A Practical Discourse of Prayer, Discourse · Part 3 · Chapter 1
CHAP. I. Touching unregenerate Perſons Prayers.
HAving handled the two former parts reſpecting the duty it ſelfe of prayer, and the modification and qualifications thereof, we now come to the laſt part of this diſcourſe about prayer, namely, to ſpeak to ſome caſes of Conſcience, conſiderable in the inceſſant practiſe of this duty of prayer.
The firſt caſe reſpecteth the perſons, Queſt. 1 which are to obey this indefinite injunction; whether onelyonly regenerate perſons are bound thus to pray? or that it be not alſo a duty which lyeth even upon unregenerate perſons to indeavour obedience to this injuction, Pray without ceaſing: or if ſuch perſons ſhould indeavour the practiſe of this duty, how far forth they may come up to it, and be carryed out in the obedience thereof; and likewiſe what ſucceſſe may come thereof, whether their praiers may not be heard and anſwered of God, or how far forth (at leaſt) God may heare, and anſwer, even their prayers?
The caſe it ſelfe doubtleſſe may lye ſad upon ſome ſpirits, which either ſuſpecting, or concluding, out of ſome diſmall horrours of heart, their eſtate to be but of the eſtate of meere naturall perſons, they queſtion whether the injunction doe lay a bond upon them to obey it, albeit, it may be, they would deſire to come up to the obedience of it; eſpecially, conſidering that the Scripture requireth that ſuch as pray, ſhould pray in faith, and believe that they ſhall receive what they ask. Mark 11. 24. Whatſoever yee ask, believe that yee receive them, and yee ſhall have them. And this they cannot doe, finding no aſſurance of any intereſt in God, nor being able to perſwade themſelves that Chriſt died for them in particular, and through this miſtaken fancy, that there can be no true faith without ſuch a firme perſwaſion and aſſurance that Chriſt is theirs, (which is rather a reflect then direct act of faith, and which rather followeth after ſome time and ſtrength of faith, acting upon Chriſt in a holy caſting the ſoule upon Chriſt alone for mercy, and leaving upon him all the help and ſalvation which they deſire) thus are they kept off, and ſcarce dare to pray, conceiting that they are not qualified and fitted yet for it: they cannot lift up pure hands without doubting. Beſides, God ſaith, that the prayer of a wicked man is an abomination to the Lord. Proverb. 15. 8. And they think that they are ſuch wicked ones in themſelves, and can or will God take a prayer in good part from ſuch wicked ones as they are? Surely no. Neither will Satan the enemy of prayer neglect the opportunity to preſent to them the ſtricteſt of the qualifications required of ſuch as ſeek God by praier, and that unleſſe they could come up to that ſtrictneſſe of the rule, (which is laid ſtrait that the people of God may by little and little come as near to it as they can) and that forthwith, at firſt ſetting about the work, &c. it is not for ſuch as they are to attempt the ſame; and better were it for them to ſit ſtill and be ſilent; and ſo would (if poſſible) take them off from uſing meanes to be better, and make them reſolve never to ſeek after a better eſtate then what they are in already; the devill knowing right well, that God who ordereth ſuch or ſuch an end of good to his people, ordereth ſuch and ſuch good means to be uſed, for attaining of that end.
