Three Sermons on the Lords Supper, Sermon 3
The third Sermon.
WE have already made some entrance upon the words: I told you what the Apostles scope is in them, which is to make knowne to all Christians to whom he wrote, another great priviledge, besides that which hee named before: that is, That hee that hath the Sonne, hath life; this (saith hee) is another priviledge, that whatsoever you aske, you shall have; onelyonly remember that you have this assurance in him, that is, in Christ Iesus: That point, (what it is to be in him, that it may be the ground of all the benefits and priviledges wee injoy) wee handled the last day. Now we come to the priviledge it selfe, If wee aske any thing according to his will be heareth us. The words are so plaine, I shall not need to spend any time in opening of them, but deliver you the point that lyes so evidently before us: which is this,Doct. [That all the prayers of the Saints made upon earth, are assuredly heard in heaven] whatsoever we aske, (saith he) according to his will hee heareth us, onelyonly the conditions must be observed. When you heare such a generall as this, it must be limited, there are certaine bounds set to it,1. Cond. which wee will name unto you: which are these foure conditions. First, all the prayers that are made upon earth shall be heard in heaven; if they be the prayers of a righteous man, and are faithfull and fervent. The person must be righteous, that must first be remembred: because, although the prayer be never so good, yet except the person be accepted from whom it comes, the Lord regards it not: you know in the old Law,Esay 66. 3. the blood of Swine was reckoned an abominable Sacrifice, yet if you take the blood of sheepe, and compare them together, you shall finde no difference; It may be the Swines blood is the better: then whats the reason the Swines blood is not accepted? even because of the subject of it, it was the blood of Swine, and therefore you see it was put downe, that it was an abominable Sacrifice. So it is with prayer; Take the prayer of a Saint, and the prayer of a wicked man; it may be, if you looke upon the petitions, or whatsoever is in the prayer it selfe, you shall finde some times the prayer of a godly man more cold, and lesse fervent: the petitions are not so well framed as the wicked mans: yet because this comes from such a person, the Lord regards it not, you know the condition is mentioned Iames fift: The prayer of the righteous man availeth much, if it be fervent. Now as this is required in the person, so there is somewhat required in the prayer also, that is, that it be fervent and faithfull; that it be fervent, you have it in the same place, The prayer of a righteous man availeth much if it be fervent; that is, it must be a prayer made from the sence of the misery that is in us, and from the merciemercy of God, when a man takes a thing to heart, that he prayes for, and comes with confidence to be heard, for that makes him fervent. This the Lord will have, and also he will have it faithfull: Iames the first, when the Apostle exhorts them to prayer,Iames 1. 5. 6 if any man want wisdome (saith he) let him aske it of God: but then marke, he carefully puts in this condition, see that He pray in faith, that is, beleeue that it shall be done unto him: now this faith includes repentance, for no man can beleeve that he shall be heard, except hee make his heart perfect with God: If he allow any sinne in himselfe, he cannot beleeve vponupon any good ground: therefore when I say it must be faithfull, that also is included, we mustnPsal. 66. 18. regard no wickednes in our hearts, for in such a case, the Lord heares not, oIohn 9. 31.hee heares not sinners. So that this you must remember; First, the person must be righteous, and the prayer must be fervent and faithfull.
Secondly,2. Cond. the other Condition you shall heare in the Text, it must be according to his will; you must not thinke, whatsoever you aske, if you aske it loosely at Gods hands, that it shall presently be graunted you: No (saith hee) it must be according to his will, if you aske pLuke 9. 54, 55.fire from heaven, that is not according to his will, and therefore you see, they that aske it, were denyed it, with this reason, you know not what you aske. qMat. 20. 21 22.Likewise to sit at his right hand, and at his left in heaven, which was another request of the Disciples, he puts them by with this; You understand not what you aske of the Father, and therefore it must be according to his will. And that is the second.
