Lectures Upon Psalm 51, Part 2 · Lecture 15
Lecture XV. On Psal. 51.1, 2. February 7. 1625.
IT followeth now that we proceed to the second part of that answer, I told you was to be made to the fourth, and last reason that men are taught by Satan, to alledge to prove that it is a needlesse thing to pray, namely their owne experience that themselves have prayed long, and found no comfort nor benefit by it.Answ. 2. And in this second part of mine answer, I must shew you what we are to do in this case, when we have used prayer for some blessings, and comforts we want for our selves or others, and are never the better for it. Now in this case three things must be done by us. 1. We must take this to heart, and be affected with it. 2. We must pray still. 3. We must examine well what the cause should be, why we obtaine not our suits, why we receive no answer from God to our prayers.
First, I say when we have prayed long, and received no answer from God we must take this to heart, and be affected with it, as with a token of the Lords displeasure. For so we see Gods servants have alwaies beene much troubled, and complained of this as of a great affliction, Iob 30 20. I cry unto thee, and thou dost not heare me; I stand up, and thou regardest me not. Psal. 22.1, 2. My God my God why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so farre from helping mee, and from the words of my roaring? ô my God I cry in the day time but thou hearest not, and in the night season, and am not silent. …am. 3.8. When I cry, and shout be shutteth out my prayer. They have not onelyonly complained of this, that they could not obtaine of God the helpe, and comfort that they stood in need of, but this hath troubled them most, that God gave them no answer, shewed no respect unto their prayer. You shall see how this troubled David, Psal. 28.1. VntoUnto thee will I cry, ô Lord my rocke, be not silent to me, least if thou be silent to me, I become like them that goe downe into the pit; as if he had said, I am but a dead man if thou give me no answer. Certainely It is our great sin that we are so carelesse and void of regard, in this case. 1. We never observe how our prayers speed whether God answer them or not. 2. Though we evidently discerne, that God hath hath shewed no respect to the prayers we have long made unto him for our selves, or for the Church of God, it never troubleth us. I told you the last day we should hearken after our prayers how they speed▪ two benefits we should receive by it. 1. If we finde that the Lord giveth a gracious answer unto them, it would greatly increase our faith and incourage us to depend upon him, and to ply him with our prayers, Psal. 116.1, 2. I love the Lord because he hath heard my voice, and my supplications, because hee hath enclined his care unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live. In which respect it is good for Gods people to keepe records, and remembrances of the successe they have had in their prayers. So did Sampson in giving a name to that fountaine, that God upon his prayer had opened unto him, when he was ready to perish with thirst, and calling it Enbakkore the fountaine of him that prayed, Iudg. 15.19. And Hannah in calling her sonne Samuel begged of God. 1 Sam. 1.20. So doth David oft call to mind the comfort he had found in prayer, Psal. 18.6. In my distresse I called upon the Lord, and cryed unto my God, he heard my voice out of his temple, &c. And 120.1. In my distresse I cryed unto the Lord, and he heard me, and in many other places. The second benefit, we should receive by observing how our prayers speed would be this, that if we find we have received no answer from God it would humble us, and make us carefull both to enquire into the cause of it, and to pray better that we may speed better, then yet we have done. This good Israel got by observing that they had twice sought to the Lord, for successe against the Benjamites, and prevailed not, it caused them to humble themselves more deepely before the Lord, and pray more fervently, and in a better manner then they had done before, as we shall reade, Iudg. 20.26. And so much shall serve to be spoken of the first duty that is to be performed by us in this case.
The second thing we must doe is this when we have prayed long, and have received no answer from God, This must not discourage us, nor cause us to give over praying, but we must pray still for all that. Continue in prayer, saith the Apostle, Col 4.2. Ephes. 6.18. Pray alwaies watching thereunto, with all perseverance. To this end our Saviour gave us the parable of the unrighteous judge, and the widow, to teach us that we ought to persevere in prayer, and not waxe faint, Luke 18.1. When the woman of Canaan had cryed unto Christ for mercy, and he answered her not a word, Mat. 15.23. that did not discourage her but she prayed, and cryed still to him for all that. Marke what effectuall motives the Scripture giveth us to perswade us unto this.