But ſuch ſuſpicions of tender hearts, being moſt what groundleſſe ſurmiſes, need not, muſt not diſcourage any from prayer, in whom the Lord hath wrought a pliableneſſe of heart to the mind of God therein, and a deſire to obey his injunction thereof, this is to them as an inward call and invitation of God to call upon him. The more tremblingly they ſet about this duty with ſenſe both of their owne unworthineſſe and unfitneſſe to performe it, the fitter they are for it. And ſuppoſe the worſt, that their ſurmiſes are grounded, yet verily, the more ſad they ſee or ſuſpect their eſtate to be, the more need have they to ſeek God by prayer. When wicked Simon Magus did diſcover the naughtineſſe and falſeneſſe of his heart, Simon Peter doth not now forbid him to pray, but he injoyneth him to pray God, if perhaps the thought of his heart may bee forgiven him. If there be any poſſibility of a mans ſalvation, if there bee but a perhaps left of pardon, and that of one at preſent in the gall of bitterneſſe, and bond of iniquity; as ſuch a one is bound to repent, ſo alſo to pray. Acts 8. 21, 22, 23. Some will be ready to put off theſe injunctions of prayer, as ſuch as concern Puritans; but as for ſuch as they are, what boot is it for them to pray? It was reckoned among the prophane ſpeeches of them of old, Job 21. 14, 15. What profit ſhould we have if we pray to him? Yea, but ſome now adayes hold it as their judgement, that it is to no purpoſe for unregenerate perſons to pray; becauſe indeed they are got bound to pray. They were as good joyne in the reſt of the ſpeeches there condemned and branded for prophaneneſs, and ſtand up againſt the holy Ghoſt, charging the prophane ſpeeches of thoſe unregenerate ones: and maintaine them in it, that they ought not to deſire the knowledg of Gods ways, they ought not to ſerve him, they ought not to pray to him and therfore may ſay to God, depart from us, for we deſire not the knowledg of thy ways: and what is the Almighty, that we ſhould ſerve him? and what profit is it if we pray to him? An unregenerate heart who of it ſelfe is averſe from any way of God, and would not be ſubject to the law of God, would gladly have ſuch a Tenent to hold up againſt God and his ſervants, to excuſe them from ſeeking unto God by prayer, as not bound to do it.
Let us therefore give anſwer to the ſeveral branches of the caſe propounded, and ſhew, 1. That an unregenerate perſon Unregenerate Perſons are bound to pray. …ecauſe,is bound to pray. 2. That ſuch a one may be ſtrangely carryed out in prayer, 3. That God may heare and anſwer his prayer.
1. Then, that an unregenerate man is bound to pray, is evident from this indefinite injunction, Pray without ceaſing; whether regenerate or unregenerate. The wicked man, who Iſai. 55. 7. is charged to forſake his evil wayes and thoughts, is firſt charged, verſe 6. to ſeek the Lord whilſt he may be found, to call upon him whilſt he is near. Pſal. 65. 2. All fleſh ſhall come to thee, whether they are good or bad perſons.
For Firſt it is a duty which lyeth upon 1 Prayer is natural worſhip required of all ſorts in the firſt commandement.all men, as created and made by God. It is a naturall worſhip. It is that which the law of nature, as well as that of the word of God doth put men upon. Hence even the moſt Pagan people all doe call upon ſome God. Jonah 1. 5. The mariners cryed every man to his God. Iſai. 45. 20. They pray to a God that cannot ſave. Among other things contained in the Law, they do this alſo by nature. Rom 2 14. If they omit calling upon God, their naturall conſcience will accuſe them for it; or if they do call upon God, it will ſo far excuſe them and incourage them in it, v. 15. other naturall men which live under the light of the word, if they neglect it, they ſin both againſt the light of nature, and the light of the word of God. Heathens and other naurallmen will be damned for this ſin of not calling upon God. Hence are they twice imprecated againſt, as under that conſideration of not ho nouring of God, ſo of not calling upon him; as highly ſinning in the one as well as in the other. Pſal. 79. 6. and Jer. 10. 25. Powre out thy wrath upon the Heathen that know thee not, and the Families that call not on thy Name. Unregenerate perſons, as well as others, are bound by the firſt commandement, to have no other Gods but God, and therefore bound to worſhip the Lord onelyonly, and no other God but him alone; and therefore to love him and no other God, to fear him and no other God, to truſt in him and no other God, to pray to him and no other God beſide him, &c. as they are bound to make no graven images of God, to worſhip the true God onelyonly with his owne inſtituted worſhip, and not any other of mens inventing; and as they are likewiſe bound not to take Gods name in vain, &c.