Thirdly, we must aske it in time, in due season: 3. Cond.so the promise is true, Knock and it shall be opened to you; but you know the foolish Virgins knockt & it was not opened to them; what was the reason of it? because they askt when the time was past: for there is a certainer2 Cor. 6. 2. acceptable time when the Lord will be found: and when that oportunitie is past, he is found no more. It is true, that this life is the time of grace, but God in his secret counsell hath appointed a certaine time to every man, which is the acceptable time, the day of grace, therefore he saith unto them, This day if you will heare: this day if you will come and seeke unto mee, if you will pray unto mee, I will heare you: when it's past, the Lord suffers not the doores to stand open alwayes, his eares are not alwayes open: therefore that condition must be carefully remembered, you must aske in time; It is a condition that should be carefully thought on by us. For, for the most part, we fly to prayer as Ioab did to the Altar, hee went not to it for devotion (for then hee would have done it before) but when hee was in distresse, when hee was in extremity, then he fled to it, and therefore you know what successe hee had by it, it saved not his life: So we goe not to prayer for devotion, that is, out of love to God, to do him that service; but (for the most part) wee doe it out of selfe love, when wee are in extremitie or distresse, we passe the acceptable times he requires, and we goe to him in a time of our owne: For there is Gods time, and there is our owne time; Gods time is to come to him when we may doe him service, in our youth, in our strength, in the flower of our graces: Our time is to goe to him when we need him: Will not a friend say (when we never come to him, but when wee have extreame need of him) why doe you come now? you were not wont to visit me before, this is not out of love to mee: Even the very same answer the Lord giveth;sIudg. 10. 14. Goe to your Idolls (saith hee) those that you served in the time of peace, and see if they can helpe you.
The fourth and last condition is,4. Cond. That wee referre the time, the manner, the measure of granting our petitions to the Lord. That is, wee must not thinke to be our owne carvers, to thinke if it be not granted in such a manner, such a measure, or such a time, presently the Lord hath rejected our petitions; No,tEsay 28. 16. he that beleeves makes no hast: That is, he waites upon God, he stayes himselfe upon God, he is content to have it in that time, in that manner and measure, as best pleaseth the Lord: For the truth is, we know not our selves what is meete for us; we are unto the Lord just as the Patient is to the physitian. The patient is importunate with him, for such things to refresh and ease him; But the physitian knowes what best belongs to him, and when to give him such things, in what manner, and in what measure: So the Lord knowes best what to doe: Many times he doth the same things that we desire, though he doe it not in the same manner: Even as the physitian he quencheth often the thirst with Barberries, or with such kind of conserves; what though it be not with drinke, is it not all one so the thirst bee quenched? Is it not all one whether a man be hindred from striking me, or if I have a helmet to defend the blow? Somtimes the Lord keepes not off the enemy; but then hee gives us a helmet to keepe off those blowes, to beare those injuries and evills that are done to us: hee is a wise physitian, hee knowes what manner, what measure, and what time is best, therefore that must be referred to him: Now these conditions being observed, you must know that this great priviledge belongs to every Christian, That whatsoever prayers hee makes on earth, he is sure to be heard in heaven; It is a wondrous priviledge, that which wee have all cause to stand amazed at, that the Lord should so farre regard the sonnes of men, to grant them such a Charter as this; no more but aske and have, and whatsoever you pray for, it shall be done to you. But a man is ready to say secretly in his heart when he heares it, This is too good to be true, That whatsoever I aske, I shall have. My Beloved, I confesse, it is a hard thing to beleeue it as we ought to doe: and therefore before we come to apply this, we will spend a little time in endevouring to convince you of the truth of it, that you may not doubt of it that what prayers you make to the Lord, he is ready to heare them.
First, consider that whatsoever prayer you make, he takes notice of it, he observes every petition, there is not one petition that you make to him at any time, but he lookes upon it, hee sees what the prayer is. And this thing although you thinke it common, (and who is there that know not this) yet (my beloved) to beleeve this, to thinke that God is present where I make my prayer to him, to thinke he stands and heares it, even as I speake to a man that stands and heares me, and understands what I say to him; This is a great helpe to us. That this is true, see in 4. Eph. 6. Hee is in all, and through all, and over all, That is, the Lord is in every man, he passeth through every thing,u2. Chron. 16, 9. his eyes runne through the earth, and he is over all, looking whatxPsal 44, 21. secrets are in mans heart, what thoughts; yea yPsal. 139, 23.before he thinkes them he knowes them, because hee seeth them in their causes: Hee that is in a man, that lookes in all the secret corners of the heart, hee must needes see what thoughts he hath, what petitions he putteth up secretly, even then when his mouth speakes not. And lest that should not be enough, saith hee, Hee is over all; you know one that stands on high, and lookes over all that is below, hee easily can see whatsoever is done; So the Lord, hee is in all, he is through all, he is over all. But this is enough for that, only I would have you remember, that hee takes notice of all, hee knowes thy prayers.
But you will say;Quest. I doubt not of that, I make no qvestion but he heares me, and understands me well enough: But how shall I know that he is willing to grant the thing I pray for?