First, it is a duty, and service God requireth of us that in all our necessities, and the necessities of our brethren, we should seeke unto him; nay there is no duty more often and more strictly pressed upon us in the Word then this, 1 Thess. 5.17. Pray without ceasing. Phil. 4.6. In every thing by prayer and supplication, let your requests be made knowne unto God. That which God commandeth we must do though we see no likelyhood that any good will come of it; yea that is the best obedience of all others. God commandeth Abraham to sacrifice his owne sonne, and he obeyeth, Gen. 22.3. and Mordec…i openly to deny to Haman the Kings favourite that honour that all other men did unto him and he obeyeth, Est. 3.2.5. What good could either of them hope would come of this? Surely none at all but the contrary, yet in obedience unto God they both did that that was injoyned them. It belongeth to us to pray; to heare, and give answer to our prayers that belongeth unto God; we must do our part, and duty, and leave to the Lord that that belongeth to him. We must in this case say as Ioab doth in another case, 2 Sam. 10.12. Be of good courage, and let us play the men, and the Lord doe that which seemeth good unto him. And certainely even this (the doing of our duty in obedience unto God) will yeeld us much comfort, though we get no other good by our prayers. So saith Paul ▪ 2 Cor. 1.12. that the testimony that his conscience gave him that he had done his duty, was his rejoycing. So that a Christian in this case hath just cause to say, though I have long begged such a thing of God, and have not obtained it, yet I thanke God that (in conscience of my duty, and in obedience unto God) I have prayed, and can pray for it still.
Secondly we may be sure that (though God do not grant us the things wee pray for yet) he is well pleased with this that we do pray, and persevere in prayer. 1. He useth to take speciall notice of them that pray, and of every prayer that his children make, Acts 9.11. Arise Ananias, and go to Saul, for behold he prayeth. 2. Yea he taketh great pleasure in them; they are compared to sweet odours. Rev. 5.8. and that sweet incense that was used in the Temple, Psal. 141.2. To whom are they so sweet? Who accounts so of them? Surely not themselves, but the Lord. 3. Yea he will doubtlesse at one time or other reward (and that openly, so as not themselves onelyonly but others shall take notice of it) every prayer, that any faithfull soule poureth out unto him, Mat. 6.6. Enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy doore, pray to thy father which is in secret, and thy father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
Thirdly, Wee may bee sure that as the Lord doth heare, and regard every prayer we doe make, so he will certainely give us a gracious answer in due time. 1. No tender mother is so wakefull, and apt to heare her infant when it cryeth; as the Lord is to heare his children whensoever they cry unto him. Psal. 34.15. His eares are alwaies open to their cry; and 65.2. O thou that hearest prayer unto thee shall all flesh come. 2. And as he is apt to heare, so is he to give answer, and to grant the suits of his children. Sometimes he hath done it so soone as ever they had done their prayer, as Act, 4.31. When they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together, and they were all …illed with the Holy Ghost. Sometimes before they had done praying, Dan. 9.20, …1. While I was speaking, and praying, yea while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel came, &c. Somtimes before they could speake a word, when it was but in the purpose of their hearts to pray, God hath prevented them, and granted them that that he knew they would have begged of him. Esa. 65.24. Before they call I will answer. 3. Yea he hath bound himselfe by promise to grant us whatsoever we aske that is good for us, 2 Chron. 15.2. If ye seeke him, he will be found of you. Ps. 145.19. He will fulfill the desires of them that feare him; he also will heare their cry, and will save them. Esa. …0.19. He will be very gracious unto thee, at the voice of thy cry, when he shall heare it he will answer thee. 1 Iob. 5.14, 15. This is the confidence that we have in him that if we aske any thing according to his will hee heareth us. And if we know that he heare us, whatsoever we aske, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. VponUpon these promises we may safely build our assurance that in praying we shall not beate the aire, and loose our labour, an answer will come in due time, Esa. 45.19. I said not to the seed of Iacob; seeke ye me in vaine. God would never by so many commandements have injoyned us this duty, and by so many promises allured us to it, if he had meant we should have lost our labour in it.
Fourthly and lastly, it becomes us to wait the Lords leasure, and wee shall loose nothing by doing so. Hee that beleeveth shall not make hast ▪ saith the Prophet, Esa. 28.16. He that beleeveth these promises you have heard of, will be content to tarry the Lords leasure. It becomes not us to appoi…t the Lord his time, when he shall answer us, nor the meanes how he shall helpe us. Beggers must be no choosers. It is noted for one of the chiefe sins of the Iewes that they limited the holy one of Israel, Ps. 78 41. There are divers wa…es whereby men take upon them to limit the Lord; and this is one. Who will appoint me the time? saith the Lord, Ier. 49.19. It becomes us I say to wait and attend upon the Lord. Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him, saith David, Ps 37.7. And Lam. 3.6. It is good that a man should both hope, and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. That speech of Iehoram 2 King. 6.33. What should I wait for the Lord any longer? was the voice of an Atheist, and not of a Christian. The faithfull have beene wont to speake after another fashion. Psal. 40.1. I waited patiently for the Lord, and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. Nothing is lost by waiting upon God, his promises shall certainely be performed in the sittest season. Though it tarry (saith the Prophet, Hab. 2.….) wait for it, because it will surely come, it will not tarry, not a moment, after the fittest season. They shall not be ashamed (that is disappointed of their hope, saith the Lord, Esa. 49.23) that wa…e for me. And thus have I declared to you the second duty that belongeth to us, when we pray long, and can receive no such answer as our soule desireth.