2. Prayer is a meanes ordered by the Lord, even for the obtaining of regenerating 2 It is an inſtituted means of Grace and Bleſſing to them.grace. Ezek. 36. 26. A new heart wil I give you, &c. compare this with verſe 27. Thus ſaith the Lord, I will yet for this be ſought (or inquired of) by the houſe of Iſrael to doe it for them. God will give even firſt grace, in the uſe of his own appointed meanes, and that is in a way of ſeeking for it. Hence alſo God owneth this as his own appointed meanes for obtaining other bleſſings of his, as deliverance from dangers, ſupplies of wants, and the like, albeit the perſons which pray are unregenerate. So when Sea-men of all ſorts, whether ungodly or godly, are in ſtormes and dangers, they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their diſtreſſe, Pſalm 107. 23. 28. If it were ſimply ſinful in them, being unregenerate, to cry and pray to God, he would never thus incourage them or others in their caſe to cry then unto him. 2 Chron. 26, 5. Ʋzziah ſought God in the dayes of Zechariah, and when he ſought the Lord, God made him for to proſper; if he had been downright godly, he had ſought God all his dayes: yet though an hypocrite (ſo unregenerate) as long as he doth that which is for the matter of it right in Gods ſight, ver. 4. (which is expounded ver. 5. He ſought God) God proſpereth him. Ʋzziah did what was right in Gods ſight, as Amaziah his father did, which was not with a perfect heart for the manner of doing it, 2 Chron. 25. 2. yet ſeeking of God even by ſuch a one, whoſe heart is not perfect with God, is in it ſelf conſidered, that which is right in Gods ſight, and a due and direct means to proſper, in what ſuch a one taketh in hand. Exod. 22. 27. When he So Exod. 21. 22. 23. Deut. 15. 9 & 24. 15cryeth unto me (namely, as one oppreſſed, as one in neceſſity, be he who he will be, Regenerate or Unregenerate) I will hear him, for I am merciful. That ſcoffing lad Iſhmael was an Unregenerate perſon, yet when in diſtreſſe and crying, to God Gen. 21. 17. Fear not (ſaith the Angel to Hagar his mother) for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is; if it had been ſimply ſinful and that which Iſhmael ought not to have done, the Angel would never have encouraged Hagar from ſuch an Argument, as Gods hearing Iſhmaels cry
3 God may and doth beſtow praying abilities 3. God may & doth give them praying abilities to be improved.upon Unregenerate perſons. Hee giveth to ſome the gift of prayer, to whom he never vouchſafeth the ſpirit of prayer. The gift of prayer is as common to hypocrites, as the gift of Propheſie. Not every one that ſaith to me, Lord, Lord, (is large and earneſt in prayer to me) ſhall enter into heaven, Matth. 7. Unregenerate Miniſters, Magiſtrates, Parents, Maſters, Tutors, may have ſuch a gift of Prayer, by the uſe whereof others may be inſtructed, helped and encouraged in a way of Prayer, yea in a right way of prayer; and if he give ſuch a gift, ſurely he requireth the uſe of it. That ſlothful ſervant, albeit a Reprobate, yet having ſuch a like gift and Talent, he is damned for not improving it, Matth. 25. 30.
4 That practice or religious performance 4. The omiſſion and neglect thereof is charged on them as their ſin.muſt needs be a Duty, even of unregenerate perſons, the omiſſion or neglect whereof is charged by the Lord upon them for their ſin, (for if it were not an Anomy or Tranſgreſſion of ſome rule of God, it could not be ſin:) but the omiſſion or neglect of prayer, or calling upon God, even by Unregenerate perſons, is charged upon them by God as their ſin; therefore the performance of that ſervice of calling upon God was their Duty. The Aſſumption is evident, when the Apoſtle would prove the unregenerate Jew and Gentile to bee under ſin, Rom. 3 9. he proveth it ver. 11. by this, out of Pſalm 14. 2. There is none that underſtandeth, there is none that ſeeketh after God. And Pſal. 14. 4. The workers of iniquity have it charged upon their very conſciences, as that which they cannot but know to be their ſin, that they call not upon God: Do not the workers of iniquity know, that they eat up my people as bread? They call not upon God; and Pſal. 10. 4. Its charged as the pride of the wicked, The wicked is ſo proud, that he ſeeketh not God: The like charge ſee Jer. 10. 21. Hoſ. 7. 7. Zeph. 1. 6. and Job 27. 10. The hypocrite that is blamed for ceaſing to call upon God (Will he alwayes call vponupon God?) ſhould rather have been blamed for calling upon God at all, if it had not been any duty of his to pray. To like purpoſe we might argue, That the neglect of it by the Unregenerate, as well as Regenerate Jewes▪ is bewayled by Daniel, as their ſin: ergo, the contrary was their Duty, Dan. 9. 13. All this is come upon us, yet made we not our prayer to God. Beſides alſo, if it had not been in it ſelf good, and a duty, even for an Unregenerate perſon to pray, but had been in it ſelfe ſinful; the Pſalmiſt never need to have made that Imprecation againſt him in Pſal. 109. 7. Let his prayer be turned into ſin. Beſides, the Pſalmiſt would never have urged God ſo to affright and perſecute his enemies by his judgments, that they might at length be forced to ſeek his name, if it had been in it ſelf ſinful, Pſal. 83. 15, 16.