You shall see these 2 Reasons,Answ. in the 7. Math. where our Saviour urgeth this very point, that we have now in hand, from the 7. verse downeward; Aske (saith he) and you shall have; seeke, and you shall finde; knock, and it shall be opened unto you; here is the promise, For (he backs it with these 2. Reasons) Every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened unto him: As if he should say; yee have this reason for it, why you should beleeve it, that it is no more but aske and have; for (saith he) all that ever asked have obtained; all that ever have sought, have found; all that ever have knocked, it hath been opened unto them. That is, looke through the whole booke of God, and see what prayers ever have beene made to him, and you shall finde, that there is not a prayer mentioned in all the Scriptures, but it hath beene heard. Now when wee have such a cloud of witnesses, it is a strong reason, when it is said to us that there were never any prayed but were heard.
Why, you will say,Quest. There were many prayed that were not heard; Did not David pray for his Childe, and was not heard? Did not Paul pray to be delivered from such a temptation, and was not heard?
My Beloved, Its true, they were not heard for the particular, but yet I dare be bold to say, that Dauid was heard at that time, though (I say) not in the particular; for though his Childe was taken away, yet you may see the Lord gaue him a Childe of the same woman, with much more advantage; he gaue him a Childe that was legitimate, which this was not: hee gaue him a Childe that exceeded for wisedome, Solomon was the Child that he had: So that the Lord did heare him, and gave him this answer, as if he had said to him, David I have heard thee, I know that thou art exceeding importunate; thou shalt not have this, but thou shalt have another Childe which shall be better. And so hee saith unto Paule 2. Cor 12. Christ reveales this to him; Paule (saith he) though I graunt thee not this particular request, in the manner that thou wouldest have me, (To take away the pricke of the flesh which thou art troubled with) thou shalt bee a grater gainer by it, thou hadst better have it than want it; when Paule understood that it was a medicine, and not a poyson as he tooke it to be, he was content and resolved in it; And a man resolveth not except he be a gainer. Hee saw that Gods power was manifest in his weakenesse, and he saw himselfe humbled by it; and when he saw that God gained glory, and himselfe humiliation by it, he was content to be denyed in it; So I say whosoever asketh findeth, you shall never finde any example but that whosoever sought to the Lord as he ought, he was certainely heard, or else he had somewhat that was better graunted to him instead of it. And this is the first reason that is used heare. The second reason is this;zMath 7. 9, 10, 11. what man among you, if his Son aske bread, will give him a stone; or if be aske a fish, will give him a serpent? if you then that are evill, know how to give good things to your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give good things to them which aske him? (saith he) you be not able to perswade your selves of this truth, because you know not the Father, for the dwells in light inaccessable, you are not acquainted with him, saith our Saviour, I will helpe you out with an argument that you better understand; even upon earth (saith he) take but a father here, a father that is ill (but the Lord is full of goodnes, fathers have but a drop, but a sparke of mercy in them, whereas the Lord is full of mercy, as the Lord is full of light, he is the God of all comfort;) Yet, (saith he) this father (when his sonne comes to aske him bread) he is ready to give it him, he is full of compassion and tendernes toward him; doe you not thinke that our heavenly Father is as true a father as he, that hee loves you as well as he whose compassion and pitty is much greater? doe you not thinke hee is ready to heare his Children when they call upon him? O this is a strong and unanswerable Reason, & this you see is backed in 16 Iohn, 27. you see there the love of the Father how it is expressed to us; I say not unto you that I will aske the father (saith he) the father himselfe loves you; Marke, as if he should have said, let this be one ground to you to thinke your petitions shall be graunted, and that they are not only graunted for my sake, for (saith he) the Father himselfe loveth you, and hath a great affection to you, that is in naturall parents, there is a naturall affection to their Children; So if I were not immediatly to present your petitions (though that bee not excluded) yet (saith he) the father hath such an affection to you, that he cannot choose but heare you; I say not (saith he) that I will aske the father, for the father himselfe loves you. So that this is the second reason which this promise is there backed with, the love of the father, That hee cannot find in his heart to deny us, even for that affection that he beareth to us. We will adde a third Reason that wee meet here in the same Chap. 16. Iohn, 23. In that day you shall aske in my name: verily, verily, I say unto you, yee shall aske the father in my name, and he will give it you; It is brought in upon this occasion: when our Saviour Christ was to goe from his Disciples, they were ready to complaine, as we see in the verses before, they were ready to say with themselves, alas, what shall we doe when our Maister shall be tooke from our head? Our Saviour answers them, you shall do well enough, doubt you not, for though I be not with you; yet (saith he) goe to the father in my name, and whatsoever you aske of him, you shall have it: So that hee answers that objection, when a man is ready to say:
Its true,Quest. I know that a father is exceeding loving to his Children: But it may be, my carriage hath not beene such, I am full of infirmities, I hauehave much in me that may turne the love and affection of my Father from me.