The third, and last thing we must do in this case is to examine well what the cause should be that we speed no better in our prayers that we receive so little comfort, and benefit by them. When Saul had sought unto God and he answered him not that day, he called all the chiefe of the people together to know and see whose sin had beene the cause of it, 1 Sam. 14.37, 38. He was none of the best men but certainely in this case, his example is worth the following. For though the Lord may have other reasons secret to himselfe, for which he doth deny or delay our suits, yet if we receive not answer from him in any of these five kinds that I told you of the last day: it is our part to lay the fault upon our selves, and to impu…e it to our sins; and to say with the Prophet, Esa. 59.1, 2. The Lords hand is not shortned, that it cannot save: neither is his eare heavy, that it cannot heare, but our iniquities have separated betweene us and our God, and our sinnes have had his face from us that he will not heare. And Ier. 5.25. Our iniquities have turned away these things, and our sinnes have withholden good things from us. Surely (should every one of us say) somewhat hath beene …, or in my prayers, or els the Lord who is so ready to heare, and … the prayers of his people, would have returned me some answer to my prayers before now. I aske, and receive not because I aske amisse, Iam. 4.2. Now the Lords … to our prayers should cause us to examine well what hath been the faith of our prayers, that we amending that fault may hereafter finde more comfort in prayer.
And for your helpe that way, I will shew you some of the principall faults that use to blemish, and weaken our prayers so as they become not acceptable, and effectuall with God.
First, it may be when thou prayedst thou hadst not first repented thee of, and forsaken every knowne sin; and that man whose conscience tells him somewhat he doth daily, and purposeth still to doe, that he ought not; somewhat he daily omits to do, and doth not yet resolve to doe, which he ought to doe, can have no hope that God will heare his prayer. He that would pray must be carefull first to purge both himselfe and his family also from all knowne sins. Iob 11.13, 14. If thou prepare thine heart, and stretch out thine hands towards him, if iniquity be in thine hand, put it farre away and let not wickednesse dwell in thy tabernacles. If I regard iniquity in my heart (saith David, Psal. 66.18. any iniquity, any knowne sinne) the Lord will not heare me. The promise of audience with God is made onelyonly to such as feare him, Psal. 145.19. He will fulfill the desire of them that feare him; he also will heare their cry, and will save them.
Secondly, it may be that the prayers that thou hast used to make, have not been made according to Gods will. The prayers that Gods spirit inditeth in us are made according to the will of God, Rom. 8.27. And upon this doth the successe of our prayers greatly depend. 1 Ioh. 5.14. This is the confidence we have in him that if we aske any thing according to his will▪ …e heareth us. As if he should say, we can have no confidence he will heare us, but when we pray according to his will. But you will say how may we pray according to the will of God? I answer, 1. When we pray more for spirituall then for earthly things, Mat. 6.33. First seek the kingdome of God, and his righteousnesse, and all these things shall be added unto you. 2. When we can crave spirituall blessings more importunately, (this is a prayer according to Gods will, Luk. 12.32. It is your fathers good pleasure to give you the kingdome; and 1 Thess. 4.2. This is the will of God even your sanctification) but in craving of temporall blessings (yea and of the measure also of spirituall graces) we can submit our selves to the will of our heavenly father. Mat. 26.39. O my father if it be possible let this cup passe from me, neverthelesse not as I will, but as thou wilt. 3. When we in our prayers doe more importune God for the pardon of our sins, then for the removing of any punishment of sin. Thus Peter taught Simon Magus to pray, Acts 8.22. Pray that the thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee; but he prayed otherwise, ver. 24. Pray to the Lord for me, that none of these things that yee have spoken come upon me. 4. When in our prayers we can desire the favour of God more then any of his blessings either corporall or spirituall. Thus prayed David, Psal. 4.6. Many say who will shew us any good (blessings, and good things many can desire▪ and pray for) but Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. Till we have learned out of Gods Word to pray thus according to his will, our prayer is but the sacrifice of fooles, Eccles. 5.1. And as Elihu speaketh, Iob 35.13. Surely God will not heare vanity, neither will the Almighty regard it.