Obj. Prov. 15. 8. The prayer of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord.
Anſw. So is the Plowing of the wicked ſin, Prov. 21. 4. Not ſimply in themſelvs, for then an unregenerate man ſhould not plow, nor labour in his Calling; yea, he ſhould not eat his meat, nor ſleep; &c. For to the impure and unbelieving is nothing pure, Titus 1. 15, 16. But it is ſo in reſpect of the defects of other qualifications, required to the holy uſe and exerciſe of ſuch things; namely, want of faith, love to God, repentance for ſin, &c. Their Sacrifices were an abomination to the Lord, Iſaiah 1. 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. yet in themſelves commanded duties, and enjoyned to every Jew, whether he were Unregenerate or Regenerate. God once inabled Adam, and in him all his poſterity, to call upon him; and though hee and we in him are become Bankrupts, and diſabled to do that ſervice and homage, yet our Lord and Maſter may, and doth require it of us, and accounteth it our ſin to neglect it. It is every ones duty to underſtand, and ſo to believee in God, as well as to ſeek him; but the omiſſion of that Duty of underſtanding and believing God, hindereth not, but that the omiſſion of that other duty of ſeeking God becometh a ſin to every one. Rom. 3. 9. 11.
2. An Unregenerate man may be ſtrongly and largely carryed out in prayer, as its Unregenerate perſons may be large in prayers.ſaid of them, Pſal. 78. 36, 37. who did but flatter God with their mouth, for their heart was not right with him; They ſought God early, ver. 34. namely, when he ſlew them, when they were in fear of their lives: So may profane Mariners be very earneſt in prayer then, Pſal. 107. 28. Cry unto the Lord. So Prov. 1. 27, 28. When your fear cometh, &c. then ſhall you ſeek me early, but ſhall not find me. Thoſe in Iſai. 58. 2, 3. they joyned long and large prayers with their Faſts. An hypocritical Phariſee could not ſpend his time in his Faſting dayes, unleſſe enlarged in prayer, Matth. 6. 16. Thoſe hypocrites that devoured widowes houſes, they had ſuch a gift in prayer, that they could be very large and long in prayers, Matth. 23. 14. And for a pretence make long prayers.
3 Unregenerate perſons may bee full of praiſing and thankful expreſſions in their They may be large in praiſing God.prayers. The unjuſtified Phariſees prayer was rather a Thankſgiving, Luke 18. 10, 11 He prayed thus, God, I thank thee, I am not as other men, &c. Thoſe unregenerate ones among the Jewes alſo, which cryed ſo earneſtly, Exod. 14. 10. they did ſing as loud as Moſes and Aaron. Pſal. 106. 12, 13. Then believed they his words, and ſang praiſes to him; but not rightly, for verſe 13, but incontinently they forgat his works, and waited not for his counſel; verſe 15. They luſted in the wilderneſſe, and tempted God in the Deſert; of whom the Apoſtle ſpeaketh, 1 Cor. 10. 9. OnelyOnly leſt what is now ſaid, may raiſe ſome doubt in the hearts of any truly Regenerate, the example of the Differences betwixt the thankſgivings of the Unregenerate, and thoſe of the Regenerate.Phariſees thankful Prayer, will yeild matter of diſtinction and differencing of the Unregenerate perſon in his praiſes from the Regenerate.
1 The Unregenerate perſon in his thankſgiving before God, pretending to lift up God in his praiſes, doth intend to lift up or exalt himſelf. Hence Chriſt who knew the ſpirit of this Phariſee in his praiſes of God, rendreth him thus, Luke 18. 14. Whoſoever exalteth himſelf.