Put the case you have,Answ. yet Christ adds this for your comfort; If (saith he) the Father will not doe it for your sake, yet doubt you not, if you aske in my name, he will doe it; doe we not see it usuall among men, That one that is a meere stranger to another, if hee get a letter from a friend, he thinkes to prevaile; and hee doth so, because though it be not done for his sake (it may be he is a stranger, one that deserved nothing at his hands) yet such a friend may deserve much: And when we goe to God in the name of Christ, this answers all the objections whatsoever you can say against your selves, it is all satisfied in this: I goe in his name, I am sure he hath supply, I am sure he is no stranger, I knowe he hath deserved it, &c. Last of all, as he loves us, and because we aske in the name of Christ, is ready to heare us: we will adde this, that he is ready to heare us for his owne sake, he is aPsal. 65, 2.a God hearing prayer, saith the Psalmist, that all flesh might come to him, even for this cause he heares, that men might be encoraged to come and seeke to him; for if the Lord should not heare, then no flesh would come unto him; that is, men would have no encouragement, no helpe; therefore he saith, he is a God hearing prayer, doubt ye not, he will doe it for this purpose, that hee might have men to worship him, that men might come and seeke unto him. Besides that, he shall be glorified,bPsal. 50. 15 Thou shalt call upon mee in the day of trouble, I will heare the, and thou shalt glorifie mee; now the Lord is desirous of glory; it was the end for which he made the world: But in not heareing our prayer, hee loseth this glory, by heareing our requests, the more we are heard, the more glory and praise we render unto him. Likewise he doth it for the Spectators sake; Moses often presenteth that Reason,cExod. 32, 12, 13. Lord doe it, What will the Heathen say? and left thy name be polluted among them, they will say thou hast brought out a people, and wast not able to deliver them. So David often, there are many instances in that; I say, for the lookers on sake he is ready to doe it. All this is enough to perswaide our hearts, that hee is ready to heare us, that when prayers are made to him on earth, (So the conditions be observed) they are surely heard in heaven.
Now to apply this.Vse 1. First, if the Lord be so ready to heare, then this should teach us to be more servent in this duty of prayer than commonly we are; for to what end are such promises as this, but to encourage us to do our duties? when wee heare that prayer is of so much efficacie, that it prevailes with the Lord for any thing, shall we suffer it to lay by (as it were) and not make use of it? If a drug, or a pretious balme were commended to us, and it were told us, that if we made use of it, it would heale any wound, it will heale any sickenes, and this and this vertue it hath: Will a wise man suffer it to lay by him, will he not use it, and see what vertue it hath? And when it is said unto us, that prayer is thus prevalent with the Lord, that it is thus potent, that it is thus able to prevaile with him for any thing, shall we not make use of it, when we are in any distresse, when wee need any thing: when we have any disease, either of souleor body to heale? Let us flye to this refuge that himselfe hath appointed. If a King of the earth should say to a man, I will be ready to doe thee a good turne, make use of me when thou hast occasion; he would be ready enough to do it. Now when the Lord of heaven saith, aske what you will at my hands, and I will doe it; shall wee not seeke to him, and make use of such a promise as this? Beloved we are too backward in this; we should be more aboundant in this duty than we are, we should make more account of it. For whatsoever the case be if, you doe but seeke to the Lord, if thou doest but set downe thy resolution with thy selfe: Well I see it is a thing (if I looke upon the creature and the meanes) I have little hope of, but the Lord is able to doe it; and therefore I will goe to him, I will weary him, and I will not give him over, I will not give him, nor my selfe any rest, till I have obtained it: I say it is impossible thou shouldest faile in such a case. OnelyOnly remember to be importunate, for an importunate suiter he cannot deny. You know thedLuke 18. 2, 3, 4. parable of the unjust Iudge. You know also theeLuke 11. 