Thirdly, it may be thy prayers thou hast used to make were carelesse, unreverēt, and distracted prayers. If we would speed in our prayers, we must pray in reverence, and feare of the Lords greatnes and majesty, and sense of our own vilenes, Ps. 2.11. Serue the Lord with feare: & 5.7. In thy feare will I worship towards thine holy temple. Our hearts must be fixed, and setled upon him & upon the words we utter unto him, and not rove, and wander up, and downe. Such a disposition of heart as David found in himselfe when he would praise God we must strive to have when we pray. My heart is fixed ô God (saith he, Ps. 57.7.) my heart is fixed, I will sing, and give praise. The sense of the Lords greatnesse must keepe us from speaking any thing rashly without understanding, and attention of heart, from speaking we wot not what, as if we were in a dreame. This charge is given us, Eccl. 5.2.3. Be not rash with thy mouth, & let not thine heart be hastly to utter any thing before God▪ for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth▪ therefore let thy words be few. For a dreame commeth through the multitude of busines, and a … voice is knowne by the multitude of words. We must rouse up our hearts both before, & in our prayers from drowsinesse, and cry unto them as Deborah doth unto her heart, Iudg. 5.12. Awake awake Deborah; awake awake, utter a song. And as David, Ps. 108.2. Awake Psaltery, and harpe: I my selfe will awake early.
Fourthly, it may be the prayers thou hast used to make have had no heate nor fervency in them, they have beene formall, and drowsy prayers, and then it is no marvell though they have not been effectuall with God. The prayers that Gods spirit inditeth are cries, crying, and earnest prayers, Rom. 8.35. We have received the spirit of adoption wherby we cry Abba father. The prayers of Gods people are compared to incense, Psal. 141.2. and the incense sent up no sweet favour till the fire that came downe from heaven came to it, Num. 16.46. It is the fervent prayer only that is effectuall with God, Iam. 5.16. The effectuall fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Ps. 3.4. I cryed to the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Ps. 119.145. I cry with my whole heart, heare me ô Lord. For so runneth the promise, Ier. 29 13. Yee shall seeke me, and find me when you shall search for me with all your heart
Fiftly, it may be the prayers thou hast used to make have proceeded from an heart that lay not low enough, was not truly, and foundly humbled in the sense of thine own unworthines. We are too apt to applaud both our selves, and others in that devotion that hath no humiliation in it at all. Remember God would not heare Moses himself for Miriam, till she were further humbled, Nú. 17.13.14. 1. Humiliation arising from the sense of our own unworthi…s is a great furtherer of the successe of our prayers, 2 Chro. 7.14. If my people shall humble thēselues, & pray, then will I heare from heaven. This was that that furthered the successe of Manasses prayers, 2 Chr. 33.12, 13. In his affliction he besought the Lord, & humbled himselfe greatly, and prayed, and the Lord was intreated of him. 2. Some judgments will not be removed by ordinary prayer, Mat. 17.24. This kind goeth not out, but by prayer & fasting; so some blessings will not be obtained by ordinary prayer. The children of Israel could not prevaile against Benjamin till they had kept a fast, Iudg. 20.26. they should have fasted as well as prayed, for the further humbling of their soules in such a case. 3. Take heed therfore that you yeeld not to that conceit to think your selves wronged when you have prayed for any thing thus, & thus long, & yet cānot speed like those hypocrites, who are brought in thus expostulating the matter with God, Esa. 58.3. Wherfore have we fasted, & thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soules, and thou takest no knowledge? But judge your selves ever unworthy to be heard; and when you goe to pray, strive to be as humble as that worthy Centurion, Luk. 7.6, 7. that when he sued for mercy from Christ, thought not himselfe worthy that Christ should come under his roofe, no not to go to Christ. And as the Prodigall, Luk. 5.21. that said to his father I am no more worthy to be called thy sonne. Ascribe it onelyonly to Gods mercy in Christ, if hee vouchsafe to shew any respect to thee, or thy prayers, Colos. 3.17. Doe all in the name of the Lord Iesus, giving thankes to God the father by him.
Sixtly, and lastly. It may be thou hast not prayed in faith, 1. We should in our prayers set before us the promises of God, and ground our confidence upon them. Thus did David. Psal. 1…9.147. I prevented the dawning of the morning, and cryed, I hoped in thy Word. These we may (with a reverend boldnesse) alleadge to God in our prayers, and bind him with his owne word, which he can no more deny, then cease to be God. Thus doth David, Psalme 143.1. Heare my prayer ô Lord, give eare to my supplications, in thy faithfulnesse answer me, and in thy righteousnesse. 2. We should in our prayers set before us, the worthinesse of our advocate, and high Priest, who sits at his Fathers right hand, to present our prayers unto him, and make them acceptable in his sight. Heb. 4.1…, 16. Seeing that we have a great high Priest, that is passed into the Heavens, Iesus the Sonne of God; let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of Grace, that we may obtaine Mercy, and have Grace to helpe in time of need. And remember the promise, Iohn 16.23. Verily I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall aske the Father in my Name, he will give it you. Vnlesse we come in this faith thus grounded upon the promises of God, and upon the all-sufficiency of our Mediator, we can have no hope to speed well in our prayers. He that would aske any thing of God (saith the Apostle, Iam. 1▪6, 7.) let him come in faith, nothing doubting; otherwise, let him not thinke that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.