2 The main in their eyes, and ſo in their thanks, is ſome inherent excellency, not thoſe imputed mercies, not Chriſt and his Righteouſneſſe, and propitiation, and the pardon of ſin, Gods favour, acceptance, &c. No word of theſe in the Phariſees thanks, but that I am not as others, unjuſt, I faſt, I pay Tithes, &c. They are the Saints, whoſe hearts being moſt affected with thoſe mercies, do break out into cordial praiers for them.
3 Such men uſe to reſt in ſome common eminencies and excellencies above others. The Phariſee paſſeth others, he is not as other men, and that ſufficeth him: no word of a ſerious petition for the ſupply of ſuch or ſuch wants, of this or that grace, or for the increaſe thereof, or for the ſubduing of ſuch or ſuch corruptions. Hee grounds his rejoycing upon anothers falling ſhort of him, upon others falls into ſuch ſins from which he is reſtrained; as Gal. 6. 4. He ſhall have rejoicing in himſelf, and not in another.
4 Such men reſpect more the gift, then the Giver, and truſt more in that, then in him. They truſt in themſelves that they are righteous, when they ſay, God, we thank thee, Luke 18. 9, 11. compared. They make the gifts their God, and they adore and admire the Giver onelyonly for the gifts ſake, and do not admire the gifts for the Givers ſake, as true Converts, and Spouſe like ſpirits uſe to do, but harlot like they do otherwiſe.
5 Such men are very ambitious in their thankful acknowledgments. They make Gods praiſes but as a ſtirrup to get up into mens eſteemes, and as a bridg by which to convey to themſelves humane praiſes; Hence this Temple acknowledgement, and in the moſt conſpicuous place of it.
6. Such men will in the midſt of their thankſgivings, be with heart and mouth too (ſometimes) cenſuring, and putting contempt upon others, falling ſhort (as they conceive) of their excellencies; yea, albeit thoſe others be better men then themſelvs, as this gracious Publicane was, then the Phariſee: ſo ſaith this ſeemingly thankful Phariſee, God I thank thee, I am not as this Publicane, not ſuch a varlet, not ſuch a wretch, &c.
3. Unregenerate men may be carryed out with ſome faith, as well as fervency in their praiers. As Luke 17. 12, 13, 14, 3 They may pray with ſome kind of faith.15, 17. The nine, as well as the tenth, who was truly gracious, cry as loud as he, and believe as ſtrongly upon the word of Chriſt as he, that the Lord Jeſus had granted their requeſt of healing, and goe a great way to Jeruſalem as men already cured, to ſhew themſelves to the Prieſt (as the manner then was) when yet they were not then actually cured; they ſet forward in the journey upon that errand, upon confidence of Chriſts word, as if they had been cured at the very inſtant wherein he ſpake, and yet not at that very inſtant, but afterward, even as they journeied towards Jeruſalem from that part of Samaria, were they actually cured. As an unregenerate man, one who hath not love, may have the gift of the faith of miracles, ſo as to remove mountaines. 1 Cor. 13. 2. So may they exerciſe that faith in ſuch a way expecting anſwers of prayer in caſes of wonder. They that caſt out devils did it by invocation upon the name of the Lord, accompanied with ſuch … faith for hearing them, and helping them. Mat. 7. 22. And in thy name caſt out devils. And as an unregenerate man may have that common temporary faith, believe for a time. Luke 8. 13. So may he for ſuch a time act ſuch a faith in prayer, or the like, albeit it be in matters onelyonly of a common nature, and not ſuch as are properly ſaving; as for clearing up pardon of ſins, ſubduing ſecret corruptions, ſanctifying of afflictions, an holy reſcue or iſſue from temptations, or the like.
