The Spiritual Favorite at the Throne of Grace, Part 9
And grant him mercy in the sight of this man.
HEE comes more particularly to his request, Grant me mercy in the sight of this man. We see that
A King is a great organ or instrument to convay good things from God (the King of Kings) to men.The King a great instrument to convey good things frō God to to men.
Therefore hee prayes that God would give him favour in the sight of the King. For a King is the first wheele that mooves all other wheeles, and as it were the sunne of the common wealth; or the first moover that mooves all inferiour orbes: therefore in heavenly wisedome he desires God to give him favour with him. For if he had that, the King could turne all the inferiour orbes to his pleasure. Indeede it were a point worthy enlarging; but that it is not so seasonable for this time, the time being already spent. You see what great good God conveyes by Kings and Princes. And when God meanes to doe good to a Church or state, hee raiseth up nursing fathers and nursing mothers, he wil raise up both Kings, and subordinate Nehemiah's, excellent men, when hee hath excellent things to doe.
But the maine thing here intended, which I will but touch, is, That considering they stand in such a subordination to God, as to be instruments to convey so much good, or so much ill, as they may as it is said of Ieroboam; they either cause others to sinne, or to worshippe God. Therfore we should doe as good Nehemiah, hee prayes that he might finde favour in his sight.
A wise and holy prayer, hee begins at the head, he goes to the spring of all good. Prayer is the messenger, or ambassador of the soule; beeing the ambassadour of the soule, it goes to the highest, to the King of Kings first, to the Lord of Lords first; it goes to the highest moover of all:Observ. and then desires him to moove the next immediate subordinate moover,In busines with great men looke first to God. that is, the King, that hee may moove other orbes under him, that things may bee carried by a gracious sweet course to a blessed issue. Therefore the observation hence is this. That when we have to do any thing with great men, with Kings, &c. how ever beginne with the King of Kings, and doe all in heaven, before wee doe it in earth: for heaven makes the lawes, that earth is governed by. Let earth conclude what it will, there will be conclusions in heaven that will overthrow al their conclusions. Therfore in our prayers wee should beginne with God, and desire him with earnest and fervent intreaties, that hee would set al a going, that hee would set in frame these inferiour causes. And when wee have gotten what wee would in heaven, it is easie to get in earth. Let us win what wee desire in heaven at Gods hands, and then what an easie thing is it to worke with Princes, and other governours in state, when we have gotten God once? hath not hee the hearts of Kings in his hand as the rivers of waters: to turne this way or that thē way? As a skilfull man derives water by this chanell or by that, as he opens a vent for the water. So God opens a way to vent the deliberations, and determinations of Kings and Princes to runne this way or that to this good or to that, as hee pleaseth Therfore considering that there is an absolute dependance of all inferiour things from God, when we have to do with Kings or great men, let us alwaies beginne with prayer.
As Iacob when hee was to deale with Esau, hee falls down and prayes first, and when hee had gotten of God by prayer, God, that makes even of enemies friends, hee turned Esaus heart, of an enemie to bee a friend. And God put into Iacobs heart a wise course to effect this, as to offer a present, and to give him titles, My Lord Esau, &c. God, when he will effect a thing amongst men, & heare the prayers that are made to him for the favour of men, he will put into their hearts such waies whereby they shall prevaile with men, as Iacob did with Esau. So Hester, before she goes to Ahasueros, she gate in heaven first by prayer, when shee had obtained of God by prayer…, how placable and sweet was Ahasueros to her? So we see in other places of Scripture; when holy men have beene to deale with men, they began with God.
I beseech you therefore learne this point of Christian wisedome; if you would speede well (as we all desire to speede well in our businesse) especially those that have publike imployments, that they would pray to God, that hath the hearts of Kings and Princes in his government and guidance, that he would make them favorable. And not to thinke to carry things in a violent course; for then God doth not usually give that good successe: but to carry things in a Religious course to the King of heaven, and then to know in what termes to stand in all inferiour things, as may stand with the will of God in heaven.
If so be there bee a dependance of all inferiours to God; then we must not offend God, and goe against conscience for any: because hee is King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. He doth not set up authoritie against himselfe, to disarme and disable himselfe: he never went to set up Gods under him, to make him a Cypher, that hee should make them Gods, and God a man, or no bodie; to alter all the frame of things. He never meant to set up any ordinance to nullifie and make himselfe nobodie. Therefore I say wee ought to pray to God for Kings, that so in our obedience we may be sure to doe nothing against conscience for any creature; we must do all things that possible can be, that may procure the favour and ingraciate us, because it is in vaine to pray, unlesse wee use all possible meanes to winne their favour: but if it cannot be upō good tearmes, Then whether to obey God or man judge ye. And as the three young men, wee take no thought to answer in this matter; our God can def…nd us if he will. And as Hester said, If I perish, I perish. When things are cleare, we are to be resolute. Yet reserving due respect to Gods ordinance, and to his lieftenant upon earth, I say alwaies reserving due respect, and using meanes to win favour, and also to use prayer.
Holy Nehemiah, hee prayes here, and together with that he attends upon the King; as good Iacob observed Esau: so all good meanes must bee used, or else God will not blesse our proceedings.
