they have is blessed, and sanctified unto them. 1 Tim. 4.4, 5. Every creature of God is good to them that beleeve, and know the truth, for it is sanctifyed by the Word of God, and prayer. And thus have I answered the first reason.
Now to the second reason;Reason 2 that it is needlesse to pray Because the good successe of all things depends upon, and is to be ascribed (not to prayer but) to second causes and meanes God useth to work by; and unto the reason, will, and endeavour of man. The Lord (say they) hath set a constant course in nature, and given a naturall force to sundry meanes, and second causes to doe us good. There is a covenant of God for the day, and night, (mentioned, Ier. 33.20.) that they shall continue their courses which cannot faile. So is therefore other ordinary meanes. God hath given a naturall force to our meate to nourish us, and to our cloathes to keepe us warme. A good diet, a good aire, and exercise, we see will keepe men in health though they never pray. And as for wealth, if men take paines in their calling, and have also wisedome to order their affaires, there is not one of a hundred but they prosper well enough. In all labour (saith Solomon Pro. 14.23) there is profit. And Pro. 16.20. He that handleth a matter wisely, shall find good. Shall we thinke (say some) that the fasts that were kept so long and the prayers that were made were the cause why the plague ceased? No no there is a naturall cause (say they) to be given of it, till the aire was purged by the coldnesse of the season, all your fasting, and praying could do no good.
This reason and perswasion of the sufficiency that is in the meanes and in our owne endeavours, hath in all ages marvellously prevailed to draw men from depending upon God, and seeking unto him for helpe and comfort by prayer, and doth certainly at this day. And that not only with such as have beene infidells, and openly wicked. By the strength of mine hand have I done it (saith the King of Assyria, Esa. 10.13.) and by my wisedome, for I am prudent, and Habac. 1.16. They sacrifice to their net, and burne incense to their drag, because by them their portion is fat, and their meat plenteous. But even such as have lived in Gods Church, as we may see at large Esay 22.8—11, Yea Gods owne deare children have received much hurt by it, as we may see in the example of Asa. 2. Chron. 16.12. In his disease he sought not to the Lord, but to the Physitians.
Answ.For answer therefore unto it, some things are first of all to be granted, that is, 1. That God useth not to helpe men without means, as Iosh. 5.12. He fed them no longer with Manna from heaven, when they came to Canaan, where they might get corne. So when God would deliver Peter out of the hand of Herod, he caused the yron gate that lead unto the City, to open of his owne accord, and so he went out, Acts 12.10. 2. That God doth usually worke with, and blesse the ordinary meanes, Acts 9.19. When Paul had received meat, he was strengthened. And so are the places to be understood, Prov. 14.23. In all labour there is profite, and 16 20. He that handleth a matter wisely, shall find good. 3. That it is folly, and sin for us to expect that God should helpe us when we neglect the ordinary meanes, Matth. 4.7. Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Exod. 14, 15. The Lord said to Moses, why cryest thou to mee? Speake unto the children of Israel, that they goe forward. He blameth him for resting upon prayer, with the neglect of the meanes. Gods blessing may be confidently expected upon our endeavours, in the use of lawfull meanes, 1. Chr. 22.16. Arise, and be doing (saith David to his sonne) and the Lord will be with thee. But all this is no sufficient cause to keepe us from prayer. For 1. God is the authour and giver of all meanes, when he intends to helpe us, and doe us good, he will give us the ordinary meanes to receive good by, when he intends the contrary, he will withold the meanes. Iob 38.28, 29. Hath the raine a father? or who hath begotten the drops of the dew? Out of whose wombe came the Ice? and the hoary frost, who hath gendered it? and Psal. 104.3. He walketh upon the wings of the wind. It was he only that sent that goodly season in the beginning of winter, which these men say, was the cause why the plague ceased. 