Touching the third thing propounded, God may be ſaid in ſome ſenſe to heare their prayers, praying with others.I ſay, God may in ſome ſort, and in ſome caſes heare unregenerate mens prayers; both ſuch prayers as they put up to the Lord with others, or by themſelves alone. Prayers put up by them with others, may be heard in a ſaving way and manner by the Lord; albeit not in a ſaving manner to themſelves, yet in a ſaving way to the Saints which joyne with them in the praiers which they put up. Matthew (chap. 3. 5, 6) ſaith, the Centurion came unto Chriſt beſeeching him to heale his ſervant, but Luke 7. 3, 4, 5. expoundeth it, that he ſent to the Elders of the Jewes to beſeech Chriſt to doe it. He joyned with them in the requeſt, it was his, but it was preſented by thoſe proud hypocritical and unregenerate Elders, who breathed none of the Centurions faith, or humility, as appears by their plea with Chriſt from the Centurions worthineſs, ſaying, that he wa… worthy that he ſhould do this for him, yet th… Lord Jeſus heard, & graciouſly anſwered th… good Centurions hearty deſire, & conſente… to the ſubſtance of the prayer. They that preſented the poore palſie man to Chriſt with a tacit deſire of cure, he had (ſome o… them at leaſt) a faith of miracles for his cure; but the man himſelf no doubt had a further deſire, even of his ſouls cure, with the pardon of his ſins, and when Jeſus ſaw their faith, Mark 2. 5. he ſaith to the ſick of the palſie, (as Matthew hath it, chap. 9.) Sonne, be of good cheare, thy ſins be forgiven; the mans grievous diſeaſe might trouble his freinds; but this was his greateſt trouble, in the want of pardon of ſins, and his deſire and faith was accordingly carried out, and this ſoul mercy of his pardon and peace is given in as an anſwer in common to them all. When he ſaw their faith he ſaith to the palſie man, Son, thy ſins be forgiven thee. Abiathar, who proved a treacherous and bad man, (1 Kings 2. 26.) yet if he made inquiry of God for his counſel about diſtreſſed David, (1 Sam. 30. 7, 8.) or about David in a ſtrait, (2 Sam 2. 1.) God giveth a gracious anſwer for David, who by him ſeeketh unto the Lord for his counſell; and ſurely the deſires of ſaith are acceptable to God, and ſucceſſefull, whether expreſſed in others prayers, wherein believers joyne, or in their owne alone. Pſalm 145 19. He will fulfill the deſire of them that feare him: The fruit of no one ordinance of God doth depend meerly and onelyonly upon the worthineſſe and goodneſſe of ſuch as chiefly act in it. Chriſt authouriſed the twelve Diſciples, and Judas among the reſt, to preach the Goſpel. Matth. 10 4. 7. And ſo, as that if they came to worthy ones, humble ſoules, ready to receive their doctrine, their peace was to come upon them, verſe 13. If the houſe be worthy, let your ptace come upon it, even all kind of bliſſe to their ſouls alſo, which you petition for in your prayers, and hold forth in your preaching, that ſhall come upon it. Let the Preacher be unworthy himſelfe, yet if the hearers be worthy, their peace cometh on them. The Goſpel, and Goſpel-ordinances are the power of God to ſalvation to the believing hearer and partaker, be the Miniſter regenerate or unregenerate. The cup in the Lords Supper, is the Communion of the blood of Chriſt to the worthy receiver, be the Miniſter, whom the people called to diſpenſe the ſame to them, regenerate or unregenerate. 1 Cor. 10. 16. and ſo in praier: Gods compaſſions are to his peoples miſeries, for redreſſe whereof the prayer is made, be the man that is the mouth of the people therein, Godly or ungodly. Notable is that example of wicked Jehonhaz, 2 Kings 13. 4. Jehoahaz beſought the Lord, and the Lord heard him: for he ſaw the trouble of Iſrael, wherewith the King of Aram troubled them. Nor would God ever ſhew ſuch reſpect to prayers put up by unregenerate perſons in behalfe of his people or any of them, if it were (as ſome ſay) a ſin to joyne with an unregenerate Miniſter, Parent, Maſter, Husband, &c. in their prayer. And ſince every Hypocrite, how godly ſoever he is taken to be by the moſt judicious Chriſtians, yet he is an unregenerate perſon, if an hypocrite; and ſince he that we judge to be truly godly, yet its very poſſible he may be an hypocrite, we cannot bee infallibly ſure in any ordinary way of anothers ſaving eſtate, but onelyonly in the judgement of charity we may eſteeme ſuch or ſuch a one truly godly: ſo that if we ſinne if we joyne in prayer with an unregenerate perſon, we cannot aſſure our ſelves but that we ſin in joyning with any other at all, becauſe we cannot ordinarily bee ſo aſſured, that another with whom we would pray, is regenerrte; and ſo a man muſt now turne an abſolute ſeparatiſt indeed.