Remember, that all inferiour gouernours whatsoever, they are subordinate and dependant, and therefore they must bee regulated by a superior. They are limited, they are dependant, they are derivative: they are dependant upon God, they are derived from him. Therfore as the Apostle saith that servants must obey their masters in the Lord. So wee must obey, & do all in the Lord; that limitation must be alwaies added: but reserving that, it is a good thing to pray that there may be favour from the King: because it is of much consequence to bring businesse to a good issue. And with prayer there must be a using meanes to get favour, alwaies with this liberty, to doe it so farre as we can with preserving a good conscience.
As they have a distinction among civilians, there is a parting with a thing Cumulativé and privativé. Cumulativé, that is, when wee part with a thing so, as that we reserve the proprietie: privativé, when wee give away the proprietie and all. Now so GOD parts with nothing below, as to strip himselfe, but cumulativé, hee derives authority to others, but reserves the propriety to himselfe. Therefore we must obey them in him, and with this limitation as it may stand with his favour.
To draw to a conclusion,A good Christian, is a good Statesman in a word. You see here that any good Christian may be a good statesman in one good sence; what is that? A good Christian hath credit in Heaven, and he hath a spirit of prayer, and his prayer can set God on worke, and God can set the King on worke, and hee can set his subjects on worke. Now he that can prevaile with God, to prevaile with the Gods upon earth here: surely such a man is a profitable man in the state. And you know God, he can alter all matters, and mould all things: it is but a word of his mouth. And what God can doe, prayer can doe; for prayer bindes God, because it is the prayer of faith: and faith (as it were) overcomes God. Now prayer is the flame of faith; the vent of faith, & faith is a victorious triumphant grace with God himselfe. If it bee any, it is Christians that can prevaile with God for a blessing upon a State; then certainely there is no good Christian but is of excellent service in the state, though in particular perhaps he hath not pollicie, and wisedom and government: yet hee hath Gods eare to heare him, and hee can pray to God, that God would make the King, and other subordinate Magistrates, favorable.
You see what great good, a good man may doe in a State. The Innocent man delivers the Iland, as it is in Iob. And the poor wise man delivers the citie, as it is in Eclesiastes. A few holy gracious men, that have grace and credit in Heaven above, they may moove God to set all things in a blessed frame below. And surely if this holy meanes were used, things would bee better then they are: and till this be used, we can never look for the good successe and issue of things that otherwise we may hope for.
Diverse things might be spoken of the doctrinal part, I will give you but a word of it. That God hath our hearts in his governement more then we our selves.God hath our hearts in his government more then wee our selves. I speake it to informe our judgement in a point of doctrine, whether God foresee and determine of things below upon foresight which way they shall goe; or whether hee foreordaine, that they shall goe this way, because hee directs them thus; that is to make God, God indeede: Hee determines that these things shall be, because he determines in the series, and order of causes to bring things to passe, and to guide Kings and Princes and Magistrates, and all this way. Againe, whether God hath set all men at liberty (in matters of Grace especially) that they may apply grace at their liberty, which way they wil, and in fore-sight which way they will apply their liberty to determine thus, or thus of them. This is to make every mans will a God, and to divest God of his honour, as if God could foresee the inclination of the creature without foresight that hee meant to incline it this way, or that way.
Can God foresee any entitie, and thing that hath a beeing in nature, or grace without foresight to direct it this way or that way? he cannot, this is to make him no God. Wee see God hath the hearts of Kings in his power, and that is the ground of prayer for grace to them. Why should we pray for them, if they could apply their own will which way they would? Why should wee give thankes for that wee have liberty to doe this way, or that way? It stopps devotion, and petition, and thankesgiving, to say that the creature hath libertie to apply it selfe, and God seeing it would applie it selfe thus, determined so. Oh, no; wee must goe to God, he hath set down an order & course of meanes, and in the use of those meanes desire him to guide us by his good spirit, to enlighten our understandings, to guide our wills and affections by his holy spirit, because our hearts are in his governement more then our owne. If it were needfull to prove it, I could prove it at large: if there had beene such aliberty, good Nehemiah would never have made this prayer. But God doth strangely put thoughts and guide all, even of himselfe: as we may see excellently in the storie of Hester) I will give you but that example and instance▪) what a strange thing was it that Ahasueros could not sleep, and when hee could not sleepe to call for the book, and then that hee should reade of Mordecay; and therupon to advance Mordecay: all this tended to the good of the Church; it was a strange thing. And so in other things. It is a strange thing that God should put little thoughts and desires into great persons, and then follow it with this circumstance, and that, & so bring things to passe: all this is from God Except we hold this, that God rules al without, and especially the hearts of men, where it is his especiall prerogative to set up his throne: we shall never pray heartily, or give thankes. And if wee doe pray and give thankes, he will put thoughts into governours mindes, strange thoughts and resolutions for the good of the Church, that we could never have thought off: nor could come otherwise but from the great God of heaven and earth. We shall see a strange providence concurre to the good of al. But I must leave the enlargement of these things to your own thoughts and meditations.
FINIS.
Imprimatur.
Thomas Wykes. August 24. 1639.
End of the text · Richard Sibbes, The Spiritual Favorite at the Throne of Grace (1640)