2. The vertue that is in any meanes to doe us good, commeth wholly from God. He is the Lord of nature, Though he have given to man the faculty of reason, and freedome of will, in civill, and morall actions, and to our food, and other creatures a naturall vertue to do us good, yet that we are able to use this faculty that we have, or the creature to put forth that vertue that is in it, to the good of man, comes wholly of God. He keepeth the raines in his owne hand, Ephes. 1.11. He worketh all things. See this, 1. In the use of our reason and will, Prov. 21.1. The Kings heart is in the hand of the Lord, he turneth it whithersoever he will. No King can incline his owne heart which way himselfe listeth. Man hath reason indeed, but he cannot use it to his owne benefit, Prov. 3.5. Leane not to thine owne understanding. 2. In the senses Prov. 20.12. The hearing eare, and the seeing eye, the Lord hath made even both of them. As the faculty that is in the eare and eye, is of God; so the ability to use and exercise, it is of him also, 3. In our labors and endevours, they are to no purpose further then God is pleased to blesse them. 1. Cor. 3.7. Neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth, but God that giveth the increase. Psal. 127.1, 2. Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vaine that build it; except the Lord keepe the City, the watch-man waketh but in vaine. It is vaine for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eate the bread of sorrowes. 4. In our food Matth. 4.4. Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God; there is a secret word, and commission God hath given it to nourish us, or else it could doe us no good. For the Lord can call in this commission, when he will, and restraine, and with-hold the naturall force he hath given to the second causes when it pleaseth him; as we see Hag. 16. Yee have sowen much, and bring in little, ye eate, but ye have not enough: ye drinke, but ye are not filled; ye cloath you, but there is none warme. Therefore all good successe is ascribed to God, Ezra. 7.6, 7. The King granted him all his request according to the hand of the Lord his God upon him. N…he. 2.8. The King granted me according to the good hand of my God upon me.
In these two respects we shall find that the servants of God have beene wont to depend wholly upon him, and to seeke to him by prayer for his direction, and blessing in all the actions, and occasions of their life; not in spirituall things only, but even in such matters wherein all have freedome of will, and wherein they wanted neither ordinary means to helpe themselves, nor wisdome, and understanding to use them well. 1. In making of marriages, Thus did Eleazar, Abrahams steward, though he were a wise man, and was able to make such a report of his masters estate, as he had small cause to doubt of good successe, yet doth he most zealously seek to God for direction and successe by prayer, Gen. 24.12. 2. In taking of their journeyes, then which, what can be more in the power of mans will, Rom. 1.10. Paul made request that he might have a prosperous journey, by the will of God to come to the Romanes, yea, see how servent he is in prayer in this case, 1. Thess. 3.11. Now God himselfe and our father, and our Lord Iesus Christ, direct our way unto you. 3, In receiving of their food, though there be therein a naturall vertue to nourish us. For this we have the example of our blessed Saviour, not only when he desired an extraordinary, and miraculous blessing upon the creatures, as when he sed about five thousand with fiue loaves, and two fishes, Matth 14.…9. and foure thousand with seven loaves and a few little fishes. Matth. 15.36. But even when he desired no more then that which was naturall, and ordinary, as Luke 24.30. As he sate at meate with them, he tooke bread and blessed it. Where it is also to be observed, that by the prayer we use at our meales, our meate is blessed unto us, it is not blessed otherwise. 4. In entring upon their houses, and dwellings, Ps. 30. title, A Psalme and song at the dedication of the house of David. But what need wee instance in more particulars, and stand upon examples in this point, seeing we have so expresse commandements for it? Prov. 3.6. In all thy wayes acknowledge him (his hand, his providence, and so depend upon him) and he shall direct thy paths. And Phil. 4.6, 7. In every thing by prayer and supplication, let your requests be made knowne unto God, and the peace of God shall keepe your hearts, and minds. This is the way to true peace, to depend upon God by prayer, for direction, successe, and for a blessing in every thing that we take in hand.