7. parable of the man that is in bed with his children; when the widdow was importunate, when shee knockt and would give him no rest, he gives her redresse; the other riseth and giveth his friend as many loves as he will, saith the Text; yea though she were not his friend; (for this is the meaning of it:) If, saith he, the Lord had not much love to you, if he had not such an affection, if you did not come to him in the name of Christ whom he loves, in whom he is ready to grant whatsoever you aske, if hee were not a friend to you; yet for your very importunity, he is ready to doe it. As the unjust Iudge (for that is the scope of the parable) he had no minde to grant the widdowes request, he had no Iustice in him to move him, he had no mercy nor compassion, yet for very importunity he graunted it. Remember and observe the condition, for this is commonly a fault among us; when we goe to prayer, we thinke that the very putting up of the prayer will doe it. No, there is more required than so. As it is the error of the Country people, when they heare say, that such an herbe is good for such a disease, they are ready to thinke, that (howsoever it be tooke or applyed) it will heale the disease; no, it must be applyed in such a manner, it must be used in such a fashion. So it is with prayer, you must not only doe the duty (and therefore when we exhort you to it, not onelyonly to call upon God, for men are ready enough to do that, especially in the time of distresse,) but with these conditions I have named. You knowef2 King. 4. 29. 31. Gehazi when he had got the staffe of Elisha, he went to the Child, but it was not the staffe that could raise the child from death to life, there was something more required. So in prayer, it is not meere prayer that will do it, there is something else, there must be other conditions that must be observed. For we are wont to do with it, as those Conjurers were wont to do with the name of Iesus; they thought if they used the name of Iesus, it was enough: but yee know what answer the Spirit gives them,gAct. 19. 15. Iesus we know, and Paule wee know, but who are yee? so I say, wee are wont to do in this case, wee thinke it is enough to make our request, and that is all. No, there is somewhat more required, you must make your request in such a manner as ye ought. Then I adde this further, that when thou makest them in such a manner, yet thou must not thinke to be heard for thy prayers sake: that is another thing we are apt to faile in. When wee have made fervent prayers, and have beene importunate with the Lord, wee thinke now surely we shall not faile. No, you must know this, the promise is not made to the prayer, but to the person praying. You shall not finde throughout the whole scripture, that any promise is made thus, because wee pray fervently we shall be heard: but it is made to the person praying, the prayer is but the instrument: but the meanes by which the blessing is conveyed to us, is a meanes without which the Lord will not doe it, for the promise is made to the party. A cold prayer (so there be no neglect in it, so a man seeke the Lord, and pray as well as he can,) it will prevaile sometimes as well, as a fervent prayer: Who indites the petition, who makes the prayer fervent? surely not thy selfe, but thehRom. 8. 26, 17. Holy Ghost: he makes request in us, sometimes he makes thee more fervent, hee enlargeth the heart more: sometimes againe the heart is more straitned in the performance of this duty: but both may come from the same Spirit. Not but that we have cause of much comfort, when wee are able to pray fervently, for this is a ground of our comfort, that when we pray fervently, it is an argument that the Holy Ghost dwels in our hearts, and that our prayers are dictated by him; it is an argument, that our prayers come from a holy fire within. And therefore fervent prayer may give us hope of being heard, but yet it is not meerely the prayer, but because it is an evidence that it comes from a right principle, that it comes from the regenerate part, and is made by the assistance of the Holy Ghost: it is not the very fervencie that prevailes. And therefore when you heare this, that the Lord is ready to heare, I say make that use of it, be fervent in this duty, remember the conditions: and yet withall know, that you are not heard for the very prayers sake, but for Iesus Christ his sake. He makes every prayer acceptable, he mingles them with his sweete odours.
And if you object,Object. O but I am a man full of infirmities.
You know how it is answered in the Fift ofAnsw. Iames, (saith he)iIam. 5. 17. Eliah when hee was heard, he was a man, and a man subject to passions, and to the like passions that wee are: As if he should say, do not thinke that Eliah was therefore heard, because he was an extraordinary Prophet, for it was because the Lord had made a promise to him, and hee comes and urges that promise to the Lord, and therefore the Lord heard him. So (saith he) should every one of you, if you have the promise, you may goe and urge it, as well as Eliah did: though you be subject to many infirmities, Eliah was even so. You know there are infirmities and passions expressed in the Scriptures that hee was subject to. And this is the first use we are to make of it, to be freqvent and fervent in this duty, since wee have such a promise.