As for other praiers, which do more perſonally Praying by themſelves alſo.reſpect themſelves, and are uttered by themſelves, albeit the parties be unregenerate, yet the Lord may heare the ſame; the Lord as a Maſter, grants the requeſt of that hypocritical ſervant, though not as a Father. Matth. 18. 26, 17. and verſe 32. O thou wicked ſervant, I forgave thee the debt, becauſe thou prayedſt me, &c. So thoſe rude They are then heard.mariners, crying in diſtreſſe, are heard of the Lord. Pſal. 107. 28. So was mocking Iſhmael heard in his cry. Gen. 21. 17. God may, and doth put forth wonderfull workes for perſons which cry to him as they are the children of men, albeit not as the children of God, many of them. Pſal. 107. 15, 21, 31. O that men would praiſe him for his wonderful works which he doth for the children of men! Though thoſe that ſought him, when hee ſlew them, had not hearts right with God, Pſal. 78. 34, 36, 37. compared, yet he being full of compaſſion forgave their iniquity, (i. e. as to the puniſhment deſerved by it, even utter ruine, he paſſed over that,) he deſtroyed them not utterly, verſe 38. God liketh alſo to owne the righteous cauſes even of unrighteous perſons, and to ſet himſelfe againſt their affliction. Job 34. 27, 28. They have cauſed the cry of the poore to come to him, and he hath heard their cry. So Exod. 22. 22, 23. Though many of the children of Abraham, of Iſaak and Jacob in Egypts bondage, were themſelves unregenerate, yet they crying alſo, were heard, out of reſpect to their godly Anceſtors, and the covenant of God made with them, Exod. 6. 5. I have heard the groanings of the children of Iſrael, and have remembred my covenant. Sometimes God heareth ſuch perſons prayers the rather, that they may afterwards bee inſtruments of his peoples good; and ſometimes that he might the rather incourage all ſorts to pray to him. Pſal. 65. 2. O thou that heareſt prayers, to thee ſhall all fleſh come. Sometimes the perſons at preſent unregenerate, yet are elect, and God in hearing them, will look to his owne thoughts of prayer which hee hath towards them, and ſo will be found of thoſe which ſought him not aright.
But in caſe the parties bee reprobates, what hearing God doth afford to any prayers of theirs.
It is firſt in common things, and ſuch, which (at leaſt) are not properly In common, not in things properly ſaving.ſaving mercies unto them, for ſo God heareth not ſinners: if any object, that evil ſervants pardon, granted upon his requeſt. Matth. 18. 32. I anſwer, the Maſter forgave him the debt, not ſimply, but in reſpect of the conſequent vaſſalage and impriſonment preſently deſerved by it. Matth. 18. 25. or as ſome interpret the place, to be ſpoken in reference onelyonly to the maine intent of Chriſt, that if a man forgive not his neighbour offending, and begging his mercy, God will never communicate to him any ſaving benefit of his mercy in Chriſt. An implacable ſpirited Chriſtian is at preſent in a ſtate of damnation.
2. The hearing which the Lord doth By God as a Maſter, not as a Father.lend to ſuch, is from his general providence and pity, and rather as a Soveraigne and Maſter, then from any particular grace, and as a Father; for ſo he heareth not ſinners, yea he heareth them, rather to leave them without excuſe, and to take a fuller blow at them afterwards, as in the caſe of that evill ſervant, Matthew 18. the end.
3. The Lord uſeth not to give any ſutable They receive not Grace anſwerable.grace as the ſucceſs of their prayers; ſo he heareth onelyonly Saints, and not ſinners, eſpecially reprobates; he changed not the ſervants heart with his condition, Mat. 18. nor theirs, Pſal. 78. 37, 38, 39.
4. God ſometimes heareth them in They are heard in wrath.diſpleaſure and anger. Hoſea 13. 10, 11. I gave them a king in mine anger. Pſal. 106. 15. He gave them their deſire, but ſent leanneſſe into their ſoule; their ſoule is blaſted, they were hardned in pride and ſecurity thereby, and the thing it ſelfe given is blaſted to them in the uſe of it, becoming a ſnare, and vanity, and in the deprivall of it vexation of ſpirit.