Secondly,Vse 2. if wee have such a promise, then wee should learne hence (when we have put up our prayers at any time) to make more account of them than wee doe: for the truth is, that we pray for the most part for fashion sake, many a man saith thus with himselfe: I will seeke the Lord, if it doe mee no good, it will doe no hurt; but if wee made that account of our prayers as we should, we would performe this duty in another manner; but wee doe not make that account of them as we ought. We thinke not with our selves that the prayers that wee make are surely heard: there be many evidences of it; what is the reason, that when wee seeke the Lord, we doe it so remisly that we have scarce leasure to make an end of our prayers: we are so ready to hasten and goe about other businesse, wee are ready to turne every stone, to use all meanes to seeke the creatures with all diligence: but who prayes to the Lord as hee ought, to worke his heart to such afervent performance of that duty as he should? men have scarcely leasure, for it is usuall with them when they have businesse to doe, and enterprises to bring to passe, they are exceeding diligent to use all meanes; and yet are remisse in the chiefe: what is the reason else, that wee see the doores of Princes and great men so full of suiters, though there be porters set on purpose to drive them away; but the gates of heaven are so empty? It is indeed because we do not beleeve our prayers are heard, wee do but make our prayers for fashion. What is the reason likewise, that we use prayer in the time of distresse (if it will be an effectuall meanes to helpe us, when all other meanes faile,) why use we it not before? But that is an argument that wee trust not to it, seing we use it, onelyonly in the time of extremity: for if it be not effectuall, why do we use it then? If it be effectuall, why do not wee use it till that accident? Therefore this use we must further make, when wee heate that the Lord heares our prayers, to make more account of them than we doe, to thinke that our prayers when they are put up to the Lord shall be heard. Say thus with thy selfe, Well, now I have prayed, and I expect that the thing should be graunted that I have prayed for, when I seeke to the Lord: It's true, I deny not but wee must use the meanes too, we must lay the hands upon the plough, and yet pray; both ought to be done, as sometimes we use two friends, but we trust one; wee use two Phisitians, but we put confidence in one of them: In like manner we must both pray and use the meanes, but so as wee put our chiefe trust in prayer, it is not meanes that will doe it. But the truth is, we doe the quite contrary: It may be, we pray and use the meanes, but wee trust the meanes, and not the prayer: that is a common and a great fault among us, it is a peece of Atheisme, for men to thinke the Lord regards their prayers, no more than he regards the bleating of sheepe or the lowing of oxen, to thinke he heeds them not. And its a great part of faith to thinke that the Lord harkens to them and regards them, as certainely he doth.
But you will say, I have prayed,Obiect. and am not heard, and have sought to the Lord and have found no answere.
Well,Answ. it may be thou hast not for the present, but hast thou stayed the Lords leasure? (for that is to be considered in this case,) sometimes the Lord comes quickly, he gives a quick answer to our requests; sometimes he staies longer: But this is our comfort, that when the returne is longer, the gaine is the greater. As we se in trades, some trades have their returne very quicke, it may be the tradesmens money is returned every weeke, but then their gaine is so much the lighter; but when their returne is slower, as is your great merchants, when it stayes three or foure yeares, wee see the ships come home laden, bringing so much the more: So (for the most part) when our prayers doe stay long, they returne with the greater blessings, they returne loaden with rich commodities. Let this be an encoragement to us; Though I stay, the Lord will grant it; and thinke not with thy selfe, I made such a prayer long agoe, I found no fruit of it; for be sure, the Lord remembreth thy prayer, though thou hast forgotten it, the prayers that thou madest a good many yeares agoe, may doe thee good many yeares hence. May not a man pray to have his Child sanctified, to have him brought to better order? It may be hee lives many yeares, and sees no such thing, yet in the end, the prayer may be effectuall: So likewise it may be in many cases, you see there are many examples for it: Abraham prayed, he stayed long; but you see it was a great blessing that he had, when he prayed for a Sonne, you know what a Sonne he was, he was a Sonne of the promise, in whom all the nations of the earth were blessed. So David when the Lord promised him a kingdome, hee stayed long for it: Many such examples there are. Therefore comfort thy selfe with this: though I stay long, this is my hope, this is my encouragement, that sustaines me, If I seeke the Lord, and waite upon him, Hee will come with a great blessing, the gaine shall bee heavier and greater, though the returne be not so quicke and sudden.
Last of all, when you heare such a promise as this,Vse 3. That whatsoever you aske you shall be heard in it; you should hence learne, to spend some time in the meditation of this great priviledge that the Saints have, and none but they; This I propound to every mans consideration; that those that are not Christians, that is, those that are not regenerate, may know what they lose by it; and those that are, may understand the happines of their condition, that they may learne to magnify it, and to blesse themselves in that condition, that they have such a great priviledge as this: It is no more but aske and have, therefore that which in the third place I exhort you to, is this, namely to spend time in the meditation of it, to consider what a great advantage it is: David cannot satisfie himselfe enough in it: In 18. and 116. Psalmes: Lord I love thee dearely: he cannot prayse enough, and why? I sought to thee in distresse, and thou heardest me; I called upon thee, & thou inclinedst thine eare to my prayer. I say consider this mercy as you ought to doe, it is part of the thankes we owe to the Lord for so an exceeding priviledge, That whatsoever our case be, it is no more, but put up our requests, and wee shall bee heard: When there was a speech among some holy men (as you know that man that was named in the story:) what was the best trade, he answered beggerie; It is the hardest, and it is the richest trade. Now he understands it not, of common beggery (for that is the poorest and easiest trade, that condition he puts in) but (saith he) I understand it of a prayer to God, that kind of beggerie I meane; which as it is the hardest, nothing more hard than to pray to God as we ought, so withall there is this comfort in it, it is the richest trade of all others; there is no way to inrich our selves so much, with all the promises that belong either to this life, or to that which is to come. Even as you se among men, a Courtier, a Favorite in the Court, gets more by one suite, (it may be,) than a Tradesman, or Merchant, or husbandman gets with twenty yeares labour, though he takes much paines; for one request may bring more profit, may make a Courtier, richer than so many yeares labour and paines: So in like case a faithfull prayer, put up to God, may more prevailé with him, we may obtaine more at his hands by it, than by many yeares labour, or using many meanes; and therefore it is a rich trade, and great priviledge, a priviledge that we cannot thinke enough of, that wee cannot esteeme enough. You have heard of a noble man in this Kingdome, that had a Ring given him by the Queene, with this promise: that if he sent that Ring to her, at any time when he was in distresse, she would remember him and deliver him; This was a great priviledge from a Prince, and yet you see, what that was subject unto; he might be in such a distresse, when neither King nor Queene could be able to helpe him; or though they were able, (as she was in that case) yet it might be sent, and not delivered: Now then consider what the Lord doth to vsus, Hee hath given us this priviledge, he hath given us prayer, as it were this Ring, he hath given us that to use, and tells us whatsoever our case is, whatsoever wee are, whatsoever we stand in need of, whatsoever distresse wee are in, doe but send this up to me, (saith he) do but deliver that message up to me of prayer, and I will bee sure to relieve you: Now certainely what case soever we are in, when we send up this, it is sure to be conveyed, wheresoever wee are: Againe, whatsoever our case is, we send it to one that is able to helpe us, wth a Prince many times is not able to do. This benefit we have by prayer: That whatsoever we aske at the Lords hands, wee shall have it: Now consider this great advantage which you have▪ It is expressed 4 Phil. in these words, Be in nothing carefull (saith the Apostle:) And that you may see wee have ground for this generality, In nothing bee carefull, but in all things make your requests knowne unto God. That is, whatsoever your case bee, I make no exception at all, but whatsoever you stand in neede of, whether it concernes your soules or your bodies, your name or your estate; yet be in nothing carefull. This is a great matter: There is none amongst you that heares me now, but sometime or other he is carefull for something or other, for which he is solicitous: Now when a man heares such avoyce from heaven, that the Lord himselfe saith to us, Bee carefull for nothing, doe no more but make your request knowne, it is well enough, I will surely heare in heaven and grant it; It is a great comfort. Beloved, comfort your selves with these words, and thinke this with your selves, that this is that Charter, and great Grant that the Lord hath given you, and to none but you, that what prayers you make to him, hee heareth you.
But it will bee objected,Quest. why is this said so generally? That we must in nothing be carefull, but in all thinges make our request knowne? For then if a man were but a poore man, it is but going to the Lord, and asking riches, and hee shall have them; If a man were sick of an incurable disease, it were no more but going to the Lord, and hee should be sure to be recovered; If a man hath an enterprise to bring to passe, it is no more but goe to him, and it shall be done: what is the reason then, that godly and holy men have not these things graunted to them?
To this I answer,Answ. you must understand it with this condition, even as it is with a Father (I will prove it to you by that,) suppose he should say to his sonne, I will deny thee nothing, whatsoever I have, I wil deny thee nothing but thou shalt have part in it; Though he say no more, yet we understand it with these conditions.
First, that if his Childe shall aske him for that, that is not good for him, or if the child should refuse to have that done, or pray his Father and say, I beseech you do it not, when the Father knowes it is good: here the Father is not bound hee thinkes: as for example, if a Father sees his childe needes Physick, it may be, the child finds it bitter, and therefore is exceeding loath to take it, it makes him sicke, and is irkesome unto him, so that hee earnestly desires his Father that hee may be excused, that hee might be freed from it; In this Case, the father will not heare him, for hee knowes the Child is but mistaken: On the other side; if the Child aske something that is very hurtfull, if he aske for wine in a feaver, the Father denyes it him; No, (saith he) you are mistaken, I know your desire is that you might have health and recover, and this I know will hurt you, though you know it not; This the Father understands, and therefore he puts in that condition: So when the Lord saith, In nothing be carefull, but in all things make your requests knowne: If you mistake the matter at any time, and your prayer shall not bee the dictate of the Spirit, (so that yee alway make request according to his will) but the dictate of your owne hearts, and shall be the expression of your naturall Spirit, and not the Lords Spirit: In this case there is no promise of being heard, and yet the Lord makes his word good; Bee in nothing carefull, but in all things make your request knowne.
Secondly, a Father when hee saith to his Child, I will deny you nothing, but you shall have part in all that I have, yet the Childe may carry himselfe so, that the Father, upon such an occasion may deny him, and be ready to say unto him; Well, if you had followed your Booke, if you had not runne into such disorders, if you had not bin negligent to doe what I gave you in charge, I would have done it: In this case, the Father withholds the blessing that hee will bestow upon his Child; not because he is unwilling to bestow it, but because he would thus nurture his Child, hee useth it as a meanes to bring him to order: So the Lord saith tokNumb 20 12. Moses, That because he had spoken unadvisedly, because he had not honoured him before the people,Psal. 106. 32, 33. at those waters, the waters of strife, therefore the Lord tells him by the Prophet, he should not goe into the good land: And so he tellsl2 Sam. 12. 14. David, that because he had sinned against him, he would not give him the life of the Child: So the Lord saith to us sometimes; I will not graunt you this request; for though I be willing to graunt it, yet this is one part of the discipline and nurture that I use to my Children, That such a particular request, I will deny you for such an offence; as worshipping of Idolls &c. Beloved this is not a generall denyall, and this is not for our disadvantage, but it is a helpe to us, it makes us better, that sometime we should be denyed; knowing hereby that it is denyed to us for our sinne, that we may learne to come to the Lord, and renew our repentance, and to take that away, that we may come to prevaile in our prayers with him.
Thirdly, when a Father is willing to graunt it, yet he will thus say to his Child, Though I bee willing to doe what you aske at my hands, yet I will not have you aske it rudely, I will have you aske it in a good manner, and a good Fashion, (For when wee come to call upon God, and come in an unreverent manner, in such a case the Lord heares not.) Or againe, hee will say to his child; I am ready to heare you, but you must not aske in a negligent manner, as if you cared not whether you had it or no: So the Lord saith to us; I will have you to pray fervently, you shall aske it, as that which you prize. Againe he will say to his child: I am willing to bestow this upon you, but I do not give you this mony, to spend it amisse, to play it away, to spend it in trifles, and geugawes, that will do you no good: So saith the Lord, I am willing to give you riches,mIam. 4. 3. but not to bestow upon your lusts. Thus speakes the father to his child, when he comes to aske, hee tels him hee must come in such a manner as becomes a child, he must speake to him as to a Father, he must speake with confidence to receive it: So also the Lord tels us,nIam 1. 6. we must come in faith; So that (in a word) this is to be remembred; That though the Lord promise, that he will give whatsoever we aske, and bids us, in nothing be carefull, but make our requests knowne; yet notwithstanding this, he would have us to understand that our requests be made in such a manner as they ought to be. Last of all, it may be the Father is willing to do it; but hee makes a little pause, he will not give it presently, and suddenly to his child, though he purpose to bestow it upon him, that he may come by it with difficultie: So the Lord useth to with-hold his blessings many times, that his childe might be exercised in prayer, and seeke him the more, and likewise that he might come the hardlier by the blessing, that so hee might learne to prize it more; or else he will be ready to do as young heirs: As it is with some when they never know the getting of it, they spend it easily; but he that hath known what it is, he takes more care to his estate, he looks more diligently to it: so it would be with us in any blessing, if we had it with such facility as we would, we would not make much account of it; but when it comes with some hardnesse, with some difficultie, it teacheth us to set a higher price on it, and so it makes us more thankefull, it teacheth us to give more praise and glory to the Lord. There are many that have had a sicknesse long, and have obtained health with much prayer, and much contention, and therefore they learne to prize it more, than another that obtaines it easily. And thus it is in every like case. So when you heare this great priviledge: that it is no more, but, aske and have: and, be in nothing carefull, but in every thing make your requests knowne: yet (I say) these conditions must needs be inserted, these are such as must be included. But these considered, remember this priviledge, rejoyce in it, let the Lord have the praise of it, that Whatsoeuer we aske according to his will, he heareth vsus.
FINIS.
End of the text · John Preston, Three Sermons on the Lords Supper (1631)